Hero (Dragon Quest VIII)
Hero | |
Dragon Quest VIII | |
File:Dq8-hero.jpg | |
Japanese name | ヒーロ |
Romaji | Hiiro |
Title | Captain of the Guard |
Class | Hero |
Race | Half-human, half-Dragovian |
Age | 20 |
The Hero of Dragon Quest VIII was a low-ranking royal guardsmen in Trodain Castle. He was one of the small band who survived Dhoulmagus' deadly attack, along with his current traveling companions Trode, Medea and Munchie, the faithful mouse who lives in the Hero's bag.
The Hero is a versatile character, as equally proficient in armed combat as he is in using healing spells and support magic. His preferred weapons are swords, spears and boomerangs.
Appearance and Personality
Like all Dragon Quest heroes, the Hero is perpetually silent throughout the game. He is half-human and half-Dragovian. His father is Eltrio, an Argonian prince who is the elder brother of the Argonian king of the kingdom of Argonia, Clavius. His mother is Xia, a Dragovian girl.
In contrast to heroes of other games, this Hero dresses very casually, a consequence of his lowborn upbringing as opposed to being royalty or some kind of chosen one. He also does not appear to wear any kind of armour (irrespective of whatever he may actually have equipped). His red bandana has become one of his iconic features. Dragon Quest VIII has a character's in-game appearance change based on their weapon and shield, a first for the series.
Munchie
The Hero carries around his pet, Munchie, wherever he goes. A highly intelligent Pig-Rat. Munchie is capable of entering small spaces and exploring areas the party would otherwise have no access to, if you give Munchie cheese items he have special abilities. Munchie rides in a pocket of the Hero's coat most of the time. Munchie will show true significance after the game.
Abilities
Sword
Points Name MP Target Tension Oomph Info 4 Attack + 5 - Auto - - - 9 Dragon Slash 0 1 Yes Yes Inflicts 150% damage on dragons (otherwise normal damage) 15 Flame Slash 0 1 Yes Yes Inflicts 150% damage (reduced if enemy is resistant to fire) 22 Attack + 10 - Auto - - - 30 Metal Slash 0 1 Yes No Inflicts 1-2 damage on metal monsters 40 Critical Hit % - Auto - - - 52 Falcon Slash 0 1 Yes Yes 2 slashes per attach each ~75% 66 Attack + 26 - Auto - - - 82 Miracle Slash 4 1 Yes Yes Inflicts 125% damage and restores your HP by 50% of damage 100 Gigaslash 20 Group Yes No Inflicts up to 239 damage to each member of a group 100* Gigagash 20 Group Yes No Inflicts up to 331 damage to each member of a group *Requires 100 points in both swords and courage
Boomerang
Points Name MP Target Tension Oomph Info 6 Crosscutter Throw 2 All Yes Yes The first enemy is hit twice. 12 Attack + 5 - Auto - - - 18 Power Throw 4 All Yes Yes Slightly less damage but damage is shared out equally 25 Attack + 10 - Auto - - - 32 Firebird Throw 6 All Yes No 36-44 damage to all enemies 40 Attack + 15 - Auto - - - 52 Super Throw 4 All Yes Yes More powerful version on 'Power Throw' Damage approx: 150% 66 Attack + 20 - Auto - - - 82 Starburst Throw 8 All Yes No 76-84 damage to all enemies 100 Gigathrow 15 1 Yes No Inflicts up to 284 damage to a single enemy
Spear
Points Name MP Target Tension Oomph Info 3 Attack + 5 - Auto - - - 7 Mercurial Thrust 0 1 Yes Yes The Hero is first to attack Damage approx: 80% 12 Thunder Thrust 3 1 Yes No A hit highly likley to be a critacal hit 18 Attack + 10 - Auto - - - 25 Multithrust 4 1-4 Yes Yes 3-4 thrusts per attack at approx: 50% damage each 34 Critical hit % - Auto - - - 45 Clean Sweep 0 Group Yes Yes Initial damage approx: 80% decreases from left to right 59 Lightning Thrust 0 1 No No More powerful version of Thunder Thrust (all hits critical) 77 Attack + 25 - Auto - - - 100 Lightning Storm 25 All Yes No Inflicts 190-220 damage on all enemies
