Dragon Quest 3 Remake: How to Defeat Robbin’ Ood and His Bandits

Key Takeaways

1. Prioritize Buffs and Debuffs: Use defensive buffs like Kabuff and offensive debuffs like Sap to give your party a fighting edge.
2. Focus on Robbin’ Oodlums First: Take down the weaker bandits before tackling Robbin’ Ood himself to minimize damage to your party.
3. Exploit Weaknesses: Use Fire spells on Robbin’ Ood and Ice attacks on the Robbin Oodlums to maximize damage and end the battle faster.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake brings players back to the world of a classic RPG with stunning new visuals and updated mechanics. One of the first major challenges you’ll face is the formidable Robbin’ Ood, a bandit leader with a taste for mischief and a powerful set of attacks. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to take down Robbin’ Ood and his gang of Oodlums, so you can recover the stolen crown of Romaria and continue your adventure.

Meet Robbin’ Ood: The Boss Who Steals the Show

In Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, Robbin’ Ood is one of the first real boss fights, testing your tactical skills early on. Robbin’ Ood and his crew of Robbin Oodlums are stationed in Skyfell Tower, where they’ve pilfered Romaria’s crown. Unlike in the original Famicom/NES version, where battling him was optional, here the fight is mandatory, forcing players to confront the bandit leader head-on.

Robbin’ Ood is a classic physical attacker who doesn’t use magic, but don’t underestimate him his attacks hit hard, and he can land critical hits, so you’ll need to be prepared. He’s backed up by three Robbin Oodlums, who add to the challenge by chipping away at your party’s health if left unchecked.

Preparing Your Party for the Battle

Before engaging Robbin’ Ood, make sure your party is well-equipped and set up with the right characters and skills to handle the fight. A balanced party of Hero, Warrior, Mage, and Cleric (or Priest) is highly recommended. Here’s why each class is useful:

• Hero: The Hero can deal significant damage using Flame Slash and has access to healing spells if things get rough.
• Warrior: With high physical defense and HP, the Warrior can absorb damage from Robbin’ Ood’s heavy attacks and keep the bandits focused.
• Mage: Essential for casting Kabuff to increase the party’s defenses and using offensive spells like Bang to deal AOE damage.
• Cleric/Priest: Can heal and cast Sap on Robbin’ Ood to reduce his defense, making him easier to take down.

Stock up on healing items, especially Medicinal Herbs, as these can help keep your team alive while your Cleric or Hero focuses on buffs and attacks.

Robbin’ Ood and Robbin Oodlum Stats and Weaknesses

Robbin’ Ood:

• Weakness: Fire
• Primary Attacks: Regular Attack, Desperate Attack (critical hit)
• Recommended Level: Around 12

Robbin Oodlums:

• Weakness: Ice
• Primary Attacks: Basic Attack
• Recommended Level: Around 10

The Robbin Oodlums have less health than Robbin’ Ood but can be pesky if left alive too long. Using Ice-based spells against them will help you dispatch them quickly, allowing you to focus on the main boss.

Step-by-Step Strategy to Beat Robbin’ Ood

1. Locate and Engage Robbin’ Ood

When you reach Robbin’ Ood’s location in Skyfell Tower, he will initially knock you back to the previous floor. Climb back up to where he was, and you’ll notice he’s gone but don’t relax just yet. Grab the nearby treasures (Skull Ring and Ruby Wristband), then walk off the right side of the map to drop down. This will trigger the encounter as Robbin’ Ood attempts to flee.

2. Start with Buffs and Debuffs

As soon as the battle begins, focus on strengthening your party’s defenses and weakening Robbin’ Ood:

• Kabuff (Mage): Use Kabuff to raise your party’s defense. Since Robbin’ Ood and his bandits rely on physical attacks, this buff will mitigate a lot of incoming damage.
• Sap (Cleric/Priest): Cast Sap on Robbin’ Ood to lower his defense, making him more vulnerable to physical attacks from your Hero and Warrior.

3. Take Out the Robbin Oodlums First

Robbin’ Ood comes with three henchmen, the Robbin Oodlums. These enemies don’t have a lot of HP but can still be a nuisance, attacking your party each turn. Focus on eliminating them first to reduce the number of attacks you have to endure each round.

• Use Ice and Explosion Magic: If your Mage has access to Bang (an AOE Explosion spell), use it to hit all the enemies at once. The Robbin Oodlums are weak to Ice, so spells like Crack will also work well here.

4. Focus Fire on Robbin’ Ood

Once the Robbin Oodlums are down, you can concentrate all your attacks on Robbin’ Ood. Here’s the optimal approach:

• Hero: Use Flame Slash to exploit Robbin’ Ood’s weakness to Fire. If necessary, the Hero can also switch to healing roles to support the party.
• Warrior: Continue with standard physical attacks or use skills like Mercurial Thrust to maximize damage.
• Mage: After boosting defenses with Kabuff, the Mage can support with offensive spells. If Robbin’ Ood is still standing, use Crack or other Ice spells.
• Cleric/Priest: Use Sap whenever possible to keep Robbin’ Ood’s defense low and heal party members when they’re around 50% HP.

5. Watch Out for Critical Hits

Robbin’ Ood’s Desperate Attack can deal heavy critical damage to a single character, which can be devastating if your defenses aren’t boosted. Keep an eye on your party’s HP and be prepared to heal as soon as someone takes a critical hit.

6. Optional: Inflict Status Effects

If you have a Thief or spells that can inflict status effects, try putting Robbin’ Ood to sleep with Snooze or blinding him with Dazzle. These effects don’t always land, but if successful, they can buy you precious time to buff, heal, or deal additional damage.

After the Battle: Choose Robbin’ Ood’s Fate

Once you’ve defeated Robbin’ Ood, you’ll have the choice to forgive him or not. This decision won’t significantly impact the story, so feel free to choose as you like. Afterward, return the stolen crown to Romaria to proceed with the storyline. You’ll even get a humorous interlude where you briefly become the King of Romaria. Enjoy the moment, but remember that your journey is far from over.

Best Party Setup for Robbin’ Ood Battle

Here’s a recommended party composition and their roles for this battle:

Make sure everyone is equipped with the best armor and shields available, such as Full Plate Armor and Magic Shields, which can be purchased in Baharata. Proper equipment will make a noticeable difference in your survivability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What level should I be to fight Robbin’ Ood?
A: It’s recommended to have your party at level 12 or above to handle the fight comfortably. Higher levels make it easier to survive his critical hits and handle the Oodlums.

Q: Which spells work best against Robbin’ Ood?
A: Fire-based attacks, such as Flame Slash, are effective against Robbin’ Ood. The Robbin Oodlums are weak to Ice spells, making Crack and Bang useful for taking them down quickly.

Q: Should I defeat Robbin’ Ood’s henchmen first?
A: Yes. Taking out the Robbin Oodlums first reduces the number of attacks your party has to withstand, making the battle more manageable.

Q: Can I put Robbin’ Ood to sleep?
A: Yes, he is susceptible to certain status effects like sleep (Snooze) and blindness (Dazzle), though success is not guaranteed. It can be worth a try to give you some breathing room.