Suikoden 4-Getting Potch Quickly

[gumibearcarnage7]

Okay, now I'm sure that most of us have learned about Columbus who sailed the ocean blue in 1492. It was also around this time that the Triangle trade was formed. Sound familiar?? Well, let's apply this to Suikoden.

It would probably be best to have Viki first, since you can use the Glowing Hand Mirror instead of boating from place to place.

Anyway, here's how it works:

1. Start at Na-Nal. They should have a fair amount of Pearls for 2000-3000 potch each. If they don't, leave and come back until they do. Buy as many as you can. If you want even more money, buy some Crystal Balls, which are from 200-400 potch.

2. Head to Mordo Island. Sell the pearls there. They should go for 6000-12000 potch each. Buy some Bad Silver Ore, some Crystal Balls, and some Rum.

3. Head to the Nay-Kobold Settlement. Sell all the Crystal balls you received, and pick up some fur.

4. Head back to Na-Nal. Sell the Rum, the Bad Silver Ore, and the Fur there, all for some pretty good profits.

5. Repeat the process until satisfied.

The first time I did this, I received about 70,000 potch! The pearls are the ones you really want to go for, but here's the breakdown of each product.

Pearls-profit 15000-30000 potch (if they're selling high, and they almost always are)
Fur-profit 1000-3500 potch
Bad Silver Ore-profit 2000-5000 potch
Crystal Balls-4000-10000 potch
Rum-2500-5000 potch

This is only if you buy the ENTIRE stock of what the store has. If you don't then prices will definitely vary.

I started this yesterday, with only 40000 potch, and now I'm up to 325000 potch, AFTER I sharpened my parties weapons, and got them great equipment and accessories!

That process took me less than a half an hour! So what are you waiting for?! Follow this trade route, and start rolling in potch!

~*Chris*~
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You know I may never have liked you...hm, point in fact I DESPISE you...but that shouldn't suggest...that I don't respect you. Dieing in our sleep, is a luxury...that our kind is rarely afforded...my gift...to you...

-Elle Driver, Kill Bill Vol. I

[Hugo]

I tried my hand at trading in Suikoden 4 . I wrote up my own chart on what to buy and sell at which places . It was good when trading between Mordo and Nay-Kobold and Na-nal early in the game as the enemies at this point didn't give you too much potch . This was the fastest way to make money and helped you to upgrade your weapons as much as you were able to at the time .

When you liberate Obel however or even when the stronger enemies start appearing on the Deserted Island then trading will look like it takes a long time and is probably redundant . All you have to do is take the Prosperity Rune off of Lo Seng or the one found when treasure hunting and equip it on the hero . Two Prosperity Runes in the same party doesn't give you more of an increase , I'm sure .

Then when you are hunting for Frog Skins on the Deserted Island or building up your party in the Obel Ruins after liberating Obel this will increase your potch gain where it is already high . Having a support character with the Discovered Money skill doesn't go amiss either as this will also add to your potch gain in addition to the Prosperity Rune . The seven figure potch will start rolling in and you wont see all your hard earned potch dissapearing so quickly when you upgarade your weapons to their maximum .

Use this method when strengthening your characters unite attacks and the characters will pay for their own weapon upgrades . Also compromise and have a support character with the Found Treasure skill or rakeing in the Frog Skins will be a much harder task . Also if your party is strong enough that you can use the Slash Rune command on the enemy then that will save you alot of time with tedious and repetative battles with the same enemies .

[Axiose]

gumibearcarnage7 - I'll try that today - how long does it take for the items to restock?

If I warp around the islands with Viki, will that give me enough time, or would you recommend fighting (or using the champion rune) and sailing around the islands.
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[Axiose] [Fliktor]

[Destiny's Warrior]

I just reapeatedly fought the Ancient crab equiped with the prospherity rune if remember correctly i can't really remember that well i'm sure the crab comes back but not 100% sure though can someone confirm this please.

I also done some trading for awhile.
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CAAANONBALL

[Justice Johnny]

I preferred it the old fashioned way by fighting the Ancient Crab and all other monsters over and over at the Deserted Island. Not only do you get potch, but you also get materials in order to make the Ogre and Goblin Sets, two of the best attack-boosting equipment, but I guess this method should help in the early parts of the game. I'll try doing this tomorrow, when I finally get my Suikoden IV back from my friend who borrowed it.
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"Oranges can't fit into circles because rectangles are made of cheese."

[Destiny's Warrior]

I think you can also fight the Obel ruins monster over and over again not 100% sure.
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CAAANONBALL

[Justice Johnny]

You can fight both the Ancient Crab and that huge um... thing (Stone Golem, was it?) in the Obel Ruins over and over. Just leave the place, and when you come back, it will have respawned in their respective locations already.
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"Oranges can't fit into circles because rectangles are made of cheese."

[Hugo]

Here is the chart I drew up for trading in Suikoden 4 . Not incuding normal and good ores and cloths which will appear at places where you sell bad and normal ores and cloths for a profit . Everything is in order as far as my working it out goes .

