Bravely Default Guide: How to Rebuild Norende - And Why You Need to Do It

A big part of Bravely Default's early game involves rebuilding Tiz's hometown of Norende. But why should you bother? Lots of reasons, as it happens.

Article by Pete Davison Contributor

Updated on Feb. 16, 2014

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

Tiz's hometown of Norende is destroyed at the very start of Bravely Default, and it's up to you to help him and an army of volunteers to rebuild it.

Rebuilding Norende doesn't really require any "strategy" as such -- simply keep plugging away until you've reconstructed everything -- but you may wish to prioritize buildings that are more immediately useful to you. For example, there's little sense building up the Compound Shop too much until you've unlocked Salve-Maker.

In order to get the most out of Norende, each day you start playing Bravely Default, make your way to a save point (usually an Adventurer) and bring up the Save menu, then choose Update Data. Your information will be uploaded to the Internet, and in exchange you'll receive a handful of "Net-invite friends" -- random other players also playing Bravely Default. These players will be added to your Norende population and be assignable to jobs -- the more people assigned to a job, the quicker it is completed.

People you StreetPass with are also added to the population, as are 3DS friends who are playing the game. Gather as many people as you can to complete Norende as quickly as possible!

Road Blocks

In order to access certain areas in Norende, you'll need to remove certain obstacles. Here they are, along with the base time it takes to clear them -- remember that this time is substantially reduced by assigning more people to the same job.

Tangled Woods: 2 hours
Ancient Boulder: 10 hours
Blackwater Fen: 30 hours (must clear Tangled Woods first)
Collapsed Bridge: 50 hours (must clear Ancient Boulder first)
Downstream Area: 70 hours (must clear Tangled Woods first)
Rigid Crack: 99 hours (must clear Ancient Boulder first)

Armor Shop

Pretty self-explanatory, the Armor Shop allows you to purchase armor items at any save point, assuming you have the money. Note that later items get very expensive so you may not be able to afford them until later in the game.

Level 1: 30 minutes, Bronze Armor (P.Def 8, M.Def 2)
Level 2: 1.5 hours, Brigandine (P.Def 9, M.Def 2)
Level 3: 3 hours, Red Cap
Level 4: 5.5 hours, Rainbow Dress (P.Def 14, M.Def 3, M.Atk 2, Poison immunity)
Level 5: 8.5 hours, Lambent Hat
Level 6: 12 hours, Blessed Shield (P.Def 23, M.Def 12, Eva. 30, Use: Cura)
Level 7: 17 hours, Bloody Shield (P.Def 45, M. Def 23, Eva. -100)
Level 8: 24 hours, Heike Gloves (P.Def 10, M.Def 2)
Level 9: 36 hours, Heike Helm (P.Def 14, M.Def 3, Eva. 10)
Level 10: 48 hours, Heike Armor (P.Def 46, M.Def 11)
Level 11: 99 hours, Onion Shirt (Clothing for Tiz)

Trader

The Trader is a basic item shop. It will also give you freebies every so often, so remember to check in on Norende even if you've finished rebuilding.

Level 1: 15 minutes, Potion, Teleport Stone
Level 2: 1 hour, Antidote, Eye Drops
Level 3: 2.5 hours, Echo Herbs, Phoenix Down
Level 4: 3.5 hours, Wakeup Bell
Level 5: 5 hours, Hi-Potion
Level 6: 8 hours, Ether
Level 7: 11 hours, Balsam
Level 8: 15 hours, Remedy
Level 9: 24 hours, X-Potion
Level 10: 36 hours, Turbo Ether
Level 11: 99 hours, Knight's Tunic

Special Move Shop

The Special Move shop unlocks the Special Moves for the various weapon types in the game. Check the menu for the exact conditions you need to fulfil to trigger a Special Move -- they vary according to weapon.

