User:Evaunit666/Dragon Quest Character Classes

In a few installments of the Dragon Quest series of role-playing video games, published by Square Enix, character classes are specific roles for playable characters that determine a character's proficiencies and weaknesses. There are several different classes, with each game's set of classes changing slightly.

Dragon Warrior III, Dragon Quest VI, and Dragon Quest VII all feature distinct classes that players can choose for their characters. Other installments in the series depict characters as having similar traits to these classes.

History

Although Dragon Warrior II's characters had distinct strengths and weaknesses, Dragon Warrior III was the first game in the series to specifically allow players to customize their party with classes. This game featured eight classes (nine in the remake) and gave the player the ability to mix the different classes for a wide variety of customization. Characters could change classes and retain all spells learned, but would revert to experience level 1. Dragon Quest VI greatly expanded the class system by almost doubling the number of classes. Characters could still switch classes, but they would stay at the same experience level. Developers added class levels, which would increase as characters fought certain numbers of battles while in a class. This would later be used in Dragon Warrior VII. By mastering different classes, new classes would become available.

Dragon Warrior VII featured a larger array of character classes when it was released in 2000. Each class was split into eight levels, which would increase through fighting certain numbers of battles. Once two classes are mastered, a higher level class might become available. New to Dragon Quest VII was the ability to also take on Monster classes. Players would find Monster Hearts from defeated monsters or in treasure chests and could use them on characters to change into that monster.

Other games in the series deviated from the traditional class system, but still allowed for customization. Dragon Quest VIII offered players a simplified skill building system. Upon level up, a character gains Skill points, which can be spent on five different fields specific to that character. The fields include three weapons, bare-fists, and a character trait.

Appearances

• Dragon Warrior Monsters
  • Bishop - Will heal the player
  • Bard - Will give the player medicine that will raise one random stat of the player's monsters' weakest stats.
  • Merchant - Will fill up the player's inventory with assorted meats.
  • Warrior- Will give the player a Warpwing and one other random item. Can be male or female.
  • Wizard - Will transport the player to the last portal in the gate, or twenty levels down if the gate is more than 20 levels

Dragon Warrior III

Hero (勇者, Yuusha): The Hero is the most well-rounded of the classes, with moderate to high growth in all stats, the ability to use magic and the ability to equip a wide variety of weapons and armor. Unlike other classes, this class is restricted to the main character, who cannot change classes. Some of the most powerful healing, defensive, and offensive spells in the game are exclusive to the Hero class, including Ironize, which makes the party completely invulnerable for a short time, HealUsAll, which completely restores the group's HP, and the lightning spells Zap and Thordain (originally localized as Lightning). The Hero can use a variety of non-combat spells as well, such as Return, which allows the player to travel to cities already visited.

Mage (魔法使い, Mahoutsukai, localized as Wizard in the NES version): Mages specialize in destructive magical spells such as Blaze and Boom, as well as offensive buffs such as Bikill. Mages also have the abilities to use non-combat spells such as Outside, which takes the party out of a dungeon, and X-Ray, which reveals monsters hidden in treasure chests, as well as defensive buffs such as Upper, which raises a party member's Defence stat. At high levels, the mage learns powerful spells such as BeDragon and Explodet. The Mage also has the Chance spell introduced in Dragon Warrior II, which has a large menu of possible random effects: some very good and some very bad. Although Wizards have high Intelligence, they are physically frail and cannot equip heavy weapons or heavy armor. Mages have a high rate of Intelligence and MP growth and low to moderate growth in other stats.

Cleric (僧侶, Souryo, localized as Pilgrim in the NES version): Clerics are on the other side of the magical spectrum from Mages, as they instead specialize in healing spells such as Heal and HealUs and buff spells such as SpeedUp, which raises the party's Agility, and Barrier, which makes the party resistant to fire and ice. They also have a few damaging wind spells, instant death spells and debuff spells such as Sap, which lowers an enemy's Defence stat, and Surround, which lowers the accuracy of enemies' attacks. Clerics can use a wide variety of weapons and armor, although they cannot use as many of the heavier weapons and armor pieces as the Hero or Warrior. Clerics have a moderate growth rate in all stats.

Thief (盗賊, Touzoku): The Thief was a new class added to the Super Famicon version of Dragon Quest III and retained in the Game Boy Color version. Thieves have high Agility growth, above average Luck growth and average growth rates in other stats. They have the ability to steal items at the end of a fight. They are restricted to lighter weapons and armor, however they can use whips and chains to attack multiple enemies at once. They can learn some non-combat spells, such as Eagle Eye, which allow the player to locate villages and nearby towns, and MapMagic, which reveals hidden items on the screen.

Jester (遊び人, Asobinin, localized as Goof-off in the NES version): Jesters have low to average growth rate in most stats and sometimes perform random actions during their turns, some of which can harm the party. Justers also have two advantages: have a high rate of growth for their Luck stat, which allows their attacks to inflict critical hits more often than other characters, and they are the only class that can turn into a Sage at Dhama Temple without a Zen Book / Book of Satori.

Fighter (武闘家, Butouka): Fighters have high Agility, Strength and HP, above average Luck, moderate Vitality, low Intelligence and no MP growth. Fighters are restricted to light weapons and armor, however they have a high critical hit rate, and, unlike other classes, they get bonus attack power while unarmed or wielding claw weapons.

