Dhoulmagus

"Such a pity."

Dhoulmagus
Dragon Quest VIII
Japanese name	ドルマゲス
Romaji	Dorumagesu
Title	Evil Jester
Race	Human
Age	Unknown
Voice actor	Keith Wickham (English) Takehito Koyasu (Japanese)

Dhoulmagus (ドルマゲス, Dorumagesu) is an important figure in Dragon Quest VIII. Until his defeat at the hands of the Hero's party, he is apparently the player's central enemy in their journey. Lord Rhapthorne, however, is the true villain of the game.

Dhoulmagus is a jester who came to Trodain Castle. His deep desire to be the greatest magician of all time and resentment towards those who laughed at him fueled his breaking into the castle's secret chamber to obtain the legendary Sceptre of Rhapthorne. Almost immediately, he was overwhelmed by Rhapthorne's power and made to do such dastardly things as his pawn. Possessed by Rhapthorne, he killed his first four victims: his former master Rylus, the swordsman Alistair (Jessica's brother), Abbot Francisco, and Mr. Golding, the casino owner. The Hero and party eventually defeated him after a long chase, where the Sceptre's dark influence transformed him into a monstrous creature. Upon his defeat, King Trode discovered that the curse on him and his daughter, Medea, had not been broken. Shortly after, Jessica Albert would retrieve the Sceptre, and become enthralled by its malicious power.

In the 3DS version of the game, extra flashback scenes have been added that detail Dhoulmagus's backstory and the circumstances that led to becoming the unwitting pawn of Rhapthorne.

Appearance and Personality

Dhoulmagus is a tall, physically imposing man whose appearance has become twisted due to the influence of Rhapthorne's scepter. His skin has taken on a deathly, grey pallor and his long hair is white. He has a long, gaunt face with a prominent brow, a widow's peak on his forehead, and he wears black eyeliner, lipstick, and nail polish on his long fingernails. He also has red makeup in the shape of diamonds on each eye. On his left ear, he wears a dangling gold earring.

His costume is a highly exaggerated version of a court jester's. He wears a doublet with alternating red and purple fabric with slashes ending in a puffy ball of the other color (purple on red fabric and vice versa) that reached down to his ankles. The doublet has large leg-of-mutton shoulder pads and solid red sleeves. The back of the tunic has a long purple cape with black lining that ends in two tails with puffy red balls at the end like his doublet. He wears orange trousers and black leather knee-length boots. Prior to his transformation, Dhoulmagus had light skin and his long hair was black. He still wore black makeup.

As a normal human, Dhoulmagus was a nervous and shy wreck of a man, having endured years of mistreatment from his master, Rylus. He was a weak magician whose magic could barely be considered parlour tricks, but he strongly desired to become powerful by any means necessary. Rylus forbade his young apprentice from reading any of his grimoires on magic, as he felt that Dhoulmagus still had yet to grasp the most basic principles of magic. This led to him breaking into Castle Trodain and stealing Rhapthorne's Sceptre, as Dhoulmagus knew it would grant him the power he so desired. Despite his timid personality, Dhoulmagus displayed a cunning wit and resourcefulness, as he was able to disguise himself as a jester and charm King Trode with his sleight-of-hand.

Much like how Jessica had completely changed once she was in possession of the scepter, Dhoulmagus's personality had taken a complete 180, becoming devious and strong-willed. No longer was he the weak and cowardly sage's apprentice from Farebury. He showed some remaining glimmers of his former personality before his death at the hands of the Hero and his party.

After his first defeat in the Dark Ruins, Dhoulmagus undergoes a demonic transformation, leaving almost none of his physical features intact. His skin turns blue, his eyes become yellow, and purple fur covers his shoulders, upper arms, and thighs. Dhoulmagus's body becomes noticeably more muscular and his feet turn into large talons like that of a bird. Most notably, a large pair of red wings sprouts from his back, giving him the power of flight and an extra weapon as he can shoot out feathers like sharp arrows. He also grows a long tail, large pointed ears, and a pair of horns on his forehead.

Characteristics

His human form is quite formidable, but his demonic form is truly powerful and not to be underestimated by the player's party.

