Murdaw (ムドー romanized as Mudou, Mudo in fan translations) appears as the initial primary antagonist in Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. He terrorizes the world, and any who challenge him never return. As soon as the game begins, the player character, Carver, and Milly go to fight Murdaw. Upon reaching him, he defeats the party with ease and banishes them from his sight.
Characteristics
Murdaw is one of the four Dread Fiends, and the first one to be encountered. Though he is the weakest of the group, he is by far the most effective at causing chaos. His traps are devilishly clever, locking the kingdom of Somnia in a futile war in the upper world and completely disabling the kingdom in the lower by locking the royal family in an unwaking slumber and spiriting the prince away. Murdaw possesses the ability to be present at more than one location at the same time. While his true body remains situated in his lair within the Real World, he acts through the body of King Somnus in the Dream World, thus threatening both worlds simultaneously. He can also turn his enemies to stone, ala Bishop Ladja, though he only uses it on Carver, and during his boss fight in Dragon Quest X.
Murdaw plans far in advance, recognizing that Alltrades Abbey would produce endless enemies for him and the Archfiend if not sealed away. Defeating him allows access to the Vocation system. Murdaw is fought three times, once in the upper world and twice below.
The game begins with the Hero, Carver and Milly confronting Murdaw in his keep. Before the battle can properly start, Murdaw ambushes the trio, separating each of their bodies into two essences and banishing one part into the Dream World while spreading the other part throughout the Real World. While this act did not kill off the heroes, it severely weakened their powers and abilities and rendered the Dream World essences amnesic. The Hero's Real World counterpart was sent far away, while Carver's Real World counterpart was petrified and remained in the castle. What happened to Milly is never revealed, but her two essences found each other and combined off-screen, not too long after the incident.
Later, the heroes find Murdaw's lair in the Dream World. They engage him in battle and emerge victorious. Unfazed by the loss, Murdaw declares that he will get his revenge soon enough before attempting to teleport himself away. The heroes use Ra's Mirror on him, revealing that he is really King Somnus, whom Murdaw possessed to project himself onto the Dream World.
The heroes eventually locate the real Murdaw in the Real World, finding themselves in the same location as the beginning of the game. Murdaw attempts the same ambush on the heroes, but this time the heroes are able to counteract against this trick using Ra's Mirror. Finally cornered, Murdaw engages the heroes in an actual battle. In the first battle, he is flanked by two Prickly pranksters and can summon more, or alternatively Harmours if they are defeated. In the second battle, Murdaw reveals his true powers, putting the heroes in a gruesome final confrontation. After his second defeat, Murdaw is finally vanquished; his death lifts the seal on Alltrades Abbey. However, monsters still roam the Real and Dream Worlds foreshadowing a much bigger threat...
Abilities
Original (SFC)
- Sprite
- Bestiary No.
-
- Recruit Rate
- N/A
- Skill(s)
- Flame Breath
Mimics voice of Hero (changes party tactics)
- Army resistance *
- 100%
- Sprites
-
- Notable Changes
- None
The first encounter with Murdaw is in his Upper World stronghold, the Underkeep. Upon defeating him, the player is in for a sobering shock...
Original (SFC)
- Sprite
-
- Bestiary No.
-
- Recruit Rate
- N/A
- Skill(s)
- Flame Breath
Calls minions (Prickly Prankster)
Loudly calls for minions (Harmours)
- Army resistance *
- 100%
- Sprites
-
- Notable Changes
- None
The second battle is fought in the scaly sorcerer's keep in the Lower World. He is assisted by two Prickly pranksters, and can summon more of them as well as Harmours during the battle.
Original (SFC)
- Sprite
-
- Bestiary No.
-
- Recruit Rate
- N/A
- Spell(s)
- None
- Army resistance *
-
- Sprites
-
- Notable Changes
- None
Murdaw gets serious in round two, and fights at full power. Though he loses his flame resistance, he more than makes up for that loss in sheer offense.
Other Appearances
Outside his main role in Dragon Quest VI, Murdaw also makes appearances in these titles.
|
|
7750
13559 (99)
|
255
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60600
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2490
|
525
1055 (99)
|
415
623 (99)
|
240
384 (99)
|
|
| ???
|
| 302
|
| Dragon Quest IX
|
| DS
|
| Mudō
|
| "Casts Kasap to curb his enemies' enthusiasm, then curbs it further with Dazzleflash and Disruptive Wave.
Gains a hold over people by plunging them into a world of nightmares from which they can't escape. Never sleeps himself."
|
| Fire
|
Ice
|
Wind
|
Earth
|
Light
|
Dark
|
| 100
|
150
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
50
|
| Blast
|
Dazzle
|
Sleep
|
Death
|
Drain MP
|
Confusion
|
| 100
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
| Fizzle
|
Inaction
|
Paralyze
|
Poison
|
Charm
|
Magic Res
|
| 0
|
25
|
0
|
0
|
10
|
25
|
| Blunt
|
Sap
|
Decelerate
|
| 5
|
15
|
50
|
Murdaw appears as a Legacy Boss in Dragon Quest IX. His map can be dropped from Baramos at higher levels (and thus can be obtained multiple times). He's slightly more powerful, and relies on debuffs rather than attack magic. Similar to Baramos, Murdaw is vulnerable to ice magic.
Treasure
| Level Range
|
Secondary Drop
|
|
Orb
|
|
| 1-3 |
Somnia boots |
20% |
Yellow Orb |
5%
|
| 4-8 |
Somnia boots |
25% |
Yellow Orb |
5%
|
| 9-15 |
Somnia clothes |
15% |
Yellow Orb |
6%
|
| 16-25 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
10% |
Yellow Orb |
6%
|
| 26-40 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
15% |
Yellow Orb |
7%
|
| 41-56 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
20% |
Yellow Orb |
7%
|
| 57-68 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
25% |
Yellow Orb |
8%
|
| 69-80 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
30% |
Yellow Orb |
8%
|
| 81-90 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
35% |
Yellow Orb |
9%
|
| 91-99 |
Dhoulmagus's Map |
40% |
Yellow Orb |
10%
|
|
Skills
|
Mudou appears as the boss of Goopi's Gate #2.
Murdaw appears as the third-to-last boss, the main character defeats him and learns about Darck.
Murdaw appears as a member of the ??? family as part of the limited Dragon Quest VI event. He can be faced in Chapter 1, Episode 1: The Dream and Chapter 1, Episode 4: Murdaw Arrives, reprising his role from the original game, as well as a boss in Free the Phantom Realm!
Related enemies
Trivia
- Each of the four Dread Fiends could be seen as representing one of the four elements. In Murdaw's case, he represents earth.
Gallery
Storyline bosses (ver. 1.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 2.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 3.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 4.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 5.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 6.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 7.0)
