Dragon Warrior IV – Character Guide
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Version 1.3
Written by Jedi Masta
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Version History
3. PC Characters
4. NPC Characters
5. Enemies
6. Legal Info
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1. Introduction
This guide contains information on all characters in the game, those whom you
can have as allies, the major enemies you will fight, and the other
characters that are of importance. You might use this guide to find the best
equipment for a character or to find out more about a particular character.
WARNING: THIS GUIDE CONTAINS NUMEROUS SPOILERS! READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!
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2. Version History
Version 1.3 – Upon re-reading my FAQ after many months, I’ve come to a
conclusion – in my urge to write a FAQ for my favorite RPG of all time, I
overlooked its shoddy quality. Hence, I have rewritten most of it to make it
generally more helpful, and less of a plot spoiler – 7/2/2003
Version 1.2 – Completed the NPC character and Enemies lists – 10/13/2002
Version 1.1 – Added the Enemies list, and it’s almost complete already –
10/9/2002
Version 1.0 – Completed the Introduction, the Table of Contents and the PC
Characters list – 10/8/2002
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3. PC Characters
*Note: PC means “Player Controlled” or “Player Character”. In other words,
any character that gains levels, can get new equipment, and you have in
chapter 5 and one other chapter.
How to use this list
Character’s Name
Chapters: Where this character can be found and how to find them there.
Battle Type: What kind of warrior they are in battle (Defensive mage,
Offensive mage, Physical Fighter, Other)
Best Equipment: The overall best equipment for them to be using.
My thoughts: My opinions on this particular character.
Background Info: Storyline notes about this character.
(In alphabetical order)
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Alena
Chapters: 2 – You start out controlling her
5 – Go to Mintos where you will find her, as well as Cristo and Brey. Cristo
is sick and she is out looking for the plant to heal him. Find the plant on
your own, heal Cristo and she’ll join you.
Battle Type: Physical Fighter
Best Equipment: Fire Claw, Golden Barette, Dress of Radiance
My Thoughts: Of the physical fighters, she’s my favorite. She dishes out high
amounts of physical damage and has higher agility than Taloon or Ragner. As
far as her equipment goes, you can get her second best weapon (the Iron Claw)
near the end of Chapter 2, and after that the only improvement is the Fire
Claw, which is free at Gardenbur. Unfortunately, she can’t use magic.
Background Info: Alena is the princess of Santeem, and an adventure-seeking
tomboy. After leaving the castle in search of adventure, she travels the
globe with her friends Cristo and Brey.
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Brey
Chapters: 2 – Lead Alena outside the castle by kicking down the wooden wall
in Alena’s room and jumping out. After a few steps into the outside world,
He’ll show up and insist on coming along.
5 – Go to Mintos where Cristo is staying due to illness while Alena searches
for a cure. Brey will join you just by talking to him.
Battle Type: Offensive Mage
Best Equipment: Water Flying Cloth, Metal Babble Shield, Hat of Happiness,
Magma Staff.
My Thoughts: His defense is lacking, so put him last in your party where
he’ll take less damage. His magic is mostly ice attacks, and they mostly hit
multiple enemies, but he uses up magic very quickly with them. I prefer Mara
to Brey, but don’t hesitate to use him in a tight spot, especially if you’ve
severally outnumbered.
Background Info: As the mentor to princess Alena, he holds himself
responsible for her safety, and thus follows her on her adventures to protect
her.
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Cristo
Chapters: 2 - Lead Alena outside the castle by kicking down the wooden wall
in Alena’s room and jumping out. After a few steps into the outside world,
He’ll show up and insist on coming along.
5 – Cristo is sick and in the inn in Mintos. Find the cure for his illness in
a southern cave and cure him to make him join.
Battle Type: Defensive Mage
Best Equipment: Metal Babble Equipment (all)
My Thoughts: He’s a very well-balanced character – he uses offensive and
defensive magic and his physical attacks aren’t too bad. His only drawback is
that because you can’t control his exact moves, he tends to use beat and
defeat a lot, even on bosses and even after he already seen it fail.
Background Info: He is the chancellor in the palace of Santeem, and a friend
of princess Alena. As the storyline goes on, you’ll see how obviously
attracted to the princess he is.
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Hero
Chapters: 5 – You start out controlling him/her
Battle Type – He/She is a little bit of everything.
Best Equipment: Zenithian Equipment (all)
My Thoughts: The best character you’ll have, no exceptions. He/She uses
heavily damaging lightning attacks, and can pull off some good healing spells
as well, not to mention some kick-butt physical attacks. Plus, he/she is the
only character you’ll have full control over in Chapter 5.
