Monster recruitment
Introduced in Dragon Quest V, the recruitment of bested beasts has appeared in some capacity in nearly every title in the series since 1992.
Dragon Quest V
Monster recruitment was simplistic in its original inception, being a fixed percentage that could not be changed by the player. If multiple recrutiable monsters appear in the same encounter, only the final felled foe will have a chance to join the Hero. In the DS and cell phone versions, monster allies will only alternate between two lines of dialogue during party chat, as opposed to the fuller conversations of human characters.
Additionally, the cell phone ports saw the addition of the Monster Magnet accessory for the The Hero, which when equipped can increase the odds of a monster joining up by one rank.
| Sprite | Monster Name | SNES | PS2 | DS & Phone | Tame Rate | Level required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Archdemon | No | No | Yes | 1⁄64 | 30 |
 |
Bad apple | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 7 |
| Barbatos | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄256 | 41 | |
 |
Battle pip | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 |
 |
Beastmaster | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 30 |
 |
Blizzybody | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 26 |
| Bomboulder | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄256 | 30 | |
 |
Brownie | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 7 |
 |
Chimaera | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 15 |
 |
Conkerer | No | No | Yes | 1⁄32 | 27 |
 |
Conkjurer | No | No | Yes | 1⁄32 | 27 |
 |
Conkuisitor | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 27 |
 |
Conkuistador | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 27 |
| Cross eye | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 9 | |
 |
Cureslime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 16 |
| Dracky | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 7 | |
| Drag-goof | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 18 | |
| Dwight | No | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | |
| Epipany | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 | |
| Fandangow | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1|32 | 9 | |
| Fat rat | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄2 | 7 | |
| Flamethrower | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 16 | |
| Funghoul | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 | |
| Ghost | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄2 | 7 | |
| Gigantes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 34 | |
| Golem | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 25 | |
| Goodybag | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 16 | |
| Great dragon | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 35 | |
| Grudgerigar | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 9 | |
| Hades helm | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 29 | |
| Hawk man | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 23 | |
| Healslime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 7 | |
| Hellion | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 23 | |
| Hoodlum | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 25 | |
| Hulagan | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 9 | |
| Hyperanemon | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 41 | |
| Jailcat | No | No | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 | |
| Killing machine | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄256 | 34 | |
| King cureslime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 28 | |
| King slime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 10 | |
| Liquid metal slime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄256 | 20 | |
| Magic marionette | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 12 | |
| Man o' war | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄2 | 18 | |
| Mandrake marshal | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 32 | |
| Metal slime | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄256 | 7 | |
| Minidemon | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 20 | |
| Moosifer | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 30 | |
| Mudraker | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 11 | |
| Old man of the sea | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 25 | |
| Orc king | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 21 | |
| Pip fighter | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 | |
| Pocus poppet | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 10 | |
| Powie yowie | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 7 | |
| Prestidigitator | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 10 | |
| Rebjørn | No | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | |
| Restless armour | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 10 | |
| Revaulting horse | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 27 | |
| Rockbomb | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄64 | 15 | |
| Rotten apple | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄2 | 7 | |
| Saber | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | |
| Samigina | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 20 | |
 |
Slime | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄2 | 7 |
| Slime knight | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄4 | 7 | |
 |
Small fry | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 |
 |
Snowbird | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 34 |
| Starkers | No | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | |
 |
Ticking timeburrm | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 7 |
| Walking corpse | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 7 | |
| Warhog | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1⁄32 | 28 | |
| Wax murderer | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 | |
| Wiz pip | No | Yes | Yes | 1⁄16 | 7 |
Dragon Quest VI
In the original SNES version of VI monster recruitment worked identically to V, though someone in the party must be a Monster Master. When the DS version (and subsequent mobile ports) were produced, this mechanic was retired in favor of "Slime Buddies": slimes players could interact with in towns and dungeons like NPCs who would join the party once certain conditions were met. These slimes are not treated as full characters, however, and thus lack the detailed party chat of humans and Lizzie.
In both versions of the game, any recruited slime may enter into the gladiatorial contests at Slimopolis.