Level 1: 2 hours, Infinity (Dagger lv.1), Rejuvenation (Staff lv.1)
Level 2: 3 hours, Piercing Bolt (Rod lv.1), Horizon (Spear lv.1)
Level 3: 3 hours, Moonbeam (Knuckles lv.1), Grand Strike (Axe lv.1), Moonshadow (Katana lv.1)
Level 4: 48 hours, Air Splitter (Sword lv.2), Blade Storm (Dagger lv.2)
Level 5: 48 hours, Overpower (Spear lv.2), Withering Ripple (Rod lv.2)
Level 6: 48 hours, Lux (Staff lv.2), Rapid Fire (Bow lv.2)
Level 7: 72 hours, Breaking Wave (Katana lv.2), Maelstrom (Axe lv.2), Ascendant Palm (Knuckles lv.2)
Level 8: 99 hours, Holy Weapon (Rod lv.3), Divine Light (Staff lv.3), Cross Divide (Dagger lv.3)
Level 9: 99 hours, Megiddo Flame (Spear lv.3), Angelic Pillar (Bow lv.3), Thunderburst (Knuckles lv.3)
Level 10: 99 hours, Sonic Wave (Sword lv.3), Gigaton Swing (Axe lv.3), Petal Swirl (Katana lv.3)
Level 11: 99 hours, Falcon Knife (+20 Agility)

Weapon Shop

Sells weapons, oddly enough.

Level 1: 1.5 hours, Carving Knife (P.Atk 6)
Level 2: 2.5 hours, Simian Staff (P. Atk 11)
Level 3: 4.5 hours, Ogre's Club (P.Atk 10, Lightning Amp)
Level 4: 5.5 hours, Bastet Claws (P.Atk 23, +50% damage to Beasts)
Level 5: 9.5 hours, Sage's Staff (P.Atk 16, +4 MND, Use: Raise)
Level 6: 16 hours, Angel's Bow (P.Atk 56, 25% Charm chance)
Level 7: 28 hours, Lü Bu's Spear (P.Atk 35)
Level 8: 38 hours, Grinder Axe (P.Atk 50, 25% Dread chance)
Level 9: 54 hours, Mutsu-no-Kami (P.Atk 48)
Level 10: 60 hours, Night Emperor (P.Atk 45, 25% Charm chance)
Level 11: 99 hours, Magic Knife (P.Atk 1, M.Atk 25)

Hill Parts Shop

One of several shops that sells "parts" which can be attached to Special Moves to add extra effects such as recovery, elemental damage and status effects.

Level 1: 2 hours, Fire, Fire Res. Up, Fire Res. Down
Level 2: 3 hours, Water, Water Res. Up, Water Res. Down
Level 3: 5.5 hours, Lightning, Lightning Res. Up, Lightning Res. Down
Level 4: 9 hours, Wind, Wind Res. Up, Wind Res. Down
Level 5: 15 hours, Earth, Earth Res. Up, Earth Res. Down
Level 6: 26 hours, Speed Up, Speed Down
Level 7: 42 hours, Light, Light Res. Up, Light Res. Down
Level 8: 60 hours, Evade Up, Accuracy Down
Level 9: 90 hours, Dark, Dark Res. Up, Dark Res. Down
Level 10: 99 hours, Cure Doom, Doom Res. Up, Death Res. Up
Level 11: 99 hours, Labrys (weapon)

River Parts Shop

As with the Hill Parts Shop, the abilities unlocked here can be attached to Special Moves for added effects.

Level 1: 1 hour, Beast Slaying, Cure Poison, Poison Res. Up
Level 2: 2.5 hours, Plant Slaying, Cure Blind, Blind Res. Up
Level 3: 4 hours, Aquatic Slaying, Cure Silence, Silence Res. Up
Level 4: 8 hours, Insect Slaying, Cure Sleep, Sleep Res. Up
Level 5: 15 hours, Flier Slaying, Cure Paralyze, Paralyze Res. Up
Level 6: 26 hours, Undead Slaying, Cure Dread, Dread Res. Up
Level 7: 42 hours, Demon Slaying, Cure Berserk, Berserk Res. Up
Level 8: 52 hours, Dragon Slaying, Cure Stop, Stop Res. Up
Level 9: 81 hours, Critical Rate Up, Cure Confuse, Confuse Res. Up
Level 10: 99 hours, Cure KO, Cure Charm, Charm Res. Up
Level 11: 99 hours, Silver Glaive (weapon)

Accessory Shop

Sells accessories. A good place to pick up handy items to resist various status effects.

