), but at the same time not feel like they are completely helpless against them. We have apparently not quite succeeded on the latter, so in an effort to mitigate this (for the time being), here are a few things you might be interested in knowing:- Rewards/Risks
- At some point in your journey, you will learn about a tough optional quest which allows you to get rid of the Hounds once and for all.
- Each Hound defeated has a decent chance of dropping an item which acts as a Life Potion, so defeating those random encounters is usually well worth it for the rewards alone.
- Defeating a pack of Hounds will deter future attacks for quite some time. Running away, however, only delays the inevitable
- Some of your characters may receive minor curses while fighting younger Hounds, but these curses are not as problematic as multiple Wounds or Fatal Wounds. They are like Sicknesses - detrimental, maybe annoying, but it is possible to continue exploring and defeating enemies even while afflicted by Maznul's curse.
Strategy - While characters in the back row typically want Energy and Speed as their primary stats, don't neglect their Constitution attribute, either. If their HP and Lightning resistance are so low that the Hounds' lightning spell kills them instantly, perhaps their HP is on the low side. Look for +HP, +CO or +Lightning resistance accessories - it is ok if you have to trade a bit of Energy or PP for it.
- Herbs are a great way to customize your characters, especially their resistances. Increase your Explorer's Knowledge of Herbs skill whenever you can afford it, and gather all the Tapinela you can find. Use them to increase the Lightning Resistance of your weaker characters.
- If you can't beat them, wound them! Not only are the Hounds' physical attacks weaker than their lightning attack, they also run out of PP eventually (and Wounds can cause them to fail their spellcast!).
- It is okay if sometimes the Hounds are simply faster and stronger than your party. On Classic difficulty this is a rare occurrence (unless your party is under-equipped), so study the Turn Order Bar and gauge your chances. If you have to live to fight another day, so be it!
In conclusion, we hope this will help you devise your own strategy to deal the Cursed Hounds, as ultimately it can be very satisfying once you earn your first victory! It will also buy you some time so you can discover the source of this malediction.
