Overview

Monster Trial is a Sacred Tree mode where the player challenges a selected dungeon as a monster.
Playable monsters can be unlocked by clearing Dojo Challenges inside the Monster Dojo.
Some monsters can breeze through dungeons, while others might feel nearly impossible.

The player can use the monster's ability anytime (unless Sealed), similar to eating a Peach Bun.
Likewise, some traps affect the player differently when playing as a monster.

However, there are also a number of significant changes to mechanics in this mode, such as:

• The player begins with the base stats of the selected monster.
• HP doesn't regenerate as turns elapse, but is restored to max every time you level up.
• Fullness doesn't deplete as turns elapse, but depletes by 4 every time you level up.
• Items cannot be used, but instead can be eaten to replenish 2 fullness.

Unavailable Dungeons

• Training Path of Extra Inference
• Peach Dungeon
• Trapper's Secret Path
• Heart of Serpentcoil Island (The 12 Celestial Stones)

Unavailable Monsters

• Golden Egg Thing
• Bosses
• Shop NPCs

Mechanics

• You can freely use the monster's special attack and abilities, similar to eating a Peach Bun.
  • The player's starting stats = monster's base stats.
  • In some cases, stepping on a trap affects the monster differently than Shiren.
• Fullness doesn't deplete as turns elapse, and HP doesn't regenerate either.
  • Aquatic type monsters can stand on a water tile to restore their HP.
  • Ghost Samurai restores its HP when it possesses another monster.
• Player level increases by 1 each time you defeat a monster.
  • HP is fully restored upon leveling up, and fullness decreases by 4.
  • HP is fully restored upon leveling up even if fullness is currently 0.
  • The amount of max HP you gain is based on level.
    • Lv2~19 = +1 HP, Lv20~49 = +2 HP, Lv50~99 = +3 HP.
  • Attack Power increases as you level up, but it's unknown if Defense increases.
    • The damage formula appears to be different than Shiren at first glance.
  • Once you reach Lv99, you can no longer level up and fully restore your HP.
    • Monsters who can restore HP on their own have an advantage for deeper dungeons.
• Items cannot be used - They can be eaten to replenish 2 fullness instead.
  • Eating to replenish 2 fullness applies to all item categories, including food items.
  • Monsters that generate new items like Bowboy can replenish fullness whenever they want.
  • Gitan cannot be eaten unless it's cursed.
  • Enemy Lv2~4 Bored Kappas can be used to get hit by a thrown item if desired.
  • Exceptions:
    • Revival Grass - Still activates when carried in your inventory.
    • Sanctuary Scroll - Can be placed on the ground and used like normal.
    • Balance Staff - Prevents you from being tripped when carried in your inventory.
    • Incense - Can be activated by a Lv2~4 Bored Kappa or Pot Knave.
    • Traps - Can be brought into the dungeon if the dungeon allows bringing items.
• Monsters who can pass through walls will still lose HP while inside a wall.
• The player cannot talk to NPCs like Travel Companions or Peddlers.
  • Fluffy Bunny Pup can still appear and fully restore your HP.
• Shops are never generated during a Monster Trial, even in Training Path of Shopping.
• Getting hit by a Peach Staff makes you instantly collapse.
  • Revival Grass can revive you if this happens.

Basic Strategy

• HP can only be restored by leveling up, and once you reach Lv99, you can't restore HP.
  • Exceptions = Fluffy Bunny, Ghost Samurai, Masked Samurai family, Aquatic type monsters.
  • Consider waiting to eat an item until after you're done grinding levels when fullness is at 0.
• You generally want to rush to the stairs, and only defeat a necessary number of monsters.
  • Many playable monsters have useful special attacks or abilities, so use them!
  • Avoid Monster Houses when possible to prevent excessive level ups and fullness depletion.
• Some monsters like King Reaper are simply more viable than others like Chow.
  • Equipment and Eradication Scrolls can't be used, so Heart of Serpentcoil Island is quite hard.
  • A realistic goal for weaker monsters will likely be to just reach a specific floor.
• Generally speaking, level 4 monsters offer an advantage over level 1~3 monsters.
  • However, there are exceptions like choosing Sleep Radish (Lv3) instead of Frenzy Radish (Lv4).

