Skills (Dragon Quest IX)
Skills in Dragon Quest IX are awarded using a points based system that is tied to character level. As a character gains levels, they may apply a certain number of skill points toward class-specific skills. For full lists of each different skill type, see Lists of skills in Dragon Quest IX.
Earning Skill Points
For each character class, a total of 200 skill points can be earned by growing from level 1 to 99. These points are distributed in a bell curve over the span of levels.
| Level | Skill Points | Level | Skill Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 50 | 2 | |
| 6 | 3 | 51 | 2 | |
| 8 | 3 | 53 | 2 | |
| 9 | 3 | 54 | 2 | |
| 11 | 3 | 56 | 2 | |
| 12 | 3 | 57 | 2 | |
| 14 | 4 | 59 | 2 | |
| 15 | 4 | 60 | 2 | |
| 17 | 4 | 62 | 2 | |
| 18 | 4 | 63 | 2 | |
| 20 | 4 | 65 | 2 | |
| 21 | 4 | 66 | 2 | |
| 23 | 5 | 68 | 2 | |
| 24 | 5 | 69 | 2 | |
| 26 | 5 | 71 | 2 | |
| 27 | 5 | 72 | 2 | |
| 29 | 5 | 74 | 2 | |
| 30 | 5 | 75 | 2 | |
| 32 | 6 | 77 | 2 | |
| 33 | 6 | 78 | 2 | |
| 35 | 6 | 80 | 2 | |
| 36 | 6 | 81 | 2 | |
| 38 | 6 | 83 | 2 | |
| 39 | 6 | 84 | 2 | |
| 41 | 5 | 86 | 2 | |
| 42 | 5 | 87 | 2 | |
| 44 | 4 | 89 | 2 | |
| 45 | 4 | 90 | 2 | |
| 47 | 3 | 92 | 2 | |
| 48 | 3 | 93 | 2 | |
| 95 | 2 | |||
| 96 | 2 | |||
| 98 | 2 | |||
| 99 | 2 |
Applying Skill Points
For each class, only a subset of skills are available to be improved using skill points. This means that strategy must be applied in order to maximize the capabilities of a character as they gain levels and change classes. Skill points must be applied wisely due to the fact that certain skills are only available to a small number of classes.
Classes/Skills Matrix
This table does not include skills which are available to only a single class or the Hero skills.
| Class | Sword | Spear | Staff | Knife | Shield | Claw | Whip | Fan | Axe | Hammer | Fisticuffs | Wand | Bow | Boomerang |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minstrel | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Warrior | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Martial Artist | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Priest | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Mage | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Thief | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Gladiator | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Armamentalist | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Paladin | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Ranger | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Sage | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | ||||||||||
| Luminary | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden | Template:Hidden |
Maximizing Character Skills
It is impossible to fully maximize a single character's skills without the use of skill seeds before beating story mode. There are 14 multi-class skills and only 12 classes. This means that a minimum of 2 skill types cannot reach the max of 100 points for any single character. Skill seeds can be used to fill the remaining 200 skill points if desired.
Once the story is completed for the first time, a character at level 99 in a vocation can revocate back to level 1 and regain skill points again without losing the ones used. This allows that character to fill in the remaining 200 missing points.
