More HP, ATP. <-- RAcast RAcaseal --> More DFP, ATA (about 1 more), EVP.

More TP, MST. <-- FOnewm FOnewearl --> More DFP, EVP.

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The paths show Time Attack routes, omitting some treasure rooms.

If the team is far enough into the stage, it will most likely be able to finish. If someone leaves the team within the first 10 minutes of the stage, the team may decide to commit suicide and return to the lobby. Challenge mode is treated as a quest, therefore no one can join or rejoin once the stage has loaded. If someone has to leave or is at risk of being disconnected, he or she should drop all items for the rest of the team.

Team names have a "C" followed by the number of the stage. Japanese hunters can choose to use our numbers, hiragana, kanji, or other formal numbers to name their teams.

Regular	Hiragana	Kanji
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Japanese players will use Word Select in ways we don't think of.

"Good to see you" is used after a stage finishes loading. It is also used during a stage as appreciation for experienced players. You can reply with "Yes" if someone tells you this in the middle of a stage.

"Everybody, we don't have a monofluid?" and similar phrases might not sound right. If an item is mentioned, try dropping it at the next door. Be sure to check if it gets picked up or not. An exception would be "Monofluid is enough", since the force is unable to carry any more monofluids.

When someone is bursting from one major area to another, items cannot spawn or be picked up. You will have to wait for the person to finish bursting before the items appear. If you are unable to pick up items, but need to burst to the next area, press the A button on each item and then use the teleport (Make sure you have enough room for everything!). When everyone is done bursting, the items will be in your inventory.

When you choose your s-rank weapon from the hunter's guild lady, you first select the type of weapon and then name it. There is a confirmation screen showing the name and type together. If you select "no", you will be able to reselect the type of s-rank.
If you have already gone into the lobby and changed your mind, you may be able to get another chance by shutting off the Dreamcast without saving. Even after being sent to the lobby, the game has not yet auto-saved to the VMU. Turning off the power will delete the record of the stage you have just completed, along with any unequipped items in the inventory. You can then redo the stage. Note that this will not work if you have entered a team after completing a stage, since the game autosaves when entering the hunter's guild.

#-#-# means mate and scape doll count. In stage 1, there are a few ways this is said. "2-1" would mean two monomates and one scape doll. "2" would mean two monomates and no scape doll. For the rest of the stages, there are three numbers. "3-1-2" would mean three monomates, one dimate, and two scape dolls. Trimates are not usually included in the count, since they only come from graves. If someone uses a count with four digits, such as "5-1-1-3", then the numbers stand for five monomates, one dimate, one trimate, and three scape dolls.

A number following a "n", "a", "m", "d", or "h" stands for photon weapon efficiencies. An item collector may announce the percents on a weapon as it is dropped. Since weapons only gain efficiencies for the monsters in the current area (forest-native, caves-a.beast, mines-machine, ruins-dark), a percent alone stands for the area's type of monster. Also, sometimes hunters like to announce their weapon's efficiencies without giving the actual weapon away.

An "s" followed by a number stands for the number of slots in a dropped armor or frame.

In some stages, there are puzzles that are mapped with numbered switches. A leader will call out the number of the switch to be stepped on.

When you are frozen in ice, shake the joystick back and forth to break free faster. This may save you from being attacked or even killed.

If you are paralyzed and the team is out of antiparalysis and sol atomizers, you can get poisoned to cure the paralysis. Then, you can use an antidote in place of other healing items.

Despite the walk-through-doors exploit being fixed in PSO version 2, you can still squeeze through some gaps between obstacles. This applies to a shortcut in stage 7, area 33. Unequip your weapon and face your back to where you want to go at a 45-degree angle. Do three normal attacks and then move back next to the wall. Repeat until you have gone through the gap.

A valiant tactic to save the entire team from losing is to disconnect before dying without a scape doll. This may happen when the player is trapped by monsters or a boss. Pulling out the phone cord, network line, or VMU may take too long to disconnect in time. The best way is to soft reset by holding down A, B, X, and Y, and then pressing start (Dreamcast only). This will also properly save the game.

Because healing items are limited, using levelups to heal HP and TP is an important strategy. Hunters can even take this risk starting at stage 1. An example of how a force should use his or her levelup can be seen here. This force will stick to using only shifta and deband on the team until her TP needs to be refilled. She will then attack an enemy and gain a level to refill HP and TP.

