Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is the definition of ‘easy to learn, hard to master’. The game’s mechanics are simple to grasp but grow in complexity over time. Understanding how to survive on a moment-to-moment basis is fundamental. You can prepare and explore the island all day, but without strategy and combat competence, you won’t be getting anywhere anytime soon. Our Shiren the Wanderer 6: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island Actions and Movement Basics Guide will provide you with the tools you need to carefully plan and navigate the game’s combat.
The game is available on the Nintendo Switch and is available on the eshop and physically from retailers! Take a look at the official site for the game for more information!
Shiren the Wanderer 6 Actions Guide – General Tips
Don’t be afraid of failure! You may have to start over upon incapacitation, but many new things are unlocked by making multiple attempts and progressing further within the dungeons. Your experimentation and willpower will gain you immeasurable knowledge and practice. Remember: rise and rise again!
Take your time! This game is turn-based in a sense, as everything moves and happens in response to YOUR actions. If you’re in a tight situation, really mull over your options and brainstorm a proper plan. Read item and monster descriptions, experiment with your gear, strategically stall, flee for safety, or even take a loss if necessary. Progress is progress!
Our Shiren the Wanderer 6 Guides are here to help! They offer more in-depth information on a variety of topics.
Planning Turns
Everything in the dungeon revolves around turns. Attack? Takes a turn. Take a step? Takes a turn. When you take a turn, your enemies will also. It’s a dance of strategic actions and movements. When a turn passes for Shiren his HP can replenish and his Fullness can decrease. So proper fleeing and item utilization may be more useful at times than attacking.
Careful Movement
The general movement is basic. You can move with the D-Pad and run if you hold B. This makes exploration much faster! You can even wait and walk in place by holding the A and B buttons. If you hold the Y button you can face a direction without moving. Tapping the Y button will make you auto-face your nearest opponents as well (this is really useful). Holding the R button will force diagonal movement if you’re not great at doing the D-Pad input on the fly. Using proper movement is key to engaging in or fleeing from danger.
I personally feel that movement is more important than attacking, although they should be smartly used together. You can’t attack into a wall, including around corners. However, some items circumvent this. You can actually shoot around a corner with ranged items like staves and arrows. Ranged items are imperative for zoning and their utilization will make your world so much easier.
Attacking
Shiren has one basic attack. The A button. Pressing this button will use your basic attack. This can be strengthened by weapons. Weapons have levels, and the higher they are the more damage each attack deals. Your strength value also improves your attack power! You can upgrade weapons with scrolls and blacksmiths and improve your strength value by leveling up and using certain items.
Shiren may only have one basic attack, but he also has many items at his disposal! Arrows, rocks, staves, and even your weapons can all be used or thrown to deal damage or various other effects. Be sure to read every item description so that you can develop a proper plan. Everything has its use and its own time to use it.
Stalling for Time
This gets its own section due to being one of the most actions you can perform. Stalling for time is useful because it can force enemies to use a turn. They will always make their advance, so waiting or attacking thin air will make them act. This can get you the first strike or even allow enemies to pass along. Using a turn also regenerates your HP over time. This is super useful to keep Shiren in as best shape as possible.
Utilizing Items
You can access all your items from your inventory screen. Scrolls and edibles are easy to use, as they usually can just be instantly used for an effect. Staves have to be swung in order to use their effects typically. Pots can be tapped to utilize a unique skill (dependant on pot type) or can be used as storage containers (must be thrown to be broken). A few items are automatically used under certain circumstances, too.
Items have their typical uses, of course. But, they also have other ways of being used. Every item can be thrown. Edibles can be thrown at enemies to quickly inflict them with a status effect or debuff. Weapons and money can be thrown to deal damage in a pinch. Every item in your inventory can also be dropped or thrown in order to free up space.
