With the recent release of the Switch version of Dragon Quest XI, it's only fitting we outline the activities you'll take on your journey. While Dragon Quest XI has a massive campaign with an exciting story to be told, the world itself is filled with people looking for your aid. With that, Dragon Quest XI has a staggering number of side quests to complete, each giving you numerous rewards.

This is the first of three side quest markers. The first twenty six side quests goes straight up until there's a significant, world-changing event when you reach Yggdrasil for the first time. Be careful, though, as while these side quests aren't necessarily hard to miss, if you pass the point of no return, you'll have to wait until much later on to do them.

 


The People’s Friend

  • Location: Cobblestone
  • Reward: Sleeping Hibiscus x1

This is the introduction side quest right next to your home (and down the slope), and should be completed when it becomes available just because there's a good chance you won't be coming back to this small town for quite some time. Go back up to your house and turn right to see your shed. Hop onto the boxes to get to the roof. May as well take the treasure chest, but what you’re after is the sparkling item that’s the Flurry Feather. Simple as that; the reward may not be great, but it can come in handy in specific situations.

The Soldier and the Strategist – A Tale of Two Heroes

  • Location: Heliodor
  • Reward: Drasilian Shilling

Yet another fetch quest, which be prepared to find a lot of throughout these guides, but you just need to find a book. You can do this in under a minute as, in the south east of the city, right next to the Downtown entrance is a house. In there you will find a bookshelf to the left of the entrance in which you’ll find the book the man is after. Simply read it and go back to the man to complete the quest.

Amelia’s in a Pickle!

  • Location: Heliodor
  • Reward: Kitty Litter

This poor girl in Heliodor is just trying to get her cat back as it’s stuck on the roof. Well lucky for her you’re in the area and looking for an adventure, as mundane as this may be in the grand scheme of things. From her location, go up the small staircase to the right and into the building it’s connected to. Continue to the back of the building where you will find a ladder. Climb up this and turn left to spot the kitty. Hop over and simply talk to it for it go hop down. Day saved!

It Takes Two to Tango

  • Location: Heliodorian Foothills - Church
  • Reward: Gold Chain

Time for the first battle-specific quest. Get both the hero and Erik pepped up and simply kill an enemy with their combo attack. If you’re doing this at the beginning of the game, The Real Decoy will be the only one you have available. To get pepped up, all you need to do is fight, or if you have healing capabilities (such as a bed nearby), just continue blocking until both are pepped up. If you're later in the game, there's a good chance you'll complete this quest accidentally, provided you at least picked it up.

Put a Ring on It

  • Location: Hotto
  • Reward: Crucerang

Here is your first Fun Sized Forge-based side quest! You’re asked to bring him a +1 Gold Ring. The man gives you the recipe, so you don't have to worry about that, and the materials are right behind him. Go back to camp and start forging. There are only two bars you need to hammer. So long as one is very close to the middle of the indicator, it should come out as +1. Even at a very low level, you shouldn't have too much trouble with this.

 

Smiths and Sparkly Spots

  • Location: Hotto
  • Reward: I <3 Iron Arms Recipes

This smith  just wants to smash his hammer against iron, so lets find him some materials. You just need a chunk of iron ore. All you need to do is head outside of Hotto and take a right. Across the bridge, take a left and head all the way south where you will see a mining opportunity. That will give you at least one iron ore to hand in. Alternatively, if you're near The Cryptic Crypts, there should be a mining spot around there that will yield you the same results.

 

A Walk on the Wild Side

  • Location: Gallopolis
  • Reward: Furry Finery Recipes

In the Celestial Sands, near where you will make camp with the Prince on the pursuit of some vicious monster, you’ll find the Spitzfire. These fury dragons can be challenging, so try and have your Hero, Erik and Serena pepped up so you can case the Wild Side pep power right away. Just finish it off and hand in the quest. They can be sleeping during the daytime while active during the night, so best get the jump on them during the former.

 

A Cactus Culet to Die For

  • Location: Gallopolis
  • Reward: Trickster Accessory

In the Gallopolis Region, just southwest of Gallopolis, you’ll find little cacti creatures sleeping about. Just keep fighting them until you run into a special golden one. He will drop what you need. If you have trouble with this, as I had with future rare-enemy quests, just save, quit and reload the game and hopefully that should help.