Obtaining the no type s-rank of your choice takes at least an extra hour to accomplish, in addition to multiple runs of stage 1. First, you get a very long stage 1 time, such as 1'30"00. After that, you complete stages 2-9 slowly enough to have a total time of at least 7 hours. It is a good idea to count the total time after completing stage 8 to see how long stage 9 needs to be. After completing stage 9, you should not achieve s-rank. Next, redo stage 1 with a normal time of 10-15 minutes in order to earn s-rank. Pick "no type" and give your weapon its name. When you return to the lobby, immediately check your inventory and look at the weapon. Check the weapon's type, required stat, ATA boost, and ATP boost to see if it is the correct one. S-rank weapon information is listed at http://www.ne.jp/asahi/mihara/sakura/pso/capture/challenge_mode/s_rank.html. The six columns are English name, Japanese name, who can equip, required stat (blades require atp, guns require ata, wands require mst), ATP boost, and ATA boost. Note that when figuring the weapon's ATA and ATP boost, you have to compare your actual base stat with the totat stat.
Here's an example: "KITTY" is a notype blade with an ATP boost of 672 (1822-1150), ATA boost of 200 (364-164, hope you didn't need a calculator for that one), and ATP requirement of 620. Guess which s-rank it is... ...It is a no type Twin.

Initializing characters is something to consider when using a level 1 character strictly for challenge mode. The purpose of this is to save symbol chats and shortcuts, while being able to do challenge mode over again on a character. This will delete all items, material effects, challenge mode records, and possibly battle record. To do this, first make sure your s-rank weapon has been transferred to another character. From the main menu, connect to PSO online. While you are at the bursting screen in which you can move the cursor, pull out your VMU. As soon as you get to the ship select screen, you will be disconnected. Connect to PSO online again, but this time normally. When you get to the ship select screen, you will receive a message about invalid game data. Press start to disconnect and save. Connect to PSO online one last time and enter a lobby. Check your character to see the reset challenge records.

Configuring buttons in a special way can allow you to run away from monsters or traps without slowing down. Any attack or technique that targets enemies or traps will cause a player to slow down. These should be configured to the X, A, and B buttons. Techniques that only target teammates and healing items should be bound to R+X, R+A, and R+B. When running past groups of monsters or traps, hold down the R button.

Setting off traps without a ranger can be done by HUcasts or anyone using a trap vision. Use the button configuration above to prevent slowing down from targeting traps. When you enter a room with traps, run close to them just enough to set them off and then retreat. Some traps will follow players above their heads, so this will not always be useful.

Feeding a MAG until it reaches level 10 or 35 will cause it to evolve and gain a photon blast. This is possible to do with the extra antidotes, antiparalysis, and monomates in stages 7 and 8.

At the start of each stage, check your inventory and customize your buttons. Forces should remember to also check for new techniques.

An expert force will already have the quick technique menu set up. The easiest techniques to select are at the top and bottom of the list.

Know how to use Word Select to beg for items.

Stage 1: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp.
Force: Use foie without concern over running out of fluids or TP for this stage only.
Area 1 has many rooms with enemies that do not need to be defeated. For example, run into a room, hit the switch, and then use the special button configuration to run away from any monsters.
Area 2 contains a fake warp that will waste time if used. Prepare for this by using a map.

Stage 2: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, floating traps, timed door, 4-weapon switch, 4-shield/barrier switch, hidden paths, wrong ways, 6-step puzzle, squishing traps.
Ranger: MAG starts with 5 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 6 will give one more ATA.
If there is a ranger, he or she may be asked by a hunter to trade MAGs. This will give the ranger more DEF and ATP, while the hunter gets more ATA.
From this stage on, every member will begin with 3 antidotes and 3 antiparalysis. These will be needed for the nar lillies and traps.
There are invisible floating traps, so a HUcast should lead the way with a handgun.
If you do not make it past the timed door, you will have to go back and activate a switch to try again.
Four spare weapons and four spare shields/barriers need to be collected for switches. Do not throw away these types of items.
Hidden passages are introduced in this stage. When you find one, you will be able to walk through a holographic wall.
The caves have more complex maps than the forest, so there are wrong turns and dead ends that waste time and items.
In the 6-step puzzle, one player will run past laser barriers while the remaining three players activate switches. Do not let more than one player run through the barriers.
Take your time with the squishing traps. Similar to rolling under a closing garage door, don't go under it if you're not 100% sure you'll make it in time.

Stage 3: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, floating traps, wrong ways, hidden paths, squishing traps, trapped switches, 3-step puzzle, trapped boulders, trapped rooms.
Ranger: MAG starts with 7 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 8 will give one more ATA.
This stage introduces trapped switches on the ground, walls, and ceiling. If you do not know which switch to hit, let someone else handle it.
In the 3-step puzzle, one player will hit the switches while the rest of the team runs past the laser barriers.
Trapped boulders are just like trapped switches.
In one area, a path will be made when one player stands on a switch. Another player must follow this path without straying from it, or else the room will explode.

