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 perception.
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% |
| Agility | +15 Percent |
| Resilience | Null |
| Wisdom | +15% |
| Style | 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.
Stats
| Attribute | Starting Stats | Maximum Stats |
| Level | 1 | 99 |
| HP | 36 | 600 |
| MP | 11 | 175 |
| Strength | 21 | 354 |
| Agility | 4 | 73 |
| Resilience | 22 | 360 |
| Magical Might | 0 | 0 |
| Magical Mending | 10 | 164 |
| Deftness | 1 | 9 |
| Charm | 7 | 116 |
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. |