Dragon Warrior III/Parties

See the player classes page for information on each class.

See the Advanced Party Analysis if you want a more detailed version of this page.

You start out with only the Hero, but you will almost immediately gain three more members, who can be from among six different classes (seven in the remakes). This leaves you with a lot of options, most of which will leave your party horribly unbalanced. Unless your doing a challenge run, (no magic, magic users only, low level, etc), there are only a few combinations worth using. You need a proper balance of physical attacking, speed, offensive magic, buffs, debuffs, and healing. While the Hero does have all three abilities, one character alone will not be enough to cover everything.

Your party should consist of:

1. The Hero
2. An Attacker (Soldier or Fighter)
3. A Pilgrim

Further complicating things are the radical differences between the NES version, and all the Remakes after it. They are too numerous to go into on this page (view Advanced Party Analysis for that)—but suffice it to say, the recommended party composition for the Remakes is very different from the one recommended for the NES.

Viable Party Compositions for NES

Hero, Soldier, Pilgrim, Wizard *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Soldier

• 

  Pilgrim

• 

  Wizard

1. Hero
2. Soldier
3. Pilgrim
4. Wizard >>> Fighter

• Pros - The Soldier's high durability, less grinding required, faster grinding where it is required, early access to Wizard spells, slightly easier final dungeon
• Cons - The Soldier's low speed, moderate cost to equip, and the Wizard's low HP and Defense may cause problems early on
• Overall - 10/10

This is the classic party, and the one recommended by the game designers. In fact, it is actually one of the more efficient parties in the game, thanks to learning Bikill early. That means less grinding required.

You will have to grind a while to get the Wizard into something resembling fighting shape in the early game. This party will also be more expensive to equip in the beginning, since Warriors rely so much on their gear—but it is worth it in the end, as they have stratospherically high HP and can equip magic resistant gear. If nothing else, this is a great party for defeating the final boss.

Hero, Merchant, Pilgrim, Fighter *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Merchant

• 

  Pilgrim

• 

  Fighter

1. Hero
2. Merchant >>> Sage
3. Pilgrim
4. Fighter

• Pros - Incredibly easy early game, Merchant gets to LVL 20 faster than anyone, will kill enemies very quickly, Fighter can quickly heal with Herbs, slightly more Gold in early game, can investigate weapon and armor properties without a walkthrough
• Cons - Moderate equipments costs, slightly harder final dungeon, grinding takes slightly longer without Wizard, and more of it is required
• Overall - 10/10

This party...is surprisingly great. The recommendation for Merchant over Soldier flies against years of conventional wisdom; but it actually works out extremely well, because the Merchant is great in the early game and changes into a Sage before they can deteriorate in the late-game. Plus they can get you some extra gold in the meantime. The ability to inspect weapons and armor is also a boon.

Of course, the lack of a Warrior makes the endgame a little trickier, but that section doesn't cover enough of the game for this factor to be a serious mark against the party. Thus, it is highly recommended for beginners!

Hero, Soldier, Fighter, Pilgrim

• 

  Hero

• 

  Soldier

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Pilgrim

1. Hero
2. Soldier >>> Sage
3. Fighter
4. Pilgrim

• Pros - Incredibly easy early game, will kill enemies very quickly, Fighter can quickly heal with Herbs
• Cons - The Soldier's low Agility, more overall damage taken, moderate equipments costs, slightly harder final dungeon, grinding takes slightly longer without Wizard, and more of it is required
• Overall - 9/10

This team is pretty much a mix of the two previous ones; except, the Soldier trades half his Agility in exchange for more Strength and HP. Unfortunately, this means he will almost never go first in battle; meaning more overall damage taken from enemies.

Still, it doesn't make too much of a difference in the long run; the Soldier is still the one who is going to be a Sage in this party. He does not gain levels quite as quickly as the Merchant; but he still gains them faster than everyone except the Merchant and Jester. In essence, this is basically the same party as the last one; the early and midgame fights will just be slightly more irritating till class change.

Hero, Fighter, Fighter, Pilgrim *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Pilgrim

1. Hero
2. Fighter
3. Fighter >>> Sage
4. Pilgrim

• Pros - Will very quickly kill enemies, Fighters can quickly heal with Herbs, very low cost to equip
• Cons - Slightly harder final dungeon, Fighter takes longer to get to LVL 20 than most other classes
• Overall - 10/10

The reason this also has a 10/10 is because it also has a great combination of efficiency and reliability. In fact, the game is even easier with this class than it is with the Hero, Merchant, Fighter, and Priest party!