Stage 4: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, floating traps, timed door, wrong ways, hidden paths, trapped switches, squishing traps, lights out, 8-step puzzle.
Hunters: Use grinders on the best sword you can find, which is usually the one you start with. This will be used against De Rol Le.
Hunters start with 2 monofluids and rangers start with 1, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
The lights will be out in some rooms until a switch is pressed.
Players need to stay in pairs for the 8-step puzzle. Basically, one pair steps on a switch and then the other pair moves through the disabled laser barrier to the next switch.

Stage 5: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, floating traps, wrong ways, hidden paths, lights out, shooting traps, computer switches.
Hunters start with 2 monofluids and rangers start with 1, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
Rangers and forces start with 2 dimates and should give them to the hunters at the start.
Shooting traps will appear from the ground and fire foie, gibarta, or gizonde. The gibarta can freeze players, but the gizonde does not have a chain lightning effect.
The computer switches are like trapped switches. Let the leader press them.

Stage 6: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, floating traps, timed door, wrong ways, hidden paths, trapped switches, shooting traps, 9-step puzzle.
Before starting, the team needs to decide how Garanz will be handled. Usually, the most skilled player with the highest HP will run circles around the Garanz, while the rest of the team retreats into the previous room. In TA, everyone attacks the Garanz. Use the word select "I will make attack on Garanz", "Everybody, we will make attack on Garanz", ect.
Hunters: MAG starts with 1 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 2 will give one more ATA.
Hunters start with 2 monofluids and rangers start with 1, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
Rangers and forces start with 2 dimates and should give them to the hunters at the start.
In the 9-step puzzle, one person will enter the laser barrier maze and call out switch numbers. The three remaining players will step on the switches. Switch 1 is also switch 9.

Before entering any room in stages 7-9, be aware of any Dark Belras, Chaos Bringers, and Chaos Sorcerors. These monsters do massive amounts of damage and will be burning your scape dolls. Also check the room when another round of monsters spawns.

Stage 7: Enemies to ignore, wrong warp, poison, paralysis, timed door, wrong ways, lights out, shooting traps, waterfall, walk through obstacle, trapped laser switches, scrap piles, falling traps.
Rangers: MAG starts with 9 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 10 will give one more ATA.
Hunters start with 3 monofluids and rangers start with 2, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
Rangers and forces start with 3 dimates and should give them to the hunters at the start.
Poison traps are now also brown blobs on the floor, while paralysis can come from Dark Belra's melee attack.
There may be items, heal rings, or trapped treasure behind each waterfall.
In area 33, one player can walk through a gap to unlock a laser barrier for the rest of the team.
Some laser barrier switches are trapped. Let the leader handle them.
Scrap piles are like boulders, but none in this stage are trapped.
You can still use monomates when covered by a falling trap.

Stage 8: Wrong warp, poison, paralysis, timed door, wrong ways, lights out, shooting traps, trapped laser switches, falling traps, scrap piles, 4-weapon switch.
Ranger: MAG starts with 9 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 10 will give one more ATA.
Hunters start with 3 monofluids and rangers start with 2, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
Rangers and forces start with 3 dimates and should give them to the hunters at the start.
The 4-weapon switch is a shortcut early in the first area. If the team has four spare weapons, which includes the force's weapon, then it can take a shortcut to save time.

Stage 9: Wrong warp, poison, paralysis, timed door, wrong ways, trapped switches, lights out, shooting traps, falling traps, scrap piles.
Everyone wants at least 141 HP to face the boss. Players without this much HP will need extra scape dolls.
Hunters: MAG starts with 3 dex, so feeding antidotes and antiparalysis until dex is 4 will give one more ATA.
Hunters and rangers start with 3 monofluids, but they should wait until later in the stage to give them to the force.
Rangers and forces start with 5 dimates and should give them to the hunters at the start.

Techniques are recommended in descending order.

Booma - Small Brownish-Red: Foie.
Gobooma - Medium Yellow: Zonde or barta or foie.
Gigobooma - Large Red: Barta or zonde or foie.
Rag Rappy - Small Yellow: Foie or barta.
Evil Shark - Small Green: Foie.
Pal Shark - Medium Red: Foie or barta.
Guil Shark - Large Yellow: Zonde or barta.
Dimenian - Small Blue: Zalure then foie.
La Dimenian - Medium Red: Zalure then barta.
So Dimenian - Big Yellow: Zalure then zonde.
Hunters should run around these enemies to attack their sides or back.