I use one of these ( * ) at places where I sell items . I use one of these ( ^ ) at places where I buy items . The prices listed are normal prices without any rumours and may differ and fluctuate but there are still diifferences in price range between the regions . Also under normal circumstances I usually do not trade Books and Ancient Text .

/ / / / TRADE / / / /| Mordo | Nay-Kobold | Na-Nal | Middleport | Obel |
- - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -
Bad Iron Ore - - - | 200 * | 140 ^ - - - --| / / / / / | 44 ^ - - - - | / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -
Bad Silver Ore - --| 47 ^ - | 102 ^ - - - - | 200 * -| / / / / / / / /| / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bad Gold Ore - - -| 300 * -| / / / / / / / / /| / / / / / | 44 ^ - - - - | 116 ^|
- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bad Cotton Cloth | 160 ^ | / / / / / / / / /| / / / / / | 250 * - - - -| 40 ^ -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - -
Bad Flax Cloth - - | / / / / / | 200 * - - - - | 55 ^ - | / / / / / / / //| 120 ^|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bad Wool Cloth - | 416 * | / / / / / / / / / | 300 ^ -| 98 ^ - - - - | / / / / /|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pearl - - - - - - - - | 6400 *| / / / / / / / / / | 3000 ^| 2833 ^ - --| / / / / /|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - -
Sugar - - - - - - -- | / / / / / | / / / / / / / / /| 90 ^ - -| 50 ^ - - - - | 175 * |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Salt - - - - - - - - - | 300 * -| 50 ^ - - - - -| 106 ^ - | 196 ^ - - - | / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Soy Sauce - - - - -| 100 ^ | 200 * - - - - | / / / / / / | / / / / / / // | 40 ^ -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - -
Mayonnaise - - - -| 220 * | 90 ^ - - - - - | / / / / / / | 40 ^ - - - -| / / / // |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -
Soap - - - - - - - - | / / / / / | 46 ^ - - - - - | / / / / / / | / / / / / / / | 225 * |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Crystal Ball - - - - | 50 ^ - | 700 * - - - - | 215 ^ - - | / / / / / / / | 100 ^|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flute - - - - - - - - | / / / / / | 55 ^ - - - - - | 100 * - - | / / / / / / / | / / / // |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Candle - - - - - -- | 340 ^ -| / / / / / / / / /| 520 * - - | 217 ^ - - | 98 ^ --|
- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Musk - - - - - - - -| 106 ^ - | 207 * - - - - | / / / / / // | 55 ^ - -- | / / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -
Fur - - - - - - - - - | / / / / / /| 42 ^ - - - - -| 198 * - - | / / / / / // | 50 ^ - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -
Native Costume | / / / / / /| 110 ^ - - - -| 147 ^ - - | 250 * - - | 150 ^ |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Holly Berry - - -- | / / / / / / | 300 * - - - -| / / / / / // | / / / / / // | 46 ^ - |
- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deer Antler - - - | 750 ^ - -| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / // | 1050 * - | 700 ^ |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - -
Book - - - - - - - -| / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / | 320 - - -- | 325 - - - | 100 ^ -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -
Ancient Text - -- | / / / / / / | / / / / / / / / | 630 - - -- | 600 - - - | / / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Herbal Medicine | 520 * - -| / / / / / / / / | / / / / / / / | 350 ^ - | 100 ^ -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flower Seeds - -| / / / / / / | 210 * - - -- | / / / / / / / | 57 ^ - - | / / / / / |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wine - - - - - - - | / / / / / // | 200 ^ - - - | / / / / / / / | 115 ^ - | 263 * - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rum - - - - - - -- | 242 ^ - - | / / / / / / / /| 500 * - -- | 183 ^ - | / / / / // |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Cedric]

Fliktor, Items restock very quickly in this game. It takes as much time as the Mushroom/Mint options refresh. I say around 7 minutes at most.

I've mentioned this at another thread and it's briefly mentioned here too. Rum selling is the best way that I have found to make the most money. Just buy up all the rum in the world. It tends to restock the fastest, so it's not hard to get 99 of them. After maxing out your supply, save your game. Go to a trader and ask him for advice. If he gives you the advice that Rum is selling well in Mordo or Na Nal. (I forget which one) That nets you from 3000 to 5000 potch a piece.

Now you won't be able to sell all of it because trading shops only carry up to 99 items at a time. They will still have some rum in their inventory, so you may only be able to sell 94 of them or so. But still, say the payback is 4000 potch. 94 times 4000 potch equals 376,000 potch already. Plenty enough to do what you have to do. And since everything refreshes so quickly, you can do this after every training session with Reinhold. This is an alternative to battling for money. Try this if trading is more of your cup of tea.
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[gumibearcarnage7]

[White Fang]

Like the original post in this thread said, I traded between Mordo, Na-Nal and Nay Kobold for potch early on. I drew up a chart of what would make the most profit and took my money from just over 10k to 900k (Then spent half of it preparing to fight angel hairballs).

However, with most fights giving 2k+, often over 3, and the high encounter rate I think it is just as quick to make money from fighting, even at the early point of the game.