Story

Dhoulmagus served as the long-suffering apprentice to the sage Rylus in Farebury, where he was forced to perform menial tasks such as cleaning, rather than being taught magic. One day when his master was away, Dhoulmagus began reading one of Rylus's grimoires, where he learned about the existence of Rhapthorne's scepter and the amazing power it possessed. Rylus discovered this and became furious at his apprentice, as he felt that Dhoulmagus was barely a novice when it came to magic. He snuck away to Castle Trodain, disguised as a court jester and gained an audience with King Trode and Princess Medea. The king and the princess were charmed by Dhoulmagus's magic tricks and Trode invited the magician to stay at the castle.

That night, he used the same magic trick to knock out a castle guard and sneak into the chamber where Rhapthorne's Sceptre was sealed. It was then that Dhoulmagus unleashed its power, encasing the castle and its inhabitants in thorny vines and turned Trode and Medea into a troll and a horse respectively. With his newfound power, Dhoulmagus returned to visit his master Rylus in Farebury. Rylus was just about to complete an elixir which would unlock Dhoulmagus's latent magical abilities. Rylus was aghast at what his apprentice had done, but it was too late for him as Dhoulmagus decided to take revenge and kill him with the scepter. Afterwards, Dhoulmagus set Rylus's house ablaze and set off to find the other sages.

His next victim is Alistair, who he murders by leaving the door to the Tower of Alexandra open, causing the swordsman to investigate and confronts him, though Dhoulmagus freezes him in place and kills him, though not before assuring that his death would not be vain. He laughs while another seal on Rhapthorne is broken, though this earns him and the Lord of Darkness another enemy in Jessica. Next, he goes to Maella Abbey to murder Abbot Fransisco, cursing Khalamari to slow down his pursuers, though they manage to triumph over the giant squid terrorizing the waters from Port Alexandria to Maella. He is about to murder the Abbot when the Hero and the party manage to catch him in the act, causing him to disappear and Marcello to frame the party for attempted murder. Later, Dhoulmagus overpowers the Templars and tries again to murder Abbot Fransisco, stunning Marcello in the process. When Trode confronts him, he smugly mocks the king as "King Toad" and slows down time to finish the job of killing the Abbot, who assures Marcello and those present that faith and the Goddess are on his side. When Abbot Fransisco is murdered, however, Dhoulmagus retorts that faith and the Goddess are on his side now, with the 3rd seal on the specter broken while Rhapthorne's voice is heard with Dhoulmagus's. Dhoulmagus takes his leave, where he murders Golding, the owner of the casino in Baccarat, though the 4th descendant of the Seven Sages putting up a good fight before his death causes him to retreat to the Dark Ruins, where he places a barrier that can only be broken with the Magic Mirror. After the party obtains the Magic Mirror and dispels the barrier, they find Dhoulmagus in a gel-like cocoon where his body is healing until it can be ready to use Rhapthorne's power properly. He praises the Hero and his party for coming this far and their admirable loyalty to Trode, before saying that they can't break the curse on him but should fulfill their own destiny to die at his hand. He is defeated and once again praises the party for their strength, saying he could've beat them in a heartbeat had he not been healing, but decides to bring it to an end, conjuring some thorns to entrap the party, though the Hero's immunity to curses protects against them. Undettered, Dhoulmagus enlarges the thorns causing the party to be buried in them, though they wither away due to the Hero's immunity. Having no choice, Dhoulmagus uses the specter to transform himself into a demonic harpy like creature with wings and vows to crush them so he could not be pestered again. Despite his formidable power, he is defeated and turns to stone before turning to dust, leaving only the specter behind. However, Dhoulmagus's death does not lift the curse on Trode and Medea, forcing the party to rest up at Argonia and then continue their quest where Jessica, having picked up the specter, is possessed by Rhapthorne to finish what Dhoulmagus started.

Abilities

First phase

Dhoulmagus (ドルマゲス Dorumagesu)

Original (PS2)

Sprite	HP	MP	Attack
	1880	255	202
Defense	Agility	Experience	Gold
128	78	4300	0

Bestiary no.	#269
Family	Demon
In-game description	Once an ordinary jester, his theft of the sceptre from Trodain Castle gave him magical powers beyond imagination.
Spell(s)	Multiheal
Skill(s)	Disruptive Wave Lullab-Eye Thin Air Thousands of Whips(30~50 damage, ignores defence) Throw debris(110% damage, hits twice) Wind Sickles
Location(s)	Dark Ruins
Item(s) dropped	None

