@kkslider5552000, the Violent Andante is a HUGE Ardun. I was unable to locate him, for what seemed like forever. I finally located him around midday, inbetween the path that leads to Raguel Bridge and Vilera Hill. It didn't appear until I killed a ton of monsters in the immediate and surrounding area. I guess because I had already killed him before I received the sidequest, or it may be similar to the situation with the White Eduardo.

I finally beat the game tonight. that boss battle was nuts!

I'm still in the Makna Forest, and I have a few sidequest questions for the elite few.

Frontier Village Sidequests:
1) Sweet Seduction
Investigate the source of the sweet smell.
2) Secret Ingredient Hunt
Grab a Monster Egg in the area of Twisted Tree Gate.

Makna Forest Sidequest:
1) Challenge
Kill the Shimmering Forte near the Eks Watering Hole. (On a Hot Day)

Questions:
1) I've been all over Makna Forest and Frontier Village, but I haven't been able to locate even one clue towards solving this mystery. Can someone please inform me as to where or how I need to investigate?
2) I searched the entire area surrounding the Twisted Tree Gate. I've been unable to locate a single item, let alone a Monster Egg. Can someone please inform me as to where I can locate this elusive Monster Egg?
3) First of all, how the hell can you possibly be able to tell if it's a hot day or not? Second of all, can someone please give me a description of the Shimmering Forte?

@G4L I can help with the third question. When its a hot day, the air will look hazy and you will be able to see steam in the air and the Shimmering Forte is a dinosaur like enemy.

OK then its confession time. How long did it take to beat it and about how many side quests did you complete? If you don't mind answering. Also one last one. Did you have an interest in completing a good deal of side quest or just wanted to get on with the main game.

I've played now for about 35 hours. Side quests are starting to take over what I've done lately. I would say the last 6-8 hours have been almost only side quests. I believe I've done every refugee camp one so I can now relocate them when I wont to since I just barely got to that point last night. I'm at the part of the story where I have to find the four items for the shrine I believe it is.

One last thing. I've tried and tried to kill that monster sitting on the throne in the fortress but have failed like 8 times. We are the same level so I guess ill wait another couple of levels before I attempt that again. He rips me apart a little to fast.

Nice! The only reason I haven't fought the Final Boss is I want to make EVERYONE HAPPY.
...Also I want to feel OP against the Final Boss.

Thank you, @FonistofCruxis. I guess I'll just have to ask some other gamers elsewhere, since nobody knows how to answer questions 1 & 2.

Finally completed my first play-through of Xenoblade before I went to bed on Saturday night. Hours well spent on an amazing game! <3

@demmi-defender, from start to finish, about how many total hours did you end up playing for?

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my last save before the point of no return was about 96-something hours, and my NG+ save is at 99:49. Granted, that covers the entire endgame sequence, multiple boss battles, and my picking and choosing what I wanted to carry over in NG+, but it is what it is. :3

if you mean actual attempts at the final boss, his first form took me two tries, second form took me twelve or thirteen tries, and i blasted through the third form in one shot.

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final pre-endgame save has 167 listed as completed, though i have 189 sitting in the queue total.

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i kinda fluctuated on this one — I didn't want to get mired in sidequesting, but I love running around talking to people so i'd pick up a lot of random quests. then, every so often as i went through the story I'd find myself in need of grinding, and as i fought the enemies in each area and collecting stuff, i'd wind up fulfilling most of the quests i'd picked up anyway.

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I'm assuming you mean the one in the Igna Fortress or whatever? it's been a while, but iirc, just enter from the side entrance, lure away the people surrounding him one-by-one (press d-pad down on the big 'enter battle' icon until you get to the purple arrow icon — that's Lure), and then take him down — that's the easiest way. Some unique monsters have quite the crowd around them, so lure away the ones you can. some of them are attached to their attending monsters and will attack along with them, though, so don't try to Lure away anything standing very close to the unique monster itself. if you're just trying to beat that quest and rescue the Nopon girl, you can sneak your way behind everyone in that throne room via the side entrance. just walk slowly and be careful, and if you're spotted, run like hell :3

@G4L: the guide I used to help me when i got stuck says that for 'Sweet Seduction', sell off any Walnut Grape you may have and then talk to Kofuko in Frontier Village. You'll get another quest, which you must complete, and then talk to Migaga to complete this one. As for the Mystery Egg, skip to the Eks Watering Hole, northeast of which is a circular-ish path leading to a ledge north of Twisted Tree Gate. the egg can be found there. give it to Gagada, then go see Bana.

I just met Venea.
_{please grow up — TBD}

@theblackdragon, thanks again. I decided to ask around on some other gaming forums, in the meantime. You're the only person who has been able to answer either of those questions, so far. Which is slightly humorous, considering you didn't even complete that many sidequests. By the way, what guide were you using? GameFAQs?

