DQ9 EncyclopediaEverything is decoded from the game ROM (US release, which contains the official English and French texts) and then checked in its code. But many leads come from players: their videos, guides and tools told us where to look, and this site owes them a lot. Every claim taken from them is checked in the code; the pages say what comes from them.
Those who helped us
- TKG: map methods (a playlist of 100 videos, 2025-2026), monster spawn points, the table A counter shown in his videos, rare item methods (written guides: seeds, pretty betsy, heavy hatchet…), the count of “metal-only” maps. On the site: EXP manipulations, Rare drops (map method), Grottoes. Links: YouTube · “[DQ9] Map Methods” · GitHub · 4th Gen Seed Farming · 6A8F 3-drop · 7B43 triple · DQ9SpawnNodeTool · DQ9TimertoFQTool.
- Sylwer (in French): video tutorials on the map method, the Hoimi table (2 parts), grotto chest timing, the game's randomness and the save editor; all transcribed and compared with the code. On the site: Hoimi table, Randomness, Grottoes (chests). Links: YouTube · Twitch.
- “The Quester's Rest” Discord server: FAQ, manipulation channels, “seed farming”, “Grotto info”, online content; hurblub's RNG guide (2026), Collapsus's and Gradis's vocation sheets, the “Special Maps (150 BQ)” spreadsheet, measurements by Shimo (shimokia) and MelonGx. On the site: Discord FAQ, Online content, Randomness, Skill advice. Link: discord.com/invite/B3rjhdfG5m.
- Gradis: EXP manipulations filmed on a 3DS (Quarantomb, the Bad Cave, the Bowhole, Slime Hill) and the “Hoimi Table Guide”. On the site: EXP manipulations. Link: YouTube.
- cleartonic: the Quarantomb method. Link: YouTube.
- DaisukeDaisuke: Fastest POP 2 v3, agility ring, liquid metal slime with Whistle, grotto encounter tables, map method comparison for RTA. Links: YouTube · blog.
- halgorithm: “Easy LMS manip” and “Alternate LMS manip” (the Bowhole). Link: YouTube.
- Eru1203: RTA world record (6:31:02), commented paladin chart, “dazed” metal slimes. Links: YouTube · Twitch.
- yab (yabd.org): Grotto Search, Hoimi table (seed ranges), Chest Timer, Blue Chests, DQVC calendar, save editor. On the site: Hoimi table, DQVC.
- Woodus (woodus.com, Dragon's Den): special grottoes list and grotto calculator, redone exactly here in “My next map”. On the site: Grottoes.
- DQIX (a group of players): GitHub · “DQIX Formats” wiki · save editor, Lua scripts for DeSmuME, decompilation of the game.
All the links
- TKG: channel and playlists: YouTube · [DQ9] Map Methods · Usugura Seed Farming (2025) · Gen 4 Seed Farming (2026) · 6A8F 3-drop Seed Farming · 7B43 Seed Farming · TAS Clips · Memes/Modding/Hacking/Testing · Personal Challenges · The Quester's Rest Challenges · tutorial “How to Create Map Method MKS/PKJ”
- TKG: tools and written guides: GitHub · DQ9SpawnNodeTool · DQ9TimertoFQTool · DQ9MapIDScanner · TKGArchives · Lua scripts (his videos' counter) · 4th Gen Seed Farming · 6A8F 3-drop · 7B43 triple · map data sheet template
- Sylwer: tutorials in French: YouTube · Twitch · Manipuler le spawn des monstres (Map Method) · Hoimi Table, partie 1 · Hoimi Table, partie 2 · Timing des coffres d'antres · Résumé de la RNG · Tutoriel Save Editor · Quêtes Wi-Fi et cheats sur DeSmuME · Moving on B table when recruiting or calling up allies
- DaisukeDaisuke: YouTube · blog · encounter tables · monster-free spots (敵無ポイント) · table A online · Fastest POP 2 v3 · Agility Ring · liquid metal slime by Whistle · map method comparison
- halgorithm, Gradis, cleartonic: halgorithm (YouTube) · Easy LMS manip · Alternate LMS manip · Gradis (YouTube) · cleartonic (YouTube)
- yab (yabd.org): DQ9 tools · Hoimi Table · Chest Timer · Blue Chests · Grotto Search · Grotto Chance · Alchemy Profit · bestiary
- DQIX (a group of players): GitHub · “DQIX Formats” wiki · save editor · Grotto-Searcher · BattleEmulator · desmume-scripts · dqix-functions · decompilation (dqix-decomp)
- Woodus (Dragon's Den): Dragon Quest IX · save editor · armour · accessories · pot, barrel and cupboard levels
- Wikis, guides and fan sites: Dragon Quest Wiki (dragon-quest.org) · list of enemies · Dragon Quest Wiki (Fandom): items · dqnine.wikidot.com · Dragon Quest IX Famous Grottoes · kyokugen.info · kyokugen.info: red chests · table A sequences (dq9.s1001.xrea.com) · Rikka's Inn (dragonquest9.com) · Dragon Quest France · dragonquest-fan.com · SuperSoluce
- GameFAQs: equipment guide (TheMysticalOne) · inn basement fountain items · blue chests outside grottoes · Slime Hill (MelonGx's translation)
- Emulators: DeSmuME · melonDS · Lua for DeSmuME
Other sources
- kyokugen.info; gkwiki4.com; dragon-quest.org; almarsguides.com; dqnine.wikidot.com; dq9grotto.wikidot.com (“Dragon Quest IX Famous Grottoes”); Terence Fergusson's “Grotto Mechanics” guide (GameFAQs, 2010); random tables from dq9.s1001.xrea.com.
- The community's special grotto lists checked map by map with the site's generator: the grotto wiki's “metal-only” lists (82 liquid metal slime, 21 metal king slime, 34 gem slime) are identical to ours; out of more than 2,000 claims (Woodus, wiki, spreadsheet), about twenty are wrong (miscopied locations, chest counts, four names).
Item icons and the parchment also come from the ROM (the game's own pixel art), as do the colours: those of the bag and item-info menus. Starting data: the “DQ9 Liste des items FR” spreadsheet.
Encyclopedia by spiffwastaken. For any question: direct message (DM) on Discord to spiffwastaken.
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