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DQIVDS - Estark

A Superboss is an optional boss far stronger than the final boss, and can often be found in their own Bonus Dungeons. Some of them tie into character stories and add more depth to the world, while others simply exist for additional challenge or as tribute to previous games in the series; the former happens with superbosses such as Nokturnus, Lord of the Dragovians or the Grotto bosses, the latter often happens with superbosses that are added in remakes such as GranDragn, the Memories Lane bosses or Timewyrm. Final bosses from previous games may sometimes appear as optional bosses as themselves or as monsters referencing them which happened in Dragon Quest IX and Dragon Quest XI.

Defeating them isn't just for bragging rights, because they often drop rewards or allow to have a wish granted upon their defeat. In some cases (e.g Nokturnus, Chow Mein and Foo Yung, the Trial Isle's bosses) the group will be rewarded only if they can defeat them in a limited amount of turns. Nokturnus is one of the most memorable superbosses because beating him in 20 turns or under would reward an alternate ending where the Hero and his party would watch him wipe the floor with Mortamor.

A recurring superboss in the series is none other than Estark, who originated in Dragon Quest IV as a regular boss and then became a powerful post-game boss in Dragon Quest V. Each time, his story involves him being asleep for aeons, unable to remember if he was good or evil.

Appearances[]

Dragon Quest III[]

DQIII - Xenlon DQIII - GranDragon

The original NES version had no superbosses, though the SNES remake added in Xenlon, a wish granting dragon found at the end of Cloudsgate Citadel, as a post-game boss. Multiple rematches are possible, making Erdrick and his party able to obtain multiple wishes granted by the mighty dragon. Among these wishes, there is the option to revive Ortega, which offer more dialogue option from the people of Aliahan.

Another boss, GranDragn, the boss of the Ice Cave was added in the GBC version of the game, with the Rubiss's sword, the most powerful weapon available, being the final reward for its defeat. While Xenlon would later remain as an optional encounter in the subsequent re-releases, GranDragn would instead remain exclusive to the GBC version.

Dragon Quest IV[]

DQIVDS - Chow Mein DQIVDS - Foo Yung

Once again, the original NES game doesn't have any optional content, although the PSX and DS versions added a fight against a pair of superbosses who could be found in the Fungeon: Chow Mein and Foo Yung, who bizarrely had the Casino theme as their battle theme. If defeated, the Chosen would be rewarded by them with an Yggdrasil flower, capable to revive Rose and rescue Psaro from his tragic fate, which in turn allowed to fight the game's true final boss, Aamon. Subsequent rematches against Chow Mein and Foo Yung would also grant other rewards, the most important of them being pieces of the Pandemonic Equipment.

Dragon Quest V[]

DQIVDS - Estark

Introducing in this game was the series's first superboss: Estark, who had previously appeared as a story-related boss in Dragon Quest IV. Found in Estark's Labyrinth, he was far tougher than Grandmaster Nimzo and much stronger than his debut in Dragon Quest IV. This is true in both the original SNES game and it's DS remake. Estark is one of the few superbosses in the series to appear in multiple games, and can be considered Dragon Quest's equivalent of Omega (Final Fantasy). He's also well known for his weakness to Kasnooze, which can often making fighting him far more bearable. Despite his reputation, it's possible to easily win this fight by giving everyone Blizzard Blades and wailing on his while he's asleep.

Dragon Quest VI[]

DQIX - Nokturnus

Nokturnus (originally named Dark Dream), briefly appeared late during the main story, though he could not be fought until clearing the game. Located deep in the Fungeon, the party could choose to summon him, allowing them to fight him. If one defeated him in under 20 turns, he would take the group directly to Mortamor and fight him in their place. Despite Mortamor's strength, Nokturnus destroys him easily, which grants an alternate ending.

Dragon Quest VII[]

DQMJ2 - The Almighty DQVII - Fire Spirit DQVII - Water Spirit DQVII - Earth Spirit DQVII - Wind Spirit

These characters served an important role in the story, being in opposition to Orgodemir. However upon beating the game, the party could access the Cave to Another World, when they could fight The Almighty in a friendly bout. Defeating him in 20 turns or under would grant them a wish, with multiple rematches required if all wishes are desired to be collected.

It is also possble to fight the Fire Spirit, the Earth Spirit, the Wind Spirit and the Water Spirit in a single clash at the end of the Cave to Yet Another World, only accessible after defeating The Almighty.