 

A Lovely Letter

  • Location: Gallopolis Region – Laguna di Gondolia Checkpoint
  • Reward: Cutting-Edge Kit Recipes

This is a simple delivery mission where, in Gondolia, which is on the other side of Laguna di Gondolia, there is a young lady no longer working at a bakery. She is located on the eastern side of the city, right outside the locked gate (check map to see a big grey lock) and is sweeping. She’ll give you a letter to return, and doing so will conclude the quest.

An Even Lovelier Letter

  • Location: Gondolia
  • Reward: Mini Medal x1

Yet another delivery mission, this time from the young lady you originally delivered the letter to. As soon as you get the ship, head northwest to find a shore that connects to Puerto Valor. The man you’re looking for is located within the hut on the south-east of the beach reading a book. He will hand you another letter to deliver back to her, which when you take back, will end the quest.

A Path to Paradise

  • Location: Zwaardsrust Region – Warrior’s Rest Inn
  • Reward: Robe of Serenity

West of the Warrior’s Rest you’ll find ruins you’re unable to access and poisonous areas. At night, blue skeleton monsters will come out, which seems somewhat suitable. All you need to do is ensure the Hero and Serena are pepped up and cast Care Prayer. Finish off the Deadnught skeletons and return back to the priest for your reward.

Skincare for the Fierce and Fabulous

  • Location: Octagonia – Tournament Reception
  • Reward: The Dapper Chap Recipes

This is very easy to find. Head down to the Dunrasil Region, preferably through Zoom via the camp and head directly north up the hill and hug the cliff. Where there’s a waterfall, there should be adjacent flowers to cut down. Cut it and collect the single material, that being Mellow Vera, and return to the man to get your recipes.

The Shadow

  • Location: Octagonia
  • Reward: Mini Medal x1

The kid next to the orphanage wants you to find Xero and he’s pretty close by. From the second floor area, head forward and climb up the little ledge. Head to the back of the area to find a man in red armor. This is Xero. Simply talk to him and return to the kid with his autograph. This story will continue much later on.

Anything for Love

  • Location: Puerto Valor
  • Reward: Make a Whip-Roaring Success of Yourself Recipe

This man wants coral for his lovely wife, so head outside to Costa Valor and find a collapsed coral monster on the shore. There are a couple of these, but anyone should suffice. He can hit hard if you’re not prepared, but simply beat him to get the piece, at which point just turn it in.

Shiver me Timbers!

  • Location: Puerto Valor – Hotel Casino
  • Reward: Sweet Stuff for Swindlers Recipe

Time to go fight some nasty pirates and plunder the proper pepper nearby. Head to the island just outside of Gondolia, and up on the cliff on the western part of the island where you will find a group of golden Knights and a masked man. Take them out and take the pepper back to the quest giver.

 

A Rush of Blood

  • Location: Puerto Valor – Beach
  • Reward: Garter Accessory

You will need a pair of bunny ears, a bunny suit and fishnet stockings. I believe you can buy them somewhere, at least the stockings and bunny ears, but the easiest way to do this is forge them. You will need the recipe book, Down the Rabbithole which is a reward in the casino. It will cost you 500 casino tokens, which is 10,000 gold if you don’t feel like gambling. Go back to camp and craft them (doesn’t matter the quality of it) and equip it to Jade. Head back to the old man on the beach and collect your reward.

Light it Up

  • Location: Phnom Nonh
  • Reward: Silver Ore x10

This one will take some time to get right because in the Southern Champs Sauvage map, just outside of Phnom Nonh, it needs to be raining for these creatures to show up. These are purple umbrella monsters. Simply kill one and they’ll drop the rainproof rayon. The elderly man in Phnom Nohn will give you the silver ore, which can be helpful for forging weapons.

A Memorable Mystery

  • Location: L’Academie de Notre Maitre des Medailles – Downstairs – Refectoire
  • Reward: Belle’s Bow Accessory

That’s one long name for a location. Anyways, you’re tasked with located a mystery diary, and it’s fairly close by. At night, it can be located just outside of the academy in the shadow of the tree of the west. If you need help, while exiting the academy, the box will be located to the right in the flowers. It might be the fastest side quest yet.