Monsters

Monster Ranking

Keep in mind that this monster ranking is an opinion piece, and isn't absolute.

Rank	Monsters (Notable Levels Only)
S+	Ghost Samurai
S	Lordly Samurai
A	Ultra Gazer King Reaper Pumplord Baby Tank Steadfast Tank Hiding Dragon Gitan Mamel Cyberoid Magicwalrus
B	Nimble Knave Mini Tank Skull Lord Abyss Dragon N'daloon Admiral Spearfish Porgon Dark Owl
C	Superb Octopling Hoppin' Slammer Pyrepuff Atrocious Kappa Sleep Radish Fluffy Bunny General Ant Streamingfrog Detonachin Water Ninja A Tengu Monk A
D	Hiding Egg Grampadillo Deathead Bashagga Polygon Stunna Nigiri Honcho Tiger Launcher Demon Scorpion Wrinkly Hani Boomdon Mixerdon Frogginator Cursenior Hat Rascal Tree Ninja A Metal Ninja A Okame Monk A
E	Chow Infernous Miracle Hen Gigataur Mudder Showpin Swordmaster Fire Ninja A Earth Ninja A Kitsune Monk A Hannya Monk A Okina Monk A
F	Crow Tengu Hen

Monster Notes

Teal name = Swift action speed, Orange name = Slow action speed.

Mamel Family

• No special attack, but Cave Mamel (Lv3) and Gitan Mamel (Lv4) convert non-fixed damage to 1.
• Steamrolls shorter dungeons, but longer dungeons require planning your level ups.
• Gitan Mamel (Lv4) has swift action speed.

Chintala Family

• No special attack or characteristics.

Octopling Family

• Special attack inflicts Mingling status for 30 turns (enemy won't attack you), but can fail.
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Spearfish Family

• Capt. Spearfish (Lv3) and Admiral Spearfish (Lv4) can shoot water 3 tiles ahead.
  • Effect is similar to Water Gun Pot, but deals 15 damage (Lv3) or 25 damage (Lv4).
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Death Reaper Family

• All four levels in this family have swift action speed.
  • Soul Reaper (Lv3) and King Reaper (Lv4) can also pass through walls.
• Floating type, so you can move across water and air tiles, and also ignores traps.
• Ghost type, so you'll receive damage if you get hit by a HP restoring item.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap reduces Attack Power by 8 stages.

Pumphantasm Family

• All four levels in this family can pass through walls.
• Floating type, so you can move across water and air tiles, and also ignores traps.
• Ghost type, so you'll receive damage if you get hit by a HP restoring item.

Firepuff Family

• Special attack spews fire, dealing fixed damage (can fail).
  • Damage and success rate increases based on level within the monster family.
• Floating type, so you can move across water and air tiles, and also ignores traps.

Armordillo Family

• Special attack deals fixed damage and knockback, and might make the target drop an item.
• Strong in 1 vs 1 situations, but other enemies might approach while you're fighting.

Masked Samurai Family

• No special attack, but revives as Ghost Samurai when HP drops to 0.
  • Ghost Samurai only has 4 HP, so possess a different monster right away.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap reduces Attack Power by 8 stages.
• Sealed status prevents reviving as Ghost Samurai.

Ghost Samurai

• Only takes 1 damage from enemy normal attacks.
  • Starts with 4 HP, but max HP increases as you level up (Lv99 = 232 HP).
• Possessing a monster fully restores HP and cures status conditions.
  • Canceling the transformation only restores your status.
• Ghost type, so you'll receive damage if you get hit by a HP restoring item.

Taur Family

• Occasionally lands a critical hit.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap reduces Attack Power by 8 stages.

Metalhead Family

• Normal attacks can cut through corners and hit from a distance.
  • Metalhead = 2 tiles, Thrashead = 3 tiles, Megahead = 4 tiles, Deathead = 5 tiles.

Hen Family

• No special attack, but Hen (Lv1), Great Hen (Lv3), and Miracle Hen (Lv4) have swift action speed.
• Transforms into Hen (Lv1) when current HP ≤ 20%.
  • Hen's Attack Power and Defense is 1, so it's often the end of the run.

