TheDragon Questfranchise is one of the longest-running video game series and has massively impacted many of the staples of the RPG genre, such as attributes or spell-casting. That spell-casting has become more complex over time, with new spells being added to each game, and the mages of the series are some of the strongest characters in each entry.
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Although some of the spell-casters on this list are explicitly stated to be members of the Mage class, there are also enemies and bosses who use the same magic and fit the same general definition of a mage. Because they are so powerful in the gameplay and the lore, they deserve to be recognized as some of the most powerful mages in theDragon Questfranchise.
8Nera Briscoletti - Dragon Quest 5
Nera is one of three mages who can join the player duringDragon Quest 5. Found in Mostroferrato, the hero comes across her in trying to obtain the Zenithian Shield. She then joins the party and isa marriage candidatefor the player.
Although all the mage party members in the game are powerful, they also focus on weapon damage. Nera, however, is primarily a spell-caster and so gets access to better spells and can deal the most magic damage. She is the only one who can cast healing spells and is one of the few characters in the earlier games who has access to explosion spells such as “Boom.”
7Dreadmaster - Dragon Quest 9
The Dreadmaster is what happens when the ghost of a school headmaster eats one of Yggdrasil’s Fyggs. The Fygg grants him all he wishes for, transforming him into a monster to better ensure that his students behave well.
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The hero comes across Swinedimples Academy as they search for the Fygg and must defeat the Dreadmaster to obtain it. Although he does not have access to many spells, he tends to use the “Psych Up” ability which raises his damage on the next attack. After using the ability a few times, his next spell can deal massive amounts of damage, potentially even killing a party member in one attack.
6Jessica Albert - Dragon Quest 8
Although she may be short-tempered at times, Jessica is one of the most invaluable members of the party inDragon Quest 8. If anything, her temper fuels her magic as she is one of the most powerful spell casters in the game, and one of thebest female charactersin the series.
Jessica is mainly an offensive caster, with her few healing abilities and buffs coming from her charm tree rather than her magic. However, her spell list more than makes up for this as her high MP combined with a spell such as “Kafrizzle” can make quick work of any enemy.
5Mordegon - Dragon Quest 11
More than just ascary face, this big bad fromDragon Quest 11is capable of some impressive magic. Mordegon leads an army of monsters and uses them to destroy entire kingdoms, killing the hero’s parents. He corrupts the island of Yggdrasil, turning it into his own castle and bending the minds of monsters across the continent.
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After besting the Luminary the first time, he is a challenge to defeat in combat. He has access to several high-damage spells and can also remove buffs placed on the party with spells such as “Disruptive Wave” and “Snub.”
4Veronica - Dragon Quest 11
Veronica is widely considered to be one of the most powerful spell-casters in the entire series. With the correct set-up, she can become a magical powerhouse and easilyearns a place in the party. Veronica is a descendent of Serenica, a powerful sage who aided the first Luminary. As such, she and her sister Serena are powerful spell-casters with an extensive list of magic abilities.
By combining abilities such as “Channel Anger” and “Enchanting Echo” with spells such as “Kafrizzle” or “Kaboomle,” Veronica can deal massive amounts of damage to bosses and groups alike.
3Murdaw - Dragon Quest 6
During the intro ofDragon Quest 6,the heroesare defeated by Murdaw and sent to the Dream Realm, wiping their memories. This ability is incredibly powerful as he uses it on large areas of the world, banishing entire buildings and towns to the Dream World.
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He is also incredibly powerful in combat as many players found his boss fight to be among the hardest in the series. This is because he can distract and blind team members, leaving them almost useless as he buffs his own damage. One thing is for certain, Murdaw is not a mage that players will want to fight unprepared.
2Zoma - Dragon Quest 3
With aremake in the works, fans of the series will want to be aware of the magical savant that is Zoma fromDragon Quest 3. This ancient sorcerer once plunged the entire world into darkness and has returned to throw the land into chaos once more.
In addition to his history and his army of the undead, Zoma shows his power through how much of a challenge he can be for the hero. His ice magic can deal massive damage to the whole team while he heals and protects himself with spells such as “Bounce.” This makes it difficult to harm him with magic and explains why many players found him to be one of the hardest bosses in the series.
1Rhapthorne - Dragon Quest 8
The true final boss ofDragon Quest 8, Rhapthorne can possess all who touch the Godbird Scepter in which he is trapped. He originally possessed Dhoulmagus but after the party’s victory, he transfers to Jessica. Rhapthorne is the Lord of Darkness and is attempting to conquer the World of Light too, growing so powerful that his body begins to swell, contorting time and space.
He is extremely dangerous in combat too as he puts members of the party to sleep with “Lullab-eye” and heals himself with “Meditation.” Managing to defeat his final form is a rewarding feeling and one of the many reasons players are calling for aremaster for Dragon Quest 8.
