About this Guides
Below is a list that I have compiled from various sources, such as on my forums, about all the changes that are in Etrian Odyssey II as opposed to the first game. Of course, obvious ones such as storyline and whatnot are not going to show. This list is not in any order, and if you see something that should be placed up, then please, by all means, send it in! (Thank you to forum goers: Vapour Trail and Paranoia.)

The List of Gameplay Changes

- L & R buttons Strafe as opposed to changing the map which can only be done by the lower screen now.

- All classes, except Pets, are unlockable at the start of the game.

- There is a calendar system.

- The game takes place in Lagaard as opposed to Etria

- There are invisible FOEs that do not show up on the map screen (be careful when Strafing).

- The Boost meter is now the Force meter and fills up to activate a Force skill when full

- There are now more map making icons

- The shop screen allows you to see the characters and the items' effect before you make a purchase

- Treasure chests are now floating above the ground

- There are three new classes: Pet, Gunner, and War Magus

- You don't purchase medicine from the apothecary anymore. You get them from the weapon/armor shop. Cuts down on resupplying time I guess?

- There's a square at the top left-hand corner of your mini-map when you zoom in. If you tap on it, it'll place a check-mark inside the box which will cause the zoomed-in map to follow along as you walk. Makes it easier to map.

- There's an auto-battle function. Just hit the left shoulder key to activate it. Hit the same key if you want to shut it off.

- If you're close to getting the required items needed for the Weapon Shop to forge a new weapon/armor/etc., that weapon/armor/etc. will show up in the purchase list, but with a "Need More!" message where the price would normally be displayed. Where the item description would normally be, you'll instead get a message telling you what items you still need to unlock that weapon/armor/etc. I hope that makes sense . . .

- You can change your characters names. Costs 1000 en, however.

- The inn has a storage facility. Costs 100 en to deposit and withdraw an item.

- You can switch between characters in the status menu by using the left and right shoulder buttons.

- There are now temporary geomagnetic fields. (These are different from those that show up at the start of new strata.) Once they are activated, you can warp to them from town. However, you can't use them to warp back to town, save your game, etc. They appear inbetween strata (the first one is on F3, the second is on F5, the third is on F8, etc.) It's just an easier way to continue progressing through the dungeon, so you don't have to do so much backtracking. Oh, also when you've activated a new one, the previously activated one deactivates. In other words, only one of them can function at a time.

- Resting only takes drops you down by 5 levels.

- Cap Level is still set at 70. However, for everytime you Retire a character you can go up by one more level, capping off at Level 99.

- If you retire a character at level 70, they go to level 30, with 40 skills points, so 32 + 8 extra skill points, with a final of 81 skill points at Level 71.

- While it should be obvious there are new skills, there is none that are similar to "Immunize". Get over it!

- In the game, this time, you are going up as opposed to going down in floors.

- Farming at Item Points increases the likelihood that you will be ambushed by monsters. What's more, these monsters are at least two to three floors stronger than the one you are farming on... making item collecting, very problematic.