View source for Hero (Dragon Quest)

<center>''This article is about the hero in the first Dragon Quest game, '''[[Dragon Quest (game)|Dragon Quest I]]'''.  For other uses of '''''Hero''''' in Dragon Quest, see [[Hero]].''</center>

{{Character
| Name="Hero"
| Game=''[[Dragon Quest|Dragon Quest I]]''
| Image= [[Image:DQHeroArt.png|320px]]
| Sprite=[[File:Alef original fc ver.gif|class=pixels|Original sprite of Hero in Dragon Quest FC]][[Image:Dq1hero-sprite-NES.gif|class=pixels]]
| Japanese name=ヒーロ
| Roumaji=Hiiro
| Title=Loto
| Class=Hero
| Race=Human
| Age=16
| Family=[[Erdrick]] (ancestor)
|}}

The '''Hero of the first ''[[Dragon Quest (game)|Dragon Quest]]'' game''' is a descendant of [[Erdrick]] who set out to rid [[Alefgard]] of the evil tyranny of the dreaded [[Dragonlord]] and bring [[Ball of Light|light]] back to the kingdom.

==Appearance and Personality==
The seminal Hero is often depicted as a young man of athletic build, wearing the traditional armor of Erdrick (including his [[Erdrick#The Helmet of Erdrick|helm]] and [[Erdrick#The Shield of Erdrick|shield]]) and a bright red cape billowing behind him.

The sprite used for the original 8-bit adventure is dressed appropriately for combat, donning blue [[Full plate armour|Full plate armor]], a helm that superficially resembles the helmet of [[Ortega]] with an added orange pony-tail, a large circular shield embedded with a red jewel in its center (possibly a ruby), and an impressively sized claymore sheathed at his side.

Setting the narrative standard for all other ''Dragon Quest'' protagonists to follow, the Hero is utterly silent, only communicating in answers of 'Yes' and 'No'. This was a conscious decision made by series creator Yuji Horii to help draw the player into the world of Alefgard on a more personal level, rather than viewing the events of the game as an observer.

==Spells==
Setting the standard ''magic knight'' archetype of the series' protagonists, the descendant of Erdrick is equally adept at magic as he is with weapons.

{| style="width:65%; height:100px; text-align:center" border="1"
|- <---!Headings are up first.!---> style="font-weight:bold; background:#E42E2E"
| Level Learned || Original Japanese || Dragon Warrior || MP || Description
|- style="font-weight:normal"
| 3 || ホイミ <br>''[[Hoimi]]'' || [[Heal]] || 4 || A simple healing spell; recover 10 - 30 HP.
|-
| 4 || ギラ <br>''[[Gira]]'' || [[Hurt]] || 2 || A small fireball attacks the enemy.
|-
| 7 || ラリホー ''[[Rarihoo]]'' || [[Sleep]] || 2 || Try to put the enemy to sleep.
|-
| 9 || レミーラ ''[[Remiira]]'' || [[Radiant]] || 3 || Provides greater illumination than a torch.
|-
| 10 || マホトーン ''[[Mahotoon]]'' || [[Stopspell]] || 2 || Try to block the enemy's spell.
|-
| 12 || リレミト ''[[Riremito]]'' || [[Outside]] || 6 || Exit a cave with this spell.
|-
| 13 || ルーラ <br>''[[Ruura]]'' || [[Return]] || 8 || Cast to return to Tantegel Castle.
|-
| 15 || トヘロス ''[[Toherosu]]'' || [[Repel]] || 2 || Walk safely over barriers.
|-
| 17 || ベホイミ ''[[Behoimi]]'' || [[Healmore]] || 10 || A stronger form of Heal; recover over 75 HP.
|-
| 19 || ベギラマ ''[[Begirama]]'' || [[Hurtmore]] || 5 || A powerful fire spell.
|}

