Ive read through the forums, and read alot if not all of the threads on breeding and raising 'good' monsters, but im having some trouble breaking this barrier. My monsters usually life between 3 and 4 years, which isnt bad but it isnt great or the best. Secondly my monsters usually dont end up being as strong as id wanted, for example a monster from the book ending with stats like this:

Zero (A)-Protoant (Antlan/Henger)3 yrs 3 months
Pow - 449
Lif - 407
Acc - 493
Def - 353
Spd - 107
Int - 90

now from what ive breeded he seemed very good, except his short lifespan and his lack of a great tech (my own fault)

Another monster example is;
Vix (S) - AssasiRipper (Ripper/Joker) 3 yr 1 mo
Lif - 366
pow - 406
int - 167
acc - 363
spd - 307
def - 171

He wasnt as good but somehow made it to S class, i didnt dare test him against an S class monster though.

My ranch has the Great house/Great hut, I use mostly level 2 gadgets, I only have one magic gadget, the M Life Blade. My problem might be lack of magic/healing items, and lack of things like the wishing well (thats the only one I have)

Anyone have any tips for me, and for other breeders out there to become better, any help would be apreciated.

"Ive read through the forums, and read alot if not all of the threads on breeding and raising 'good' monsters"

No, you haven't read them all, this is quite apparent. This is a standard question, read the board. I'm in a horrid mood and am too angry to allow you to feel you've accomplished anything. Read this, it should show you a little bit about how other ranchers do things:

Monster Rancher Metropolis: Monster Rancher 4 Archive (PS2): Miscellaneous Q&A (Post New Questions Here) : Monster Breeding Methods...

As well as ALL areas not in the Misc Q&A.

It's not that hard to find these things. You just have to look at the computer screen. Consider this a fair warning to read the archives [thouroughly] before you post.

I'm not that angry, I'm not locking this...

Ive read that thread actually, and im sorry your in a bad mood, that thread doesnt have many things that helped me, and the things that did help dealth with the monsters with the trait Iron heart, and also had magic/healing items and other things, which I noted in my post. I mean no disrespect but I think you shouldn't be so harsh on me asking a question, its not like I was naive about it and didnt specify about monsters and methods I was using, I was just asking a question, and hoping someone here could correct me, not tell me how to raise an Iron heart durahan.

I wasn't meaning to be harsh, which is why I warned you that I was in a bad mood (i.e., take what I say with a grain of salt).

That thread is limited in helping capabilities, but there's a lot more to it than how Iron Heart helps. There are training orders, foods, etc. specified. Other than that, the best stuff has been archived, it's all in knowing how to use it. You have to look outside the box here, it's not just an iron heart Durahan. You could theoretically go about that with any monster, and if it doesn't have Iron Heart, then just tone it down a notch.

I'll tell you that the FAQ, Skills, Ranching Tips, Combining/Breeding, Research on game mechanics, Items, and Adventure Information sections all have key items to use when raising better monsters. I can't, however, tell you how to go about raising that monster using specific train/rest patterns. Okay? I want you to read those, and play around with it a bit. It'll make the game more fun and you'll enjoy it more in the long run if you experiment.

We all hit barriers at one point, I was stuck below 2300 for quite a while.

Thank you Infernus, I understand what you were saying and u seem reasonable about this. I have done that and i am working on that kind of stuff , i guess its more of a practice makes perfect kind of thing.

Do you think you could help me set some goals for myself with monsters then? like maybe if u could tell me a decent breed to try (one u recomend for a beginner) and a lifespan and stat total to break? If thats asking alot im sorry but im just asking for like a breed and something so that way we can be on the same page, plus i think other new trainers could work off of what weve talked about and they could have a better idea of where to look for things like that.

You're at 1900-ish stat composite right now. Fiddle around with a pure Golem, go for 2000, and keep raising the number each time.

I'd really rather just recommend that you just get further into the game, get some better gadgets, and a few tough hearts instead, though. Then work with it from there. It'll be faster and easier if you do it this way, trust me.

1) Choosing a monster: Consider what stats you want to focus on like Power and Defense or Intelligence and Speed. There is a very informative thread on this:

Monster Rancher Metropolis: Monster Rancher 4 Archive (PS2): FAQ: Power or Intelligence? Defense or Speed?

Further, look at the stat gains and guts regen so you can choose a breed you feel has decent gains:

Monster Rancher Metropolis: Monster Rancher 4 Archive (PS2): FAQ: Statgain & Guts Regeneration Table for Almost All Breeds

Finally consider what techniques you want taking into consideration damage and accuracy:

Monster Rancher Metropolis: Monster Rancher 4 Archive (PS2): Skills (Techniques or Attacks)

Personally, I think any monster will do, it's really a matter of taste- de gustibus no disputandum est (in matters of taste there can be no dispute). Though I would advise training monsters with longer lifespans.

