Skimming the methods, I'm still nervous about bringing mine up. Unfortunaetly, it will _not_ max your monster out as suerly as the DP method will. It _will_, however, give you a strong monster that will be able to get you to S-class and past. Also, while it can be high-cost, it doesn't seem to be as agonizing on the coffers as RNA's methods.

Please note: I am NOT cutting down either of those methods, or anyone else's. Both of them _will_ get you very strong monsters, and if you have the time or money, use theirs. However, for someone who's about mid-class in monster ranching, my method may help out.

Do NOT use this method if:

1) You want a maxed out monster. It may happen, but I highly expect not.

2) You are a complete beginner, with only $5000. While it could probably be adjusted against that, it would still be very, very problematic. I suggest building up to around your first 30,000 or so.


Unfortunately, I haven't got an effective year-by-year of a monster's stats, but I can certainly give it a try, if enough people are interested in how it works. However, for finishing stats:

Snowball, Jill (Jill/Jill), 2nd Generation
Age: 7y 4m (and still has time left, since he's my peach-getter)
Lif: 629
Pow: 741
Int: 803
Ski: 368
Spd: 335
Def: 585

Selkie, Nagisa (Pixie/Jell), first generation
Age: 6y 10m
Lif: 290
Pow: 405
Int: 999
Ski: 686
Spd: 704
Def: 344

I have also raised a Selketo, named Steel, using the 'third stage' of the method with him. His stats were posted under the bboard's Hall Of Fame, but for posterity, here they are again:

Steel, Selketo (Arrow Head/Joker), 1st generation
Age: 7y 7m (and close to the retirement warning)
Lif: 523
Pow: 565
Int: 638
Ski: 547
Spd: 505
Def: 939

As you've noticed, none of the monsters have the maxed out stats that those of DP's method or RNA's method do. However, they are strong monsters in their own right, and each one, if fully raised, could make it to, and past, the Big 4.

Now that I've shown off the stats, here's the method
-------------------
First stage
This is where the monster looks its smallest in front of the barn. I usually judge the monsters by size, rather than by just the age, since so many monsters age at so many different rates. A Garuda I had didn't go through its first growth until 2y 11m, while a Durahan I was raising sprung up at less than a year old. Give it around a year with this style, but no guarantees either way.
NOTE: I tend to feed my monsters on Tablets from day 1, though milk does them just as well for the first few months, if you want to save the money. However, the benefits of tablets later in life are too valuable to give up, so if yuo can afford them, USE THEM.

Throughout babyhood: LD LD LD rest
Items: nothing(?) NO ML nothing(?)

The NO can be completely left out at this stage if you wish, but the lowered fatigue does help the monsters lifespan drastically, from what I've seen. Also, either of the 'nothing' can be substituted with candy, if the monster starts slimming (which is rare at this stage, but possible), smoked snake (if they start getting into 'soft'), or powder (if they fatten, which is _Very_ rare but possible).

I never fight my monsters in their first stage of life, instead giving them the valuable time to start 'telling' me what work they like to do. As they start to cheer for certain things, send them to that. It will help build the points up faster (so I find) as well as bringing their loyalty up more. Cheating is punishable, and failures are tolerated (though punish them every second or third time, to make sure they keep 'even' and don't go soft). Keep this going until they reach Stage 2.

Second Stage
After the monster's first growth spurt is when I start working them a lot harder. This helps the stats to build up well, as well as keeping the monster from getting too fat or too lazy.

Drill: HD LD HD rest
Items: nothing(?) NO ML nothing(?)

As a note: you can keep a regular candy-feeding on either the first or last day of the week, to be sure that your monster doesn't get too thin. It's at this stage that it will happen. Also, the NO is a neccessity for recovering from the hard drills, so don't leave it out at this time.