Background Info: This is the character you created at the beginning of the
game. He/she is destined to destroy the Lord of Darkness, Esturk, and
naturally Esturk’s monster armies don’t want this, so he’s been hunted down
by them for years. He grew up hidden in a concealed village north of Branca,
where the villagers trained him/her to be a great warrior. However, the
village is destroyed and the Hero is forced to travel out and complete
his/her destiny.
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Mara
Chapters: 4 – You start out controlling her.
5 – After meeting Nara and having her join you in Endor, go to the casino to
find Mara
Battle Type: Offensive Mage
Best Equipment: Magma Staff, Metal Babble Shield, Dress of Radiance, Hat of
Happiness
My Thoughts: She knows just about every fire spell in the game – from blaze
to firevolt. Physically, however, she is deficient, with weak physical
attacks, but at least a half-decent defense. I usually have her in my party
for her diversity and power with offensive magic.
Background Info: She’s an exotic dancer from Monbaraba, and left the village
with her sister Nara to exact revenge on the murderer of her father Edgar.
Edgar is a very hey character in the storyline, so I’ll leave you to find out
about him on your own.
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Nara
Chapters: 4 – You start out controlling her.
5: Meet her in Endor near Taloon’s old store (now the vault). After she tells
your fortune, she realizes you’re the Hero and decides to join you.
Battle Type: Defensive Mage
Best Equipment: Metal Babble Equipment (all)
My Thoughts: She can use some offensive magic (the infernos type spells), but
focuses primarily on defensive magic. She’s not that different from Cristo in
that regard, but she does has the Farewell spell, the single most powerful
healing spell in the game. However, in an ironic twist, she dies when using
it.
Background Info: A fortune teller from Monabaraba, who left in search of her
father’s murderer. She has an older sister named Mara, whom she travels with.
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Ragner
Chapters: 1 – You start out controlling him
5 – After getting all the other PC characters, go back to Keelion castle,
where you’ll find him being taken into the concealed kings chamber from the
fourth chapter. Defeat Keelion there and he’ll join you.
Battle Type: Physical Fighter
Best Equipment: Metal Babble Equipment (all)
My Thoughts: Of all the characters, I think he’s the most powerful
physically. He attacks do phenomenal amounts of damage, but he unfortunately
is rather slow. He also can’t use magic, but he doesn’t need it when you
consider his strength.
Background Info: He’s a royal soldier from the country of Burland. After
hearing from a dying soldier that the monsters were kidnapping children to
try and kill the Hero, he set off to find and protect the Hero.
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Taloon
Chapters: 3 – You start out controlling him
5 – After restoring the lighthouse fire to the lighthouse, go back to the
city and get Taloon in you party.
Battle Type: Physical Fighter/Other – He fights physically, but will randomly
use a special attack like summon a merchant militia or lullaby.
Best Equipment: Metal Babble Equipment (all)
My Thoughts: This guy is weird. He’s a physical fighter, but his attacks
aren’t as strong as Ragner’s or Alena’s. But he does have a few other tricks
that will surprise you the first time you seem them. He uses them randomly,
and they’re effectiveness is questionable. He can sing lullabies to put
enemies to sleep, or call on the help of an army of merchants. He has others
that you’ll see later in the game.
Background Info: He’s a merchant from Lakanaba whose dream is to become the
world’s greatest arms merchant. He has a wife and son in Endor who own the
vault, and he funded the digging of the tunnel between Endor and the hero’s
home country, which caused the monsters anger and created a desire for them
to kill him.
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4. NPC Characters
*Note: An NPC character is a “Non-player character”. In DW4, these characters
don’t gain levels, can’t be given items, have unchangeable equipment,
permanent stats and are uncontrollable, except partially in chapter 5.
How to use this list
NPC Characters name
How to get him/her: How to get him/her in your party
How to lose them: How to have this character removed from your party
Attacks/Abilities: Special attacks, magic spells, and any other attack that
this character has that should be mentioned
Info: Important notes about his character
(In alphabetical order)
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Doran
How to get him/her: Take Lucia to the Zenithian Palace in chapter 5. There,
she’ll rejoin her friends and get Doran to help you as a reward for taking
her there.
How to lose him/her: Unknown
Attacks/Abilities: His physical attack is okay, but his fire breath attack is
better. He spits fireballs that hit every enemy, and it doesn’t cost any
magic points, nor can it be blocked with Bounce or Fendspell spells. The only
other way to get someone to use this attack is to use the BeDragon spell.
Info: He’s a baby dragon that lives in Zenithian Palace. He’s a sort of pet
to Lucia.