Shagga Family

• Normal attacks are multi-hit, with the number of hits varying by level.
  • Shagga = 1 hit, Nashagga = 2 hits, Lashagga = 3 hits, Bashagga = 4 hits.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap reduces Attack Power by 8 stages.

Bowboy Family

• Special attack shoots an arrow, with the type varying by level.
  • Bowboy = Wooden, Crossbowboy = Iron, Baby Tank = Iron, Mini Tank = Silver.
  • You can still use normal attacks, so enemies immune to projectiles aren't a big problem.
• Baby Tank (Lv3) and Mini Tank (Lv4) have swift action speed.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap inflicts Sealed and Slowed statuses.

Pop Tank Family

• Special attack fires a cannon, with the damage varying by level.
  • Pop Tank = 20, Ornery Tank = 30, Adamant Tank = 40, Steadfast Tank = 50.
• Pop Tank (Lv1) has slow action speed, and Adamant Tank (Lv3) and Steadfast Tank (Lv4) are swift.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap inflicts Sealed and Slowed statuses.

Bored Kappa Family

• Special attack throws the item underfoot at a target within range.
  • Bored = 3 tiles, Pesky = 5 tiles, Vexing = 10 tiles, Atrocious = anywhere on the floor.
• Catches and throws back incoming projectiles.
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Porky Family

• Special attack throws a Porky's Rock (20 damage) at a target within range.
  • Porky = 3 tiles, Porko = 5 tiles, Porkon = 8 tiles, Porgon = 10 tiles.

Dragon Family

• Special attack spews a flame, with the damage and range varying by level.
  • Dragon = 20 + line, Sky Dragon = 20 + room, Archdragon = 30 + floor, Abyss Dragon = 40 + floor.

Ghost Radish Family

• Special attack throws grass in a straight line (10 tiles), with the type varying by level.
  • Ghost = Poison Grass, Daze = Confusion Grass, Sleep = Sedating Grass, Frenzy = Berserk Seed.
• Attack Power increases when hit by a poison effect.
  • Poison Arrow Trap, Poison Grass thrown by Ghost Radish, Scorpion family, Jakaku, etc.
• Ghost type, so you'll receive damage if you get hit by a HP restoring item.
  • In addition, getting hit by Antidote Grass deals 50 damage.

Skull Mage Family

• Special attack fires a magic bullet which deals a random effect based on level.
  • Skull Mage = Warp, increase speed by 1 stage, 10 tiles knockback, or switch positions.
  • Skull Wizard = Confused, 20 damage, Narrow-escape, or Peach.
  • Skullmancer = Paralyzed, Sealed, Onigiri, Disguised, lower speed by 1 stage, or Level -1.
  • Skull Lord = Asleep, Blind, Level -3, or 40 damage.
• Ghost type, so you'll receive damage if you get hit by a HP restoring item.

Gazer Family

• Special attack inflicts Confused status on an adjacent monster for 20 turns.
  • Ultra Gazer (Lv4) inflicts Confused status on all enemies in the room.
• No enemy monsters are immune to hypnosis, but Okame Monk can cure Confused status.

Twisty Hani Family

• Special attack lowers the level of the target in front by 1.
• Strong in 1 vs 1 situations, but doesn't have a way to deal with a group of monsters.

Polygon Spinna Family

• Special attack reduces the current HP of a target in front by a set percentage.
  • Polygon Spinna = 30%, Polygon Shaka = 40%, Polygon Singa = 50%, Polygon Stunna = 60%.
  • This special attack is also effective against bosses.
• Stepping on a Hunger Trap or Starvation Trap increases your Attack Power.
  • However, enemy Polygon Spinna family monsters will still deal percentage based damage to you.

Scorpion Family

• Special attack reduces the Attack Power of a target in front.
  • Attack Power reduction increases based on level, but exact values are currently unknown.
  • Ghost Radish and Scorpion family monsters will gain Attack Power instead.
• Attack Power increases when hit by a poison effect.
  • Poison Arrow Trap, Poison Grass thrown by Ghost Radish, Scorpion family, Jakaku, etc.
• You'll receive 50 damage if you get hit by Antidote Grass.

