Cactiball
| Dragon Quest monster | |
|---|---|
| Cactiball | |
 Art by Akira Toriyama | |
| Japanese | サボテンボール |
| Romaji | Sabotenbōru |
| First appearance | Dragon Quest V |
| Old localization | CactiBall |
The Cactiball is a recurring monster in the Dragon Quest series. Introduced in Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, they are, as the name would suggest, ball-shaped cactus monsters.
Characteristics
A Cactiball's name is an adequate description itself; the only other notable aspects of the monsters' appearance are limbs, small compared to the rest of its body, a devious face and a flower at the top of their head/body.
Cactiballs are fairly energetic given how they dance about in their idle animation. For their actual dances they will curl in their arms and legs and roll about. When attacking, a Cactiball will extend and enlarge its spikes and may perform a jumping attack that has a chance of landing a devastating blow. They aren't exactly dangerous monsters, however, as they are encountered early on in most of the games they appear in and will only pose a threat to a low-leveled player, though this can apply just as well to other monsters in the area.
Appearances
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Dragon Quest Monsters
| Sprite | Level cap * | HP growth | MP growth |
 |
30 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Strength growth | Resilience growth | Wisdom growth | Agility growth |
| 3/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 |
| Family | Plant |
| In-game description | Stores water inside the body to survive in deserts |
| Abilities | Paralyze, OddDance, HighJump |
| Habitat | Gate of Labyrinth, Gate of Demolition |
| Breeding chart | Plant family x Bug family |
| Frizz Resistance * | Sizz Resistance * | Fire Breath Resistance * | Bang Resistance * |
| None | None | None | None |
| Crack Resistance * | Ice Breath Resistance * | Woosh Resistance * | Rock/Army Resistance * |
| None | None | Strong | Weak |
| Zap Resistance * | Gigaslash Resistance | Magic Burst Resistance | Drain Magic Resistance * |
| Strong | Weak | None | Strong |
| Whack Resistance * | Kamikazee Resistance * | Poison Resistance * | Paralysis Resistance * |
| None | None | Weak | Weak |
| Fuddle Resistance * | Snooze Resistance * | Dazzle Resistance * | Fizzle Resistance |
| Weak | Weak | None | Strong |
| Ban Dance Resistance | Gobstopper Resistance | Stun Resistance * | Sap Resistance * |
| Strong | Strong | Strong | None |
| Decelerate Resistance * | Curse Resistance | ||
| None | Weak | ||
Dragon Quest Monsters 2
| Sprite | Level cap * | HP growth | MP growth |
 |
30 | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Strength growth | Resilience growth | Wisdom growth | Agility growth |
| 7/10 | 5/10 | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Family | Plant |
| In-game description | Spins to fire its needles wildly. |
| Abilities | HighJump, OddDance, Paralyze |
| Habitat | Desert World |
| Breeding chart | Plant family x Bug family |
| Frizz Resistance * | Sizz Resistance * | Fire Breath Resistance * | Bang Resistance * |
| None | None | None | None |
| Crack Resistance * | Ice Breath Resistance * | Woosh Resistance * | Rock/Army Resistance * |
| None | None | Strong | Weak |
| Water Resistance * | Zap Resistance * | Gigaslash Resistance | Magic Burst Resistance |
| Strong | Strong | Weak | None |
| Drain Magic Resistance * | Whack Resistance * | Kamikazee Resistance * | Poison Resistance * |
| Strong | None | None | Weak |
| Paralysis Resistance * | Fuddle Resistance * | Snooze Resistance * | Dazzle Resistance * |
| Weak | Weak | Weak | None |
| Fizzle Resistance | Ban Dance Resistance | Gobstopper Resistance | Stun Resistance * |
| Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
| Sap Resistance * | Decelerate Resistance * | Curse Resistance | |
| None | None | Weak | |
Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart
The Cactiball is a one-star member of the Nature family with a weight of 2. Its in-game description reads "To protect its body from the heat, it stores plenty of water inside."
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
huff, watch out for
their puff! You could
get yourself caught in
a real spinefield.
Cactiballs are Platiosi and thus members of the Plob in this spin-off game. They often wander about, occasionally stopping to shake some maracas, and will turn themselves into an unapproachable ball of spikes if Rocket gets too close. They are first encountered in Tootinshleiman's Tomb and later in Flucifer's Necropolis where they hide under the sand with only the tops of their heads exposed but will jump out and immediately extend their spikes if approached. Like other normal enemies, it is possible to have a Cactiball as part of the tank crew after sending at least 30 back to town and speaking to the Cactiball in the Museum.
Dragon Quest Tact
Cactiball appears as an E-rank monster of the Nature family. It can be recruited from Chapters 5-2, 5-3, 7-6, 7-7, and 7-8 of the main storyline and it can participate in the Battle Roads of Stump chump and Crabid as a party member.
 |
||||
| Family | Rank | Role | ||
 Nature |
 |
 Attack |
||
| Max Level | HP | MP | Move | |
| 85 | 446 | 116 | 2 | |
| Attack | Defense | Agility | Wisdom | Weight |
| 263 | 183 | 122 | 91 | 10 |
| First | Second | Third | ||
| Shove | Singe | N/a | ||
| First | Second | Third |
| Max MP +5 / Stats Up | Zap Res +25 / Stats Up | Singe Potency +5% / Stats Up |
| Fourth | Fifth | |
| Woosh Res +25 / Stats Up | Singe Potency +5% / Stats Up | |
| First | |
| N/a | |
| First | Second | Third |
| Singe Potency +2% | N/a | N/a |
| First | |
| Max MP +5: Raises max MP by 5. | |
| Frizz Resistance * | Sizz Resistance * | Crack Resistance * | Woosh Resistance * | |
| Normal | Very Weak | Very Weak | Half Res | |
| Bang Resistance * | Zap Resistance * | Zam Resistance * | Snooze Resistance | |
| Normal | Half Res | Normal | Immune | |
| Poison Resistance | Physical Lock Resistance | Spell Lock Resistance | Martial Lock Resistance | |
| Normal | Half Res | Normal | Normal | |
| Breath Lock Resistance | Hobble Resistance * | Stun Resistance * | Dazzle Resistance | |
| Normal | Normal | Super Weak | Normal | |
| Curse Resistance | Paralysis Resistance | Confusion Resistance | Charm Resistance | |
| Super Weak | Normal | Half Res | Normal |
Related monsters
Gallery
XI polygon model
A malicious cactiball
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime.
Rivals card
Tact model
A cactiball in Keshi Keshi
Trivia
- In Rocket Slime a flattened Cactiball has an uncanny resemblance to a Cactuar.
- Plant monsters
- Dragon Quest V enemies
- Dragon Quest VII enemies
- Dragon Quest XI enemies
- Dragon Quest Monsters enemies
- Dragon Quest Monsters 2 enemies
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart enemies
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 Pro enemies
- Dragon Quest Rivals enemies
- Dragon Quest Tact monsters
- Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi enemies