Warrior (戦士, Senshi, localized as Soldier in the NES version): This class can use a wide variety of heavy weapons and armor pieces. They have high Strength, HP and Vitality, average Agility, low Intelligence and no MP growth.

Dealer (商人, Shounin, localized as Merchant in the NES version): The Dealer has the ability to pick up money after a battle and can appraise items. In the remakes, they have two unique non-combat spells: Excavate (which allows the player to dig underfoot for treasure) and YellHelp, which summons a shopkeeper in the field. Dealers have average growth in most stats, with high Intelligence, above average Luck and low Agility.

Sage (賢者, Kenja): Sages can learn all the spells available to Clerics and Mages. This class is not initially available, but a player can transform a leveled up Jester into one at the Dharma Temple. If the player has a rare item called the Zen Book (originally localized as the Book of Satori), any character holding it (except the Hero) can also become a Sage, which consumes the book. Sages have high HP, MP, Intelligence and Vitality, above average Luck and moderate Agility and Strength. They can use a wide variety of equipment, including most weapons and armor pieces available to Clerics or Mages.

Dragon Quest VI

Starter Classes

These classes can be chosen as soon as the Dharma Shrine is reached.

• Warrior: Strength and HP go up and several basic fighting skills are learned.
• Fighter: Speed goes up and kick/punch skills are learned.
• Wizard: Most stats go down, except wisdom and MP, and basic fire- and ice-based attack and status spells are learned.
• Cleric: Most stats go down, but not as much as the wizard's, and wind-based attack, healing and status spells are learned.
• Thief: Speed goes up, but most stats go down, and skills that help outside battle, such as Hawkeye, are learned. The thief may also steal an item from an enemy at the end of a battle.
• Beastmaster: Most stats go down and skills associated with monsters are learned. Monsters may join the party when there is a Beastmaster present.
• Dealer: Wisdom goes up, but most stats go down, and an odd assortment of skills are learned. At the end of battle, a small portion of extra money is added to the party's income.
• Dancer: Style and speed increase, but other stats decrease. Learns dance techniques which benefit the status of allies or hurt the status of enemies in battle.
• Jester: Most stats go down, but luck goes up. Skills learned are quite odd and the Jester has a tendency to not listen to the party's commands. Sometimes, instead of doing nothing, the Goof-off will use a technique, such as paralyzing all the enemies or putting them to sleep.

Hybrid Classes

These classes require the mastery of two or more classes to unlock.

• Battlemaster (Warrior+Fighter): Strength, HP, speed, and defense go up, making this a strong class. Most skills are super effective against one type of enemy, such as Dragoncut.
• Magic Knight (Soldier+Wizard): Stats mostly go down and strong magic skills/spells are learned.
• Paladin (Fighter+Priest): Strength, speed, and wisdom go up and a mixture of Priest and Fighter skills are learned.
• Sage (Wizard+Priest): Wisdom and HP go up and high level attack and healing spells are learned.
• Superstar (Dancer+Jester): Style is the only stat that goes up and an assortment of skills are learned.
• Ranger (Merchant+Thief+Beastmaster): Speed and wisdom go up and an assortment of battle skills are learned.
• Hero (Battlemaster+Sage+Superstar+Ranger): This is the ultimate class and all stats go up. Several attack spells/skills are learned. The Hero (character) only has to master one of the four pre-requisite hybrid classes for Hero class to become available, while others must master all four.

Hidden Classes

Each of these two classes is unlocked with a book, which is consumed the first time each character changes to that class.

• Dragon: Strength, HP and defense go up, while speed, wisdom and MP go down. All skills are fire or ice based breath attacks.
• Metal Babble: Speed and defense dramatically increase while HP dramatically decreases and other stats decrease to a lesser degree. Skills and spells include Madante, Gigaspark and Big Bang.

Dragon Warrior VII

Dragon Warrior VII allowed players to customize their characters with over fifty classes, each specializing in certain attacks and spells. Characters can master a class and then change to a new one, retaining learned spells and skills. By mastering certain classes, a new class becomes available.

Some available classes include Warrior, Fighter, Cleric, Mage, Bard, Dancer, Jester, Thief, Teen Idol, Pirate, Ranger, Dragoon, Paladin, Summoner, God Hand, and Hero, some of which are unlocked by mastering other classes. The game also includes monster classes, which can be unlocked by using the appropriate monster heart or mastering pre-requisite monster classes.

Characters generally stop learning character specific spells and skills around experience level 15; however, around this time in the game, players will reach Dharma Island, where they can give their characters certain classes. Each class is split into three categories (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced) and has eight levels in it. Class levels are gained through fighting a certain number of battles, as opposed to gaining experience points. Characters learn different spells and skills when they reach another class level and their stats are affected by what class they are. In addition, if a character masters certain classes, higher level classes will become available to them. For example, if a character masters the Mage and Cleric classes, which are both Basic, then the Intermediate class Sage will be available to them. If that character was to then master the TeenIdol class, the Advanced Summoner class would open up.

Reception

IGN described Dragon Warrior VII's class system as "one of the best class systems seen outside a strategy RPG."