Critical Hit: Difference between revisions

Every time any character makes an attack, they have a small chance of that attack being a "Critical Hit," (会心の一撃, ''Kaishin no ichigeki'', lit. "satisfying blow/hit") which drastically increases the damage dealt on that particular turn. Since critical hits ignore defence, it makes them an instant kill on all [[metal monsters]], provided the monster does not dodge the critical hit. Weapons that strike multiple times, such as the [[Falcon Knife Earrings]], can strike critically, but weapons that strike multiple targets cannot (Flails, {{Whip}}s, {{Boomerang}}s).  

However, many monsters also can get critical hits, usually termed a ''terrific blow'', ''brutal hit'', or ''desperate attack'' (痛恨の一撃, ''tsūkon no ichigeki''). For monsters, there are different variations of critical hits: the first of which simply ignores the target's defence, much like the critical hits landed by playable characters. The second variation lands an attack that simply deals 250% the amount of their normal attack. Some monsters and bosses also have a variation which deals a fixed amount of damage, as well.

The critical hit rate is fixed at {{fraction|1|64}}. Monsters gained the ability to land critical hits starting in the second game.

In the [[Nintendo DS]] and [[Cell phone]] Versions of ''IV'', Alena's critical hit rate was tweaked to  ''(Level x 0.75)/256''. In the Nintendo DS version, the effect stops at level 64 still, making her critical rate cap at 18.75%; however, the phone version raises the cap to level 89, granting her a rate of 26.07% - provided, of course, the player is willing to raise her that high.

The critical hit rate returns to {{fraction|1|64}} and cannot be improved. Certain monsters and bosses will land desperate attacks that deal a fixed amount of damage, such as [[Hammerhood]]s, [[Urnexpected]]s, [[King Korol]] and [[Nimzo]] in his second form.

Characters have the standard {{fraction|1|64}} rate unless they become martial artists at [[Alltrades Abbey]]. After taking up the art of the fist, the character's rank in the vocation will improve their chance to land a critical until they hit the cap of {{fraction|1|8}} at rank 8. This gives a party of martial artists a 50% chance to score a critical when using normal attacks and single-target skills that utilizes their strength stat.

*[[Paladin]]s have a similar vocation trait, in that they have a chance to instantly slay a target based on rank. Though this will not work on boss monsters, it will still slay metal slimes at a {{fraction|1|8}} rate when mastered.

Beginning in {{Dragon Quest IX}} and carrying forwards to ''X'' and {{Dragon Quest Heroes}}, the frequency of critical hits became dependent on a character's deftness.

For ''IX'', the algorithm is ''Deftness/100 + 3% (with weapon skill trait boost)''. Wearing the Critical Acclaim will add another 4%, and thus the maximum rate is ''(999/100) + 3% + 4% = 16.99%'' at 999 deftness, the critical hit up skill trait and the Critical Acclaim revocation medal.

| Class || Base Deftness at Level 1 || Chance to Crit || Base Deftness at Level 99 || Chance to Crit

| [[Luminary]] || 16 || 0.16% || 259 || 2.6%

Every 200 points of deftness increases the critical hit chance by 1%, leading to a natural cap of 5%. Skill panel, pep boosts and equipment bonuses can raise this chance even further. Also, for the first time in the series, boomerangs are able to land critical hits.

Critical Hits are a unique trait to {{Hero Smash}}'s moveset in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. His Smash Attacks have a 1/8 chance to result in a Critical Hit, which doubles both the damage and knockback. The Critical Hit sound effect from the ''Dragon Quest'' series plays when it occurs. His [[Hatchet Man]] command in his Down Special: Command Selection will always result in a Critical Hit should it connect.

With the implementation of skills in ''V'', certain abilities were designed with instant critical hit rates in mind. These skills would often have a paltry MP cost, but suffer the same low accuracy as the above mentioned weapons in older titles.

Beginning with ''IX'' spells can also land critical hits, where the spell "goes haywire". This not only increases damage output of attack magic, but also boosts healing spells. If a status-changing spell goes haywire, its chance of working increases to 100% (barring the target being immune). Investing 54 skill points into the [[Mage]]'s Spellcraft skill will increase the chance of a spell going haywire.

The [[Zam]] line of spells have a four-times higher chance to critical than other spells. The chance of a critical spell can also be boosted with certain pieces of equipment, most of which are restricted to [[Veronica (Dragon Quest XI)|Veronica]] and [[Rab]]. Additionally, all three of the main spellcasters in the party (Veronica, [[Serena (Dragon Quest XI)|Serena]], and Rab) will receive boosts to their critical spell chance when they are pepped up.