Disgaea 6 is not like other strategy RPGs out there on the Switch. It may look like something familiar on the scale of Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics. For example, characters move on a set of tiles and it is turn-based. It shares many aspects like that with these two series but it is important to know before jumping in that there are many differences.
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The Disgaea series from NIS is well-known for piling mechanics on top of mechanics so learning the ropes can be tricky. Leveling up quickly can help players take down difficult challenges much faster so anyone picking up Defiance of Destiny will want to know how.
The leveling up system in the Disgaea series has remained mostly unchanged. Characters who used abilities on themselves or enemies on the battlefield would get experience. They could even level up in the middle of a battle.
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That has changed with Disgaea 6. Characters instead share experience rewarded after a map is completed. This allows players to more evenly level up characters without having to use them in certain ways. A healer killing enemies was tricky in the past games for example.
There is a cheat shop in the hub world that allows players to adjust certain allocation points distributed in the game. This shop has existed for a couple of entries in the Disgaea series now and it remains unchanged for Disgaea 6. It was a great addition to the series as cheats used to be more prevalent in video games so it was nice to see it return in some way.
Every meter starts at a hundred by default for things such as experience and skill points. At the start of the game, one can lower a meter down to ninety and distribute those ten points to another meter. For example, one could earn 110% for experience. The more chapters one completes in the game then the more one can take away from these meters. This allows them to stack more percentages on experience. This is a must for quick leveling up.
The very best stage to grind on is Rich Man’s Plaza which is found a couple of stages into the second chapter of Disgaea 6. This has players facing off against the hero Yarmada by himself. He does have the power to resurrect a few times but even with that ability, he isn’t that challenging.
The nice thing about Yarmada is that he is a self-proclaimed experience booster in the story. That is absolutely true in the gameplay as well. Pay attention to how much experience is earned after each stage and weigh that on top of how challenging and how long it takes to complete. Once it makes sense to switch over from Rich Man’s Plaza, do it. Just be aware this is the best stage for at least a third of Disgaea 6 if not more.
One of the new mechanics introduced in the series for Disgaea 6 makes leveling up in this game a breeze. Players can now utilize an auto-battle system that has characters complete maps by themselves. The AI isn’t capable of handling complex maps that involve having to use warping tiles or throwing but the mechanic is still good for the most part.
There is also a way to have them repeat a stage. So if one puts their characters on auto-battle and sets a stage like Rich Man’s Plaza on repeat, characters won’t stop until they die or the player intervenes. However, the Switch is not capable of staying on without going to sleep 24/7.
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The best thing to do instead is to have it next to wherever one is resting. If one plans to watch a movie then just tap the Switch every once and a while to keep it awake. Going to work at a desk job? Have that propped up in the background. There are so many ways to utilize this new feature which kind of breaks the game. Whether that’s true or not doesn't matter — it's the best way to level up.
Besides leveling up the squad, it is also important to level up items too. The Disgaea series has always had a mechanic called the Item World. This allows players to literally jump into an item. Stages then are randomized and the more floors one completes then the more that item will level up.
Don’t focus on gear that can be bought from the store. Instead, focus on accessories won from the hospital. There are pretty rare accessories in it especially the bottom tier that starts with the Imperial Seal. That item, and the variations of it after, boost most stats. Leveling up these items will surely beef up the party.
Like the auto-battle system in Disgaea 6 there is a way to automate the item leveling process via the research squad. Choose three strong characters to go into an item and watch it go up. Time passes after players complete a stage themselves. Sometimes this will boost the item one level and other times it can shoot up multiple levels. It all depends on the item’s strength and the strength of the chosen party.