Easy experience
If you have the time to spare, go to a place where only Specters attack you. Activate the Jupiter + Serpent combination. By the time you get to fighting Specter, you should have enough MP and INT to not have to worry about running out. Leave your system on AC power and leave it running all day in that area. Depending on your the level when you started, you can gain 20 to 30 levels.
When in the catacombs, go to the zombie location. Kill the zombies with a combo or something else. Wait for groups then defeat them to get to a high level.
Two conditions must be met for the following trick to work. First, you must not have killed the Dragon Zombies. Second, you must either have enough hearts to sustain a steady stream on axes (difficult), or have enough magic to sustain yourself in skeletal form for at least half a minute (easy). Start by saving the game. Step through the door into the arena. Do not move. You will remain on the ledge, with the door open. Move carefully to the end of the ramp. This is to avoid fireballs that could either kill you in skeletal form or knock you backwards or forwards. Either turn into skeletal form or begin lobbing axes. Eventually, you will kill the right zombie dragon. Exit the arena. The arena door will not close unless you fall from the door perch. Save to restore magic, if needed. Reenter the arena. The dragon will have revived. Kill it again. Repeat this as many times as needed. If you are below level 35, you will gain levels rapidly.
After you defeat Adremelech and destroy the Iron Maidens, go to the Underground Waterway (the one with the poisoned water). Then, go to the lower left wall of the first room of the Underground Waterway and whip the wall to open a secret passageway. Activate the Fire Sword DSS combo, if you have that card combination, and kill the Ice Shade in the secret room. Then, exit and re-enter the secret room. Keep doing the latter two steps until you have the desired amount of experience points.
Spinning attack
When using the whip, hold down [Attack] to make it spin around in a circle. It will act like a shield, so you cannot get hit by small enemies around you. Note: You cannot move while doing this attack.
Attack while cursed
You can still attack while cursed. Just use the tackle move (press [R] while running) when relatively close to an enemy that is on or near the ground.
Defeating Adremelech
To defeat Adremelech (the goat head), make sure you are at level 25 or higher. When entering the room with Adremelech, get back up on the ledge where you entered and use the Wind Wave (Diana and Griffin DSS cards). Keep shooting at it, and in a few minutes the goat head will fall.
Defeating Camilla
Use Jupiter + Serpent card to get a ring of four ice balls around you to stop her energy ball attacks. Then, stand on the high to middle platform. She never goes all the way up there. She will go just below it, and the ring of ice balls will hit her as she passes. It will appear as if she is going to hit your feet, but will not. Then, use the Holy Water when she is off to either side (by the top platforms on the right and left just below your position) to hit her for more damage. By doing this, you should take no damage. After awhile she will die with no "whip work".
Defeating Death
To defeat Death very easily, just activate the Jupiter + Manticore DSS combo. His sickles cannot hit you, and by this point in the game you will probably never run out of MP because this combo will use it slower than you restore it.
Defeating Dracula (second round)
To defeat the second Dracula, use the Jupiter + Serpent DSS combo to get an Ice Shield and duck into the left or right corner. When he turns around (not facing you), jump up and hit him. When he turns around to face you, duck. He will not be able to hit you with anything, so he will be forced to turn back around. Continue this until he turns into an eye and you should be able to defeat him without too much trouble.
Get a Crucifix sub weapon and max out your hearts. Get on the left platform. When he starts using his laser attack, he will not be able to hit you. Start throwing crucifixes rapidly and you will be able to make him start flashing. After this, use the Uranus-Thunderbird combo and their summon. You use this three to four times and he will be defeated.
Defeating Dracula (Demon form) in fighter mode
Since you cannot use DSS in fighter mode, use the following strategy. When you appear in the Underworld, go to the left corner and duck. Hold [B] to use your Whip Shield until he turns around. Then, throw Boomerangs at the eye. He may send meteors or shoot lasers. Dodge the meteors and the stay behind Dracula. Repeat these moves. He will eventually start to flash. Jump on to the platform on the left. He will appear behind you. Use the Roc Ring to dodge him. His Eye will fly around. Dodge the bats and whip the Eye. Repeat until he is defeated.
Defeating Dracula (Demon form) in magician mode
You must be at levels 65 to 70. Equip the Neptune + Black Dog DSS combo. When he hurts you, it will not take as much life and will recover your life. When he is making his fire power, dodge it with the Roc Wing. Keep doing this until he turns into an eye. The rest of the battle will not be as difficult.
Defeating Dragon Zombies (Twin Dragons)
To defeat the Dragon Zombies easily, whenever you get hurt, jump up to the platform by the door where you entered the room and activate the Jupiter + Mandragora DSS combo to heal yourself. A fireball may hit you every once in a while, but it is very rare.