@Gamesake, I don't even want to know. lol

Thanks for answering every question theblackdragon.

@G4L: I used Split Infinity's FAQ from GameFAQs when i got stuck or needed help getting through a quest. Enjoy :3

Riki trying to get to Bionis Head this century. Why is Riki so slow? Hom Homs keep doing sidequests.

Riki is somehow not an annoying character.

I haven't played this for a few days. I just needed a short break from all of the sidequesting I've been doing. So far, I've completed every sidequest currently available in Frontier Village. I know there will still be lot more there later on, because I've only gained a 3 star affinity rating. I'll check out the Eyrth Sea, the next time I get the urge to play again. I'll probably head back to Colony 9 first, and see if any more sidequests have become available yet. I should also try to craft some more useful Ether gems.

@Tech101, I just ordered a Flame Red 3DS from Amazon, and it should arrive no later than June 12th. I'll post my friend code in my signature, as soon as it arrives. I'll also be adding RoryLee and Demonic. I believe you're already acquainted with them.

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Yeah Rory and demon are cool. Seen your post on the heroes or ruin topic. I believe we are all getting that one. Can't wait to team up for some RPG looting!!

I've been playing every chance I get. I'm up to 45hours now and about 100 side quests done. Im just past the part where Shulk meets Alvis (spelling not sure of here) for the first time. Can anyone tell me in a spoiler how far I am story wise from the end of the game? Also who's idea was it to put 500+ side quests in this game. I've felt like I've done a TON of them and still only at 100.

SPOILER..........
SPOILER......

I'm starting to get some IV ranked gems now. I just did that alter quest where you get the life scared out of you when those three giant spiders come chasing you on top of the fortress. I ran for my life at the first sight of a leg because I've seen that before LOL!!

I'm at the end of the game but working on leveling up and getting every Monado art. Can someone tell me where to level up at level 78?

@Tech101: I'd say you're about a third-ish of the way through at best, but it's probably more like a quarter of the way through now that i think about it lol

@SomeBitTripFan: at Level 78 I was hanging out in Prison Island — that stretch just before the Cathedral (PoNR, btw — don't enter that teleporter until you're absolutely, positively done leveling and sidequesting as much as you want!!!) has that unique monster that respawns quite frequently, and those Deinos, the flying things, and the nebulae are also decent XP. There's actually quite a few unique monsters in Prison Island, so make sure you explore the hell outta the place, lol. You can also go back to the Bionis' Interior and take on all those unique monsters as well, but idk, that area puts me to sleep.

If you get bored with Prison Island, at 78 you should be taking out normal enemies up to four or five levels above you (or at least i was?), so you can try hanging out on the Bionis' Leg (there's those gorilla-lookin' things you can level with, they're up by the hill that goes over the Tortas — i forget what it's called off top of my head lol). You can also go to Satorl Marsh and take out those guys up on the ridge that parallels the path to the platform where you unlock those seals and fight that boss or whatev', but be careful with those guys, lure them away from the others and pick them off one by one because some of them are still too high level for you to hit atm.

@Tech101, I believe you also know Zach. He's been a Wii console friend of mine for a longtime now. I don't think Zach desires to purchase, "Heroes of Ruin," at all, though. With you, Demonic, Rory and myself, we'll still have a full party for adventuring.

I'm not exactly sure how far into the story you are @Tech101. Someone informed me that I've completed about 35% of the game, so far. I described my location in the post above your's. I know how you feel, though. Completing so many sidequests is an extremely arduous task. I'm sorry to tell you this, but I believe you may have overlooked a good deal many of them. I know for a fact that I'm nearing at least 200 completed sidequests, but I've also completed every sidequest that's currently available in Frontier Village. You may wish to check back around Colony 9, and see if you may have overlooked any sidequests there. I'm heading back there the next time I play as well. You've most likely gathered some rather decent Ether crystals for Ether gem crafting by now. You may want to have a go at Ether gem crafting, if you decide to return to Colony 9. I didn't decide to run from those giant spiders. It was a challenging battle, but it was far from impossible. You should have no trouble defeating them, if you're party is at least in their level 30's. Just make sure you keep Shulk at a safe distance from the backside of the spiders. Help heal Reyn and Sharla, when they need it. Don't forget about healing yourself, though. Usually Sharla will need healing more often than Reyn, because Sharla usually keeps Reyn at a decent level of health. Use Shulk's, "Side Slash," and then use his, "Back Slash," until the party gauge fills. Begin a chain attack, and then you'll need to, "Break," with Shulk and, "Topple," with Reyn. etc... I'm sure you already know that whole process, by now.

@SomeBitTripFan, you could try battling any unique monsters you may not have defeated yet.