Dragon Quest VIII[]

Lord of the dragovians
DQMJ - Dragovian lord DQVIII - Emerald dragon DQVIII - Silver dragon DQVIII - Golden dragon
DQVIII - Darksteel dragon DQVIII - Divine dragon DQVIII - Ultimate dragon

Once the Hero and his party defeats Rhapthorne and accesses the Heavenly Dais, they'll have to defeat the Dragovian Lord. Once they unlock the Dragovian Trials which allow them to fight the now sane Lord of the Dragovians and then one of his dragon forms (Vermillion Dragon, Emerald Dragon, Silver Dragon, Golden Dragon, Darksteel Dragon, Divine Dragon). After defeating Divine Dragon, you'll have to fight a gauntlet of all his Dragon forms, concluding with his most poweful one, the Ultimate Dragon (which takes visula cues from the Dragonlord). After each victory, the Lord of the Dragovians will grant the group a wish.

Gemonin Memoriam DQIVDS - Estark

One such wish, added in the 3DS version of the game, makes the group able to access Memories Lane, a training ground that adds in stronger versions of various main game bosses that require specialized strategies to overcome: Geyzer in Memoriam, Tortured Soul in Memoriam, Trap Box in Memoriam, Don Mole in Memoriam, Great Argon Lizard in Memoriam, Captain Crow in Memoriam, Gemon in Memoriam, Sir Leopold in Memoriam, Dark Servant in Memoriam, Ruin in Memoriam, Evil Jessica in Memoriam, Marcello in Memoriam, and Dhoulmagus in Memoriam.

After overcoming them, you'll be fighting Estark, who puts Rhapthorne and even Ultimate Dragon to shame; however even at his strongest, Estark still keeps his weakness to Kasnooze.

Dragon Quest IX[]

DQXIS - Nagasus DQIX - Nemean DQIX - Shogum DQIX - Trauminator DQIX - Elusid DQIX - Sir Sanguinus
DQMJ - Atlas DQIX - Hammibal DQIX - Fowleye DQIX - Excalipurr DQIX - Tyrannosaurus Wrecks DQIX - Greygnarl - Second Forme

Dragon Quest IX has many post-game bosses, some of which are DLC exclusive: If the Hero is willing to venture into the Grottoes, they can take on a boss: Equinox, Nemean, Shogum, Trauminator, Elusid, Sir Sanguinus, Atlas, Hammibal, Fowleye, Excalipurr, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks or a revived and rejuvenated Greygnarl. However, they're stronger than the storyline bosses, with Tyrannosaurus Wrecks and Greygnarl in particular among the strongest bosses aside from the Legacy bosses.

DQ - Dragonlord - Second FormeDQII - MalrothDQIII - Baramos v.2DQIII - ZomaDQIVDS - PsaroDQIVDS - EstarkDQVDS - Nimzo - Second FormeDQVIDS - MurdawDQVIDS - Mortamor - Third FormeDQIX - NokturnusDQVII - Orgodemir - Second FormeDQVIII - Dhoulmagus - Second FormeDQVIII - Rhapthorne - Second Forme

The Legacy Bosses in question are important villians or final bosses from previous games: the Dragonlord, Malroth, Baramos, Zoma, Psaro the Manslayer, Estark, Nimzo, Murdaw, Mortamor, Nokturnus, Orgodemir, Dhoulmagus and Rhapthorne. For the most part, their maps can be obtained from the game's sidequests, though some bosses have their maps by getting a legacy boss (i.e Dragonlord/Psaro/Nimzo and Baramos/Murdaw/Dhoulmagus) up to Lv:16 in order for them to drop the map. The Dragonlord's map in particular is dropped by Greygnarl, though there is only a 10% chance to obtain it.

DQIX - YoreDQIX - Drastic drackalDQIX - King GodfreyDQIX - NodophDQIX - Tyrannosaura Wrecks

The last of this game's superbosses only appear in DLC sidequests: Yore, Rover, King Godfrey, Nodoph and Tyrannosaura Wrecks.

Dragon Quest X[]

DQX-King of True Calamity The King of Calamity is an optional superboss in Version 1. It resembles Estark.

