Another top-tier JRPG from Square Enix is the Dragon Questseries, a unique Japanese RPG with several spin-offs and anime adaptations. And the latest spin-off is Dragon Quest Treasures, which follows the steps of Erik and Mia as they make their way through Draconia looking for treasure while recruiting monsters. But, with so many recruitable monsters in Dragon Quest Treasures, players will want to know which ones are the best.

5 Hoodlum

Locations:

The Hinterquarters Cinderback Ridge The Snarl

One key characteristic of Dragon Quest Treasure (and other JRPGs) is the intricate crafting system, allowing players to craft anything from an Awesome Orcish Omelette to a Dark Side Rice. But, to be able to craft these recipes players need to forage for the material (especially the Royal Soil), which isn’t always easy. Fortunately, players can recruit a Hoodlum to help them out.

And that’s because Hoodlums have the Scan Forte Skill, allowing them to highlight nearby foraging points. On top of that, the Scan Forte Skill also indicates the number of crafting materials available in that area, a truly valuable Forte Skill. Undoubtedly, Hoodlum is a must-have monster in Dragon Quest Treasure, especially at the beginning.

4 Dune Stalker

Locations:

The Maneland The Snarl

Knowing how to counter monsters and their resistances is crucial in any game like Dragon Quest Treasure. And, out of all the Hunter Machine monsters, the Dune Stalker is perhaps the most versatile one since it resists Dark, Poison, Light, and even Explosions. That’s one of the main reasons why players should recruit Dune Stalker early on in a playthrough since it’ll make the entire run a lot smoother or at least until the post-game area, The Snarl.

But, another reason Dune Stalker is a good monster to recruit is its Forte Skill “Glide.” Being able to Glide is extremely important in Monster Quest Treasure, as it allows Erik and Mia to fly or propel through the air. For example, some foraging material is located in remote areas, but with the help of Dune Stalker’s Forte Skill, players can easily reach it. Additionally, players can use Glide if they fall off a ledge, thus avoiding fall damage (even if it’s not lethal, like in other popular modern JRPGs).

3 Great Sabrecat

Locations:

The Paternoggin The Wingswept Moor The Snarl

Dragon Quest V was the first game in the series to introduce the monster recruitment system. And one of the first recruitable monsters players encounter in Dragon Quest V (which is why it’s considered one of the best JRPGs for the PS2 era) is the Saber, a type of Great Sabrecat. In Dragon Quest Treasures, players can also catch different types of Great Sabrecats (Silver, Stormy, and Dark), the default one being the best one of the bunch.

The Great Sabrecat can be recruited as early as the Wingswept Moors region. And while the Great Sabrecat is a great combat unit, it shines as a transportation unit due to its Sprint Forte Skill. Mainly because the Great Sabrecat has one of the fastest Sprint Forte Skills in Dragon Quest Treasures, easily traversing the map. Furthermore, the Great Sabrecat has a decent amount of Stamina, allowing it to run longer.

2 Shadow Minister

Locations:

The Maneland The Wingswept Moors The Snarl

Another useful Forte Skill is Stealth, as it allows players to dive and burrow to bypass obstacles, like walls and boulders. Moreover, with Stealth, players can avoid most battles that would otherwise be unavoidable (unless players enjoy the grind of battling every single monster they encounter). And one suitable Stealth recruit for the team is Shadow Minister, a Wight-type monster.

Shadow Ministers can be found around the Maneland and Wingswept Moors (and The Snarl after beating the main game). Aside from its Forte Skill, Shadow Minister is resistant to Electricity, Poison, and Water. Players can also try to recruit Pearly Wight and Wight Prince, but Shadow Minster is by far the easiest to recruit. The only main issue with the Shadow Minister is that it’s quite squishy, so players should be ready to revive it a lot during an intense battle.

1 King Slime

Locations:

The Paternoggin The Hinterquarters The Maneland Wingswept Moors The Snarl

Slimes have continuously appeared in the Dragon Quest series since its installment in the mid-1980s. And players can once again tame a King Slime in Dragon Quest Treasures, giving them the Forte Skill of Launch. This Forte Skill allows players to reach hard-to-reach places since it launches them high up in the air.

Players can find several types of King Slimes throughout their playthrough, but the best one is the Blue King Slime. A suitable substitute is Queen Slime, but she’s generally harder to recruit. King Slime is quite resistant to Sleep and Explosion, making them the ideal choice for the Heartless Hunter Boss fight. Unfortunately, while King Slime is super tanky, it lacks damage, so players shouldn’t expect it to contribute too much during a battle in terms of damage.

Dragon Quest Treasures is available now for Nintendo Switch.

More: Dragon Quest Treasures: How to Get Pre-Order Bonuses