Pearly Gates

Pearly Gates Japanese グランドクロス Rōmaji Gurandokurosu Type Offensive Older names MultiCut

Pearly Gates, also known as Grand Cross, is a powerful skill that deals wind-elemental damage to a group of enemies. It deals between 180~210 damage in nearly every game it has appeared in, with an additional damage dealt to zombie-like monsters before any Woosh resistance is applied.

Appearances

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai

Grand Cross retains its Japanese name in most localisations and is Hyunckel's most powerful, but also most dangerous technique - using a cross-shaped object as a medium, he can convert his own life force into an extremely destructive blast of Holy Aura.

Dragon Quest VI

Pearly Gates is only learned by mastering the Paladin vocation, and costs 20 MP to use. It deals 30% more damage to the undead.

Dragon Quest VII

Pearly Gates functions identically as before, and is learned by mastering the Paladin and Black Bishop vocations, along with rank 3 of the Champion in the 3DS version. Sir Mervyn will display a unique animation when performing the technique in the remake.

Dragon Quest VIII

Pearly Gates is classified as a spell in this installment, which Angelo can use after allocating 100 skill points into his Charisma skill. It deals an additional 50% damage to the undead now, easily justifying the 20 MP cost in the post-game bonus dungeon. The animation was changed from the usual cross slash of wind to a blast of energy being summoned from below the target in the international versions of the game, likely due to Square-Enix not wanting to risk offending religious sensitivities.

• Marcello also uses the spell when the party fights him as a boss. When he uses it, it still uses the original cross slash animation from the Japanese version of the game that envelops the party in blasts of holy light.

Dragon Quest IX

Due to the religious anxiety described above, Pearly Gates has effectively been replaced with the thematically similar Solar Flair. The fact that Solar Flair is the vocational scroll skill of the Paladins in IX further connects the two skills.

Dragon Quest X

Pearly Gates is an enemy-only skill that can be used by both Dhuran and Nokturnus. It inflicts 250% strength wind-elemental physical damage twice to all characters in a wide area centered around a target.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Rab will master Pearly Gates just before rejoining the party near the beginning of Act 2. Pearly Gates deals great wind damage to all enemies, at 135~165 base and 265~295 cap when Rab's strength reaches 200. In addition to dealing the usual extra damage to the undead, Pearly Gates also has a 20% chance to lower Zap resistance one stage. The reason for this new trait, outside of battle utility, is likely due to Rab's mission of supporting the Luminary.

• Pearly Gates returns to being a cross-shaped attack as before, but the animation for the skill is now tilted to more resemble an X than a Greek cross, and is also aimed at the battleground itself instead of the enemies to further mask the holy implication.

Dragon Quest Monsters

Known as MultiCut in this game, it requires the monster to reach level 28 with 154 HP, 140 MP, 168 attack, 168 agility and 148 intelligence. It is naturally learned by the Balzak, MadCondor and SkyDragon. It can also be learned by monsters with ZombieCut and Vacuum.

Dragon Quest Monsters 2

MultiCut now requires 572 intelligence to learn. It is naturally learned by Genosidoh.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

Pearly Gates can be learned with 100 points in Aquarion or Canzar.

Dragon Quest Heroes II

"Let me show you how it's done."

Pearly Gates appears as Angelo's Coup de Grâce when he is in High Tension mode. He draws out an arrow and draws a cross with it making either a gold cross shape or an orb of holy light depending on the game's regional version. Angelo then fires that arrow to launch what's formed at the enemies in front of him that then explodes with holy light and winds.

Dragon Quest Tact

Pearly Gates can be learned by Nokturnus at level 36 and costs 60 MP to use. It inflicts 250% potency Woosh-type physical damage to all enemies in a plus sign-shaped area of effect in front of him. Upgrading the skill increases its damage and reduces the amount of MP it costs to use.

Pearly Gates (グランドクロス Gurandokurosu)

Ability information

Pearly Gates
Role *	Type *	Element	MP cost
Attack	Physical		60
Range		Additional effects
Front		None
Description
Deals Woosh-type physical damage (250% potency) to all enemies in area of effect
Naturally learnt by
Nokturnus

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai: A Hero's Bonds

Grand Cross appears as a special move for Avan and Hyunckel, as well as the Luminary Leader.

• Avan's version is a long-range attack that inflicts piercing physical Light damage over a small area and raises all allies' Magical Defence temporarily. It can be acquired by obtaining the Sword of Light from Treasure Hunts.
• Hyunckel's version is a long-range attack that inflicts piercing physical Light damage over a wide area and raises the user's Physical Attack temporarily, with the effect being stronger if the user's HP is 50% or lower. It becomes more powerful if the target is Wounded. It can be acquired by obtaining the Sacred Lance from Treasure Hunts. On March 1st, 2023, the development team gave all players a gift of 10 Grand Cross Scrolls as part of a Support Campaign to take on difficult quests.

Battle visuals

1. 
   Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (SFC)
2. 
   Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (PSX)
3. 
   Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2, Japanese)

Gallery

• 
  Angelo performing Pearly Gates as his Coup de Grâce in the Japanese version of Heroes II.
• 
  Rivals card
• 
  Avan's skill icon for Grand Cross in A Hero's Bonds
• 
  Hyunckel's skill icon for Grand Cross in A Hero's Bonds

Trivia

• Pearly Gates' Japanese name, Grand Cross, gives a clue to its origins: prior to the on-screen display of spells in V, Kaswoosh (Bagicross) was illustrated in art and media as being a cross-shaped slash of divine wind. When Kaswoosh's depiction permanently shifted to that of a tornado, the cross slash concept was revived for VI.
• In pre-release screenshots for Dragon Quest VIII, the in-game text for Pearly Gates stated that "Angelo prays and makes a sign of the trident!", referencing the trident-shaped crosses that appear in the game, although the message was changed in the game proper.