Evasion	Attack Resistance	Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *
1⁄64	0%	0%	0%
Fire Breath Resistance *	Bang Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *	Crack Resistance *
0%	0%	0%	20%
Ice breath Resistance *	Strike/Rock Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Drain Magic Resistance
20%	0%	0%	100%
Whack Resistance *	Poison Resistance *	Paralysis Resistance *	Fuddle Resistance *
100%	100%	100%	100%
Snooze resistance *	Dazzle Resistance	Fizzle Resistance	Ban Dance Resistance
100%	100%	?	100%
Stun Resistance *	Sap Resistance *	Army Resistance *
100%	100%%	20%

Remake (3DS, Mobile)

Notable Changes

None

Clone (ドルマゲス Dorumagesu)

Original (PS2)

Sprite	HP	MP	Attack
	570	255	176
Defense	Agility	Experience	Gold
128	86	0	0

Bestiary no.	269
Family	None
In-game description
Spell(s)	None
Skill(s)	Lullab-Eye Wind Sickles Laughs loudly (Wastes a turn)
Location(s)	Dark Ruins
Item(s) dropped	None

Evasion	Attack Resistance	Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *
1⁄64	0%	0%	0%
Fire Breath Resistance *	Bang Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *	Crack Resistance *
0%	0%	0%	20%
Ice breath Resistance *	Strike/Rock Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Drain Magic Resistance
0%	0%	0%	100%
Whack Resistance *	Poison Resistance *	Paralysis Resistance *	Fuddle Resistance *
100%	100%	100%	100%
Snooze resistance *	Dazzle Resistance	Fizzle Resistance	Ban Dance Resistance
100%	100%	100%	100%
Stun Resistance *	Sap Resistance *	Army Resistance *
100%	100%	20%

Remake (3DS, Mobile)

Notable Changes

None

Second phase

Dhoulmagus (ドルマゲス Dorumagesu)

Original (PS2)

Sprite	HP	MP	Attack
	2640	255	210
Defense	Agility	Experience	Gold
135	74	12000	0

Bestiary no.	#270
Family	Demon
In-game description	Dhoulmagus, transformed by the awesome power of the sceptre. In spite of his new-found might, his lethal curses proved to have no effect on the Hero.
Spell(s)	Kacrackle Kasizzle
Skill(s)	Acts twice per turn Combo Attack(hits four times, 33% damage per hit) Disruptive Wave Break Down (50~90 damage to party) Inferno War Cry
Location(s)	Dark Ruins
Item(s) dropped	None

Evasion	Attack Resistance	Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *
0⁄64	0%	20%	20%
Fire Breath Resistance *	Bang Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *	Crack Resistance *
20%	0%	20%	50%
Ice breath Resistance *	Strike/Rock Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Drain Magic Resistance
50%	0%	0%	100%
Whack Resistance *	Poison Resistance *	Paralysis Resistance *	Fuddle Resistance *
100%	100%	100%	100%
Snooze resistance *	Dazzle Resistance	Fizzle Resistance	Ban Dance Resistance
100%	100%	100%	100%
Stun Resistance *	Sap Resistance *	Army Resistance *
100%	15%	20%

Remake (3DS, Mobile)

Notable Changes

None

Other Appearances

Outside his main role in Dragon Quest VIII, Dhoulmagus also makes appearances in these titles.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

##306 - Dhoulmagus
HP MP Experience Gold 7,000 14,061 (99) 255 61600 2490 Attack Defense Speed 545 1095 (99) 430 645 (99) 300 480 (99)
Family	???
Bestiary #	#306
Game	Dragon Quest IX
Console	DS
Japanese Name	ドルマゲス
Description	"Superfast attacker who likes to rush his foes off their feet, and whose Kacrack packs a kick. Not a fan of earth attacks. Try not to be too annoyed by this self-satisfied clown laughing down his nose at you. Smack the smile off his smug old face!"

Additional Attributes
Fire	Ice	Wind	Earth	Light	Dark
100	100	50	150	100	100
Blast	Dazzle	Sleep	Death	Drain MP	Confusion
100	0	0	0	100	0
Fizzle	Inaction	Paralyze	Poison	Charm	Magic Res
0	0	0	0	10	25
Blunt	Sap	Decelerate
5	25	50

Dhoulmagus appears as a Legacy Boss in Dragon Quest IX. His map can be dropped from Murdaw at higher levels (and thus can be obtained multiple times).