An easier way to defeat the Dragon Zombies is to jump on the left platform where the locked door that leads to the trophy is located. From there you can not be hit by a fireball because you would be behind the dragon that spits them.
If you are in magician mode, use Pluto and black dog turn into skeleton. Keep throwing bones in the entrance or exit door, but turn back when they attack because you will die in one hit.
Defeating Hugh
When you are low on health, use the Roc Wing to jump to the upper left or right of the room. There will be a ledge that you can use to heal yourself, without him hurting you, by using the Jupiter + Mandragora DSS cards. However, when he powers up, blades can come up and hurt you. Turn up the sound and listen for the noise Hugh makes when he is about to use the move. When you hear it, turn on the Jupiter + Manticore combo to destroy the blades. If you are waiting for your MP to come back, only use Jupiter + Maticore when you need to.
Defeating Bosses
Enable the DSS combination Pluto + BlackDog. If you do not have these cards, then use the DSS glitch to do this trick. Once Nathan has activated DSS, he will transform into a skeleton. His only weapons are now only throwing bones, but randomly he will throw a giant bone that will inflict 9999 points of damage. This will effectively defeat many Bosses with one hit, including Cerberus, Iron Golem, Necromancer, Dragon Zombie and others, even normal enemies. Some stronger Bosses, such as Dracula, will not receive 9999 damage points, but the damage will be over 2000. You must play well, since Nathan will be defeated with only one hit in his skeleton form.
Summon the Manticore and Saturn card. This will cause a poison cloud. Once it touches an enemy of any kind, it will not let go until the monster is dead or you run out of MP.
Use summons in the Battle Arena
Select your summon, and use a 4 Mind Restore, 2 Mind High, or a Mind EX. As soon as you leave the menu screen, press [L] and do the summon. You can only do one summon after using the Mind Restore, so bring a lot of them.
Use DSS in the Battle Arena
In the Battle Arena, equip a good DSS Summon Combo (for example, Uranus + Cockatrice). In the pause menu, select "Items", then "Use", and use a "Mind High" (not a "Mind Restore" -- they can work, but you will need to be extremely fast). Immediately after exiting the pause menu, press your DSS button. When your character is done casting, press [Down], [Forward], [Up], [Attack]. If done fast enough, you should have pulled off a summon in the Battle Arena.
Use any DSS card combination
Note: You must have at least one combination. Select one pair and press [L] (the DSS button). Immediately press [Start], go into the DSS, and pick any card no matter if it is unknown or not. Note: This may require a few attempts.
Once you select any type of DSS combo, press [R] then quickly press [Start] and choose DSS. Select any type of DSS combination and you will be able to use that combo.
Activate a DSS powerup. As soon as your character glows, press [Start] to pause game play. Go to DSS, choose a combination of any two cards. You can mix cards you have with cards you do not have. Resume the game. You will now have the power-up you chose. You can do this as many times as needed. Note: You need at least one DSS move for this to work.
Enemies that drop DSS cards
The following is a list of enemies and locations that drop various DSS cards.
Action Cards
Mercury: Bone Head in Catacomb.
Venus: Slime in Catacomb, Abyss Corridor (hidden room), and Audience Room.
Jupiter: Heat Shade in Machine Tower.
Mars: Bloody Sword in Chapel Tower.
Diana: Man Eater in Underground Gallery.
Apollo: Arch Demon in Underground Storage.
Neptune: Ice Armor in Underground Waterway.
Saturn: Fallen Angel near the Battle Arena with Dracula.
Uranus: Scary Candle in Iron Golem Boss Room (defeating Camilla optional).
Pluto: Trick Candle in Cerebus Boss Room (defeat Camilla first).
Attribute Cards
Salamander: Bomb skeleton in Catacomb.
Serpent: Earth Demon in Dash Boots Dungeon.
Mandragoras: Axe Armor in Abyss Corridor(in a hidden room), Audience Room.
Golem: Electric Skeleton in Audience Room before Necromancer.
Cockatrice: Stone Armor in Machine Tower.
Manticore: Thunder Demon in Machine Tower.
Griffin: Skeleton Athletes in Audience Room (hidden room way to the right).
Thunderbird: Were-Panther in Chapel Tower.
Unicorn: White Armor in Battle Arena with Dracula.
Black Dog: Devil Armor in Battle Arena with Dracula.
Mimic Candle
In the Skeleton Athlete room is a candle that looks different (after Camilla). Whip it and it will become a Mimic Candle.
