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Even by the end of Dragon Quest 11, you may find yourself far from the level cap— and that’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to be at a super high level to complete the game. However, some players might want to max out their levels, and regular enemies won’t provide much help in that regard.
Metal Slimes are one of the rare enemies that can pop up in random encounters and grant a substantial amount of experience, but you need to be quick to take them out before they escape. While they can appear anywhere at any time, there are some locations where your chances of encountering them are better. Here’s a guide to finding and defeating Metal Slimes more easily.
Update (November 10, 2023): If you’re looking to level up fast, the Metal Slimes in DQ11 offer an excellent way to reach the level cap, which is why this guide has been updated with clearer formatting and additional tips to simplify defeating those pesky slimes.
There are different types of Metal Slimes in Dragon Quest 11, each with varying stats and abilities. Some even have ‘Vicious’ versions, similar to other monsters. The stats for these Vicious forms will be indicated in parentheses.
Metal Slime Types and Stats
| Type of Metal Slime | HP | MP | ATK (Attack) | DEF (Defense) | AGL (Agility) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Slime | 4 | 999 | 25 (121) | 999 | 152 (327) |
| Metal Slime Knight | 100 (162) | 12 (18) | 93 (138) | 154 (220) | 82 (118) |
| Liquid Metal Slime | 8 (162) | 999 | 43 (112) | 999 | 287 (362) |
| Metal Dragon Slime | 199 (386) | 36 (56) | 179 (264) | 167 (283) | 146 (190) |
| Metal King Slime | 20 (40) | 999 | 200 (260) | 999 | 494 (801) |
| King of Metal Slimes | 800 | 376 | 177 | 500 | 189 |
Depending on which act you’re currently playing through, there are key locations to help you find Metal Slimes more effectively.
Act One
In Act One, search for standard Metal Slimes in the Insula Orientalis and Champs Sauvage areas. You can also find Liquid Metal Slimes within these areas and the Royal Library. These slimes grant 2,010 and 10,050 XP, respectively.
Act Two
During Act Two, target Hardy Hands at Laguna di Gondolia and Mount Huji for 34,400 XP each, and seek out Metal King Slimes on The Battleground for 70,070 XP.
Act Three
In Act Three, can find Vicious Liquid Metal Slimes in The Disciple’s Trial and The Cruel Crypt for 80,640 XP. Moreover, Vicious Metal King Slimes, which provide an impressive 161,610 XP, can be found in The Luminary’s Trial and Citadel of Spite.
Finding a Metal Slime is tricky since they often dodge attacks and escape at the first opportunity. Their defense is also strong; you might deal only 1 damage even if you hit them. Sometimes, you won’t get a chance to attack at all before they run away.
To improve your chances, always include Erik and Jade in your party. They have the fastest turn rates and some of the best abilities to take down Metal Slimes. Erik’s Critical Claim guarantees a critical hit, potentially defeating the slime in one blow. Jade’s Lightning Thrust and Multithrust are also useful; the latter allows her to attack multiple times, increasing her chances of landing a hit.
Maximum Experience Gained
You can utilize a strategy to maximize your experience when fighting Metal Slimes. This method may lead to multiple levels of growth in one encounter if you’re well-prepared.
It significantly helps if your Hero has learned the Pep Up ability and you have some Pep Pops on hand, although they aren’t necessary.
To start, engage in random battles and defend until the Hero, Erik, Sylvando, Jade, and Rab are all in a pepped-up state. After one character is pepped, swap them out to maintain their state. Once all characters are pepped, flee or end the battle and save your game.
Next, find a spot where you can engage multiple weak enemies at once. Enter with Hero, Jade, Sylvando, and Erik, and use the pep power Hallelujah to boost the rewards you earn, including experience, between 1.5 to 3 times the normal amount. Please note that using this pep power will consume the pep states of Hero, Erik, and Jade.
Once both Hero and Sylvando are pepped again, swap in Rab for Erik and use the pep skill Electro Light with Hero, Jade, and Sylvando. This skill can turn all enemies into Metal Slimes or mechs—if you encounter mechs, don’t hesitate to reload your save and restart the process.
If you successfully get a batch of Metal Slimes, hope Rab gets an early turn to use Dirge of Dundrasil to put them all to sleep, preventing them from escaping. This will give you the opportunity to land hits using Erik’s Critical Claim, Jade’s Lightning Thrust, and any additional attacks without the pressure of losing the slimes.
Although this approach requires some time and finesse—especially without Pep Pops—it’s the most reliable method for defeating Metal Slimes effectively. When utilized with Hallelujah for increased earnings, this becomes the fastest strategy for leveling up.
You can acquire Pep Pops through several methods:
- Once you’ve collected all standard rewards from Mini Medals, you can trade ten Mini Medals for one Pep Pop. This takes time, but it’s certainly achievable.
- In Act 3, visit Octagonia to exchange tokens for Pep Pops.
- You may also purchase Pep Pops for 200,000 gold in Cobblestone during Act 3 after completing the quest to restore the town.
