Monster recruitment

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The cast of Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation along with several monstrous mates and Lizzie.

Introduced in Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, the recruitment of bested beasts has appeared in some capacity in nearly every title in the series since 1992.

Specifically, the system was present in every even-numbered title beginning with Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation until the release of the HD-2D remake of the third game in 2024.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake[edit]

Monster recruitment is set to be in the game's 2D-HD Remake, though details are currently unknown.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride[edit]

Monster recruitment was simplistic in its original inception, being a fixed percentage that could not be changed by the player. If multiple recruitable monsters appear in the same encounter, only the final felled foe will have a chance to join the Hero. In the Nintendo DS and cell phone versions, monster allies will only alternate between two lines of dialogue during Party Chat, as opposed to the fuller conversations of human characters.

As of 2019, the Cell phone ports saw the addition of the Monster magnet accessory for the the Hero, which when equipped can increase the odds of a monster joining up by one rank. This is likely due to the release of Dragon Quest: Your Story, which would have attracted a new audience to the title and such players would have desired an easier time collecting monsters.


Sprite Monster Name SFC PS2 DS & Phone Tame Rate Level required Recruitment locations
ArchdemonMUG DQV DS.png Archdemon No No Yes 164 30 Mantleplace
BadappleMUG DQV DS.png Bad apple No Yes Yes 14 7 Faerie Lea, Dwarf's Den
Barbatos DS mugshot.png Barbatos Yes Yes Yes 1256 41 Estark's Labyrinth
BattlepipMUG DQV DS.png Battle pip No Yes Yes 116 7 Faerie Lea
BeastmasterMUG DQV DS.png Beastmaster No Yes Yes 14 30 Mantleplace
BlizzybodyMUG DQV DS.png Blizzybody No Yes Yes 164 26 Estuary Sanctuary
Bomboulder DS mugshot.png Bomboulder Yes Yes Yes 1256 30 Neverglade, Talon Tower, Estark's Labyrinth
BrownieMUG DQV DS.png Brownie Yes Yes Yes 14 7 Whealbrook Adit, Fortuna area, Talon Tower area
ChimaeraMUG DQV DS.png Chimaera Yes Yes Yes 116 15 Mount Magmageddon
ConkererMUG DQV DS.png Conkerer No Yes Yes 132 27 Neverglade area, Stairway to Zenithia area
ConkjurerMUG DQV DS.png Conkjurer No Yes Yes 132 27 Neverglade area, Stairway to Zenithia area
ConkuisitorMUG DQV DS.png Conkuisitor No Yes Yes 132 27 Neverglade area, Stairway to Zenithia area
ConkuistadorMUG DQV DS.png Conkuistador No Yes Yes 132 27 Neverglade area, Stairway to Zenithia area
Cross eye DS mugshot.png Cross eye Yes Yes Yes 132 9 Abovitall Tower, Scary Lair, Zoomingale Tunnel
CureslimeMUG DQV DS.png Cureslime Yes Yes Yes 164 16 Dominicus' Dominion area, Cataract Caves, Helmunaptra area
Dracky DS mugshot.png Dracky Yes Yes Yes 14 7 Coburg area, Fortuna area,
Drag goof DS mugshot.png Drag-goof Yes Yes Yes 116 18 Gotha Path, Gotha area
Dwight DS mugshot.png Dwight No Yes Yes N/A N/A Dwarf's Den (3rd generation)
Epipany DS mugshot.png Epipany No Yes Yes 116 7 Faerie Lea
Fandangow DS mugshot.png Fandangow Yes Yes Yes 132 9 Coburg area
Fat rat DS mugshot.png Fat rat No Yes Yes 12 7 Talon Tower area
Flamethrower DS mugshot.png Flamethrower No Yes Yes 164 16 Helmunaptra area, Mount Magmageddon
Funghoul DS mugshot.png Funghoul No Yes Yes 116 7 Coburg area, Zoomingale area, Whealbrook area, Fortuna area
Ghost DS mugshot.png Ghost No Yes Yes 12 7 Porgie Estate
Gigantes DS mugshot.png Gigantes Yes Yes Yes 132 34 Nadiria, Estark's Labyrinth
Golem DS mugshot.png Golem Yes Yes Yes 14 25 Lofty Peak area, summoned by Metal dragons and Muddy hands.
Goodybag DS mugshot.png Goodybag Yes Yes Yes 116 16 Mount Magmageddon, Cataract Caves