DQIX - Serena This article is a stub.
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DQIX - Serena

Dragon Quest XI[]

Blind hatred DQXI - Unfathomable Anger 2D SheerDecadence 3 All-Consuming Greed 3 Abject Terror 4 Darkest Despair 1 Overweening Pride 1

Trial Isle, a mystical place created to test the Luminary and his party, has several superbosses, all of whom are dark and more powerful versions of the Spectral Sentinels: (Blind Hatred, Unfathomable Anger, Sheer Decadence & All-Consuming Greed, Abject Terror & Darkest Despair, and Overweening Pride).

DQXI - Erdrick's Restless Armour Lord Dragon Wyrmalroth DQXIS - Zomaiden DQXIS - Psaroid DQXIS - Nimclops
DQXIS - Mortamammoth DQXIS - Orgodelotl DQXIS - Hoopthorne DQXIS - Hunkorvus DQXIS - Nelgelas DQXIS - End of Time

The 3DS and Definitive versions of the game added in several superbosses: these bosses, accessed by travelling inside the books found in Tickington, are Erdrick's Restless Armour, Lord Dragon, Wyrmalroth, Zomaiden, Psaroid, Nimclops, Mortamammoth, Orgodelotl, Hoopthorne, Hunkorvus, Nelgelas. Defeating these final bosses will allow you to fight a stronger boss, End of Time, fought at the Alter of an Elusive Age. It's the hardest boss in the 3DS version of the game, practically requiring a Lv: 99 party to defeat it.

Timewyrm

The Definitive version then added in a superboss that surpasses End of Time in terms of difficulty: Timewyrm.

Spinoffs[]

Dragon Quest Monsters[]

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DQIX - Serena

Dragon Warrior Monsters 2[]

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DQIX - Serena

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker[]

The player can actually fight Solitaire in the post-game after the Hero completes Rank X of the Xeroph Isle Monster Arena and completes both levels of the Monster Scout Proficiency Test. Her monster team consists of a Mumboh-jumboe, an Atlas and a Metal kaiser slime and can be refought as many times as the player wishes. After defeating her for the first time, she'll give the Hero a Brass Key which can used to unlock a door in the sewers which contains Estark. Defeating Estark will be no easy task because he is the strongest boss in the game; unlike Solitare though, he can only be fought once. After that, the only way to obtain an Estark is to fuse Psaro and a Beetlebully.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2[]

Solitaire returns as a post-game boss who can be fought after defeating Malevonyx. Her monster team consists of Atlas and Mumboh-jumboe, though Mumboe Jumboe now takes up 2 monster slots, hence the absence of her Metal Kaiser Slime. She can also be fought as the final opponent in the new Monster Scout Challenge, whose monster team consists of Dr Snapped and Ace of Spades (a callback to the previous game). Estark, once again can be fought in Cragnation during the post-game, though unlike the previous game he won't automatically join you. If the Hero defeat him in 10 turns or under, he'll join him, which grants one of the strongest 3 slot monsters in the game. Alternately, it is possible to fuse Psaro with a Marquis de Léon to obtain Estark instead.

DQMJ2 - LeonyxDQMJ2 - Rigor Mortex

The Hero can fight Leonyx, who is the purified form of Malevonyx and is one of the strongest bosses in the entire game. As a giant boss, he can deal far more damage than 1-slot or 2-slot monsters though the Giant Killer skill is effective against him. He's also one of the most difficult monsters to synthesise rivalled by Zenith Dragon and Rigor Mortex. To fuse him, the Hero needs Don Mole + Orochi + Marquis de Leon + Wildcard. After beating Leonyx the path to the Dark World is open, where Rigor Mortex the culprit behind Leonyx's corruption can be found.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3[]

Dr Snapped appears in the game as an optional boss.

Dragon Quest Heroes[]

Once Shadroth, Lord of the Night, is defeated, several optional fights become available. While some of them were originally DLCs for the initial japanese release, they have since then become available in the base game in the subsequent re-releases, such as the international version.

Immediately after the defeat of Shadroth, two maps become available, where it is possible to engage in combat respectively, with Nokturnus from Dragon Quest VI, and Zoma from Dragon Quest III. Before fighting the latter, Gragwort will offer to use the Sphere of Light to weaken Zoma, but nothing stops the party to reject his offer, making the subsequent fight much harder for themselves; there is no additional rewards for attempting said tougher battle, other than personal sadisfaction.

After completing a post-game Sidequest from Rodrigo Briscoletti, Sidequest number 100 "A Felicitous Solicitation", the man will offer a map that leads to the lair of Bjørn the Behemoose, a monster that otherwise had gone undefeated during the main story.