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Healie
How to get him/her: Go to the hidden well in Chapter 1, and follow the voice
to the flying shoes. Along the way, you’ll pass down a long hallway that
looks like this:
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<-1. 2.->
-------- ---------
| |
| |
-------- ---------
<-3. 3.->
-------- ---------
| |
| |
-------- ---------
<- Exit 4.->
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1. Flying shoes
2. 600 gp
3. Endless route
4. Healie
After walking down a twisting pathway, you’ll see a purple healer sitting on
the ground. Talk to him to get him to join your party.
How to lose him/her: Complete chapter 1.
Attacks/Abilities: His attack is weak, but he can use the spell of Heal, so
he’s vital in the first chapter.
Info: Healie is a healer who dreams of becoming human and travels with Ragner
to find a way to become human. Does he succeed? You’ll find out later, in
chapter 5.....
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Hector
How to get him/her: Take the symbol of friendship to Hector in the desert
shrine in chapter 5. He’ll join you and let you use the wagon.
How to lose him/her: After healing Cristo and putting Brey, Cristo and Alena
in your party, he leaves to study inn keeping and shop keeping.
Attacks/Abilities: His physical attack is powerful, and he can use some
offensive magic. He also has a power-up attack that doubles the damage he
does on his next attack. He’s very helpful.
Info: He’s an innkeeper who went with a friend to find the symbol of
friendship in a cave. The monsters there killed his friend and disguised
themselves as him to fool Hector and kill him. Hector was attacked by these
monsters identical to his friend. Even though Hector escaped the cave, he was
convinced that his friend had betrayed him.
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Laurent
How to get him/her: In chapter 3, in Endor, She’s staying in a room in the
top floor of the inn. Go there and pay her 600 gp and she’ll join your party
for five days
How to lose him/her: Wait for five days after getting her.
Attacks/Abilities: Her physical attack is fairly weak, but because it’s
performed with a Venomous Dagger, the enemies are sometimes paralyzed.
However, she also knows the Sleep and Firebal spells, which are much more
useful.
Info: She’s a magical mercenary for hire. Other than that, nothing else is
known.
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Lucia
How to get him/her: In chapter five, take the hot air balloon to Elfville,
just west of Mintos. Then take a group of three characters up to the top of
the World Tree. At the top, you’ll find Lucia.
How to lose him/her: Take Lucia to Zenithian Palace.
Attacks/Abilities: Her only good point is her various healing techniques. Her
physical attack is weak and she has virtually no offensive magic.
Info: She’s a Zenithian who fell from Zenithian Palace and needs to get back.
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Orin
How to get him/her: Go to the cave west of Kievs in chapter 4. He’s on the
lowest level, near the lamp of darkness.
How to lose him/her: After losing the battle with Keelion, you’ll wake up in
a prison. There’s an escape route, but after using it the guards come running
to stop you. While you escape, Orin stays back to hold them off.
Attacks/abilities: A physical attack that’s better than anything Mara or Nara
can dish out. Other than that, nothing.
Info: He was once a student of the alchemist Edgar, but he went into hiding
after Edgar was killed by Balzack and he was thought to have done it.
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Panon
How to get him/her: After unsuccessfully trying to make the king of Stancia
laugh, find out about Panon from the residents and go to Monbaraba. He’s
performing there, and will join you on request.
How to lose him/her: Take him to the king of Stancia. He’ll leave after the
king gives you the Zenithian helm
Attacks/Abilities: He’s a wild card. Remember the goof-offs from DW3? He’s
like them – Not always obeying orders, but his attacks can be useful.
Info: He’s a traveling jester who found his way to Monbaraba, a town known
for its theater and performances. He’s funny, but more observant and deep
than he looks.
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Strom
How to get him/her: In chapter 3, he’s in Endor, outside the house of
healing. For 400 gp, he’ll join your party for five days.
How to lose him/her: Wait for five days to pass after he joins you.
Attacks/Abilities: He only has a physical attack, which is very powerful.
Info: I know nothing of this character other than two things. 1 – He’s a
soldier for hire. 2 – You should have him join you before going to the cave
of the Silver Statuette.
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5. Enemies
*Note: An enemy on this list is an important character (i.e. a boss). The
fighting tips list special attacks they have, not including magic or breath
attacks, which almost all monsters use.
How to use this list
Enemies Name
Locations: Where you fight them
Fighting Tips: Things you should be aware of while fighting this Enemy
Background Info: This enemy’s relevance to the storyline.
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Bakor
Locations: Chapter 5 – After going to Gardenbur and being framed for theft,
go to the cave to the southwest. After traveling through the cave, you’ll
fight Bakor, the man who framed you.
Fighting Tips: Any sort of power-up/power-down should be used (preferably
increase on your party and sap/defense on him.) He has 5000 hp. He has two
attacks per turn, and can use fire magic (firebane, if my memory serves me
correctly).