Field Knave Family

• Special attack throws Weeds in a straight line (10 tiles).
  • Bag Knave (Lv3) and Nimble Knave (Lv4) might knock away an item from an enemy hit by Weeds.
• Nimble Knave (Lv4) has swift action speed.
• Getting hit by Weeds increases your action speed by 1 stage.
  • Enemy Field Knave or Bored Kappa family monsters can be used to trigger this effect.

Nigiri Baby Family

• Special attack turns an enemy in front into an onigiri type item, instantly defeating them.
  • Chance for success: Baby = 1/6, Morph = 1/4, Boss = 1/2, Honcho = 1/2.
• Receiving by an effect that inflicts Onigiri status increases Attack Power instead.
  • Onigiri Trap or enemy Nigiri Baby family monsters.
• Getting hit by an onigiri type item (not cursed) makes you instantly collapse.

Froggo Family

• Special attack steals Gitan from an enemy in front, then makes you warp away.
  • Frogginator (Lv4) can throw Gitan to attack when not adjacent to an enemy.
• Getting hit by thrown Gitan restores your HP.

Thiefwalrus Family

• Special attack steals an item from an enemy in front, then makes you warp away.
  • Limited to 1 item per enemy, can also be used to pick up items that are on the ground.
  • Magicwalrus (Lv4) creates a clone which always carries Weeds upon a successful theft.
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Hat Urchin Family

• Special attack steals an item from an enemy in front, which is then tossed away.
  • Item category varies based on level (staves, grass, food, or scrolls).
  • The stolen item can hit an enemy monster on occasion.

Curse Girl Family

• Special attack inflicts Sealed status on a target in front.
• Receiving a curse effect increases your Attack Power instead.
• You'll receive 100 damage if you get hit by a thrown Exorcism Scroll.

Mudkin Family

• Special attack lowers the Attack Power and Defense of a target in front.
• Occasionally multiplies when you receive damage, spawning enemy Mudkins of the same level.
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Swordsman Family

• Special attack knocks away an item from an enemy (can fail), with the category varying by level.
  • Lv1 = Shield, Lv2 = Weapon or Shield, Lv3 & Lv4 = Weapon, Shield, or Bracelet.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap reduces Attack Power by 8 stages.

Pullfrog Family

• Special attack pulls a target towards you, with the range varying by level.
  • Pullfrog = 3 tiles, Dartingfrog = 5 tiles, Fleefrog & Streamingfrog = 10 tiles.
  • Dartingfrog (Lv2), Fleefrog (Lv3), and Streamingfrog (Lv4) also attack at the same time.
  • Streamingfrog (Lv4) pulls all enemies within 10 tiles in a straight line.
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Floor Dragon Family

• Special attack burrows underground and emerges 2 tiles ahead (cuts through corners).
  • This can also be used to move to the other side of a 1 tile wall.
• Dragon Pit (Lv3) and Hiding Dragon (Lv4) have swift action speed.
• Immune to traps.

Tiger Thrower Family

• Special attack throws the target in front towards a different monster or visible trap.
  • Range: Thrower = 5 tiles, Hurler = 10 tiles, Chucker = 15 tiles, Launcher = 20 tiles.

Karakuroid Family

• Special attack either creates a new trap or changes the trap you're standing on.
  • Floor-exiting Traps or Pitfall Traps can be used to skip floors in some dungeons.
• All four levels in this family have swift action speed.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap inflicts Sealed and Slowed statuses.

Soldier Ant Family

• Special attack digs out the wall tile in front.
  • Captain Ant (Lv3) and General Ant (Lv4) will create a pillar if the tile in front isn't a wall.
• Normal attacks cut through corners.

Explochin Family

• Explodes when HP gets low or when hit by an explosion, dropping current HP to 1.
  • Beware of Fierous or Pop Tank family monsters and Blast Traps!
• Aquatic type, so HP regenerates and Attack Power is boosted while standing on a water tile.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap restores HP.

Hoppin' Batter Family

• Either reflects or nullifies incoming projectiles and magic bullets.
  • Reflect chance: Lv1 = 10%, Lv2 = 30%, Lv3 = 50%, Lv4 = 100%.
• Hoppin' Slammer (Lv4) easily handles Skull Mage, Bored Kappa, Pop Tank, and Ghost Radish monsters.