Treasure Level Range Secondary Drop Orb 1-3 Trodainers 20% Purple Orb 5% 4-8 Trodainers 25% Purple Orb 5% 9-15 Trodain bandana 15% Purple Orb 6% 16-25 Zenithian trousers 15% Purple Orb 6% 26-40 Zenithian trousers 20% Purple Orb 7% 41-56 Zenithian trousers 25% Purple Orb 7% 57-68 Zenithian helm 15% Purple Orb 8% 69-80 Zenithian clothes 15% Purple Orb 8% 81-90 Zenithian clothes 20% Purple Orb 9% 91-99 Zenithian clothes 25% Purple Orb 10% In addition, he will always drop a Mini medal.

Skills Level New abilities Initial Scorch, Kacrack, Kazam, Combo Attack, War Cry, attacks twice per round 4 Disruptive Wave 8 Raging Roar 12 Break Down 16 Hellfire, stops using War Cry and Scorch 28 Kacrackle 41 Begins attacking 3 times per turn, stops using Kacrack & Kazam 57 Kazammle

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker

Dhoulmagus
Family	Beast
Rank	S
Description	The final form of a jester who yearned for the forbidden power of a scepter.
Weapons	Spears, Hammers, Whips, Staves
Traits	Psycho
Resistances	Whackproof, Wooshproof
Skill	Dhoulmagus
Location	-
Breeding chart	Alabast dragon x Psaro Dragovian lord x Psaro

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

Dhoulmagus appears in his second form.

Dhoulmagus
Family	Beast
Rank	S
Size	S
Weapons	Whips, Spears, Hammers, Staves
Traits	Psycho, Hit Squad, Counterstriker, Zammeister
Resistances	Vulnerable to Bang, Immune to Woosh and Whack
Skill	Dhoulmagus
Location	-
Breeding chart	Alabast dragon x Psaro or Estark

Dragon Quest Tact

Both of Dhoulmagus' forms appear as S-rank members of the Demon family during the limited Dragon Quest VIII event. His first form is faced in Chapter 3, Episode 3: Dhoulmagus Part 1, while his second form is known as Evil Jester Dhoulmagus is faced in Chapter 3, Episode 4: Dhoulmagus Part 2. Both forms can also be faced in the Dark Ruins in Chase the Evil Jester, Dhoulmagus!. His first form appears on his own banner alongside Bulldozer and he can participate in Trap box's Battle Road as a party member.

Dhoulmagus (ドルマゲス Dorumagesu)

Stats

Family		Rank		Role
Demon				Debuff
Max Level		HP	MP	Move
120		656	386	4
Attack	Defense	Agility	Wisdom	Weight
268	287	373	193	50

Basic Skills

First		Second		Third
Creeping Shadow		Evil Glint*		Jester's Jest*

Awakening Skills

First	Second	Third
Clone / Stats Up	Bang Res +25 / Stats Up	Martial Potency +5% / Stats Up Bind Martial: Very rarely binds when making a martial attack.
Fourth	Fifth
Zap Res +25 / Stats Up	Martial Potency +5% / Bind success rate +10% / Stats Up

Leader Perks

First

Raises martial potency of all allies, including himself, by 15% in a 5x5 square around him.

Basic Perks

First	Second	Third
Max MP +15 AGL +20	Jester's Evil: Allows phasing through obstacles in battle.	Jester's Jest Potency +2%

Perk Details

First

Clone: Battle start: Raises evasion rate by 100% for 3 turns.

Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *	Crack Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *
Very Weak	Very Weak	Normal	Normal
Bang Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Zam Resistance *	Snooze Resistance
Half Res	Half Res	Normal	Normal
Poison Resistance	Physical Lock Resistance	Spell Lock Resistance	Martial Lock Resistance
Normal	Normal	Normal	Half Res
Breath Lock Resistance	Hobble Resistance *	Stun Resistance *	Dazzle Resistance
Normal	Half Res	Immune	Super Weak
Curse Resistance	Paralysis Resistance	Confusion Resistance	Charm Resistance
Normal	Super Weak	Normal	Normal

Trivia

In Joker 2, the evil sceptre is called Malevolence.

Gallery

• 

  A Japanese promotional poster for the game featuring Dhoulmagus and various monsters, both old and new. (At the time of VIII's release)

• 

  Concept art

• 

  VIII: 1st Form.

• 

  VIII: 2nd Form.

• 

  DQ VIII: 2nd Form.

• 

  Joker

• 

  Dhoulmagus entertaining King Trode and Princess Medea. (Nintendo 3DS version scene only)

• 

  Bulldozer and Dhoulmagus in Tact.

See also

• Leopold
• Malevolence