History Characters / DragonQuestIII

* TheHero: The Hero of the game, obviously. [[spoiler: And ''The'' Hero with a capital "T" for both [[WolverinePublicity the entirety of Dragon Quest's legacy]] and [[FountainOfExpies nearly all eastern media portrayals to come thereafter]].]]

* ShoutOut: The choice of a green PaletteSwap for the Boreal Serpent highlights the resemblance to none other than [[Franchise/DragonBall Shenron]], built upon further with Square-Enix's localized name, Xenlon--that he grants wishes under the right conditions hightlights the resemblance.

* TheBusCameBack: Exclusive for decades to the UpdatedRerelease of ''III'' on Platform/GameboyColor, Gran Dragon returns at last in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters Joker 3''.

* DegradedBoss: They show up in [[spoiler: Alefgard]] as regular enemies in the NES version, as well as regular enemies from ''Dragon Quest VI'' onwards.

!! King Hydra

An {{Optional|Boss}} {{Superboss}} exclusive to the UpdatedRerelease of ''III'' on UsefulNotes/GameboyColor.

* ChoiceOfTwoWeapons: Or rather, Choice of Five Weapons. Being a MagicallyIneptFighter, they can only use melee weapons like swords, spears, axes, [[DropTheHammer hammers]] and [[ShearMenace shears]].

* BadPowersGoodPeople: The Priest class are primarily {{White Mage}}s, but they notably use Whack and Thwack, sinister spells [[OneHitKill that may kill foes instantly]].

* UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity: They start a town in its nameless FantasyCounterpartCulture equivalent.

* WhipOfDominance: In the remake, a [[SexyJester female Gadabout]] is clad a [[PlayboyBunny a bunnysuit]] but if they're equipped with a bikini armor they will become DressedLikeADominatrix instead, including a leather whip. This doesn't translate to their gameplay.

** In the original UsefulNotes/{{Famicom}} release, Ortega appeared as a unique black PaletteSwap of the Hood monster family.
** In the UsefulNotes/{{NES}} release, however, he got a complete revamp (likely to prevent any guffaws over the goofy Hood-esque design) and was presented as a normal human warrior with a beard in armor.
** Possibly following the trail established by the NES release, the UpdatedRerelease for the UsefulNotes/SuperFamicom also depicted as a bearded human warrior, but gave him a StrongFamilyResemblance to the hero, with the same ShonenHair and circlet, but with a manly axe instead of the sword he carried in the NES version.

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!! Patty
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!! Gopal Gupta
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!! Galen

!! Portogus Rex

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!! Queen Dragon

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* UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics: Robbin's Merry Men are called the Kandata-''kobun'', while Prince o' Thieves is known as Kandata-''oyabun''. Among yakuza, ''-kobun'' and ''-oyabun'' are familial signifiers indicating ''protege'' or boss status, respectively.

* RecurringCharacter: Robbin' 'Ood first appeared in ''III'', but also appears in ''V'', ''X'', ''XI'', and numerous {{Spin Off}} games.

!! Pirate Captain

** The UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' for the UsefulNotes/GameboyColor introduced the Rubiss Sword, the first direct association of Rubiss with violence and weaponry--prior to that, her main function was to assist with guidance and special items.

** In the original UsefulNotes/{{Famicom}} release of ''III'', she shared the same sprite as the elves, but her official design depicted her as a blue-haired faerie woman in a green dress.
** The UsefulNotes/SuperFamicom release of ''III'' rendered her as an angelic RoseHairedSweetie. This design was used for ''Dragon Quest Walk'' and ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters Super Light'', which appears to have kept the PointyEars from her elven appearance as a MythologyGag.

** Rubiss's original design featured her as a blue-haired faerie woman; in the Official Guidebook for the UsefulNotes/SuperFamicom release of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'', this design had wavy blue hair and insect-like wings. This design was also used for the original release of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'', but her blue hair was straight and she had no wings.

* TheBusCameBack: Exclusive for decades to the UpdatedRerelease of ''III'' on UsefulNotes/GameboyColor, Gran Dragon returns at last in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters Joker 3''.

** This specialization is retained in future games in which Zoma appears as a {{Superboss}}, such as the ''Monsters'' subseries and [[{{VideoGame/DragonQuestIX}} Dragon Quest IX]].