Great dragon DS mugshot.png Great dragon Yes Yes Yes 164 35 Nadiria, Estark's Labyrinth
Grudgerigar DS mugshot.png Grudgerigar Yes Yes Yes 132 9 Coburg castle dungeon, Fortuna area
Hades helm DS mugshot.png Hades' helm No Yes Yes 164 29 Diggery Pokery, Mantleplace
Hawk man DS mugshot.png Hawk man No Yes Yes 132 23 Knightmare Towers
Healslime DS mugshot.png Healslime Yes Yes Yes 132 7 Abovitall Tower, Faerie Lea
Hellion DS mugshot.png Hellion Yes Yes Yes 132 23 Knightmare Towers
Hoodlum DS mugshot.png Hoodlum Yes Yes Yes 116 25 Stairway to Zenithia, Lofty Peak area, Central Continent
Hulagan DS mugshot.png Hulagan No Yes Yes 116 9 Abovitall Tower, Hay area
Hyperanemon DS mugshot.png Hyperanemon Yes Yes Yes 164 41 Estark's Labyrinth
Jailcat DS mugshot.png Jailcat No No Yes 116 7 Fortuna area
Killing machine DS mugshot.png Killing machine Yes Yes Yes 1256 34 Nadiria, Estark's Labyrinth
King cureslime DS mugshot.png King cureslime Yes Yes Yes 164 28 Stairway to Zenithia
King slime DS mugshot.png King slime Yes Yes Yes 164 10 Helmunaptra area, Dominicus' Dominion area
Liquid metal slime2.png Liquid metal slime Yes Yes Yes 1256 20 Central Continent, Gotha Path, Riteof Passage, Knightmare Towers, Ancient Ruins area (G3), Mantleplace, Nadiria, Estark's Labyrinth,
Magic marionette DS mugshot.png Magic marionette Yes Yes Yes 132 12 Mostroferrato area, Scuttlebutt area
Man o war DS mugshot.png Man o' war Yes Yes Yes 12 18 Ocean
Mandrake marshal DS mugshot.png Mandrake marshal Yes Yes Yes 132 32 Talon Tower, Crocodilopolis, Estark's Labyrinth
Metal slime3.png Metal slime No Yes Yes 1256 7 Whealbrook Adit (G2), Abovitall Tower, Scary Lair, Cataract Caves, Dominicus' Dominion, Neverglade, Nadiria, Estark's Labyrinth
Minidemon DS mugshot.png Minidemon Yes Yes Yes 132 20 Gotha Path, Knightmare Towers
Moosifer DS mugshot.png Moosifer Yes Yes Yes 14 30 Neverglade, Talon Tower
Mudraker DS mugshot.png Mudraker No Yes Yes 14 11 Scary Lair
Old man of the sea DS mugshot.png Old man of the sea Yes Yes Yes 132 25 Ocean
Orc king DS mugshot.png Orc king Yes Yes Yes 14 21 Gotha area, Riteof Passage
Pip fighter DS mugshot.png Pip fighter No Yes Yes 116 7 Faerie Lea
Pocus poppet DS mugshot.png Pocus poppet No Yes Yes 116 10 Scary Lair, Zoomingale outskirts, Lodestar Harbor outskirts
Powie yowie DS mugshot.png Powie yowie Yes Yes Yes 132 7 Coburg area
Prestidigitator DS mugshot.png Prestidigitator Yes Yes Yes 14 10 Scary Lair area, Fairy Lea, Lodestar Harbor area, Zoomingale area
Rebjørn No Yes Yes N/A N/A The Pothold
Restless armour DS mugshot.png Restless armour No Yes Yes 164 10 Scary Lair area, Abovitall Tower, Zoomingale area
Revaulting horse DS mugshot.png Revaulting horse Yes Yes Yes 116 27 Central Continent
Rockbomb DS mugshot.png Rockbomb Yes Yes Yes 164 15 Mount Magmageddon, Knightmare Towers
Rotten apple.png Rotten apple No Yes Yes 12 7 Coburg area
Saber DS mugshot.png Saber Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A Roundbeck
Samigina DS mugshot.png Samigina Yes Yes Yes 132 20 Gotha area, Riteof Passage, Knightmare Towers
DQ5-NDS-SLIME-MUGSHOT.png Slime Yes Yes Yes 12 7 Whealbrook Adit, Fortuna outskirts, Dominicus Dominion, Desert near Talon Tower
Slime knight DS mugshot.png Slime knight Yes Yes Yes 14 7 Fortuna area, Coburg area
SmallfryMUG DQV DS.png Small fry Yes Yes Yes 116 7 Fortuna area, Coburg area
SnowbirdMUG DQV DS.png Snowbird Yes Yes Yes 132 34 Nadiria
Starkers No Yes Yes N/A N/A Estark's Labyrinth -Stark Raving T'N'T board
TickingtimeburrmMUG DQV DS.png Ticking timeburrm Yes Yes Yes 132 7 Whealbrook area, Fortuna area
Walking corpse1.png Walking corpse Yes Yes Yes 132 7 Coburg castle dungeon, Whealbrook Adit
Warhog.png Warhog Yes Yes Yes 132 28 Diggery Pokery, Talon Tower, Mantleplace
Wax murderer.png Wax murderer No Yes Yes 116 7 Porgie Estate
Wiz pip.png Wiz pip No Yes Yes 116 7 Faerie Lea

Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation[edit]

In the original SFC version of VI monster recruitment worked identically to V, though someone in the party must be a Monster Master for the chance to activate. When the DS version (and subsequent Cell phone ports) were produced, this mechanic was retired in favor of "Slime Buddies": Slimes players could interact with in towns and dungeons like NPCs who would join the party once certain conditions were met as was the case with Lizzie. These Slimes are not treated as full characters, however, and thus lack the detailed Party Chat of humans and Lizzie.

In both versions of the game, any recruited Slime may enter into the gladiatorial contests at Slimopolis.

Available in the SFC version[edit]

Sprite Monster Name Tame Rate Rank required
Dq6batteringramsnes.png
Damned ram 116 4
Bosstroll DQVI SNES.gif
Boss troll 116 5
Dg6chimaerasnes.png
Dreamaera 132 4
Furrat.gif
Feralball 14 1
Windmage.gif
Gustbluster 164 3
Dq6healslimesnes.png
Healslime 116 2
Dq6highdjinkssnes.png
High djinks 1256 8
Dq6 king slime.png
King slime 164 5
Dq6lesserdemonsnes.png
Lesser demon 14 3
Dq6LMSsnes.png
Liquid metal slime 1256 6
Dq6lipssnes.png
Lips 164 1
Dq6mudmannequainsnes.png
Mud mannequin 164 2
Dq6overkillingmachinesnes.png
Overkilling machine 164 7
Dq6rockbombsnes.png
Rockbomb 132 4
DQ6-SFC-SLIME.png
Slime 12 1
Dq6slimeknightsnes.png
Slime knight 14 2
Supertensk.gif
Sluggernaut 14 3
Dq6walkingcorpsesnes.png
Walking corpse 132 2

Available in the DS & phone versions[edit]