Savage Wolf - Brown: Zonde or foie.
Barbarous Wolf - Blue: Zonde or foie.
The Barbarous Wolf should be killed first so that the Savage Wolves stop to howl zalure and jellen on themselves.

Monest - Purple: Zonde or foie.
Mothmant - Tiny Purple: Zonde or foie.
The ranger and force should attack the flying mothmants while the hunters work on killing the Monest. The damage caused by the mothmants is minimal, so all other monsters in the area should be killed first.

Hildebear - Huge Blue: Zonde or barta.
Grass Assassin - Huge Green: Foie or zonde.
The hunters must attack from behind the hildebear, due to high amounts of damage from the powerful arms.
Grass Assassins can be attacked from the sides or behind. Weapons cannot be switched when trapped.

Poison Lily - White plant: Foie.
Use a sword or handgun, since targeting up close is difficult.

Pofuilly Slime - Blue: Zalure.
The most powerful hunter should use Heavy-Heavy combos. Three-hit combos and techniques will cause the slime to split, wasting time.

Pan Arms - Blue and Red: None.
Hidoom - Brown: Foie.
Migium - Blue: Barta or zonde.
Run circles around the Pan Arms to make it separate while avoiding the blue and red beams shooting from one wide side. Pan Arms are also good for using dim or draw weapons on.
Hidoom will cause damage and Migium will cast jellen and zalure. Attack the two head-on.

Nano Dragon - Brown: Zonde or barta.
When the Nano Dragon faces you and prepares to shoot its beam, run in a straight line either towards or away from it. After the beam comes out, run away to the side of it at the last moment. If you try to dodge the beam before the Nano Dragon shoots it, he will use the GotWalls client to hit you with autoaim.
Hunters can use a saber-type weapon with repeated Normal-Normal-Heavy attacks when the Nano Dragon tries to shoot its beam.

Gillchic - Black: Zonde.
Dubwitch - Dull Black: Zalure then Zonde.
Hunters can safely use a Normal-Normal-Heavy attack with a short distance between themselves and a single Gillchic. Wait for the gillchic to begin moving before starting another attack, or else it won't fall down from the first blow. A single Normal-Heavy-Heavy combo with shifta can destroy a Gillchic.
Dubwitches sometimes appear. There is no Dubswitch to destroy them, so they must be killed repeatedly.
Both Gillchics and Dubwitches have autoaiming beam attacks that should be handled the same way as that of the Nano Dragon.

Canadine - Green: Zonde.
These machines are usually flying overhead, so a ranger or force needs to hit them once to make them fall low enough to be attacked by the hunters.

Sinow Beat - Blue: Zonde or foie.
Sinow Gold - Yellow: Foie.
These two machines attack in the same pattern. In challenge, they do not appear immediately on the radar with the other monsters. Look for shadows on the floor and watch the radar for suddenly appearing dots. When the sinow spots a player, it will make a diving attack. This can easily be avoided by running perpendicularly. After that, the sinow will give chase and attack with two 2-hit combos. Run to the side of the Sinow and dodge its attack twice. It will then jump backward and use a special move. Sinow Beats will make copies of itself, while Sinow Gold will cast resta. The fake Sinow Blues can be detected by their yellow lights, while the real Sinow Blue has red lights. Right after the sinow jumps back, charge up to it and make repeated attacks. This can juggle the monster. Another way to handle Sinows is to have multiple hunters using combos in succession of each other.

Garanz - Huge Green: None.
Refer back to planning for stage 6. If there is a Garanz in the room, retreat to the previous room. If all the missiles hit you at once, you will probably be killed. Running circles around Garanz and leading the missiles into itself is the usual tactic. Even after the Garanz is dead, the missiles may still be following you, so keep running.

Delsaber - Black and Purple: Jellen then gibarta.
This monster will dive at long distances, killing the weakest members of the party in one critical hit. Immediately run away perpendicularly when seen.
Hunters will need to attack from the sides or behind, due to the shield. Attacking with guns from a distance will keep the delsaber from blocking.

Bulclaw - Huge Silver and Red: Foie or zonde.
Claw - Small Silver and Red: Foie or zonde.
Bulk - Huge Silver and Red: Foie.
Kill the Bulclaw quickly from a distance to prevent it from spawning claws. Do not run away from a claw if you are about to be attacked. Instead, run past the claw or attack it. Bulks will lower HP to 1, so use mates immediately after being hit.

