Don’t think this is gonna be a 100% Gold Remake, it’ll have its differences. Extra battles (some’ll be optionals, tough but rewarding), Hoenn Pokemon (in every area, and hard to find) New areas, Remapped some dungeons (so your old guides wont work) , Extra recurring characters (some’ll hate you, some’ll help you)
Note that the hack is incomplete but feel free to enjoy the hack as-is.
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Secret of Mana Drop Table Balance Hack 1.1
by Kethinov Nov 2017
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This hack overhauls the monster chest drop table in order to help ameliorate a number of annoying issues in the original game, such as:
- The very beginning of the game requires too much grinding to get decent equipment.
- Monsters drop obsolete armor too often.
- Some armor is never encountered because it is too rare.
- Generally speaking there is too much armor in the game.
- There is little incentive to fight and defeat many of the game's monsters due to how useless the prizes are and how difficult they can be to kill at times.
- Some armor is permanently missable, including the best helmet in the game for the hero: the Griffin Helm.
- Getting the level 9 weapon orbs is too much work to be worth it because they are too rare.
These problems create a propensity for unfun grinding in Secret of Mana if you want to acquire all the best equipment. In playthroughs you will hit level 99 on all characters long before you get all the best armor and weapons.
What this hack does:
- Which monsters drop which items has been rearranged significantly.
- Early enemies drop more money now via chests to make early equipment sold by vendors actually affordable.
- Monsters will now generally drop armor that is better than what you have.
- The best equipment (top weapon orbs/top armor) drops more easily now.
- The following armor has been deleted from the game: Cocatrice Cap, Amulet Helm, Guardian Ring, Dragon Ring, Watcher Ring, Imp's Ring. There was no place to put them that didn't make them too rare, or too powerful, or recur later at times when they'd be obsolete.
- A typical playthrough should now result in acquiring nearly all pieces of the remaining armor at some point. You should miss very few pieces now. And they will be acquired at times that are useful rather than useless.
- No items are permanently missable now. If you miss something, you can either get it in the Mana Fortress, or in an old level that is revisitable. Notably, the Griffin Helm and Faerie Cloak are easier to acquire in the Pure Land, but both can be gotten as rare drops in the Mana Fortress now.
- Faerie Walnuts and other useful consumables will drop more often from more monsters now.
Consider alternatives:
This hack was created before the explosion of dozens of new SoM hacks some years later. Since then, a number of better approaches to solving the problems this hack attempted to solve have been created. Some hacks worth trying instead:
- Adjust Enemy Difficulty: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4435/
- Equipment Progression Balance: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4422/
- Level 9 Weapons Progression Balance: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4309/
- No Missable Monsters: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4555/
However, one benefit of using this hack instead of the other more comprehensive overhauls is this hack only alters the drop table and nothing else, so it can be layered on top of other hacks somewhat cleanly, including the other overhauls. Your mileage may vary.
Important things to note:
- This hack is not compatible with the following hacks, which alter the drop table in an incompatible way: Masterflow’s Hard Mode, Kethinov’s Equipment Progression Balance, and Timbo’s Equipment Overhaul.
- This hack is compatible with Faerie Coconut, but only if Faerie Coconut is applied after.
Detailed changes listed below.
Balance considerations:
Helms:
- Bandana is often inadvisable to buy at Potos because people tend to save their money for Gaia's Navel:
- Early enemies drop more money now.
- Golden Tiara needed to spawn before it can be bought in Todo so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Crawler (common/rare) and Steamed Crab (common/rare) in Upper Land.
- Circlet needed to spawn before it can be bought in Mandala so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Robin Foot (rare) and Sand Stinger (rare) in Kakkara Desert.
- Griffin Helm needed to spawn more easily and not be missable:
- Now dropped by Griffin Hand (common/rare) in Pure Land and Terminator (rare) in Mana Fortress.
- Faerie Crown needed to spawn more easily:
- Now dropped by Mushgloom (common/rare) in Pure Land.
- Also dropped by Fiend Head (rare), Wolf Lord (rare), and Metal Crab (rare) in Mana Fortress.
Armor:
- Chain Vest and Kung Fu Dress are too expensive to buy at Kippo:
- Early enemies drop more money now.
- Chest Guard needed to spawn before it can be bought in Todo so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Kimono Birds (common/rare) in Upper Land.
- Magical Armor needed to spawn before it can be bought in Mandala so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Armored Man (rare).
