Overview
Oliver first encounters Napcaps in the Golden Grove. The small size of these little mushroom-like familiars can be misleading, as their first metamorphosis into Duncecap makes them one of the most well-rounded healers in the early game. However, what truly makes Napcap unique is that it also makes a great physical attacker in a pinch and, if raised the right way, can even excel as an attacker!
Proper Care and Feeding
Napcap has a lot of potential ways to grow depending on how you plan on using it in your party. It has a fast attack and movement speed in battle coupled with one of the highest evasion scores of any familiar. However, it lacks the Defend command. You will want to decide early on which direction you wish to take Napcap. Do you want to use it for support? Or would you rather have that spot filled by a vicious little attacker that can make quick work of many foes? If you want to use Napcap as a support familiar, one possible spread of bonus points could be:
Defense +20
Magic Attack +20
Magic Defense +10
Lacking the Defend command means you will want to put a few extra points into defensive skills in case it gets hit. The rest should go into Magic Attack to give it just a little more oomph.
On the flip side, if you would rather use Napcap as an offensive fighter you might try feeding it for:
Attack +25
Accuracy +25
Napcap’s high attack speed and movement speed means it will be moving almost constantly, unlike a caster who must remain stationary while using a trick. This will let it act as a hit and run type of fighter.
Metamorphosis
Get ready for some interesting stuff here. Napcap has one of the most unique set of forms when metamorphosing. The second form for a Napcap is Duncecap. This changed it’s stat growth from an early pattern to average (more on growth patterns here). As a Duncecap it will also learn two powerful whole-party heals and a strong light elemental attack that hits all your enemies at once. Next is where you may get thrown for a loop. The two possible final forms for Napcap are almost literally night and day. Once you feed your Napcap a jump drop you can choose between Madcap and Nightcap.
Madcap is a very well-rounded little mushroom and gets a boost to movement speed, clocking it among the fastest of the familiars. In addition it features a strong attack growth alongside an already decent Magic Attack. Madcap also learns two powerful fire-element elemental tricks as it levels, which gives it an incredible amount of versatility when on the offensive. This gives you the best of both worlds with a strong physical attack and speed combined with powerful elemental tricks on top of the healing tricks it learned as a Duncecap!
Nightcap on the other hand, takes your Duncecap further down the road to being the ultimate support familiar. It has a high Magic Attack score and adds the awesome Light Relief trick to its repertoire which allows it to cure any negative ailments in battle (save for unconsciousness of course). With the right tricks on hand and party makeup, a Nightcap can easily turn the tide in a losing battle and put you back on top in a matter of moments.
Best Buddies
Because its various forms have such flexibility, Napcap and its forms can fit into almost any party. Being a Flora family familiar, you will most likely want to give it to Esther for the 10% affinity boost. If you choose to use a Nightcap, you can free up Esther’s slots for more offensive familiars like Danglerfish or Crowhawk. Or should you decide you would rather have a Madcap, try pairing it with a Bubbud or Lumberwood so that Esther has the ability to field an attacker, a tank and a healer with just the press of a button.
Tips and Tricks
Be on the lookout for well-rounded equipment options if you use a Napcap. Napcaps can use swords, helmets and badges but be careful not to just give it a strong blade and leave it at that. Instead, keep your eyes out for equipment that offers a balance of Attack and Magic Attack boosts so that if you run into an enemy that is resistant to one form of damage or the other you can still deal reasonable damage to it.
Do you have any favorite tricks for using Napcap? Or perhaps a favorite familiar you like to pair with it? We encourage you to let us know in the comments section below to share your tricks or share if there’s a familiar you would like to see spotlighted!
Learn more: read all our Ni no Kuni articles here.