Fisticuffs
Points Name MP Target Tension Oomph Info 4 Attack + 5 - Auto - - - 11 Defending Champion 0 Self Yes No More powerful defending action (damage reduced by 90%) 17 Stones' Throw 0 Group Yes No 8-20 damage on a group of enemies 24 Knuckle Sandwich 2 1 No Yes Inflicts 150% points of damage 33 Attack + 20 - Auto - - - 42 Thin Air 2 All Yes No Inflicts up to 132 points of damage on all enemies 52 Critical Hit % - Auto - - - 70 Multifists 0 1-4 Yes Yes 4 blows per attack each at approx: 33% 82 Boulder Toss 4 All Yes No Inflicts 72-104 damage on all enemies 100 Attack + 50 - Auto - - -
Courage
Points Name MP Target Tension Oomph Info 8 Zoom 1 - - - Teleports player to entrance of known location (outdoors only) 16 Tingle 2 Party No No Cures party of sleep and paralyed status changes 28 Holy Protection 4 - - - Random battles against weak monsters are avoided 40 Fizzle 3 Group No No Prevents enemy group from using magic 48 Zap 6 All Yes No Inflicts up to 88 damage on all enemies 56 MP Used 3/4 - Auto - - - 70 Kamikazee 1 All - - The Hero sacrifises himself to deal high damage to all enemies 82 Omniheal 36 Party - - Restores full HP to all party members 90 MP Used 1/2 - Auto - - - 100 Kazap 15 Group - - Inflicts up to 220 damage on a group of monsters 100 See Gigaslash/Gigagash on Sword skills
Magic
Level - Name MP Target Tension Info 3 Heal 2 1 Yes Restores 30-40 HP to one character 4 Squelch 2 1 No Cures one character of poison and envenomated status changes 6 Evac 2 - No Teleports player back to dungeon enterance (Dungeons only) 11 Sizz 4 Group Yes Inflicts up to 35 fire damage on each member of a group 18 Midheal 3 1 Yes Restores 75-90 HP to one character 20 Sizzle 6 Group Yes Inflicts up to 62 fire damage on each member of a group 27 Fullheal 6 1 No Restores all HP to one character 29 Zing 8 1 No Revives a dead character with 50% of HP (50% success rate) 32 Kasizzle 10 Group Yes Inflicts up to 170 fire damage on each member of a group 65 Dragon Soul 64 1 Yes Inflicts more than 400 damage to one enemy
Skill Tips
Swords pay off if you are in pursuit of metal monsters, with Metal Slash (30 points) being particularly useful. If you accumulate 100 points in swords and courage you learn the almighty gigagash, although this takes quite some time to acheive.
Spears are ideal for hunters of metal monsters in particular, with Thunder Thrust (12 points) and Lightning Thrust (59 points). The Multithrust (25 points) is also worth a try against single enemies.
Boomerangs are a real boon in the beggining of the game because they attack all enemies. Later, however, this skill becomes less useful (over 40 points: Attack + 15), so it is advisable to switch to developing to differents skills.
Fisticuffs is largely ineffectual to the other skills, although some actions are worth a try like Thin Air (42 points). The Hero can only make a real impression when he learns Attack + 50 (100 points).
Courage is extreamly useful as a means of learning traits that reduse MP consumption (at 56 and 90 points). Don't ignore the advanced attacks either (Zap, 48 points and Kazap at 100 points), or the Omniheal spell at 82 points.
Suggested Strategies: Learn Courage up to 8 points (Zoom) initially, then learn Boomerangs up to 40 points (Attack + 15) followed by courage up to 100. Next, increase your Swords skill to 66 (Attack + 25) or Spears up to 59 (Critical Hit %).
Another option would be to forgo Boomerangs alltogether and start by dividing points equally between Swords and Courage (up to Swords 66), then switching to Spears and Courage.
However, since you come across some extreamly effective spears in the oppening stages of the game, you may prefer to concentrate on mastering spears from the outset.