Dragon Quest IX guide / Bestiary

Smack them with spells before they jump at the chance to blind you by blowing sand in your eyes.

Sacks that were stacked at a factory, then left all alone. They split a bit, then split for real to live life as free and easy fiends.

Try and get these nuisances bagged and tagged before they can empty your P with a Weird Dance.

They're crammed with more jokes than a cartload of Christmas crackers, but have yet to raise even a wry smile.

Their scythes, robbed from real reapers, ward off Whack, and they can upset enemies with Weird Dance and Snooze.

They take out travellers and fellow fiends to use as fertiliser for fields that have fallen fallow.

Fiery-breathed pieces of highly protected pottery which fortify themselves even further with Kabuff.

Pottery paladins put in the graves of the great and good to guard them in the beyond, but which grow bored and go AWOL.

Chivalrous champions who like to fight fair and square. Beware the tension-trashing Morale Masher.

Suits of armour that have soaked up sorrowful swordsmen's souls. Healslime helpers make them hard to hurt.

Stern statues that flatten foes with their breathtakign bulk and blind them with blasts of light.

The first mega moai was made when a mad old mystic sculpted a statue of himself that soaked up some sorcery and sprang to life.

These suspiciously sprightly stones merrily maul opponents, beaming all the while, and bring their boulder buddies into battle.

Although rough and ready in their younger years, the hard edges wear off with time, and most make well-rounded adults.

They protect their pals with their bulky bodies, and brush off bog-standard blows with ease. Hit them hard or not at all.

The rock blocks of a ruined temple absorbed an evil aura and assembled to form the first stone golem.

Heavyweights who save up their strength, then hit hard. Beat them, though, and you just might break the bank.

Some say that the storied city of gold said to stand somewhere in the Djust Desert is only a gold golem seen through a heat haze.

Don't dismiss these beaming boulders due to their funny faces - they can take out entire teams with Kamikazee.

Grabbers of the Greatest Grin gong at the Monscars, their moods are measured by minute shifts in the slope of their smile.

With their dazzling defensive dexterity, these selfless souls often step in to protect their pals. Wallop 'em one by one.

Controversy rages in the world of zoology as to whether they're giant masks or winged mammals with widespread arms.

They can conduct lightning to engulf all enemies, and sometimes summon healslimes to lend a helping hand.

The souls of soldiers who died awful deaths, and were brought back in suits of armor forged in the fires of hell.

Nippy knights on a quest to rid the world of evil with Chilly Breath and Kacrackle Slash.

They say that the first frost is the worst frost, but the best frost is the one the brrearthenwarrior brings.

Real nuisances who cover companions who are under attack, and even explode when the going gets tough.

Sir Sternivus bought back some of these as souvenirs from a scholarly excursion. They set him back six gold coins apiece.

Scary scythe swingers who like to aim for the vitals, and are sometimes so drunk on the darkness that they go haywire.

Some have no sympathy for the seamstresses who stitch them together only to get scythed. After all, you reap what you sew!

Suits of armour animated by evil forces. Not just masters of Multithrust, but deft users of Double Up as well.

Upset with the stone guardians for saying that if you speak to them from the left-hand side, they'll reply in a girlie voice.

Monumental monsters who bolster their unbreakable bodies with Buff, and chuck out Chilly Breath like there's no tomorrow.

They stand stock-still like statues by shrines and suchlike, then pounce on anyone uncautious enough to approach.

They pump their massive bodies full of power, then pound the ground. Cure quickly if flattened by their frightening feet.

They heard on the breeze that there's a sanctuary for statues atop the Heights of Lonlieness, and are keen to check it out.

Jangling bags of jewels, each of which has the power to render its foes unable to act. They can also carry off a Sultry Dance.

The first goodybag was made by a major sage as a birthday gift for the kindly king of an ancient desert realm.

They're not fond of fighting, and mostly just sit there smiling, but if an ally expires, they kick in with Kerplunk to bring them back.

Sensible, soft-hearted senior citizens who keep a supply of amazing medicine handy in case of emergencies.

Their HP's not so hot, but these burning bags can turn up the heat with their baking breath, and summon live lavas too.

They're huge fans of hot foods, and will wolf down anything, living or dead, if they like the look of it.

Though weak against wind, these stony souls will weather a storm of blows before unleashing a cataclysmic critical attack.

If you ask them which monster has the most mates, they won't hesitate to suggest their own big-headed, bricky selves.

Their igneous bodies are helluva hard, but their HP's not too hot. If one musters its strength, batter it before it blasts you.

They used to be full statues, but they were blasted to bits when the Magmaroo erupted, and only their heads were left.

Unfair foes who send enemies into a slumber with Kasnooze, then upset their attacks by snapping their weapons.

Their once-white armour is coloured crimson by the gouts of gore they gush from the victims they roam the land vanquishing.

Normal blows won't blemish these blighter's bodies, and those who aren't quaking before they save up a Stomp will be once it lands!

They hold their arms aloft in preparation for holding on tight when they finally get the chance to ride the Starflight Express.

Steely devils who harm with Helm Splitter and Double-Edged Slash, and like to protect their pals. Don't let them cast Kabuff.

They're possessed by the souls of soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the sake of Godwyn of the House of Gitt.

Enchanted suits of armour that are well-protected against all manner of magic, and can cast sleep. Attack them with earth.

Their armour isn't made of iron, or even platinum, but of crystals of concentrated conjury, which give it mighty magical power.

Shut these big, bad boxes up with Fizzle before they send you to sleep with Sweet Breath or waste you with Whack.

Monsters who've morphed into boxes to ambush adventurers. What treasures wait inside their well-guarded wooden depths?

Those who weather the storm of these bedevilled boxes' Chilly Breath still have to worry about Whack and critical attacks.

Their appetites are insatiable, and the souls of those they swallow stay in their bottomless, boxy bellies forever.

Menacing masks with mega defence who enfeeble foes with Eerie Light and Dazzleflash, then dish out some serious damage.

The first of their race was made when the mask jumped from the face of an ancient king and came alive under an evil spell.

Animated suits of armour that have high defence, don't feel wind, lightning or dark attacks, and cause bother with Bounce.

Lately, they've been getting a little tired of having to be at the beck and call of their fickle masters all the time.

They render victims helpless with Deceleratle and Kasap, then swoop in to swipe their souls with their savage scythes.

Took on their innocent, doll-like shape to lull travellers into a false sense of security. Their true form is utterly hideous.

Countless careless kids have fallen foul of these cruel casks, which are inured against ice and wind attacks.

They love to spend their days off lolling around on the ground with their lids open, lapping up the sun and airing their insides.