Make no mistake; the early and midgame is where the Fighters shine the most. And even at the end, you will be fine if you class changed one of them into a Sage. In fact, the Fighter is one of the best candidates for the job. Neither the Sage nor the Pilgrim are too fast on their own; so the Fighter's leftover Agility stat will go a long way into compensating for that.

But, Fighters do take a while to grind to Level 20, so it loses points in that regard. However, what it sacrifices in efficiency, it makes up for with reliability! Dangerous early and midgame enemies will fall before they can use their attacks; and the Fighters' natural Strength and Agility are more than enough to make up for their equipment shortcomings. Besides that, killing metal monsters is always troublesome. The higher chances you have at a critical, the better!

Hero, Fighter, Pilgrim, Wizard

• 

  Hero

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Pilgrim

• 

  Wizard

1. Hero
2. Fighter
3. Pilgrim
4. Wizard >>> Sage

• Pros - Less grinding required, faster grinding where it is required, early access to Wizard spells, low cost to equip, Fighter can quickly heal with Herbs, will very quickly kill enemies
• Cons - The Wizard's low HP and Defense may cause problems early on, slightly harder final dungeon
• Overall - 9/10

This is very similar to the first setup; but is arguably the most efficient party in the entire game. This is because the Fighter is advantageous for all the reasons previously discussed.

The Fighter is more frail than the Soldier, but that doesn't matter much. All of this game's most dangerous encounters involve enemies that target all members of your party, not just the two people in the front. All of your weaker party members will be hit just as hard by those as they would have if a Wizard had been in the 1st slot instead. Hence, a truly "defended" party is one that can take out said enemies before they can do their worst; and the Fighter helps do exactly that. Even as you draw near to the endgame, you can have him use the Staff of Thunder to cast Firebane for free.

Finally, this party can also change it's Wizard into a Sage like the other parties can. Unlike all of those other parties, this one will NOT need to grind for Bikill afterwards. This is why it's slightly more efficient.

Hero, Soldier, Soldier, Pilgrim

• 

  Hero

• 

  Soldier

• 

  Soldier

• 

  Pilgrim

1. Hero
2. Soldier
3. Soldier >>> Sage
4. Pilgrim

• Pros - The Soldier's high durability, incredibly easy early game, slightly easier final dungeon
• Cons - Abysmal speed, high equipment costs, slow to kill enemies, more overal damage taken, grinding is slightly slower without Wizard, and more of it is required
• Overall - 7/10

This is an incredibly powerful party in the very early game. However, it's weaknesses become more apparent after you get to Romaly.

First of all, this party is incredibly slow. While you can absorb a lot more damage, you're going to need to; the enemies will always attack before your team can. Secondly, this is one of the most expensive parties in the game; your 2nd Soldier will often need to use second-tier equipment just to keep up on money management. While there are some free weapons and armor that you get in dungeons and the like, it's not enough to offset the costs. So, if you go with this party, you will want to turn one of the Soldiers into a Sage. This way, you will at least be able to get Bikill while disabling enemies with spells like Expel, Limbo, Sleep, and Defeat.

Besides; party members keep half of all their original stats upon class change. Whichever Warrior you turn into a Sage, they will enjoy an enormous advantage in HP compared to other sages!

Hero, Soldier, Pilgrim, Pilgrim

• 

  Hero

• 

  Soldier

• 

  Pilgrim

• 

  Pilgrim

1. Hero
2. Soldier
3. Pilgrim
4. Pilgrim >>> Sage

• Pros - The Soldier's high durability, lots of healing, easier to land debuffs, slightly easier final dungeon
• Cons - Moderate equipment costs, slow to kill enemies, more overall damage taken, grinding is slightly slower without Wizard, and more of it is required
• Overall - 6/10

Healing will certainly be a non-issue. But, you will NEED more healing too; the Pilgrims just aren't fast enough to consistently disable all enemies before they move. They also have a hard time keeping up with boss regeneration. Besides that, the party is also slow in efficiency. More time taken to kill enemies equals more time taken to clear the game. Granted, it all evens out once you turn one of the Priests into a Sage; but why deal with the added tedium in the early game?

Hero, Fighter, Pilgrim, Pilgrim

• 

  Hero

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Pilgrim

• 

  Pilgrim

1. Hero
2. Fighter
3. Pilgrim
4. Pilgrim >>> Sage

• Pros - Lots of healing, easier to land debuffs, low equipment costs, Fighter can heal with Herbs in addition to your two Priests
• Cons - Slow to kill enemies, more overall damage taken, slightly harder final dungeon, grinding is slightly slower without Wizard, and more of it is required
• Overall - 7/10

Again, not much different than the previous party. Equipment costs are much less, you're a bit better at killing enemies quickly, and Kandar 2 is slightly easier since the Fighter can consistently outspeed him. However, most of the aforementioned problems are still there; they're just not quite as bad with this party.

