[FAQ] Recruiting Nick, Yoran, and Ax after Defending your HQ

[Rooks]

The Stars of Destiny list on this website for the recruitment of Nick, Yoran, and Ax says that if you choose to defend your HQ, their recruitment is unverified.

I can verify that they are possible to recruit after choosing to defend the castle, but they are very tricky. Here is how it breaks down:

You will not recruit them automatically if you choose to defend the HQ, so you need to go to Gordius after the Final Defense Major Battles. The first time you can access Gordius is when Miakis leaves your party right before Major Battle # 10, but I choose to go after liberating Sable and Doraat, after Battle #10.

First, you need an all male party. This party must include both Roog and Rahal. Go to Gordius and talk to Nick by the entrance to the Lair. Return to the Tent area and talk to him again. Now descend into the lair and help him find the missing Dragon Horse egg. Now, this is where dialogue choices come into play:

There are three choices before the end of the recruitment event. Choose: "Is this the missing egg?" then "It was all Nick and Yoran." then "Join us at our castle." to recruit them immediately.

If you chose incorrectly once, then Nick will say at the end of the event that he needs more time to train. Then you must return after the next major battle and ask again to recruit him officially. If you choose wrong twice, then you must return twice. If you choose all three wrong, then you will push the three of them out of the game's recruitment window, making it so you cannot recruit them at all.

I am currently writing a new walkthrough for the game, and I was able to find this out after extensive play-testing. For the record, I will cut and paste the section dealing with their recruitment from my walkthrough here:

Walkthrough----------------------------------

Put together a party that is all males. Funny thing: if you add Kyle to a party of all males, he will be disgusted. Anyway, this party should contain both Roog and Rahal, and yes Rahal does count as a male. Blink to Sauronix, then exit to the world map. Travel southeast to a place called Gordius. Inside the white and yellow-colored tent, there is [OLD BOOK vol 13]. Go south to the next screen, and descend the wooden stairs to the mouth of a cave and a scene will start. Return to the tent area for another scene. Agree to help Nick and he will join your party. If you decline, then just re-enter Gordius and talk to Nick again.

Descend the stairs again to the cave, and this time the guard will allow you to pass. Note that while you could walk past him before, you were not able to actually enter the cave.

==================================
Dragon Horse Cave
==================================

There are no battles or enemies here, so don't worry if your party is weak. As you enter, take the eastern path and follow it until the cave opens up to find a couple of chests: [SPUN SILVER ARMOR] and [SOUND SET 2]. Go back to the intersection and head west, then west again for [PALE MOON NECKLACE]. Back at the second intersection, go northeast and follow the winding path. You will arrive at the nest, which is situated on a limestone water-steppe. Talk to the soldier here and he will mention that an egg has gone missing. Make your way to the top of the steppe and exit to the next screen. When you gain control, pick up the [ALL-OUT STRIKE EPIC SKILL], then continue north.

During the Scene there is an important Dialogue Choice:

*****Dialogue*****(#2 strongly recommended)
-----Who laid the egg?
-----Is this the one that was missing?

Ax will join the party. Travel south and meet up with some dragon cavalry soldiers for another choice:

*****Dialogue*****(#2 strongly recommended)
-----Take the Credit.
-----Be a Prince.

Return to the tent area of Gordius for a scene, and you will have the opportunity to ask them to join you.
*****Dialogue*****(#2 strongly recommended)
-----Later.
-----Please join us.

If you followed my recommendations, then the three of them will join as Stars of Destiny. If you did not, then Nick will simply say that he requires more time to train. Their recruitment depends heavily on your responses to the dialogue choices. If you did not follow my recommendations once, then you will have to return after the next major battle and ask again. If you did not follow my recommendations twice, then you must return and ask them twice. If you choose wrong all three times, then you have effectively pushed them out of the game's recruitment window, and you will not be able to recruit them at all.

[KFCrispy]

that's awesome research, Rooks, thank you very much!! and i like how you can come back and ask them to join, it follows the same "affection points" system.

this makes me wonder if Yahr & Nelis are recruitable if the wrong dialogue options are chosen, (but i think you aren't able to keep asking them to join and they eventually leave?).

[Rooks]

I tried to find an alternative recruitment for Yahr and Nelis, but no luck. If you pick any option other than what is reported here on this site, they will leave you at Estrise and return to Obel, well out of your reach for future recruitment.

Also, I should add that while I tested nearly every option for recruiting Nick Ax and Yoran. I did not test asking for more time before Major Battle #10, then trying to recruit them then. That is the first time it is possible to ave an all male party. Theoretically, this would give you one more opportunity to ask them to join, and might allow you to choose all three "wrong" dialogue choices and still recruit them.

Still, I have much more important things to do in writing this walkthrough than to simply spend 10 more hours on these jokers when I already have a stable, garunteed way of recruiting them if you decide to defend your HQ. But, I do reserve the right to amend this method later if I choose hahaha.

[KFCrispy]

do you happen to check these out: what happens if you bring an all male party without Roog and Rahal... what happens if you bring just one? do you know of the Dragon Horses are ok to bring?

[Rooks]

Both Roog and Rahal are necessary. Nick and Yoran will not show up at the entrance to the Lair otherwise. I did try with one or the other and Nick was not present. I did not try to Dragon Horses though, my guess is there might be some extra dialogue. Or, maybe nothing.

[KFCrispy]

i forgot that gildedtalon provided instructions some time ago-- http://suikosource.com/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 43&t=11785
sorry about that!

Triggering the event:

I did this mission right after retaking Doraat/Sable where no one accompanies the Prince
You need to bring Roog and Rahal to see Nick and Yoran at the Lair entrance.

Just bring Roog and Rahal to Gordius and go to Lair entrance. There you'll see Nick and Yoran arguing with the gatekeeper. Once they leave, go back to the camp. An event will automatically trigger asking if the Prince wants to help them, "I'll do it!". Then just go back to the place where you met Dolph if you choose to flee the castle.

Don't forget to talk to the Cavalry Soldier you see here, otherwise the event where Nick and Yoran show us the path to the place leading to Ax will not trigger.

[gildedtalon]

Lol it's okay, there is no extra dialogue by the way even if you bring Flail and Lance

[Rooks]

LOL. So, instead of spending hours trying out different things getting Nick and company to join, I could have just checked the second page of threads here, and given Gildedtalon a credit hahaha. Go me.

Oh well, at least we all know now that there is a reliable way to get them if you defend your HQ, and I guess thats all that matters.