* OrcusOnHisThrone: He doesn't show up until you've beaten Baramos. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that, much like the Dragonlord to succeed him long after, Zoma's in a position where he really doesn't ''have'' to do anything. He’s already gotten rid of Rubiss, destroyed the one weapon he thinks can hurt him, and the populace fear him too much to rebel.

* OrcusOnHisThrone: He doesn't show up until you've beaten Baramos. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that, much like the Dragonlord to succeed him long after, Zoma's in a position where he really doesn't ''have'' to do anything.

%%* RetroactiveLegacy

%%* MsFanservice: Female only.

%%* JackOfAllStats

* PlayingWithFire: Gets a small splash of the Blaze and Fireball line spells before unlocking the Hero's unique lightning element spells.

* ShockAndAwe: The Zap series of spells is traditionally exclusive to the Hero only. In subsequent appearances, this becomes something of the Hero's SignatureMove [[spoiler: much in the same way ice becomes Zoma's predominant element.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: They can learn the aptly-named Sacrifice/Kamikazee spell, which attempts to kill all enemies at the cost of the caster's life.

* OneHitKill: Whack and Thwack (Or Beat and Defeat, as they used to be named) can instantly kill most non-boss enemies, if they work.

* RazorWind: The only direct-damage spell the Cleric gets takes the form of a line of wind-based spells.

* BreathWeapon: When Mages cast Puff!, they spend the whole battle breathing out flames at the entire enemy party.

* HavingABlast: The Bang line of spells pounds the enemies with explosive force. Unlike Frizz, which is exclusively single target, or Sizz, which targets only a group of enemies and can thus be thrown off by funky enemy formations or heavily mixed groups, Bang will hit everything on the opposing side of the battlefield without exception.

* ReusedCharacterDesign: The female Merchant's hair style makes her look strongly like [[VideoGame/ChronoTrigger Marle]], and her clothing is almost identical to an outfit worn by a young [[Franchise/DragonBall Bulma]].

* PresidentEvil: The Merchant you leave in the immigrant town slowly become this, naming it after themselves and hoarding most of its money. A revolution from angry townspeople puts an end to that.

A mysterious and rare profession, Sages learn all the spells of both Clerics and Mages. Nobody is capable of simply starting as one, however; it takes special training and the rare and highly-valued Words of Wisdom...

* BlowYouAway: The sage has access to both Priest and Mage spells, meaning they can use wind magic.
* BreathWeapon: When the Mage/Sage casts Puff!, they spend the whole battle breathing out flames at the entire enemy party.

* AnIcePerson: The sage has access to both Priest and Mage spells, meaning they can use ice magic.

* PlayingWithFire: The sage has access to both Priest and Mage spells, meaning they can use fire magic.

* StuffBlowingUp: The sage has access to both Priest and Mage spells, meaning they can use explosive magic.

** In the 3DS and Definitive Editions, [[spoiler:she is confronted by villagers who are trying to talk her out of her marriage to Ortega by spreading bad rumors about him. The Luminary discovers that a monster sent by Baramos has cursed the villagers to prevent the Hero's birth and slays it, then breaks the curse with some Defuddle Drops. Now realizing that her marriage has more at stake than she thought, she swears to get stronger to protect her family.]]

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Everybody is fearful of Pimiko, knowing she can pick any of them to be a sacrifice at any time.

* DirtyCoward: Robbin' will throw down like the thug he is when he thinks he has the upper hand, but the instant he loses he turns into a whimpering baby who begs to be spared and swears that he'll go stright--the first time in the franchise that he does this, it turns out later [[spoiler:that he's lying through his teeth]].

** Xenlon, a PaletteSwap of the boreal serpent family of monters, appeared belatedly in the UpdatedRerelease of ''III''. He is, however, bar none the mightiest of the serpents and grants wishes.

** Despite ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D'' redesigning the Bones of Baramos,[[note]]Said design coming from the ''Emblem of Roto''[[/note]] ''Dragon Quest X'', ''Dragon Quest of the Stars'', ''Dragon Quest: Monster Parade'', the ''Joker 3'' games, and ''Dragon Quest Tact'' reuses the Dragon Zombie PaletteSwap from ''III''.