Sprite Monster Name Location
Goowain mugshot.png Goowain Howcastle
Healie mugshot.png Healie Clearvale
Spot mugshot.png Spot Castle Graceskull
Kinglsey mugshot.png Kingsley Château de Sass
Goober mugshot.png Goober Slimopolis
Lizzie mugshot.png Lizzie Arkbolt
Curie mugshot.png Curie Suite Dreams
Shelley mugshot.png Shelley Underwater Inn
Mercury mugshot.png Mercury Suite Dreams

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past[edit]

Monster recruitment is not present in the seventh game; instead, monsters will sojourn off to a sort of wild life reserve called the Monster Meadows that is unlocked during the normal course of the game. Once there, they can be spoken to in their natural habitat as if they were NPCs, though only three lines of dialogue will be spoken. The Animal Magnetism skill makes taming these beasts much easier than in previous games, being the first time a player has direct influence on the probability in a numbered title.

Additionally, defeated monsters will occasionally drop Monster Hearts. These function similarly to the Dragonic Diligence and Liquid Metal Mind scrolls from VI, and allow the character holding them to take on monster-based vocations at Alltrades Abbey. The main difference is that a character's sprite will change into the corresponding monster once the vocation is mastered.

  • In the 3DS remake, the character will immediately become a monster after using a heart.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King[edit]

In the PS2 version of the game, players will notice several monsters wandering the overworld. These infamous beasties prove much more capable than their randomly encountered counterparts, but once the player pays a visit to Morrie's place they can join the party. This allows the monsters to enter the competition in Morrie's Monstrous Pit, and through the use of the Call Team skill they may be summoned into battle for 3 or more turns. All recruited monsters grow more powerful as the Hero's Level rises, and do not need to gain battle Experience themselves.

Available in all versions[edit]

Dragon Quest X[edit]

Certain monsters can be recruited by players beginning in version 2.0, which saw the return of the Monster Wrangler vocation to the series after nearly 14 years of absence. Version 2.1 added the Item Master vocation and it's selection of monsters. The former tames organic monsters, while the latter handles living objects and robots, with each having 15 species to choose from.

Taming itself is fairly simple, but players must perform research on the species they want prior to the encounter. This is done in the form of obtaining zoological books on monsters or user manuals for machines, and using one as an item in battle to unlock the scouting attack for that particular breed. This attack creates a base 10% chance to capture the monster once it falls. The skill does not need to be the final blow of the battle; as long as it has been used over the course of the encounter the chance to recruit the beast is established. Once tamed, the monster can join the player immediately or be sent off to the monster bar where most scouting books are obtained, and one character can store up to 24 monsters at the pub.

Monsters that have joined players are controlled through A.I. dependent on their personality and essentially serve as party members for times when the player's friends and comrades are offline. Monsters have a Level cap of 50, but can undergo a process similar to a Revocation to further raise their stats. The equipment pool of a given monster is fixed and cannot be changed, but gear can be shared between the monster and master: for example a Monster Master and Hacksaurus can simultaneously wield the same Kaiser axe in a battle for the sake of player convenience. New to the series is the concept of bonding, a stat that denotes the level of attachment a monster has to its master and is raised by fighting together. Raising this stat will confer benefits such as additional skill points, and once this stat reaches a certain threshold, a monster will follow a character regardless of their Vocation.

Monster Name Version available Weapon Armour Book
Brownie 2.4 Hammers Heavy armour Monster battle road prize
Chimaera 2.0 Wands Robes Casino prize
Dracky 2.3 Heavy wands Robes Monster battle road prize
Great sabrecat 4.1 Claws Clothing Monster drop
Hacksaurus 2.0 Axes Heavy armour Casino prize
Healslime 2.0 Wands Robes Sold at tavern
Imp 2.2 Spears Robes Sold at tavern
Jailcat 2.0 Claws Robes Monster drop
Mandrake major 2.0 Swords Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Meowgician 2.0 Heavy wands Robes Sold at tavern
Mischievous mole 2.0 Staves Clothing Monster drop
Slime 2.0 Boomerangs Clothing Sold at tavern
Slime knight 2.0 Swords Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Small fry 2.2 Claws Clothing Sold at tavern
Teeny sanguini 2.0 Wands Robes Sold at tavern