Background Info: He stole a women’s brooch in the castle and framed you for
it. Otherwise, he’s unmentioned in the rest of the game.
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Balzack
Locations: Chapter 4 – Hidden room in Keelion castle, Chapter 5 – Kings
Throne room in Santeem castle
Fighting Tips: For the first battle, in chapter 4, use the sphere of silence
to prevent his spells, and then pummel him with everything you’ve got. In the
second battle, in Santeem castle, he’s considerably more powerful. The Hero
(and Ragner, if you’re using him) should have the sword of lethargy from
Stancia castle. When it puts Balzack to sleep, he becomes a sitting duck. He
doesn’t use Bounce or Fendspell, so feel free to use your most powerful magic
here.
Background Info: Balzack was one of Edgar’s two pupils (the other being
Orin). He murdered Edgar, stole his discovery (the secret of evolution) and
traded it to the monsters for the throne of Keelion Castle.
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Esturk
Locations: Chapter 5 – Below the town of Aktempto, in his sunken palace below
the deepest mines, in his concealed chamber.
Fighting tips: He starts off sleeping, but he’s far from helpless. He’s
possibly more powerful sleeping than his is awake, because he glows deadly
light in his sleep. So, while he sleeps, go defensively, parry, and use
spells like Increase to keep yourself alive for this part. Once he wakes up,
you’ll have two attacks to worry about (one of them is usually fire-
breathing) and he’ll remove whatever power-ups you use with another attack.
Sometimes you’ll be lucky and he’ll waste an attack “taking a deep breath”.
Otherwise, this battle will be very difficult.
Background Info: Esturk and Master Dragon fought for control of Earth
centuries ago. Master Dragon couldn’t destroy him, but he could seal him away
for years. Esturks power came from the secret of evolution, which he created
to make himself and his monsters more powerful. When he was sealed away, the
secret of evolution was lost.
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Keelion
Locations – Chapter 4 – After defeating Balzack, you’ll be attacked by
Keelion (you’re supposed to lose this battle); Chapter 5 – Keelion is in the
concealed chamber in Keelion castle.
Fighting tips: He’s one of the first major enemies who uses multiple attacks
against you, but he doesn’t use multiple attacks every turn. Fortunately,
when you see him in Chapter 5, he can no longer use Healall as he did in
Chapter 4. His only magic is Firebal, but he uses breath attacks to make up
for that. Power up with Increase and power him down with Sap, then hit him as
hard as you can.
Background Info: After taking the secret of evolution from Balzack, he gave
it to Saro to use to make the monsters more powerful. He has somewhat of a
friendship with Balzack, and saves his butt once by preventing Mara, Nara and
Orin from killing him.
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Radimvice
Locations: Chapter 5 – In the underworld, she’s in the northeast fortress as
one of the guardians of Necrosaro’s Palace.
Fighting tips: When you start the fight, she has three demi-ghouls to help
her. Kill them first. If you could defeat the Masters of Malice in the Final
Cave, you should be alright here.
Background Info: As Saro’s second in command, she plays a vital role in the
battle between Saro and the humans. She ordered the murder of Saro’s friend,
Rosa, and if she hadn’t, Saro would never have become Necrosaro and tried to
obliterate all humans.
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Saro/Necrosaro
Locations: Chapter 5 – After navigating through Necrosaro’s Palace, you’ll
come to Necrosaro’s Mountain. At the top, Necrosaro is waiting to fight.
Fighting Tips: Necrosaro changes forms many times during the battle. His most
dangerous forms are his forth and final, so count all the changes he makes.
He can eliminate any effects (defense, surround, etc.) that have been used
after his fourth form, so don’t waste your time using them after that. He
doesn’t use magic except during his third form, so don’t use Fendspell or
Bounce. When you reach is final form, he’ll immediately cast bounce to
prevent you from casting spells on him. Simply use the Zenithian sword to
break this effect, and he can’t cast it again, so you can use spells without
fear.
Background Info: Saro is the leader of the monsters. You’ll fight his
henchmen (Saro’s Shadow, Saro’s Knight) throughout the game. His goal was to
revive Esturk and take over the world, but later he used to secret of
evolution to become the powerful Necrosaro, so he could take over the world
on his own. He hates humans, because his best friend (an elf named Rosa) was
abused by humans. When she was killed, he swore revenge against humans.
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6. Legal Info
This guide is protected by international copyright laws. It is illegal for
anyone other than myself to make profit from this guide, so don’t sell it
and/or claim it as your own work. It is for public use only on
www.gamefaqs.com. Don’t copy this guide in whole or in part without the prior
consent of me, Jedi Masta (pete_mill@hotmail.com). Otherwise, use it to your
hearts content.