Available in the SNES version
| Sprite | Monster Name | Tame Rate |
|---|---|---|
 |
Battering ram | 1⁄16 |
 |
Boss troll | 1⁄16 |
 |
Dreamaera | 1⁄32 |
 |
Feralball | 1⁄8 |
 |
Gustbluster | 1⁄64 |
 |
Healslime | 1⁄16 |
 |
High djinks | 1⁄256 |
 |
Lesser demon | 1⁄4 |
 |
Liquid metal slime | 1⁄256 |
 |
Lips | 1⁄64 |
 |
Mud mannequin | 1⁄64 |
 |
Overkilling machine | 1⁄64 |
 |
Rockbomb | 1⁄32 |
 |
Slime | 1⁄2 |
 |
Slime knight | 1⁄4 |
 |
Sluggernaut | 1⁄4 |
 |
Walking corpse | 1⁄32 |
Available in the DS & phone versions
| Sprite | Monster Name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| |
Goowain | Howcastle |
| |
Healie | Clearvale |
 |
Spot | Castle Graceskull |
 |
Kingsley | Château de Sass |
| |
Goober | Slimopolis |
 |
Curie | Suite dreams |
 |
Shelley | Underwater Inn |
| |
Mercury | Suite dreams |
Dragon Quest VII
VII is an interesting case; while several monsters can join the heroes, they will never participate in battle. Instead, they will sojourn off to a sort of "wild life reserve" called the Monster Meadows that is unlocked during the normal course of the game. Once there, they can be spoken to in their natural habitat as if they were NPCs, though only one line of dialogue will be spoken. The Animal Magnetism skill makes taming these beasts much easier than in previous games, being the first time a player has direct influence on the probability.
Additionally, defeated monsters will occasionally drop Hearts. These function similarly to the Draconic Diligence and Liquid Metal Mind scrolls from VI and allow the character holding them to take on monster-based vocations at Alltrades Abbey. The main difference is that a character's sprite/model will change into the corresponding monster once the vocation is mastered.
- In the 3DS remake, the character will immediately become a monster after using a heart.
Dragon Quest VIII
In the PS2 version of the game, players will notice several monsters wandering the overworld. These infamous beasties prove much more capable than their randomly encountered counterparts, but once the player pays a visit to Morrie's place they can join the party. This allows the monsters to enter the competition in Morrie's Monstrous Pit, and through the use of the Call team skill they may be summoned into battle for 3 or more turns. All recruited monsters grow more powerful as the Hero's level rises, and do not need to gain battle experience themselves.
- In the 3DS port, all monsters are visible in the overworld, with the infamous monsters being given distinctive icons.
Available in all versions
Archer, Archfiend, Arges, Big Al, Bishop, Bladewolf, Blizag Jr, Bones, Brickman, Brontes, Bush-W, Capers, Clio, Cowboy, Curer, Cybot, Deadnoble, Dolldrums, Doug, Dumbking, Fat cat, Faunus, Flameman, Fletch, Foul fowl, Frillsaur, Goldman, Gryphus, Hackzilla, Hazel, Healer, Hev, Hoodwink, Hori, Hork, Jack Frost, Jewelbag, Jockey, Klub kong, Lonely Joe, McHammer, Mechabubo, Metabble, Metaly, Moppet, Mornstar, Nightwing, Nohi, Octurion, Orcus, Orrid, Pa Troll, Potbelly, Roborg, Robster, Sagittari, Salsa, Scorpius, Seasaw, Sippy, Skeledoid, Slurpy, Smiles, Snap Case, Spike, Spot, Squiggles, Steropes, Stoneman, Sugi, Talos, Torchman, Tori, Trick Bag, Twiggy
Dragon Quest X
Certain monsters can be recruited by players beginning in version 2.4 Taming is done through a skill attack that creates a fixed 10% chance to capture the monster once it falls. The skill does not need to be the final blow of the battle; as long as it has been used over the course of the encounter the chance to recruit the beast is established. Monsters that have joined players are controlled through A.I. and essentially serve as party members for times when the player's fiends and comrades are offline.
Dragon Quest Monsters 1 & 2
While monsters retain a base chance to join the player upon defeat as in previous games, the chance can be greatly enhanced by using Monster munchies in battle.
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker series
Recruitment is implemented via the Scout option in the battle menu. When selected, the player's team of monsters will perform a group assault on the target to impress the monster into joining. The percentile chance is displayed onscreen, and can easily reach 100% if the group's sum attack power is high enough. However, if the enemy is too durable then the assault can easily leave the player with a big fat 0%--it is imperative to apply Oomph and Sap to raise the chances even higher.
- In Joker 2, tossing a bundle of Beastie bites at the foe will raise the chance by a flat 10%.
Gallery
Level requirements and percentages in V