- Tortoise Mail needed to spawn before it can be bought in Tasnica so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Dark Ninja (common) in Empire Castle.
- Flower Suit needed to spawn before it can be bought in Gold City so it is not immediately superseded by better buyables from the same vendor:
- Now dropped by Dark Ninja (rare) in Empire Castle.
- Power Suit needed to spawn more easily:
- Now dropped by Ghost (common/rare) in the Pure Land and Master Ninja (rare) in the Mana Fortress.
Arms:
- Wristband is often inadvisable to buy at Pandora because people tend to save their money for Gaia's Navel:
- Early enemies drop more money now.
- Elbow Pad is often inadvisable to buy at Kippo because people tend to save their money for Gaia's Navel:
- Early enemies drop more money now.
- Ivy Amulet needed to spawn before it can be bought in Mandala so it is not immediately superseded by better drops before it becomes buyable:
- Now dropped by Mad Mallards (common) and Spider Legs (common) in Kakkara Desert.
- Gold Bracelet needed to spawn before it can be bought in Tasnica so it is not immediately superseded by better drops before it becomes buyable:
- Now dropped by Sand Stinger (common) in Kakkara Desert.
- Shield Ring needed to spawn before it can be bought in Gold City so it is not immediately superseded by better drops before it becomes buyable:
- Now dropped by Robin Foot (common) in the Fire Palace.
- Gauntlet needed to spawn before it can be bought in Sunken Continent so it is not immediately superseded by better drops before it becomes buyable:
- Now dropped by Lofty Mountain enemies (rare) and Nitro Pumpkin (common/rare).
- Ninja Gloves needed to spawn before the Pure Land so it is not immediately superseded by better drops:
- Now dropped by Metal Crawler (common) in Sunken Continent.
- Amulet Ring needed to spawn before the Pure Land so it gets used so it is not immediately superseded by better drops:
- Now dropped by Eggplant Man / Needlion (common/rare) in various places and gremlins (common/rare) in Sunken Continent.
- Faerie Ring needed to spawn more easily:
- Now dropped by Tsunami (common/rare) in Mana Fortress.
Drop changes by monster occurrence order:
Below is the full list of drop changes sorted by monster occurrence order.
```
Key:
Location:
- Monster 1: old common / old rare -> new common / new rare
- Monster 2: old common / old rare -> new common / new rare
- etc
+ repeated monster
+ repeated monster 2
+ etc
Potos:
- Rabite: Candy / 4gp -> Candy / Candy
- Lullabud: Medical Herb / 16gp -> Medical Herb / Medical Herb
- Mushboom: 14gp / 64gp -> 128gp / 128gp
Pandora:
- Buzz Bee: Candy / 22gp -> 128gp / 128gp
+ Rabite: Candy / 4gp -> Candy / Candy
+ Lullabud: Medical Herb / 16gp -> Medical Herb / Medical Herb
+ Mushboom: 14gp / 64gp -> 128gp / 128gp
Gaia's Navel:
- Blat: Candy / 20gp -> 128gp / 128gp
- Kid Goblin: 28gp / 4gp -> Cobra Bracelet / Cobra Bracelet
- Green Drop: Medical Herb / 24gp -> Medical Herb / Medical Herb
+ Mushboom: 14gp / 64gp -> 128gp / 128gp
Haunted Forest:
- Polter Chair: 44gp / 74gp -> Barrel / Fancy Overalls
- Werewolf: Cup of Wishes / Kung Fu Dress -> Cup of Wishes / Wolf's Band
- Eye Spy: Chocolate / Medical Herb -> Chocolate / Chocolate
- Chobin Hood: 34gp / 64gp -> Candy / Candy
+ Mushboom: 14gp / 64gp -> 128gp / 128gp
Undine's Cave:
- Iffish: nothing / nothing -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Underground Palace:
- Goblin: Candy / Faerie Walnut -> Wolf's Band / Silver Band
- Ma Goblin: 60gp / 45gp -> Wolf's Band / Silver Band
- Chess Knight: Medical Herb / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Silver Band
+ Blat: Candy / 20gp -> 128gp / 128gp
+ Green Drop: Medical Herb / 24gp -> Medical Herb / Medical Herb
Pandora Ruins:
- Zombie: Medical Herb / 96gp -> Cup of Wishes / Cup of Wishes
- Tomato Man: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Evil Sword: Candy / 120gp -> Silver Band / Silver Band
+ Chess Knight: Medical Herb / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Silver Band
Upper Land:
- Silktail: 158gp / 65gp -> Golem Ring / Golem Ring
- Pebbler: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Nemesis Owl: Medical Herb / Quill Cap -> Golem Ring / Golem Ring
- Steamed Crab: Faerie Walnut / Candy -> Golden Tiara / Golden Tiara
- Water Thug: Candy / Cobra Bracelet -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Crawler: Candy / Medical Herb -> Golden Tiara / Golden Tiara
Matango Caves:
- Kimono Bird: Chocolate / Fancy Overalls -> Chest Guard / Chest Guard
