The Party refers to a set of playable characters that carry out the progress of a game.

Originally introduced in Dragon Quest II and made customizable in Dragon Quest III, it has become a staple of the Dragon Quest series. The limit number of the party members is between 3-8.

Appearances

Dragon Quest II

See main article: Scions of Erdrick

Dragon Quest II did not offer any customization of party members. Instead, the Hero must recruit his two (three in the HD-2D remake) cousins, the Prince of Cannock, the Princess of Moonbrooke, and in the HD-2D remake, the Princess of Cannock. The party is collectively known as the Scions of Erdrick.

Dragon Quest III

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest III)

Dragon Quest III introduced the concept of a totally customisable party to the series. The vocation, gender, personality (in all remakes), voice and hairstyle (in the HD-2D remake), of a party member can be controlled by the player when a character is created at Patty's Party Planning Place (a bar) in Aliahan. While only four characters (including the Hero) may be in the party, extra characters will stay in the bar.

Dragon Quest IV

See main article: Chosen Ones

With the series shifting focus to character-driven narratives, the act of character creation has been removed. The party line up can be changed on the fly, and even in battle, thanks to the addition of the wagon. In addition, all characters in the wagon receive Experience points at the end of battle. The maximum party size remains four.

Though they are temporary uncontrollable characters, Healie and Sparkie are the first monsters to join the protagonists in the Dragon Quest series

IV also brought A.I. to the series: once the Hero gathers companions in the beginning of Chapter 5, they may be assigned one of several battle strategies to adhere to. A.I. could not be turned off in the original NES version. In later versions of the game an additional chosen one joins the party in Chapter 6.

The main members of the party are known as the Chosen Ones

Dragon Quest V

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest V)

The abundance of recruitable monsters saw the necessity of Monty, the monster monitor. The veteran veterinarian will care for all creatures not in the active party of the wagon. V also saw return of Patty, to manage the human cast when not in battle. The maximum party size is three in the original Super Famicom version but was increased to four in the later remakes.

Dragon Quest VII

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest VII)

The wagon has been abolished in VII, with characters joining and leaving the party at various points in the story. There are five permanent characters in the main game, with the extra one staying put in a town when not traveling with the hero. This character will not gain Experience points.

Dragon Quest VIII

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest VIII)

Characters join the Hero as the story progresses, with customization being represented through character-specific skillsets. As there are exactly four playable characters in the original version, the wagon is used to house the Alchemy pot. Two additional characters can join the party in the 3DS remake. The characters not in the active party will reside in the wagon.

Dragon Quest IX

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest IX)

Dragon Quest IX is very reminiscent of III, in that characters are created with the help of Patty and stay at the Quester's Rest in Stornway while not traveling. As these characters have no Party Chat or story presence, Stella takes up the task of being the Hero's (very) vocal companion and adding colour commentary to cut-scenes and events.

Dragon Quest XI

See main article: Party (Dragon Quest XI)

A total of eight different characters are available as party members, though one of these is a secret character whose identity as a party member is hidden in-game until they actually join. The party members join the Hero as the story progresses, though the Hero is separated from them at the beginning of the second act and must reunite with each (at which point they rejoin the party). Available characters may be swapped in and out of the party at any time, both in and out of combat--though a character swapped into the active lineup in the middle of a fight cannot act until the next turn.