Monster Name Version available Weapon Armor Book
Bambooligan 2.1 Spears Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Fromage Fray 2.1 Heavy wands Robes Sold at tavern
Golem 2.1 Greatswords Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Goodybag 2.1 Fans Robes Casino prize
Harmour 2.1 Swords Heavy armour Casino prize
Hat hamwitch 2.1 Heavy wands Robes Monster drop
Hellbound horror 2.3 Axes Clothing Sold at tavern
Killing machine 2.2 Greatswords Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Magic marionette 2.2 Knives Clothing Sold at tavern
Mecha-mynah 2.1 Claws Clothing Sold at tavern
Needle man 2.1 Knives Clothing Sold at tavern
Pocus poppet 4.2 Boomerangs Clothing Monster drop
Prancing pillar 2.1 Fans Clothing Sold at tavern
Restless armour 2.1 Swords Heavy armour Sold at tavern
Wardrobe mimic 2.4 Bows Robes Sold at tavern

Dragon Quest Builders 2[edit]

On explorer's shores after Skelkatrez, one can recruit monsters with Monster munchies. When a monster that can be tamed is defeated, there is a chance that it will stand up instead of fading away and a thirty second timer will begin to count down--the munchies must be used in this period or the monster will become annoyed and go away.

Tamed monsters join the residents of the Island of Awakening as NPCs, who go about their daily routines as the other islanders do, and some have special effects: the Chimaeras can be ridden to fly, the Powie yowie can be given an ice lolly to spread snow, the Liquid metal slime will play tag once a day for 100 hearts, etc.

Monster Name Location Gimmick
Bloody Hand Unholy Holm Plays with islanders
crafts items at workstations
Brownie Iridescent Island Demolishes blocks marked with a smashing sign
Chimaera Blossom Bay Flying mount
Corpse Corporal Laguna Perfuma Bartender
Cosmic Chimaera Rimey Reef Flying mount
Ghoul Rimey Reef Bartender
Gold Golem Coral Cay Can use terraforma tiles
Melee mount
Golem Sunny Sands (one per visit) Can use terraforma tiles
Mount
Great Sabrecub Blossom Bay Double-jump mount
Great Sabrecat Soggy Skerry Double-jump mount
Hammerhood Sunny Sands Demolishes blocks marked with a smashing sign
Healslime nearly all Explorer's Shores Casts Heal in battle
Bartender
Hocus Chimaera Iridescent Island Flying mount
Hunter Mech Rimey Reef Farmer
Killing Machine Laguna Perfuma Farmer
Living Statue Rimey Reef (one per visit) Produces dyes at stain extractors
Liquid Metal Slime Laguna Perfuma Plays tag
Muddy Hand Soggy Skerry Plays with islanders
crafts items at workstations
Powie Yowie Rimey Reef Feed ice lollies to freeze ground
She-Slime Sunny Sands Double-jump mount
Slime Blossom Bay Double-jump mount
Stone Golem Iridescent Island (one per visit) Can use terraforma tiles
Melee mount
Stone Guardian Unholy Holm Produces dyes at stain extractors
Walking Corpse Soggy Skerry Bartender


Dragon Quest Monsters 1 & 2[edit]

While monsters retain a base chance to join the player upon defeat as in previous games, the chance can be greatly enhanced by using Monster munchies in battle.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker series[edit]

Recruitment is implemented via the Scout option in the battle menu. When selected, the player's team of monsters will perform a group assault on the target to impress the monster into joining. The percentile chance is displayed onscreen, and can easily reach 100% if the group's sum attack power is high enough. However, if the enemy is too durable then the assault can easily leave the player with a big fat 0%--it is imperative to apply Oomph and Sap to raise the chances even higher.

Gallery[edit]