+ Silktail: 158gp / 65gp -> Golem Ring / Golem Ring
+ Pebbler: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Nemesis Owl: Medical Herb / Quill Cap -> Golem Ring / Golem Ring
+ Steamed Crab: Faerie Walnut / Candy -> Golden Tiara / Golden Tiara
+ Water Thug: Candy / Cobra Bracelet -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Crawler: Candy / Medical Herb -> Golden Tiara / Golden Tiara
Ice Country:
- Howler: Candy / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Ruby Vest
- Shellblast: Chocolate / Cup of Wishes -> Frosty Ring / Ruby Vest
- La Funk: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Pebbler: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Ice Palace:
- Weepy Eye: Medical Herb / Chest Guard -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Blue Drop: Chocolate / Golden Tiara -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Mystic Book: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Specter: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Shellblast: Chocolate / Cup of Wishes -> Frosty Ring / Ruby Vest
Kakkara Desert (New optional grind point; rare Duck Helms from Mad Mallards):
- Mad Mallard: Candy / Medical Herb -> Ivy Amulet / Duck Helm
- Pumpkin Bomb: 24gp / 68gp -> Ivy Amulet / Ruby Vest
- Spider Legs: Chocolate / Candy -> Ivy Amulet / Ruby Vest
+ Pebbler: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Fire Palace:
- Sand Stinger: Candy / Medical Herb -> Gold Bracelet / Circlet
- Robin Foot: Chocolate / Quilted Hood -> Shield Ring / Circlet
- Red Drop: Chocolate / Silver Band -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Dark Funk: Candy / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Empire Sewers:
- Dinofish: nothing / nothing -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Iffish: nothing / nothing -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Blue Drop: Chocolate / Golden Tiara -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Northtown Ruins:
- Imp: Candy / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Ghoul: Candy / Medical Herb -> Cup of Wishes / Cup of Wishes
- Wizard Eye: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Grave Bat: Candy / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Weepy Eye: Medical Herb / Chest Guard -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Specter: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ La Funk: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Zombie: Medical Herb / 96gp -> Cup of Wishes / Cup of Wishes
+ Tomato Man: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Green Drop: Medical Herb / 24gp -> Medical Herb / Medical Herb
+ Blue Drop: Chocolate / Golden Tiara -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Red Drop: Chocolate / Silver Band -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Robin Foot: Chocolate / Quilted Hood -> Shield Ring / Circlet
Emperor's Castle:
- Armored Man: Candy / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Magical Armor
- Dark Ninja: Candy / Chocolate -> Tortoise Mail / Flower Suit
- Emberman: Faerie Walnut / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Mystic Book: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Lofty Mountains:
- Trap Flower: Medical Herb / Candy -> Faerie Walnut / Gauntlet
- Bomb Bee: Medical Herb / Royal Jam -> Faerie Walnut / Gauntlet
- Eggatrice: Medical Herb / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Gauntlet
Palace of Darkness:
- Fierce Head: Faerie Walnut / Unicorn Helm -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Dark Knight: Magical Armor / Gauntlet -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Dark Ninja: Candy / Chocolate -> Tortoise Mail / Flower Suit
+ Emberman: Faerie Walnut / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Imp: Candy / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Grave Bat: Candy / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Gold Tower:
- Beast Zombie: Chocolate / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Wizard Eye: Chocolate / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Weepy Eye: Medical Herb / Chest Guard -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Moon Palace / Joch's Cave / Underground City / Mana Fortress:
- Marmablue: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
Cave of Courage:
- Nitro Pumpkin: Cup of Wishes / Chocolate -> Gauntlet / Gauntlet
- Shape Shifter: nothing / nothing -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Mimic Box: Faerie Walnut / Royal Jam -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Captain Duck: Royal Jam / Duck Helm -> Royal Jam / Royal Jam
