What is the Best Starter Familiar in Ni no Kuni?
Choosing your first familiar in the Ni no Kuni series can feel like a pivotal moment. These companions are not just adorable creatures; they are your allies in battle, and some are undeniably better than others right from the get-go. So, what is the absolute best starter familiar? While the perfect choice often depends on your playstyle and the specific game in the series, the general consensus points towards Little Bighorn in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. This tanky familiar, often nicknamed “Old Smokey,” stands out due to its early availability, impressive physical resistance, strong move pool, and overall utility. While Little Bighorn isn’t a starter in the literal sense of being one of the initial three given by Solomon, its early accessibility and effectiveness justify it as the best early choice you can pursue.
Why Little Bighorn is a Top Choice
Early Game Powerhouse
Little Bighorn is a tank by nature, meaning it can withstand considerable damage. This is invaluable early in the game when you are still getting accustomed to combat and haven’t fully developed your party’s capabilities. Its high physical resistance allows it to soak up hits that would devastate other familiars, letting you learn the ropes without constant game-overs. Think of it as an armored wall, allowing you to safely deal damage without worrying too much about being constantly knocked out.
Strong Movepool
Another significant advantage of Little Bighorn is its impressive movepool. It gains access to valuable abilities like Spire of Fire relatively early, giving it a potent offensive option. This means it’s not just a tank; it can also dish out damage. This balance between defense and offense makes it a well-rounded choice that can adapt to different combat scenarios. Many other early familiars are either overly defensive or lack substantial offensive capabilities, making the versatility of Little Bighorn a major draw.
Upgraded Mite
It’s often compared to the Mite because they share the same gear slots, but Little Bighorn outshines the Mite in terms of overall effectiveness. Think of it as an evolution; it offers all the strengths of the Mite but with more resilience and offensive prowess. This makes it a great investment early in the game, because you won’t outgrow its usefulness anytime soon. This familiarity is crucial in Ni no Kuni, where familiars evolve and grow with you.
Elemental Neutrality
Another often overlooked benefit of Little Bighorn is its elemental neutrality. This means it doesn’t have major weaknesses to specific elemental attacks, allowing you to use it effectively in a wider range of environments. Many early familiars are vulnerable to specific elements, which can make battles unnecessarily tricky. Little Bighorn’s neutrality is a practical strength.
Other Notable Early-Game Contenders
While Little Bighorn is arguably the best all-around starter option, some other early game familiars deserve an honorable mention:
- Mite: A solid early-game familiar, it shares gear slots with Little Bighorn. While not as powerful, it’s still useful for learning the basics of combat and familiar management.
- Drongo: An early water-type familiar, it provides some early-game offensive capabilities, particularly against fire enemies.
However, these familiars tend to fall off in effectiveness faster than Little Bighorn as you progress. They lack the raw defensive power and diverse abilities that make Little Bighorn such a robust early-game companion.
Early-Game Familiar Strategy in Ni no Kuni
The early game in Ni no Kuni is about experimentation and finding a playstyle that suits you. Here are a few essential strategy tips to guide you:
- Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Try out different familiars to see what works best for you. The beauty of Ni no Kuni is that there’s plenty of variety.
- Focus on Synergy: Think about how your familiars work together. Having a tank like Little Bighorn can pair well with a healer or a powerful ranged DPS familiar.
- Upgrade and Evolve: Always level up your familiars and evolve them when possible. This increases their stats and grants new skills.
- Gear Matters: Equipping your familiars with the best possible gear significantly improves their performance in battle.
- Don’t Neglect Affinities: Certain characters have an affinity with certain familiar types, leading to a stat boost.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 Frequently Asked Questions about familiars in the Ni no Kuni series to provide further clarity:
1. What are the starting three familiars given by Solomon in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch?
Solomon offers you the Boggly-Boo, the Lagoon Naiad, or the Shonky-Honker. These are not the strongest familiars but allow you to get a feel for different types.
2. Which familiars are best for DPS?
For damage-per-second, Dinoceros is often considered one of the top choices, along with Lumberwood and Bonehead, due to their high attack stats and useful movesets.
3. What are the best familiars for tanking?
Aside from the excellent Little Bighorn, familiars like Monolith are excellent tanks that can withstand significant damage.
4. Is there a best healer familiar?
Toko is often cited as one of the best powerhouse healers in the Ni no Kuni series, but it requires significant time investment to reach its full potential.
5. Can you catch every familiar in the game?
Yes, you can collect every familiar, but some are only available through metamorphosing lower-tier familiars. Not all forms can be caught in the wild.
6. What are the best familiar types in Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds?
Top choices in Cross Worlds include Bunnybot (Light), Dinoceros (Darkness), Stagthorn (Earth), and Hippocampus (Water). These are often considered the most useful in battles.
7. What is the strongest familiar in Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds?
While it varies according to specific situations, Stagthorn is regarded as one of the most powerful, with excellent defenses and damage output.
8. What class should I play in Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds?
The Engineer is often praised for its versatility and free-to-play friendliness, offering healing, support, and some DPS. For pure damage, the Witch and the Swordsman are effective.
9. What gear should I focus on crafting?
The Cad’s Cannon and Masterthief’s Magnum are exceptional crafted pistols for physical and magical superiority respectively, while the Primordial Sword is the best crafted sword.
10. What is the best summon in Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds?
Familiars like Stagthorn, Bunnybot, and Crab O’ Lantern are all very popular choices as great summons, providing solid stats and excellent passive skills.
11. How do affinities work in Ni no Kuni?
When a character and familiar have matching affinities, it grants the familiar a 10% stat boost, making it important to consider when building a party.
12. What are rare familiars and how can I find them?
Rare familiars have unique colors and battle themes, with higher levels than regular versions. They are very hard to find and appear in the overworld.
13. How does evolution or metamorphosis work for familiars?
You evolve your familiars to increase their stats and unlock new skills, sometimes by using items found or earned in the game. It’s crucial for progressing and becoming stronger.
14. What does being a “tank” mean in the context of Ni no Kuni?
A “tank” is a familiar that can withstand significant damage, usually having high HP and physical or elemental resistances.
15. Is Little Bighorn truly the best starter choice?
While preference can vary, Little Bighorn’s high physical resistance, strong early move pool, and overall utility make it an exceptionally reliable choice early in Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, arguably the best early game familiar for most new players.