Also, if you ever decide to use level 4 devices try to pick one that fits into your monster's best gains.

2) Goals: Of course the goal should always be having higher stats or maxxing out. In gauging your progress and planning ahead, it really depends on knowing what your monster is capable of beforehand. That means 1) Finding out what gains you get from each type of training and 2) How many training sessions you can fit in before fatigue hits 35-40%. In doing this you can try to calculate what stat gains you should attain. Since it really is a case to case thing, you will have to set statgain barriers on your own.

3) A few tips:

a) If you can take your creature adventuring at least 2-3 times to the adventure+ areas during the first three months of their lives it would help a lot. Of course they have to go with a more powerful older creature.

b) If you can afford oily oil you can use it to extend the number of training sessions.

c) Always feed watermelon if you can, or peach if it doesn't like watermelon. Keep your monster in "normal" shape using vitamins.

d) Try to schedule tournaments on rest periods.

Apart from that experiment and have fun. Happy ranching.

Thanks for the help and i am doing that now, I started raising a Tiger/Joker, and an Antlan/Garu. They are good so far, ive been using the oily oil and the watermelons/peaches/vitamins and im hoping these 2 turn out well. So far so good, both 2nd gen monsters :-D

thanks again

Nice :-D I beat the adventure mode and Xevion, my tiger and antlan both broke 2100 so far, and they are still kicking alittle. Thanks again for all the help, i have an idea though. Maybe I could write up a beginners guide for the people like me who were struggling and just need some really general pointers, like foods and some other stuff.

Now that I got more hands on my time (work is slow in the winter :/), I decided to start ranching alittle again, but, once I started playing, I saw that this was a little bit more complex than the other MRs. But anyway, now a week in, I completed the game, etc. and was reading through the archives, and did'nt find to much on descriptions of items. Anyway, I seen that some of you ranchers have gotten to a nice stat composite (2800-3600). Now in this game it's not to hard to get high stats if you've played other MRs, but noone has found a way to Maxx?

I just want to get this idea out, I was working on it a bit, but I'm gonna need more money than planned....I was thinking like a "Million Dollar Method". Raising would work with Level 2 Gadgets, "Oily Oil", and maybe "Rose Perfume". I would have to of course test it, unless....someone has already attempted it, OR is using it right now. The highest stat comp I've gotten to was around 3100, but to have a Maxxed monster would be great for comps....

Anyway, babbbbbaling, someone delete this if its a repeated theory!

Ok, nevermind, scratch that...I thought about it a few more times, and there just is'nt enough fatigue relief, nor can you keep your monsters stress low enough for it to work...Although, you can use those items and cut a good 6-7 rests a year off your monster.....

I don't know, that's what some of you probably do anyway, so this is stupid.....So just delete these last to posts. Right now I don't think there is enough known about the nitty-gritty of the game.

Don't worry about it D, but let me direct you to something, okay? You might find it interesting.

Monster Rancher Metropolis: Monster Rancher 4 Archive (PS2): Miscellaneous Q&A (Post New Questions Here) : Maxed Monsters?

Check out the last post in that topic (by me). I'm sure you'd be able to spot any other flaws I may have made. Remember though, that's assuming things go perfectly.

Hey D,

Out of curiosity have you actually carried out your proposed "million dollar method"? The proof of any pudding is in actually masticating the sucker. Anyway, I think you should carry it out record the results and tell us why it did or did not work. Such would also tie into existing knowledge on the effects of stress and fatigue.

Infernus:

Alright, going over it in my mind a few times, it could maybe work out....One factor would be the type of monster and gen. Another, Money. If you've got money to raise this monster (In this case/theory, alot!) then that would only leave you to raise your monster right, by figuring out Fatigue and Stress... Well, I don't want to get into all the nitty gritty of trying to figure this out, because I've been working alot lately...but I'd really love to take a day or two to work on this theory.

Iron:

I started going over my theory with DreamZ(Zuum/Zuum), just using a no-rest method in his First Stage....but after only 2 months, I figured there would'nt be enough Stress relief...that goes because you can't feed your monster 2 items on the same week, so that blew it to the ground. So either way, you HAVE TO rest your monster, or, maybe it's just something we'll have to work around :)

No rest is easy, it's stress that gets in the way, really. That forces you to rest occasionally, etc.

It'd be easier if you had numbers to work with, but I can't get them.

Umm....I have advise. Adventure sum. ANd use Lv. 2 Magic Gadgets with Wind Drums and a Tough Heart(fill the rest of space up with Wonder Wells. There's your 5000-6000 soloution (professionally tested; novice approved).