Making it Right

  • Location: L’Academie de Notre Maitre des Medailles
  • Reward: Mini Medal x3

Zazie has gone and destroyed her professor’s whip, so it’s time to whip one up in the Fun Sized Forge. She will give you the recipe, but you’ll need to find the ingredients. They should be around the camp in Champs Sauvage, and if you have trouble with the Green Eye, the slime in the Cafeteria will sell you one. You will need this to be at least +1, so once again, make sure you have one or two perfect appraisals when forging.

Agony and the Ecstasy

  • Location: L’Academie de Notre Maitre des Medailles – Upstairs - Dormitory
  • Reward: Uniforme de l’Academie

We know you want this outfit if you haven’t gotten one already. This quest can be a bit tricky as it took me a while to realize what I was doing wrong. You’ll need to read her article that’s pinned up on the noticeboard on the second floor. Unfortunately, the editor-in-chief of the school newsletter said the article was swept towards the Eerie Eyrie. Head on over there and climb the first cliff with the mechanical egg creature. There will be a sign here that says “DANGER! Do not enter without good reason!” Well, the article is on the back of this sign, not the front. Head back to the young lady as she confesses her love for you.

My Secret Saint

  • Location: Lonalulu
  • Reward: Warlock Accessory

Time to find where this fisherman lost his carved figure. Turns out it washed ashore on a small island. The island is the only one furthest northeast, which can be a bit of a pain to get to, so either head north or south of Lonalulu to get there. On the island, immediately turn right and at the end of the beach you’ll find the figure.

Up Where They Walk

  • Location: Nautica
  • Reward: Gracos’s Trident

Time to find this sailor with a beautiful voice. Well, he’s located in Gondolia. Head to the northwest of the city, just outside of the tower to find an elderly man. Talk to him to find out he’s the one this young mermaid is looking for. Bring the news back to the mermaid and collect your reward.

A Cold Crush

  • Location: Sniflheim
  • Reward: That’s Magic Recipe

This is sweet. A young man has fallen for the sorceress you fought to free Sniflheim, and to win her heart, he needs a flower that grows in the snow. In Snaerfelt, pretty close to the campsite, there’s a giant snow wall blocking your progress. Simply fight the big ninja turtle-looking monster to get his shell and smash your way through. On the furthest edge of the map, you will find a glowing spot which is the Snaerose. Bring it back and wish him luck. If you talk to the queen in the bar, it’s cute how embarrassed Krystalinda is about the whole situation.

The Viking Hoard

  • Location: Sniflheim
  • Reward: Pirate’s Hat

Time to check on your good friends the Vikings. Head on over to the Viking Hideout only to find out that the Viking who was supposed to collect tribute. Turns out he ship wrecked so you need to go find him. Fortunately, he’s not too far off, as he’s just on the smallest northern island fishing. Like My Secret Saint, this island isn’t the easiest to access to because you’ll run into a few battles along the way, but just talk to him and return to the man in Sniflheim.

 

Planting Seeds for the Future

  • Location: Arborian Highlands – Grove of Repose
  • Reward: Healer Accessory

This poor young girl isn’t feel too well, so it’s up to you to get a magical flower. This magical flower can only come from a rare sprout in the First Forest, specifically near the campsite at the top. Head up there, try to avoid the dragon, and fight as many sprouts until a golden one appears. He’s a little harder than the others, being able to paralyze you, but after you defeat him, he’ll give you the wishteria seeds. Head back and hopefully the girl feels better.

Fit as a Fiddle

  • Location: Arboria
  • Reward: Butterfly Baton

This man wants to make a super soup, but he needs a special ingredient: Red Kale. Its location is pretty close to the last side quest, so if you can, complete these in the same go around. Head up to the top of The First Forest, and begin to head downward. When you get down the vine with Chimera-esque monsters roaming around, head left and at the edge of the map next to some flowers, you’ll find the kale. Go back and indulge in some delicious soup.