==Experience table==
{{VersionTabs|NES| {{CharacterExpList|header|title=Dragon Warrior|subtitle=NES}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=1|exp=0}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=2|exp=7}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=3|exp=23}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=4|exp=47}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=5|exp=110}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=6|exp=220}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=7|exp=450}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=8|exp=800}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=9|exp=1300}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=10|exp=2000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=11|exp=2900}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=12|exp=4000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=13|exp=5500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=14|exp=7500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=15|exp=10000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=16|exp=13000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=17|exp=16000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=18|exp=19000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=19|exp=22000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=20|exp=26000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=21|exp=30000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=22|exp=34000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=23|exp=38000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=24|exp=42000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=25|exp=46000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=26|exp=50000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=27|exp=54000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=28|exp=58000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=29|exp=62000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=30|exp=65000}} {{CharacterExpList|footer}}|SNES| {{CharacterExpList|header|title=Dragon Warrior|subtitle=SNES}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=1|exp=0}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=2|exp=7}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=3|exp=23}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=4|exp=47}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=5|exp=110}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=6|exp=220}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=7|exp=450}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=8|exp=800}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=9|exp=1300}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=10|exp=2000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=11|exp=2900}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=12|exp=4000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=13|exp=5500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=14|exp=7500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=15|exp=10000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=16|exp=13000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=17|exp=16000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=18|exp=19000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=19|exp=22000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=20|exp=26000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=21|exp=30000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=22|exp=34000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=23|exp=38000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=24|exp=42000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=25|exp=46000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=26|exp=50000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=27|exp=54000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=28|exp=58000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=29|exp=62000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=30|exp=65000}} {{CharacterExpList|footer}}|GBC| {{CharacterExpList|header|title=Dragon Warrior|subtitle=GBC}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=1|exp=0}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=2|exp=7}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=3|exp=23}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=4|exp=47}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=5|exp=110}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=6|exp=220}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=7|exp=450}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=8|exp=800}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=9|exp=1300}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=10|exp=2000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=11|exp=2900}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=12|exp=4000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=13|exp=5500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=14|exp=7500}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=15|exp=10000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=16|exp=13000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=17|exp=16000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=18|exp=19000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=19|exp=22000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=20|exp=26000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=21|exp=30000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=22|exp=34000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=23|exp=38000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=24|exp=42000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=25|exp=46000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=26|exp=50000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=27|exp=54000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=28|exp=58000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=29|exp=62000}} {{CharacterExpList|entry|level=30|exp=65000}} {{CharacterExpList|footer}}}}

==Notes==
Though every picture and even the game sprite show the Hero wearing a helmet, the equip menu in the game doesn't have a slot for a helmet.
The helmet worn by the sprite resembles the horned helmet given to [[Ortega]], the father of the [[Erdrick|hero]] of ''[[Dragon Quest III]]'', at the beginning of the game, which later becomes the The Helmet of Erdrick.  It's possible to speculate that the hero of ''[[Dragon Quest]]'' is simply wearing the Helmet of Erdrick the entire game, as that is the only equipment the Hero of ''Dragon Quest III'' keept for himself, and would have presumably passed down to his/her descendants. The Hero would have no need to upgrade to another helmet, since no others would offer better protection. Erdrick's Shield is also unavailable in ''Dragon Quest''; however, the shield that the Hero wields in official illustrations clearly has the crest of Erdrick on it.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Dq1hero.jpg|Hero artwork
File:DQ Talking to a villager.png|Talking to a villager
Image:DQIHeroChibi.png|Chibi art
File:DQ Hero Jumping Down.png|
Image:Dq1-heroa.jpg|The Hero and Princess Gwaelin, also known as [[Lady Lora]].
File:DQI_Hero_and_Slimes.png|
Image:DQIHeroInomata.png|Mutsumi Inomata art
Image:Gwaelin&Hero.png| Princess Gwaelin and the Hero, circa 1993
Image:DQI_Hero_Erdricks_armour.png|<center>The hero wearing [[Erdrick's armour|Erdrick's Armor]].  Artwork for the Super Famicom remake of ''Dragon Quest''.</center>
Image:DQIHero25thAnn.png|Artwork for the 25th Anniversary
Image:DQHerosofubi.jpg|<center>The hero, as he appears in the [[Dragon Quest Sofubi Character]] merchandise series by Square Enix.</center>
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Hero}}
{{DW}}

[[Category:Dragon Quest I characters]]
[[Category:Party members]]