We all know that Dragon Warrior 3 lets you have three save files. Normally you'd expect one block of save memory to be allocated for the first save file, another block of memory for the second save file, etc... But this is not how the game actually works.

There are three physical SLOTS to hold saved games.

But it turns out that the save file numbers are stored inside of the save file, and the save file can be in any of the three SLOTS.

Whenever you: Continue a Quest, Begin a New Quest, or Change Message Speed, your save file is swapped with the first save SLOT. (Swapping with itself does nothing). Your Adventure Log number never changes, but its location in save memory does.

Additionally, file numbers within empty SLOTS are sorted when the game is reset.

You can see which save file is inside each save SLOT by looking at RAM values 63E8, 66FD, 6A12. (Save file numbers are values 00, 01, or 02, one less than the displayed number 1, 2, or 3)

Examples of actions you take, and what swapping looks like. Remember that your save file is SWAPPED with the first physical SLOT when you do anything (continue, new game, change message speed)

Erase all saves, then reset (empty save SLOTS are sorted)

• 1 2 3 Create a save in Adventure Log 2, reset
• 2 1 3 Create a save in Adventure Log 3, reset
• 3 1 2 Create a save in Adventure Log 1, reset
• 1 3 2 Change Message Speed on Adventure Log 2
• 2 3 1 Continue Adventure Log 1
• 1 3 2

So why does this matter? At bootup or reset, the game will initialize RNG to the checksum of the third SLOT. If you have a particular file in there, you will already have the correct RNG without needing to change message speed.

So if you create the "E?" file (female, speed 5) into Adventure Log 2, then get it placed into the third SLOT, the RNG will begin at seedlock every time you reset the game.

Really quick trick to see if you have the "E?" file in the correct SLOT already:

Change Message Speed on Adventure Log 1 Reset Continue Adventure Log 1 See if you have seedlock (watch townspeople).

If you don't have seedlock, then SLOT 3 contains Adventure Log 3 instead of Adventure Log 2.

To swap the two files:

Change Message Speed on Adventure Log 3 Change Message Speed on Adventure Log 2 Change Message Speed on Adventure Log 1 Reset

I see that the current 'Glitchless' route DOES use a specific save order.

There is a choice between favoring the "Manip" save, or favoring the "Seedlock" save. Right now, the 'Glitchless' route favors the "Manip" save.

This means that every time you reset, it's using the RNG from the "Manip" save instead of the "Seedlock" save by default. So when you create the special save files for manipulating Metal Slimes or Metal Babbles, you don't need to use "Change Message Speed" on that file before you play your main file. And when you want to use Seedlock, you need to "Change Message Speed" on the seedlock file.

If you need Seedlock more times than Manip, you could possibly come out ahead.

I think the Glitched route uses Seedlock more times than Manip, so the Manip save should probably be in the other physical SLOT for that route.