Paladin

The Paladin is a defensively-oriented vocation in the Dragon Quest series. Originally, the vocation was depicted as more of a "Holy Monk" rather than the typical heavily armored knight. Starting with IX, the vocation has shifted to better reflect the popular conception.

Description

The Paladin increases Strength, Agility and Wisdom in VI and VII, and possess a low chance of killing the enemy instantly by striking a soft spot. This chance rises when the higher rank the paladin is, following this formula: 1 = 1/256, 2 = 1/64, 3 = 1/48, 4 = 1/32, 5 = 1/32, 6 = 1/16, 7 = 1/16, 8 = 1/8

In IX, the Paladin loses its ability to instantly slay monsters in exchange for a much more durable body, focusing the vocation's skills and spells entirely on defending the party.

Dragon Quest VI

A character needs to master both the Martial Artist and Priest vocations to become a Paladin.

Stat Changes

Statistics	Change
Battles to Master	260
Strength	+15%
Agility	+15%
Wisdom	+15%
Trait	Chance to instantly kill enemies with melee attacks
Mastery Bonus	+20 Max HP

Abilities

Level	Title	Learns	Battles Needed	Target	Info	MP
1	Bronze Knight	Selflessness	1	One Ally	Step in to take a blow for a party member in peril.	0
2	Iron Knight	Thin Air	25	All enemies	Conjures a vacuum-vortex that tears enemies to shreds.	0
3	Steel Knight	Double Up	50	One enemy	Ditches defence to increase attack an impressive amount.	0
4	Silver Knight	Kaswoosh	80	One group	Slices through a group of enemies with a ferocious whirlwind.	8
5	Gold Knight	Magic Barrier	115	Party	Forms a protective barrier that reduces the efficacy of enemy spells.	3
6	Crystal Knight	Forbearance	155	Party	Stand steadfast in order to protect allies from attack.	0
7	Royal Knight	Kerplunk	200	Party	Sacrifice caster's life to resurrect all other party members.	All
8	Holy Knight	Pearly Gates	260	All enemies	Opens heaven's door to unleash divine judgement on a group of enemies.	20

Dragon Quest VII

Stat Changes

Statistics	Change
Battles to Master	240
Strength	+10 Percent
Agility	+15 Percent
Guard	Null
Intelligence	+15 Percent
Appearance	Null
Max HP	Null
Max MP	Null
Mastery Bonus	+20 Bonus to HP

Abilities

Level	Title	Learns	Battles Needed	Target	Info	MP
1	Page	Selflessness	1	Self	User will intercept all attacks directed to one ally for one turn	0
2	Squire	Thin Air	20	All Enemies	Causes wind damage to all enemies. Its power grows as the user gains levels	0
3	Knight	Double Up	40	One Enemy	Instantly does a critical hit but lowers the user's defense to zero for the remainder of the turn	0
4	Zealot	Kaswoosh	80	One Group	Causes ~150HP in wind damage to one group of enemies	8
5	Crusader	Magic Barrier	120	All Allies	Reduces magic damage to all allies	3
6	Templar	Forbearance	150	Self	Intercepts all attacks to all allies for one turn	0
7	Holy Knight	Kerplunk	180	Self	All allies are healed but the caster is killed	All
8	Martyr	Pearly Gates	240	One Group	Causes ~200HP in wind damage to one group of enemies, does 30% extra damage to undead monsters	20

Usefulness

The Paladin's innate ability to instantly kill one enemy is low even at rank 8, and will not work on bosses. As for the skills, Kerplunk isn't a useful skill except as a last resort. Forbearance and Selflessness are extremely useful, but extra care must be used when facing enemies that utilize multi-target skills and spells, as the Paladin will take up to four times the damage. Thin Air is a very useful skill as, like Wind Sickles, it grows stronger with higher levels. Pearly Gates is also useful but due to the fact that it only hits one group and it cost 20 MP to cast, you are better off using Thin Air.

In regards to career advancement, the Paladin can combine the mastered Gladiator class to become a Godhand and have access to some of the best offensive skills in the game.

Dragon Quest IX

The Paladin vocation is late in the game after completing Quest 114. Paladins have the unique skillset "Virtue", and can also use skill points to learn Hammer, Spear, Wand, and Shield skills. Their Coup-de-Grace is "Knight's Watch," which prevents all damage and enrages all enemies.

Many players consider the vocation to be a Goddess-send when facing Legacy Bosses, as the beasts can very easily obliterate an unguarded party even at high levels. Due to elemental resisting equipment now working off of percentages rather than static numbers, it is slightly easier to keep a Paladin alive when he or she bears the brunt of a multi-striking ability.

Virtue

Accolade	Required points	Name	Effects
Slight Knight	4	Pincushion	Defends and adds recoil damage to attacker
Alright Knight	10	Natural Resilience +10	Permanently adds 10 to resilience
Polite Knight	16	H-Pathy	Transfers HP to party member
Light Knight	22	Natural Magical Mending +30	Permanently adds 30 to magical mending
Bright Knight	32	M-Pathy	Transfers MP to party member
White Knight	42	Natural Resilience +30	Permanently adds 30 to resilience
Right Knight	55	Selflessness	Shields any party member in critical condition
Upright Knight	68	Natural Resilience +60	Permanently adds 60 to resilience
Outright Knight	82	Forbearance	Shields all party members
Out of Sight Knight	100	Natural Max HP +80	Permanently adds 80 to max HP

Spells

Name	Level	MP	Description
Buff	2	3	Raises the defence of a single party member.
Heal	7	2	Restores at least 30 HP to a single ally.
Spell Checker	10	3
Midheal	20	4	Restores at least 75 HP to a single ally.
Kabuff	26	6	Raises the defence of all party members.
Magic Barrier	28	6	Protects the whole party from attack spells.
Kamikazee	33	1
Kerplunk	46	All	Caster dies, but all other party members return to life or full health.