Another place you can find the Mimic Candle is in the room you found Cerebus or the Iron Golem. This is easier than having to be distracted by the Athlete Skeletons. Note: Mimic Candle gives the Pluto Card and can only be found after you have defeated Camilla.
Mind Restore
This trick requires the Roc Wing, The Jupiter + Unicorn DSS combo, and to be at the outer wall. Use the DSS combo and use the Roc Wing to jump up and down, killing Brain Floats. If done correctly, you will gain Mind Restores very quickly. It is possible to get forty Mind Restores in five minutes.
Rainbow Robe
Go to the Underground Warehouse and find the Forest Armor. Keep destroying Forest Armor until it drops the Rainbow Robe. It also drops Chain Mail. Combine DSS cards Venus + Mandragora to increase your luck and have better chances of finding the Rainbow Robe. The Rainbow Robe increases your Defense by 140, Intelligence by 250, and Luck by 15.
Sage Robe
Go to the secret room where Lilith is located. Killing her and eventually you will get the Sage Robe, which is the best armor beside the Shining Armor. You can easily defeat Lilith by summoning the big electric bird. She also drops Mind Exs and also is worth 20,000 experience points. The secret room is located at the bottom right corner where you first meet the flying Succubus ladies. It is directly under the top door -- you have to hit the walls to find it.
Cure poison status without antidotes
You need the Jupiter and Mandragora cards. When you are in poison status, use the Jupiter And Mandragora cards to heal yourself. You will see that you are gaining and losing health. When you see yourself just gaining health, turn your DSS off and you should not be in poison status.
An easy way to cure poison in Magician mode is to use Jupiter + Black Dog. This will enable the Black Hole Barrier. Almost instantly after activating this shield, deactivate it and your poison status will be gone.
More powerful shield and extra defense
Equip two items that increase your attack power, such as the Strength Armband and the Solders Fatigue (you should have +250 attack power), then use either the Fire or Ice Shield. Next, equip two items that increase your defense, such as the Defense Armband and the Strongest Armor. You will do extra damage with your shield and take minimal damage from enemies. Note: Your whip will be weak, so use your shield when attacking.
Summons and explosion cards
To use the action cards Apollo and Uranus, press [Down], [Forward], [Up] and attack with another card. Uranus summons that card and Apollo throws a bomb.
Increased luck
Combine Venus with Mandragoras and your luck will be boosted by 25%. This is useful when you need to find cards and items.
Increased damage
Combine Venus and Salamander to increase your damage by 25%.
Dash Boots
Defeat Iron Golem and go straight past him. Note: You must be level 15 or higher.
Fire Whip
Combine Mercury and Salamander to make a Fire Whip.
Stone Whip
Combine Mercury and Cockatrice to make a Stone Whip.
Thorn Whip
Combine Mercury and Mandragora to make a Thorn Whip.
Shoot from the rear
Equip the Bear Ring (from Skeleton Medalist in a secret room on the left side of the shaft you fall down in the beginning of the game) and activate the last two DSS cards (Pluto and Black Dog). You will turn into a bear. While in bear form you can shoot from of your head. Hold [Up] and press [Attack] to shoot from your rear. Hold [Down] and press [Attack] to drop a bomb.
Turn into a bear
Defeat the Skeleton Medalist in a secret room in the pit at the beginning of the game until he drops an item called the Bear Ring. The easiest way to do this is to get to level 45 to 50 then use the Holy Water Item Crush attack (Pluto + Salamander). You need Holy Water for the required combo. Then, use the Roc Wing to fly into the room and run at him. When you get the ring, equip it and turn on the Skeleton DSS combo (Pluto + Black Dog). You should turn into a green bear with a bubble coming out of its nose. This bear is also killed in one hit like the skeleton, but it has three different attacks and can double jump.
Secret area
In the room with the Dash Boots, kill the skeleton to the left of the room. Above him will be a wall. Attack the wall with your DSS power.
Glitch: Disappear
Go to the underground warehouse to the room with four Grizzlies and one Arch Demon. Before you step out, jump onto the door at the end (far right side) of the room and you will disappear. Note: Save before you attempt this -- once it is done you cannot return to your regular game.
Glitch: Freeze everything else
You can freeze everything on the screen except for yourself in the underground warehouse (and wherever else there is a platform that crumbles when stepped on). To do this, jump on a crumbling platform and activate any DSS combo when that platform is about to crumble completely. If done correctly, you should hear the sound of the card activate, but you will not have it activated. Everything on the current screen and other screens will stop moving, including monsters, projectiles, and platforms. To return to normal, activate the same DSS card again.