While most of the stat-gaining regimes I've seen call for regular and constant Hard Drills, I found when I tried this that it cost more on items, as well as being harder on the monster just in general. While replacing the LD with a HD may work, I presently go for the longer lifespan of the reduced drill in the middle of the week. This is also the life-section when you start sending your monster on Errantries, as well as fighting them.

ERRANTRY: I tend to send my monster on errantry soon after they gain their first growth spurt. Generally, I'm cheap and wait for the errantry deals, but it's not a neccessity. Keep yuor errantries spaced out around 8 months, to give your monster time to recover, fight, and keep the stats up. This should give them three or four good move-gains in their life. As for when to send on Errantry, I break with 'regular' here, and send my monsters on the last day of hte week instead of hte first day. I give them an extra mint leaf just before leaving, and a NO and rest as soon as they return.

FIGHTS: While I, myself, try to keep fights to a minimum for lifespan, they can be a great way to get stats up. Therefore, as long as fighting is spaced out as well, feel free to send your monster into fights. However, just remember that until B-class, most of the battles won't be worth hte time it takes. Therefore, I suggest working on getting your monster up in the ranks first. Always rest just before a fight, and give them an extra NO when they finish the fight and return to the ranch for the next week.

Third Stage
THIS is where the big numbers are. If you're going to vary the training at all to multiple hard drills, this is where you should do it.
Drills: HD LD HD rest... OR
HD HD HD rest
Item: nothing(?) NO ML nothing(?)

Notice the 'or'. That's because I tend to keep it to the 'light drill', again to keep the fatigue down. However, at the same time, I've never had trouble with a monster going three HD at times. Give it some variance and see.

Errantry and battles should be kept to the same pattern as before, but remember: make those attempts for the Big-4 only when you think your monster has a chance. Getting K.O.ed _will_ reduce the monster's lifespan.

Peaches can be given at any time during the third stage, but I suggest saving, giving it on the fourth day of the week, then checking the monster's height. If they've shrunk, reload and try again at a later time. You've stripped lifespan into the second stage once again. The gold peach, I usually give when I notice stat gains going down.

Notice that I don't use drugs with my monsters. This is because I rely on that long lifespan to get their stats. However, from what I've seen of Paradoxine, don't be afraid to use it on your monster in its second or third stage! Just remember to keep it from getting stressed while you do, since the stress will make the drugs' lifeloss even worse.

Monster begging for treats? Use your own opinion on whether they should get it or not. If your pixie asks you for candy now and again, feel free to give it to her. Not only will it add that little bit to her weight (that a slimming style like mine so badly needs), it'll get her attitude to you up. Monster asking for a $500 treat and you don't want to waste the money? Don't waste the money. Critter asks for Nuts Oil at the end of a battle? Sure! Best time to give it to them!


Well, there it is in a nutshell. A _big_ nutshell. Anything I missed? Peg me about it!

Looks to be an affordable method for beginners, and is pretty easy to follow with. The only things I see that should be changed (in my opinion) are:
1.) Not enough Nuts Oils, especially in Stages 2 & 3. Nuts Oil Not only reduce fatigue, but help build Loyalty as well.
2.) Errantry: The problem hee is you sending them out in 4th week of the month instead of the 1st. When you send them on the 4th week, they do not get food for that month. As you said, you have to give them tablets, and they need a continuous supply of those.

Based on the examples you show, it looks to be a method to get a pretty well balanced monster, and some pretty good lifespans from them too!

The Nuts Oil can pretty easily be substituted in one of the 'nothing' slots. I tend to get good enough loyalty without it, thuogh after fights and such it's very useful, if not neccessary. As for the errantry on the first, it's a very good idea. I've had a couple other people mention it as well. Since you're the third, I may just give it a rty, after my present monster is put away for the duration. See if it changes things drastically or not.

Pretty good, but do you have anything to control weight?

The candy that I mention bringing in on the occasional 'off-times'. As for overweight monsters, I haven't yet had it happen. The heavy work schedule tends to keep them slim and svelte. If it goes up, though, then just toss a powder in one of those off-weeks instead.