Is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX not challenging enough for you? Why not delve into some dungeons and try your hand at some Strong Foes? These powerful enemies will test your battle prowess, but the rewards can be worth it. Learn more in our Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Strong Foes guide!
What are Strong Foes?
Strong Foes in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX are what you expect: enemies that are far stronger than anything else in the dungeon you’re exploring. Strong Foes won’t hone in on you like other enemies on the floor, so you don’t need to worry about a run being ruined because a strong foe shows up out of nowhere.
If you decide to take on a Strong Foe, though, you need to be prepared. Even in older, lower-level dungeons, a Strong Foe can make quick work of your party if you’re not prepared.
Thankfully, you’ll always know what the Strong Foe is before entering the dungeon. When selecting a dungeon from the menu, any dungeon with a yellow crown sign means that a Strong Foe is there. The menu will also tell you what Pokemon the Strong Foe is. For example, the first Strong Foe you’ll come across is a Rapidash in Mt. Steel, so if you’re planning on taking it on you’ll know to bring along Water-type Pokemon to bring it down quicker.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Strong Foe Rewards
If you can manage to beat a Strong Foe, you’ll get a Deluxe Box, one of the best caliber of treasure chests in the game. You won’t know what’s inside of it until you exit the dungeon, but the Deluxe Boxes will have some of the best items, such as Gold Dojo Tickets!
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Strong Foe Locations
Not every dungeon will have a Strong Foe in it, but each one that does will have the same Strong Foe each time. Most of the dungeons in the main game will spawn Strong Foes upon completion, but only a couple post-game dungeons will spawn Strong Foes.
Check out the list below for each dungeon you’ll find Strong Foes in:
Main Game:
- Mt. Steel – Rapidash
- Sinister Woods – Ampharos
- Silent Chasm – Metagross
- Mt. Thunder – Dragonite
- Great Canyon – Ambipom
- Lapis Cave – Noctowl
- Mt. Blaze – Azumarill
- Frosty Forest – Spinda
- Mt. Freeze – Lickilicky
Post-Game:
- Howling Forest – Butterfree
- Solar Cave – Aipom
- Waterfall Pond – Gyrados
- Remains Island – Espeon
- Darknight Relic – Wobuffet
- Desert Region – Sudowoodo
- Southern Cavern – Shuckle
- Wyvern Hill – Exeggcute
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Strong Foes Tips
- Strong Foes are very, very strong. The game isn’t lying! Make sure you’re prepared to fight them if you’re planning to. When I went to go fight Rapidash for the first time, I thought I’d be fine with my standard party and items set-up, which had none of Rapidash’s weakness. Let’s just say my Charmander was one-shotted and I needed to wait for someone to come save me. Don’t be like me.
- It’s best to level up a bit before taking on a Strong Foe. If you think you’re ready for the Dragonite at Mt. Thunder when you just beat the dungeon, you’re probably not. Strong Foes are multiple levels ahead of anything else in the dungeon, so unless you’re feeling risky maybe wait until your party is a bit more leveled up before trying a Strong Foe out.
- Recruit some help in the dungeon. Your max party size is eight, so if you’re taking a full three-Pokemon party into a dungeon, you can have five recruits join you. You also don’t need the Pokemon to join you after the dungeon is complete, so if you recruit five Oddishs to help you against that strong Azumarill, you can just part ways with them after the dungeon is complete.
- Don’t get caught fighting a Strong Foe in a passageway. Your party won’t be able to surround it and use their moves if they’re stuck behind the party leader. It’s much harder to move your party around when in a battle! Strong Foes will walk around a set path on the floor they appear on, so figure out the best room to take them on in, and wait.
- Strong Foes won’t always appear. You can go through the entire dungeon without chancing upon them, which can be either great or horrible depending on what you’re going for. If you’re looking for a Strong Foe, make sure to take the time to explore each floor and give time for the Strong Foe to spawn.