- Eggplant Man: Cup of Wishes / Watcher Ring -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
- Needlion: Royal Jam / Needle Helm -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
+ Pumpkin Bomb: 24gp / 68gp -> Ivy Amulet / Ruby Vest
+ Beast Zombie: Chocolate / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Rabite: Candy / 4gp -> Candy / Candy
Underground City:
- Basilisk: Faerie Walnut / Cocatrice Cap -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Steelpion: Medical Herb / Royal Jam -> Vampire Cape / Vampire Cape
- Kimono Wizard: Faerie Walnut / Royal Jam -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Metal Crawler: Vestguard / Bow Orb -> Ninja Gloves / Vampire Cape
- Dark Stalker: Chocolate / Ninja Gloves -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Fierce Head: Faerie Walnut / Unicorn Helm -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Captain Duck: Royal Jam / Duck Helm -> Royal Jam / Royal Jam
+ Eggatrice: Medical Herb / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Gauntlet
Great Palace:
- Turtlance: Chocolate / Tortoise Mail -> Spear Orb* / Faerie Walnut
- National Scar: Faerie Walnut / Amulet Helm -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Doom Sword: Cup of Wishes / Guardian Ring -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Heck Hound: Royal Jam / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
- Gremlin: Candy / Royal Jam -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
+ Imp: Candy / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Ghoul: Candy / Medical Herb -> Cup of Wishes / Cup of Wishes
+ Beast Zombie: Chocolate / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Howler: Candy / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Ruby Vest
* Note: Turtlance's Spear Orb is only dropped when it recurs at the Mana Fortress
later. Prior to that, the orb is replaced with Candy.
Pure Land:
- Griffin Hand: Chocolate / Griffin Helm -> Griffin Helm / Griffin Helm
- Mushgloom: Chocolate / Barrel -> Faerie Crown / Faerie Crown
- Ice Thug: Royal Jam / Dragon Ring -> Faerie Cloak / Power Suit
- Ghost: Royal Jam / Imp's Ring -> Power Suit / Power Suit
+ Eggplant Man: Cup of Wishes / Watcher Ring -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
+ Needlion: Royal Jam / Needle Helm -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
Mana Fortress:
- Tsunami: Amulet Ring / Spear Orb -> Faerie Ring / Faerie Ring
- Terminator: Faerie Crown / Whip Orb -> Whip Orb / Griffin Helm
- Fiend Head: Vampire Cape / Axe Orb -> Axe Orb / Faerie Crown
- Metal Crab: Vestguard / Bow Orb -> Glove Orb / Faerie Crown
- Whimper: Power Suit / Javelin Orb -> Javelin Orb / Faerie Cloak
- Wolf Lord: Faerie Ring / Glove Orb -> Bow Orb / Faerie Crown
- Master Ninja: Faerie Cloak / Boomerang Orb -> Boomerang Orb / Power Suit
+ Turtlance: Chocolate / Tortoise Mail -> Spear Orb / Faerie Walnut
+ Dark Stalker: Chocolate / Ninja Gloves -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ National Scar: Faerie Walnut / Amulet Helm -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Doom Sword: Cup of Wishes / Guardian Ring -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Basilisk: Faerie Walnut / Cocatrice Cap -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Eggatrice: Medical Herb / Chocolate -> Faerie Walnut / Gauntlet
+ Kimono Wizard: Faerie Walnut / Royal Jam -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Metal Crawler: Vestguard / Bow Orb -> Ninja Gloves / Vampire Cape
+ Heck Hound: Royal Jam / Faerie Walnut -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Beast Zombie: Chocolate / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Howler: Candy / Medical Herb -> Faerie Walnut / Ruby Vest
+ Marmablue: Faerie Walnut / Cup of Wishes -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Shape Shifter: nothing / nothing -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Eggplant Man: Cup of Wishes / Watcher Ring -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
+ Needlion: Royal Jam / Needle Helm -> Amulet Ring / Amulet Ring
+ Mimic Box: Faerie Walnut / Royal Jam -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
+ Captain Duck: Royal Jam / Duck Helm -> Royal Jam / Royal Jam
+ Rabite: Candy / 4gp -> Candy / Candy
+ Dark Knight: Magical Armor / Gauntlet -> Faerie Walnut / Faerie Walnut
```
Changelog:
- 1.1: Updated README and converted hack to require a ROM with no header.
- 1.0: Initial version.