Fierous Family

• Nullifies fire and explosion damage, and incoming projectiles that lack piercing properties.
• Explosions cause it to multiply, spawning an enemy Fierous monster of the same level.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap makes you instantly collapse.

Zapdon Family

• Electrifies after taking damage, then drops lightning on all monsters in the room when hit again.
  • Damage: Zapdon (Lv1) = 25, Rumbledon (Lv2) = 30, Clapdon (Lv3) = 35, Boomdon (Lv4) = 40.
• All four levels in this family have slow action speed.
• Getting splashed by water or stepping on a Rust Trap inflicts Sealed and Slowed statuses.

Schubell Family

• Special attack summons new enemy monsters around you.
  • Count: Schubell (Lv1) = 1, Menbell (Lv2) = 1~2, Bellthoven (Lv3) = 1~3, Showpin (Lv4) = 1~3.
• There are basically no advantages to using its special attack in this gameplay mode.

N'dubba Family

• Special attack grants Hiding status to the player for 20 turns.
  • Hiding status wears off immediately if Fullness is currently 0.

Mixer Family

• Eats incoming projectiles that lack piercing properties, boosting Attack Power by 1 stage.
  • Count: Mixer (Lv1) = 2, Mixermon (Lv2) = 3, Mixergon (Lv3) = 4, Mixerdon (Lv4) = 5.
• Arrow Traps can be used to boost Attack Power regardless of the current floor's monster table.

Egg Thing Family

• All four levels in this family have swift action speed, but Attack Power is set to 1.
  • Running Egg (Lv2), Flying Egg (Lv3), and Hiding Egg (Lv4) warp when attacked.
  • Flying Egg (Lv3) and Hiding Egg (Lv4) can use their special attack to warp.

Chow

• Swift action speed, but Attack Power and Defense are set to 1.
• Floating type, so you can move across water and air tiles, and also ignores traps.

Dark Owl

• Ability grants Mapping Scroll effect + Tiptoe status.
• Great for sneaking your way through a dungeon, but might struggle against bosses.

Crow Tengu

• Starts with 1 Attack Power and 1 Defense, so defeating enemies is a struggle.
• Floating type, so you can move across water and air tiles, and also ignores traps.

Fluffy Bunny

• Special attack restores the player's HP by 50 points.
• Only has 10 for Max HP and Attack Power at the start, but has 50 Defense.

Fire Ninja Family

• Special attack shoots fire at a target in front.
  • Damage: Lv1 = 5, Lv2 = 10, Lv3 = 15, Lv4 = 20.
  • Any Grass, Staff, or Scroll item on the tile in front also burns up.

Water Ninja Family

• Special attack shoots water up to 3 tiles ahead.
  • Damage: Lv1 = 5, Lv2 = 10, Lv3 = 15, Lv4 = 20.
• You can move across water tiles, but your HP does not regenerate on water tiles.

Tree Ninja Family

• Special attack launches a log at a target from a random direction, dealing 10 tiles of knockback.
  • Damage: Lv1 = 5, Lv2 = 10, Lv3 = 15, Lv4 = 20.
  • The log occasionally hits the player instead.
• Occasionally warps after receiving damage.

Metal Ninja Family

• Special attack throws a bag of Gitan in a straight line.
  • The Gitan is subtracted from your current Gitan total.

Earth Ninja Family

• Special attack shoots sand at a target in front, occasionally blinding them.
  • Damage: Lv1 = 5, Lv2 = 10, Lv3 = 15, Lv4 = 20.

Hannya Monk Family

• Special attack inflicts the target in front with Monk's Berserk status for 30 turns (can fail).
  • The enemy monster with Monk's Berserk status won't attack the player or other monks.

Kitsune Monk Family

• Special attack morphs the target in front into an item (can fail).
  • Picking up a morphed monster makes it revert and attack.

Okina Monk Family

• Special attack warps the target in front to a different spot on the current floor (can fail).

Okame Monk Family

• Special attack cures the player's negative status conditions (always succeeds).
  • Cannot be used to cure Sealed status or ailments that prevent taking actions.

Tengu Monk Family

• Special attack grants the player Hasted status for roughly 14 turns (always succeeds).