Dark Belra - Huge Brown: Jellen then zonde.
At least one player needs to stay close to the Dark Belra. When left alone, it will shoot a powerful missile attack that will kill weak members of the party. Its melee attack is also high in damage and causes paralysis, so attack from behind. If you can get the Dark Belra to walk in a circle by follwing you, then it will become dizzy and stunned for a few seconds.

Chaos Sorceror - Large Black and Purple: Zalure then gibarta then foie.
Heal immediately when a Chaos Sorceror appears. The Rafoie it casts will kill weak party members that have not healed. It will follow up with Gibarta and then resta, so be prepared to use the defreezing trick.

Chaos Bringer - Huge Black and Green: Jellen then zalure then gibarta.
The charge attack will do lots of damage and may cause confusion. Keep sol atomizers ready for this. The safe place to attack is to the monster's left side (your right). This will avoid the swipe attack while casting jellen and zalure as a force. After taking enough hits, it will turn to face a player and fire a powerful shot. Keep your camera centered on the Chaos Bringer and run a circle away from where it points its arm.

Darvant - Spinning Silver and Purple: Gibarta.
Hunters can take out Darvants with a single normal pallasch attack.

Dragon Boss: Jellen then Zalure then Barta or zonde.
Pattern A: Walking towards party, stopping to spit flames, flying up and shooting fireballs twice, landing, repeat. Transition: Roaring. Pattern B: Flying up, diving attack, three underground attacks, flying back up and landing, walking towards party, stopping to spit flames, repeat.
Any ranger or force should run to the side of the dragon and stay far away. The dragon will shoot flames in front of itself and the tail will sweep behind. The hunters should use two-hit Normal-Heavy combos on the legs, backing away to avoid being landed on. After the dragon falls, which often kills a hunter, everyone should charge to attack the head. If the dragon gets back up without roaring, assume it will fall down again after taking more leg damage. When the dragon roars, rush to its legs to attack.
The force will be killed by the underground attack in a single hit. If you have monomates to burn, stand near an open pit of lava. When the dragon burrows dangerously close to you, take a hit fom the lava by stepping in. You should take the smaller amount of lava damage, instead of being killed by the dragon.
During pattern B, everyone should attack the dragon's legs when it stops to spit flames. When the dragon has its death animation, run away to avoid being hit by its body. The lava pits can also cause damage during this time, which may not be seen.

De Rol Le Boss: Jellen then Zalure then foie.
Hunters should use brands on the traps and swords on the body (not the head). When 5 traps are set on the raft, concentrate on destroying one in the corner. Everyone can stand in the corner and avoid being damaged by the other traps. After that, stand in the northwest corner of the raft to avoid the first purple energy wave. The second wave of purple energy has no safe corner. After De Rol Le clings to the side of the raft, hunters have enough time to make three Normal-Heavy-Heavy sword attacks on the body. Quickly run away to avoid the first (gulp) tentacle attack. If hit, the hunter has enough time to make a Normal-Heavy attack and run away. The hunters that don't get hit the first time should continue attacking, unless someone is killed. Getting killed by the tentacles causes them to choose another target. When a team doesn't defeat De Role Le quickly enough, it will use multiple beam attacks after shutting off the lights. The safe area to avoid being hit is in the center of the north edge of the raft.

Vol Opt Boss: Gizonde or zonde.
At the beginning, destroy the top pillar with guns. Ignore the TV screens and wait for the pillars to pop up. Two hunters should initially attack the red pillar, while the third hunter or ranger can attack a blue pillar after. Attacking the blue pillar without attacking the red one will cause a random technique to damage the party.
After destroying all 5 pillars, the hunters and rangers should focus on destroying the four outside parts. If the force has gizonde, he or she can repeatedly cast it to stun Vol Opt. When trapped by the rocks, call for help. "! ! !" or "Help!" just by typing will be enough to get your team's attention. Once free from the rocks, you do not need to run away from the blue side, since only the rocks cause damage.

Dark Falz Boss 1: Zalure then foie.
Dark Falz Boss 2: Zalure then gibarta.
The force needs to keep renewing shifta and zalure while healing the team with resta. Rabarta attacks will sometimes freeze players or cause instant death. The blue heaven's punisher attack causes exactly 140 HP of damage, so healing to at least 141 HP is necessary to survive. Whether the force is dead or not, be prepared to use mates to heal and use the defreeze trick. If a player with less than 141 HP is out of scape dolls and the team cannot drop one, he or she is expected to disconnect when Dark Falz prepares the heaven's punisher attack.