Level 1: 2 hours, Venture Badge (+10% chance to gain 1BP at start of battle)
Level 2: 3 hours, Smiley Badge (Chance of being targeted remains constant)
Level 3: 5 hours, Gale Hairpin (+10% chance for First Strike)
Level 4: 9 hours, Normalizer (-10% chance for enemies to gain 1BP at start of battle)
Level 5: 14 hours, Red Muleta (Double chance to be targeted)
Level 6: 24 hours, Reflect Ring (Auto-Reflect)
Level 7: 32 hours, Alarm Earrings (-10% chance for enemy First Strike)
Level 8: 48 hours, Taunt Bangle (Double encounter rate)
Level 9: 68 hours, Golden Egg (Double pg but no JP or XP)
Level 10: 80 hours, Growth Egg (Double JP and XP but no pg)
Level 11: 99 hours, Melodist's Shirt (Clothing for Ringabel)

Combat Item Shop

Sells items that can be flung at enemies to deal damage of various elemental types. Some of these may be created in battle through the Salve-Maker's Compounding ability.

Level 1: 1 hour, Bomb Fragment
Level 2: 2.5 hours, Antarctic Wind
Level 3: 4.5 hours, Zeus's Wrath
Level 4: 8 hours, Tengu Yawn
Level 5: 12 hours, Earth Drum
Level 6: 20 hours, Bomb Arm
Level 7: 28 hours, Arctic Wind
Level 8: 45 hours, Pantheon's Wrath
Level 9: 60 hours, Tengu Sneeze
Level 10: 72 hours, Earth Mallet
Level 11: 99 hours, Edea's Garb (Clothing for Edea)

Cape Parts Shop

Like the other Parts Shops, the Cape Parts shop unlocks bonus effects that can be attached to Special Moves.

Level 1: 1.5 hours, HP Recovery Lv.1, Poison Touch, Poison Res. Down
Level 2: 3 hours, MP Recovery Lv.1, Blind Touch, Blind Res. Down
Level 3: 5.5 hours, HP Recovery Lv.2, Silence Touch, Silence Res. Down
Level 4: 11 hours, MP Recovery Lv.2, Sleep Touch, Sleep Res. Down
Level 5: 22 hours, HP Recovery Lv.3, Paralyze Touch, Paralyze Res. Down
Level 6: 32 hours, MP Recovery Lv.3, Dread Touch, Dread Res. Down
Level 7: 42 hours, HP Recovery Lv.4, Stop Touch, Stop Res. Down
Level 8: 60 hours, MP Recovery Lv.4, Confuse Touch, Confuse Res. Down
Level 9: 90 hours, HP Recovery Lv.5, Charm Touch, Charm Res. Down
Level 10: 99 hours, MP Recovery Lv.5, Death Touch, Death Res. Down
Level 11: 99 hours, Fox Tail (weapon)

Compound Shop

These items are used by Salve-Makers in Compounding recipes.

Level 1: 1 hour, Beast Liver
Level 2: 2.5 hours, Hard Scale, Phlogiston
Level 3: 4 hours, Insect Antenna, Permacrystal
Level 4: 5.5 hours, Monster Fiber, Fairy Wing
Level 5: 14 hours, Spirit Bone, Fulmen Shard
Level 6: 26 hours, Desert Rose
Level 7: 35 hours, Glitterbug
Level 8: 56 hours, Dark Matter
Level 9: 78 hours, Demon Tail
Level 10: 84 hours, Dragon Fang
Level 11: 99 hours, Plain Tunic (Keep the Freelancer look while equipping another Job)