Editing Party

The '''''Party''''' refers to a set of playable characters that carry out the progress of a game.

Originally introduced in {{DQ2}}, and made customizable in {{DQ3}}, it has become a staple of the Dragon Quest series.

==Appearances==
==={{DQ2}}===
{{Dragon Quest II}} did not offer any customization of party members. Instead, the {{Hero 2}} must recruit his two cousins, the [[Prince of Cannock]] and the [[Princess of Moonbrooke]].  The party is collectively known as the [[Luminaries]].

==={{DQ3}}===
{{III}} introduced the concept of a totally customizable party to the series. The vocation, sex, and personality (in all remakes) of a {{Party 3}} member can be controlled by the player when a character is created at [[Patty's Party Planning Place]] (a bar) in [[Aliahan]]. While only four characters (including the {{Hero 3}}) may be in the {{Party 3}}, extra characters will stay in the bar.
[[File:DQ4-DS-OVERWORLD-SCREENSHOT.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The party exploring the world in {{Dragon Quest IV}}.]]

==={{DQ4}}===
With the series shifting focus to character-driven narratives, the act of character creation has been removed. The [[Chosen Ones|party]] line up can be changed on the fly, and even in battle, thanks to the addition of the wagon. In addition, '''all characters''' in the wagon recieve {{exp}}erience points at the end of battle. The maximum party size remains four.

Though they are temporary uncontrollable characters, [[Healie]] and [[Sparkie]] are the first {{MFamilies}}s to join the protagonists in the {{DQSeries}}

{{IV}} also brought A.I. to the series: once the {{Hero 4}} gathers companions in the beginning of {{DQ4 Chapter 5}}, they may be assigned one of several battle strategies to adhere to. A.I. could not be turned off in the original {{NES}} version.

The main members of the party are known as the [[Chosen Ones]]

==={{DQ5}}===
The abundance of [[Monster recruitment|recruitable monsters]] saw the necessity of [[Monty]], the monster monitor. The veteran veterinarian will care for all creatures not in the active {{Party 5}} of the wagon. {{V}} also saw return of [[Patty]], to manage the human cast when not in battle. The maximum party size is three in the original {{Super Famicom}} version but was increased to four in the later remakes.

==={{DQ6}}===
Patty has taken up monster monitoring in addition to her usual services in {{VI}}, located in {{Alltrades Abbey 6}}. In the {{Super Famicom}} version, 15 of the 20 recruitable monsters can be kept at the bar, where as all slime buddies can be recruited in the remakes. The maximum {{Party 6}} size is again four. 

==={{DQ7}}===
The [[wagon]] has been abolished in {{VII}}, with characters joining and leaving the {{Party 7}} at various points in the story. There are five permanent characters in the main game, with the extra one staying put in a town when not traveling with the hero. This character will not gain {{exp}}erience points. 

==={{DQ8}}===
Characters join the {{Hero 8}} as the story progresses, with customization being represented through character-specific skillsets. As there are exactly four playable characters in the original version, the [[wagon]] is used to house the [[Alchemy pot]].
*Two additional characters can join the party in the {{3DS}} remake. The characters not in the active {{Party 8}} will reside in the [[wagon]].

==={{DQ9}}===
{{IX}} is very reminiscent of {{III}}, in that characters are created with the help of [[Patty]] and stay at the [[Quester's Rest]] in [[Stornway]] while not traveling. As these characters have no party chat or story presence, [[Stella]] takes up the task of being the {{Hero 9}}'s (very) vocal companion and adding colour commentary to cut-scenes and events.

==={{DQ11}}===
A total of eight different characters are available as party members, though one of these is a secret character whose identity as a {{Party 11}} member is hidden in-game until they actually join. The {{Party 11}} members join the {{Hero 11}} as the story progresses, though the Hero is separated from them at the beginning of the second act and must reunite with each (at which point they rejoin the party). Available characters may be swapped in and out of the {{Party 11}} at any time, both in and out of combat--though a character swapped into the active lineup in the middle of a fight cannot act until the next turn.

==Mechanics==
===Lineup===
Some {{Main Series}} games offer the position of party members in battle to be customized. The position of each member affects how often an enemy will target them. Note that this does not affect the success or failure of said attacks, simply whom they're directed at.

The base formula for calculating party position targeting in most games is:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Lineup Position !! Targeting Percentage
|-
| 1st || 40%
|-
| 2nd || 30%
|-
| 3rd || 20%
|-
| 4th || 10%
|}

In {{Dragon Quest VIII}} it is:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Lineup Position !! Targeting Percentage
|-
| 1st || 35%
|-
| 2nd || 35%
|-
| 3rd || 20%
|-
| 4th || 10%
|}
===[[Wagon]]===
The [[wagon]] was implemented in {{IV}} to accommodate the larger cast of playable characters. Characters (even deceased ones) can be switched in and out of battle as a free action that doesn't eat up the player's turn. As mentioned above, characters sitting in the [[wagon]] will receive {{exp}}erience points even if they did not participate in battle. Unfortunately, characters will not regain {{HP}} or {{MP}} while riding.

{{Series_mechanics}}

[[Category:Recurring elements]]
[[Category:Game mechanics]]