Haywire spells

Haywire spells (魔力暴走 maryoku hōsō lit. rampaging magic) is the magical equivalent to the critical hits performed by normal attacks and certain skills in the Dragon Quest series. First appearing in Dragon Quest IX in 2009, this feature has since appeared in all subsequent numbered titles and was retroactively added to the Erdrick Trilogy through the HD-2D remakes of the first two games.

Function

Attack, healing, and status ailment spells all have a chance to go haywire when cast, increasing the damage dealt, the amount of HP restored, and the chance of the spell successfully weakening the target increasing dramatically. The amount of which the potency of a spell increases when it goes haywire depends on whether a game is 3D or HD-2D, utilizing differing amounts between these two styles.

Appearances

Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake

The Hero's spells can the chance to go haywire once he is given the moon sigil by the Craft-Master in the Faerie Village, after giving her a jug of moonbeam dew from the Quagmire Cave.

Going haywire increases the power of single-target attack spells by 300%, group-targeting spells by 250%, and all-enemy targeting spells by 200%. Single-target healing spells similarly triple in power and status ailment spells effectively void two degrees of resistance, with monsters that have no resistance to the haywire spell being guaranteed to succumb.

The chance of the Hero's spells going haywire is based on a combination of his level and his Luck attribute, using the same formula as his regular attacks landing critical hits. Single-target spells such as Heal and Zapple have the same chance to go haywire as the Hero's normal attacks do to go critical, and group-targeting spells such as Kasizz have a haywire rate that is 75% of that. Spells that hit all enemies such as Kacrack and Kazap have a 50% chance to go haywire compared to single-target spells, similar to how boomerangs have a critical hit rate that is half that of a single-target attack. If the Hero is wearing the duplic hat then the echoing spell has the same chance to go haywire as its initial casting.

Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake

The Scions of Erdrick will be given the moon sigil by the King of Dirkandor once they speak to him with a royal missive from the Aged Priest of Beran.

The system for haywire spells is exactly the same as it was in Dragon Quest I HD, with the only difference being that the Princess of Cannock's spells are four times as likely to go haywire compared to the rest of her family, same with her critical hits, and the haywire power of Multiheal is 200%.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Attack spells that go haywire have their damage output increased by 150~200%, with the Zam-family of spells increasing by 200~250%. Healing spells have their power increased by 120~160%, and status ailment spells void two degrees of resistance.

The base chance for a spell to go haywire is 1.56% (1/64th) and is raised the Deftness attribute of each character, their equipment, and the innate modifier of a given spell. The scaling for the Deftness attribute is calculated as Deftness X 0.015 + 1.56, capping at a hard limit of 7% at 500, and every spell save for the Zam-family uses a modifier that cuts the Deftness influence in half. For example at 500 Deftness the Frizz spell has a 3.5% chance to go haywire, but the Zam spells all use a double modifier for a 14% chance.

Equipping the monster hearts of the clawcerer and meowgician increase the haywire power and activation rate by 50% and 10% respectively.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Attack and healing spells have their power increased by 150~200% when they go haywire, and status ailment spells void two degrees of resistance. Unlike newer games the chance for spells to go haywire is not influence by any character attribute, though it can be raised by unlocking the Critical Spell Rate Up passive trait of the spellcraft skill tree.

Dragon Quest X

Haywire spells now utilize the Deftness attribute just like critical hits, becoming the standard for the series going forward.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Haywire attack spells increase their output by 150~200%, healing spells by 120~160%, and status ailment spells void two degrees of resistance.

The Deftness attribute influence is calculated as Deftness/200, with a natural cap of 5%.Spells are half as likely to go haywire when compared to a normal attack going critical, matching most skills. The exception to this is the Zam-family of spells, which are twice as likely to go haywire as other attack spells and increase their damage by 200~250% The chance of a critical spell can also be boosted with certain pieces of equipment, most of which are restricted to Veronica and Rab. Additionally, all three of the main spellcasters in the party (Veronica, Serena, and Rab) will receive boosts to their critical spell chance when they are pepped up.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

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Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D

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Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca's Marvelous Mysterious Key

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Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3

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Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

Attack spells that go haywire ignore enemy resistances the same way critical hits ignore their defence. Damage output is increased by 150% and if the enemy is weak to the element of the spell then the damage is raised further. Healing spells also increase in power by 150%, and status ailment inducing spells ignore the target's resistances. The rate of a spell going haywire is dependent on the monster's Wisdom attribute and can be further raised by the Critical Mastermind, Critical Theorist, Critical Thinker, Magical Moment, & Naked Ambition traits. If the enemy possesses the Desperate Measures trait then it will void the effects of haywire spells cast on it.

Dragon Quest Tact

Offensive spells can at times land critical hits too with the haywire effects being known as Runaway Magic, which the chances of occurring can be increased by perks found only on certain units.