Cumulus vex

Dragon Quest monster Cumulus vex

Art by Akira Toriyama Japanese ヘルクラウダー Romaji Heru kuraudā First appearance Dragon Quest VII Old localization HellCloud (VII PS1)

The Cumulus Vex is a recurring monster in the Dragon Quest series, first appearing as a boss in Dragon Quest VII. It is a king of the skies whose body is made up of clouds.

Characteristics

Cumulus vex has the appearance of an old wizard whose body and clothes are completely composed of golden clouds. It has solid green eyes, pointed ears, and a long majestic beard that reaches down to its feet. On top of its head, it has two long strands of "hair" that stick up like horns while the rest seems to blend in with the billowing robes it is wearing. Its hands have three digits each and the bottom of its body is surrounded by grey stormclouds. It is a fearsome enemy to face in battle, calling upon razor-sharp blasts of wind that rip apart its enemies and overwhelming the unprepared with sheer numbers due to its ability to call upon Sky fries to aid it in battle. In the Nintendo 3DS version of VII, it speaks in wind-based puns. Although the Cumulus vex was a boss in its first appearance, it went on to become a regular enemy when it reappeared in IX. According to its description in IX, cumulus vexes may actually be a genetic mutation of the Freezing fog.

Appearances

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past

Cumulus vex (ヘルクラウダー Heru kuraudā)

Sprite	HP	MP	Attack	Defense
	3,080	0	185	91
Agility	Experience	Gold	Tame Rate
96	2,160	604	N/a

Bestiary No.	#291
Spell(s)	None
Skill(s)	Occasionally acts twice per turn Wind Sickles Thin Air Call for backup (Sky fry)
Location(s)	Sanctum of the Cirrus
Item(s) Dropped	N/a

Evasion	Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *	Fire Breath Resistance *
2⁄64	0%	0%	0%
Bang Resistance *	Crack Resistance *	Ice Breath Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *
0%	0%	50%	100%
Strike/Rock Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Drain Magic Resistance *	Whack Resistance *
0%	0%	100%	100%
Poof Resistance *	Poison Resistance *	Burning Breath Resistance	Fuddle Resistance *
100%	100%	100%	100%
Snooze Resistance *	Dazzle Resistance *	Fizzle Resistance *	Ban Dance Resistance
100%	100%	100%	100%
Stun Resistance *	Sap Resistance *	Army Resistance *
100%	100%	100%

3DS version changes

None

• Floating-type

Stategy

The Cumulus vex is a tough boss, being able to act twice in a single turn. It uses wind-based attacks like Thin Air, that hits all of the party for about 60 points of damage, and Wind Sickles, that hits one party member for 80 damage (~100 in the 3DS version). Its ability to summon multiple Sky fries makes the battle more difficult. Thankfully, the sky fries can be put to sleep, have their spells sealed away, or confused to take them out of the action.

Attacks that hit more than one enemy are very helpful. Although it is expensive, the Flametang boomerang that can be purchased in Aeolus Vale will likely be the strongest weapon acquirable at that point that can hit all enemies. Boom is effective as well. Unfortunately, Ruff's Call of the Wild and the Shepherd's Lambpede are completely useless in the battle. Physical attackers should focus their attacks on the Cumulus vex or use Sword Dance. Spellcasters should keep the party healed, cast Kabuff and Oomph when necessary, and use group attack spells to defeat the Sky fries. Magic Barrier can also be cast to help protect the party, but in the 3DS version, it no longer reduces the damage taken from its wind attacks.

Make sure that you keep your party's health is above 100 HP and that you are sufficiently buffed to achieve victory.

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Cumulus vex (ヘルクラウダー Heru kuraudā)

Model	HP	MP	Attack
	268	40	169
Defence	Agility	Experience	Gold
246	161	2,300	178

Bestiary no.	#190
Family	Elemental
In-game description	These kings among clouds rule the skies of hell, and can channel the power of lightning into a Weakening Wave. These monsters may be the result of a mutation in the misty genes of the freezing fog.
Spell(s)	None
Skill(s)	Terrible Lightning Weakening Wave
Location(s)	Realm of the Mighty Tower of Nod Grotto (Ice, rank 6-7, Cave, rank 7)
Item(s) dropped	Thunderball1⁄16 Seed of sorcery1⁄256

Fire Resistance *	Ice Resistance *	Wind Resistance *	Blast/Lightning Resistance *
0%	0%	50%	50%
Rock Resistance *	Dark Resistance *	Light Resistance *	Drain Magic Resistance
50%	0%	-100%	0%
Whack Resistance *	Poison Resistance *	Paralysis Resistance *	Fuddle Resistance *
100%	100%	100%	75%
Snooze Resistance *	Dazzle Resistance	Sap Resistance *	Blunt Resistance *
100%	100%	50%	25%
Deceleratle Resistance *	Spooky Aura Resistance*	Fizzle Resistance *	Stun Resistance *
25%	25%	100%	100%
Charm Resistance *
100%

Dragon Quest Tact

Cumulus vex appears as an A-rank monster of the Inorganic family as part of the Dragon Quest VII event. It will join the player in Chapter 4, Episode 4 of the event quests, entitled The Cumulus Vex and it stars in its own Battle Road. Cumulus vex can be fully awakened by completing the Cathedral of Blight stages based on the Howling Cave at any difficulty.

Cumulus Vex (ヘルクラウダー Hell Clouder)

Stats

Family		Rank		Role
Inorganic				Support
Max Level		HP	MP	Move
130		1,107	440	2-3
Attack	Defense	Agility	Wisdom	Weight
311	301	388	208	35

Basic Skills

First		Second		Third
Invigorate		Thin Air Blast*		Healing Wave*

Awakening Skills

First	Second	Third
Move +1/Stats Up	Frizz Res +25/Stats Up	Healing Wave Recovery +5%/Stats Up
Fourth	Fifth
Zam Res +25/Stats Up	Healing Wave Recovery +5%/Stats Up

Leader Perks

First

Inorganic Martial Potency +10%: Raises inorganic martial potency of allies, including itself, by 10% in a 5x5 square around it.

Basic Perks

First	Second	Third
Max HP +20	AGL +15	Healing Wave Recovery +2%

Perk Details

First

Move +1: Raises Move by 1.

Frizz Resistance *	Sizz Resistance *	Crack Resistance *	Woosh Resistance *
Half Res	Normal	Very Weak	Normal
Bang Resistance *	Zap Resistance *	Zam Resistance *	Snooze Resistance
Very Weak	Normal	Half Res	Normal
Poison Resistance	Physical Lock Resistance	Spell Lock Resistance	Martial Lock Resistance
Half Res	Normal	Super Weak	Half Res
Breath Lock Resistance	Hobble Resistance *	Stun Resistance *	Dazzle Resistance
Normal	Normal	Normal	Normal
Curse Resistance	Paralysis Resistance	Confusion Resistance	Charm Resistance
Normal	Immune	Normal	Super Weak

Trivia

• Cumulus vex is named after cumulus clouds, a type of cloud with a puffy white base that often leads to other types of clouds due to several factors and the English verb vex, which means to annoy or irritate.

Related monsters

• Sky fry
• Fire fry
• Cumulus rex
• Cumulus hex

Gallery

• 

  Boss encounter in the 3DS version of VII.

• 

  The cumulus vex in Tact.

• 

  Cumulus vex in Walk.