If at least a silver rank time was achieved during a rematch against one of the main story bosses, the Green dragon, the Gigantes, the three Killing machines, the Boss troll and Cosmic chimaera duo, the Stone guardian, the Grim golem, the Marquis de Léon, the Serpent of the scales, the Darkling, the Demon-at-arms and Überkilling machine duo, the Barbatos, and the King Hydra, the party would be rewarded with a map leading to a match against a Veteran Monster version of said boss, each tougher than their normal counterparts. These maps only become readable during the post-game, and the rewards for defeating the Veteran monsters for the first time are pretty powerful pieces of equipment.

Finally, after defeating all of the Veteran Monsters, one last map is unlocked, where a clash against Atlas from Dragon Quest II occurs. An Yggdrasil's root must be also protected during the battle, making this clash more difficult.

All the Veteran Monsters, Bjørn the Behemoose, Nokturnus, and Zoma, will have in their personal page in the Defeated Monsters sections of the Battle Records, a "Time Trial Completed!" label if the time limit for a golden rank time trial is achieved, but for some reason, Atlas is the only post-game fight that does not get said label.

Successive winnings against all of these post-game fights will give different rewards depending of the time spent during the fight, with a golden rank rewarding a varying number of Mini medals, and a silver rank giving 30000 gold.

Dragon Quest Heroes II[]

Estark reprises his role as a superboss in this game. Additionally, the Dragonlord from Dragon Quest, in his draconic form also appears as a an optional encounter.

The Dragon Quest Heroes I·II edition, exclusive to Japan, also added an extra optional fight against Malroth from Dragon Quest II.

Kenshin Dragon Quest[]

Kenshin DQ Zoma

After beating the Dragonlord and doing a sidequest, you unlock an extra stage where you fight against Zoma. Zoma will spend most of his time in the background firing off various spells, some of which need to be deflected back to damage him. Occasionally, he'll return to the foreground, giving ample opportunity to deal more damage. After besting them, Zoma disappears.

Dragon Quest Swords[]

After the Hero completes Chapter 8 and beats the game, they can access the Olde Reflectory, which is a small room containing several grey mirrors containing the Mirror bosses Clank 'n' Knalc, Nomeg, Salta, and King Latem; 3 of these foes are stronger versions of bosses (minus King Latem) the Hero had already fought in the main story, with King Latem serving as an easy way to gain EXP. Once those 4 were defeated, the Hero could fight Valgirt.

After defeating it, it unlocks 3 purple mirrors containing Der Gib, Nomegoen and Valgirt Nedlog, all of whom are much stronger. Defeating them would unlock Edahs 'Sohpix, who was much stronger than Xiphos and all of the other mirror bosses. However, defeating Edahs 'Sohpix is worth it because it allows to unlock Payback Mode, which gives the Deathbringer (Xiphos's sword), a powerful sword which could destroy most enemies. It could also be upgraded into the Deathbringer's Shade, the strongest sword in the game, bar none.

Dragon Quest Treasures[]

The final boss of the main storyline, Captain Long John Silverbones, returns as an optional fight, after being rescured from his jailers, the Sylphanians, by one of his right-hand men, Gustav, taking refuge at La Isla Dorada. Taking the fight much more seriously than what he previously did (in the original Japanese script, he is even referered during this encounter as "Serious Silverbones"), Silverbones can no longer be optionally defeated by pinching the Seven Dragonstones from him, and must be defeated fair and square instead. Being now a Lv.80 fight compared to the original Lv.50 one, his attacks, while unchanged from the original struggle, now deals much more damage, making him more dangerous than ever. Once defeated, he will remain at La Isla Dorada, offering a rematch whenever Erik and Mia so chooses.

Additionally, while visiting a portal dungeon in search for treasure, instead of the generic bosses, its possible very rarely to face against an evil version of the ancient treasure guardians, Hornbull, Proudemane and Rimeblood. These monsters, called respectively Masquerading Hornbull, Masquerading Proudmane, and Masquerading Rimeblood, unlike their good counterpart, scale with the level of Mia and Erik, making it possible for them to reach as high as Lv. 99. Furthermore, once they reach half of their health, they enter a different phase from their good counterpart, where they destroy the obstacles that previously exposed their weak points and clad themselves in a barrier, which must be destroyed before being able to deal damage to them again. One of the missions requested by Levanter is to track down and defeat at least once one of each of the Masquerading monsters.

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