* SecondaryColorNemesis: Baramos wears a purple mantle over green robes. The Soul of Baramos wears a green mantle over purple robes.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zoma.png]]

* DarkIsEvil: Perhaps utilized to the greatest potency in the series. When he's first encountered, Zoma's protected by a ''shroud'' of pure darkness, so potent that it renders him NighInvulnerable to all forms of assault. Only the Ball of Light, an artifact that quite literally has the potency to restore vibrancy and vitality to the entire world, can nullify it to even the odds.

A mysterious and rare profession, Sages learn all the spells of both Clerics and Mages. Nobody is capable of simply starting as one, however; it takes special training and the rare and highly-valued Book of Satori/Words of Wisdom...

* OddNameOut: Bang / Boom / Explodet. Averted in the remake.

* CompositeCharacter: ''Emblem of Roto'' and the Monsters series in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestMonsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D'' redesigned the Bones of Baramos to better resemble the original Baramos, rather than using the quick-and-dirty PaletteSwap of the Dragon Zombie from ''III''.

* SecondaryColorNemesis: Baramos wears a purple mantle over green robes. The Baramos Bros. wear a green mantle over purple robes.

* AnIcePerson: Kacrack, the strongest ice-elemental spell, is his attacking spell of choice. Not only that, but he can also attack with freezing breath, and even his aforementioned Disruptive Wave ability is described as "icy" in certain translations.

* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler: One of your wishes to [[BonusBoss Xenlon]] can be to bring Ortega back to life. When you see him back in Aliahan, he wishes you well on your quest and not to make your mother worry too much.]]

* BonusBoss: The boss of the post-game dungeon. Good luck beating him, let alone quickly.

* BonusBoss: In ''Dragon Quest IX'', ''Dragon Quest X'', and the 3DS and Definitive versions of ''Dragon Quest XI'', complete with his original theme, in the first and the last.

* BonusBoss: Aside from appearing alongside the other Big Bads of the series in various future main titles, he's easily the hardest boss in ''Dragon Quest Heroes''.

** This specialization is retained in future games in which Zoma appears as a BonusBoss, such as the ''Monsters'' subseries and [[{{VideoGame/DragonQuestIX}} Dragon Quest IX]].

* RatedMForManly: Ortega is you, but with beard, muscle, and mighty axe. He doesn't need a party to help him venture across the land, will do pitched battle with monsters at the very rim of active volcanoes, [[spoiler:and even after losing his memory, comes within arm's reach of the BigBad all by himself]].

** They can also equip several melee and throwing weapons like [[BladeOnAStick spears]], axes, whips and {{b|attleBoomerang}}oomerangs. However, they can't equip more specialized weapons like claws, knives and staves.

* ChoiceOfTwoWeapons: Or rather, Choice of Five Weapons. Being a MagicallyIneptFighter, they can only use melee weapons like swords, [[BladeOnAStick spears]], axes, [[DropTheHammer hammers]] and [[ShearMenace shears]].

* ChoiceOfTwoWeapons: Or rather, Three Weapons. They can use swords, albeit not as effectively as the Hero or Warrior though. They can also use [[BladeOnAStick spears]], but due to their affinity to magic [[MagicStaff staves]] are their preferred weapons.

%%** [[BladeOnAStick Spears]].

* WhipItGood: Thieves can wield whips which target single groups of enemies.

** They can also equip several melee and throwing weapons like [[BladeOnAStick spears]], axes, {{whip|ItGood}}s and {{b|attleBoomerang}}oomerangs. However, they can't equip more specialized weapons like claws, knives and staves.

%%** WhipItGood

* DressedLikeADominatrix: In the Super Famicom version, if the female gadabout is equipped with a swimsuit, she'll have other ideas and wear something else entirely, complete with NavelDeepNeckline and a whip.

%%** [[WhipItGood Whips]].

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: [[ZigzaggedTrope He precedes Pankraz]] of ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'' (which released on the Super Famicom in 1992) as a character, but as a father who shares a StrongFamilyResemblance with his son but and extra facial hair, Ortega's appearance in the Super Famicom remake of ''III'' (1996) takes an obvious leaf from Pankraz' book.

!!!Tropes associated with the Queen:

Robbin' 'Ood is a big axe-wielding brute who leads a small party of robbin' hoodlums on various criminal expeditions; when first encountered by the party in ''III'', they've just relieved the King of Rimuldar of his crown.