Grim grinner

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The Grim grinner is a recurring monster in the Dragon Quest series, first appearing in Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation.

Characteristics

Grim grinners are diminutive goblin-like creatures with brown or orange skin, armed with short swords and a buckler displaying a hideous visage grinning with sharp fangs, giving the monster its name. The only clothing they wear are simple kilts made of sackcloth. The grinners are much better at defending themselves and their allies with their bucklers than their brethren, with a much sharper sword for slicing. When the monsters reappeared in IX, they had orange skin rather than their regular brown.

Appearances

Dragon Quest VI

Grim grinner (ダークホビット Dākuhobitto) DQVI Logo.png
Original (SFC)
Sprite HP * MP Attack Defense
Grimgrinner DQVI SNES.gif 50 0 48 42
Agility Experience * Gold Tame Rate
16 60 45 NA
Bestiary No. #044
Spell(s) None
Skill(s) Defending Champion
Targets ally with lowest HP.
Location(s) Underkeep
Ghent region
Murdaw's Keep region
Scrimsley region
Item(s) Dropped Medicinal herb116
Evasion Frizz Resistance * Sizz Resistance * Fire Breath Resistance *
0% 25% 25% 25%
Bang Resistance * Crack Resistance * Ice Breath Resistance * Woosh Resistance *
25% 25% 25% 25%
Strike/Rock Resistance * Zap Resistance * Drain Magic Resistance * Whack Resistance *
60% 25% 100% 100%
Poof Resistance * Poison Resistance * Burning Breath Resistance Fuddle Resistance *
100% 15% 80% 0%
Snooze Resistance * Dazzle Resistance * Fizzle Resistance Ban Dance Resistance
50% 50% 100% 100%
Stun Resistance * Sap Resistance * Army Resistance *
15% 0% 25%
Remakes (DS, Mobile)
Sprites Notable Changes
Grim grinner DQVI DS.png None


There is a grim grinner guarding a lost ring at the bottom of the well in Somnia. He speaks in a similar way to the Gollum character from the Lord of the Rings books and series of films, comically referring to 'his precious', complete with long lisps.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

##139 - Grim grinner
DQIX Grim grinner.png
HP MP Experience Gold
110 24 760 118
Attack Defense Speed
115 176 110
Dropped Item Cautery sword164
Magic shield164
Locations Eastern Wormwood
Western Wormwood
Grotto
Skills Chilly Breath
Defending Champion
Whipping Boy
Spells None
Family Humanoid
Bestiary # #139
Game Dragon Quest IX
Console DS
Japanese Name ダークホビット
Romanized Jap. Dākuhobitto
Description Hellish, ice-breathing gnomes that wield a mean shield, and supplement their defence with Defending Champion.

They come from families of long standing in the world of shield collecting, and have stacks of spares.

Dragon Quest X

Grim grinners debuted in Version 1.0 of the game, appearing in groups of 1 to 3 and possessing high attack power, defending themselves with Immense Defence. They will attack with Freezing Blizzard, as well as C-c-cold Breath if they become enraged. Starting with Version 6.1 of the game, the monster's Japanese name was changed to coincide with their appearance in Tact.

Dragon Quest Tact

Grim grinner appears as a B-rank monster of the Demon family as part of the limited Dragon Quest IX event. It can be recruited from the Summoner of Demons stage of "Wishes Come True" at any difficulty and can participate in Stella's Battle Road as a party member. The monster was originally known as Dark Paul when it was introduced, but was changed to Grim grinner in a June 2023 update.

Grim grinner (ダークポックル Dākupokkuru)Tactlogo.png
Stats


DQT Dark Paul icon.png
Family Rank Role
Tact Icon Devil.png
Demon
DQTact Rank Icon B.png DQTact AttackType.png
Attack
Max Level HP MP Move
110 866 201 2-3
Attack Defense Agility Wisdom Weight
470 246 293 118 25
Basic Skills
First Second Third
Attack Prep Shade Slash* Shield Tackle*
Awakening Skills
First Second Third
Move +1 / Stats Up Woosh Res +25 / Stats Up Shield Tackle Potency +5% / Stats Up
Fourth Fifth
Zap Res +25 / Stats Up Shield Tackle Potency +5% / Stats Up
Leader Perks
First
N/a
Basic Perks
First Second Third
ATK +5 Shield Tackle Potency +2% N/a
Perk Details
First
Move +1: Raises Move by 1.
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 Half Res
Poison Resistance Physical Lock Resistance Spell Lock Resistance Martial Lock Resistance
Normal Normal Normal Super Weak
Breath Lock Resistance Hobble Resistance * Stun Resistance * Dazzle Resistance
Normal Normal Normal Normal
Curse Resistance Paralysis Resistance Confusion Resistance Charm Resistance
Immune Super Weak Half Res Normal



Etymology

The grim grinner's original Japanese name, Dark Hobbit (ダークホビット, Dākuhobitto) is a reference to the fictional race of Hobbits from the novels of J.R.R. Tolkien. Hobbits are small creatures with appearances similar to humans who live barefooted due to having tough leathery souls and hairy feet. In Version 6.1 of X and Tact, the monster's name was changed to Dark Pokkur (ダークポックル, Dākupokkuru), referencing the Korpokkur, a race of diminutive beings from the folklore of the Ainu people of Japan. Korpokkurs, also known as koropokkurus, were believed to live in the Ainu's land before they did. They are short of stature, agile, skilled at fishing, and live in underground homes with roofs made of butterbur leaves.

Gallery

Related enemies