Viable Party Compositions for the Remakes

NOTE: The following analyses assume that you choose the "Tough/Tough Cookie" personality for everyone you make. That grants 140% Vitality, making for much more durable characters.

The Remakes are far more lenient in their difficulty. Priests aren't a hard requirement anymore, Mages have more HP, there are many new armor pieces available for each class, grinding is much easier, and Thieves can be an exceptionally powerful class with the right gear. As a result, there is a lot more variability on how one can choose their party.

For that reason, this section will not have the "ratings" that the NES section did. It will be less an analysis of how good some parties are compared to others, and more an examination of what parties are better suited for which tasks. Some are better for just clearing the game quickly, some are better for power-gamers, one is designed specifically for accessing the GBC-exclusive Ice Cavern, and etc.

Hero & Priest (For beginners) *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Priest

1. Hero
2. Priest (preferably Female) >>> Thief

• Pros - Very simple and easy for those new to RPGs, money is plentiful, Experience will be divided two ways instead of four, AoE attacks aren't that deadly anymore, will only need to revive one party member after death, Thief skills are useful for finding all items.
• Cons - Slower than other viable parties, slightly more grinding is required than other viable parties, stunning attacks can be dangerous, cannot kill the first post-game boss quickly enough to access the second bonus dungeon.

This is an option that would never be viable in the NES version; but it works out well in the context of the Remakes. They give you the "Bag"; which allows you to carry x99 Herbs at once. Even if the Priest or Hero run out of MP, you will never have any trouble healing up after battle.

More important, however, is this. Experience points are usually divided four ways, if you form a 4-person party (as the game expects you to do). However, this group has only two members; which means that both people are leveling up x2 faster than they were meant to. While they will never be able to clear battles as fast as a four-person party could, they will be far more durable than normal.

The idea, then, is this: Instead of having to manage four entire PC's, you will only need to manage two. Of course, you will eventually need to do some grinding. However, this is a game where grinding is incredibly easy and fast. That all being said, this is not the party one chooses if they are completionists, as 100%ing the remakes means beating one of the bonus bosses in 15 Turns.

In conclusion, a new player will be sacrificing "efficiency" in return for "simplicity" when choosing this party. You will want to choose one of the other "recommended" parties, if you feel like you already know how to play an RPG, or want to see more of the game.

Solo Hero (For beginners)

• 

  Hero

1. Hero

• Pros - Usually simple and easy for those new to RPG's, money is plentiful, Experience will not be divided, AoE attacks aren't that deadly anymore, will never need to worry about reviving party members.
• Cons - Slower than other viable parties, stunning attacks will cause instant death, the Tough/Tough Cookie personality is a hard requirement, gameplay can become repetitive, some specific items and equipment are needed for specific bosses, cannot kill the first post-game boss quickly enough to access the second bonus dungeon.

This is a more extreme version of the above party that gets the Hero much stronger much faster. So long as the Hero has HealAll, he will outlast every boss he meets, so long as his HP is high enough.

However, there are some bosses that require specific preparations. Baramos himself regenerates around 100 HP per round; and two other endgame bosses hit you hard enough that you will spend most of your time healing. These can all be beaten, but special adjustments need to be made for them. Read Advanced Party Analysis for more information.

Besides that, you will need to grind to at least Level 33 at the Tower of Garuna. That's the earliest level that HealAll can be learned, which is more grinding than what other viable parties require. Finally, you will not be able to do a completionist playthrough for the same reason as the party above.

In conclusion, the Solo Hero is surprisingly effective, despite it's obvious shortcomings. It requires some planning to make it work, you can't enter the GBC-exclusive bonus dungeon with it, and it's nowhere near the fastest way of playing the game. However, what it lacks in options, it makes up for in sheer simplicity. Once the Hero has everything he needs, there is virtually nothing that can stop the Solo Hero once it hits it's stride.

Hero, Warrior, Thief, Mage (For beginners and speedruns) *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Warrior

• 

  Thief

• 

  Mage

1. Hero
2. Warrior
3. Thief >>> Sage
4. Mage >>> Warrior

Where the previous two parties were aimed at those wanting simplicity, this one is aimed for those trying to beat the main story as quickly as possible. In that context, the choices here are simple. The Warrior is your meatshield for boss fights, the Thief is for reducing encounter rates with Tiptoe, and the Mage allows you to learn Bikill early. From there, Thief >>> Sage is for learning Sap, Sleep, and Stopspell, and Mage >>> Warrior is what allows the Mage to survive intense endgame fights.

Money is not the issue it was in the NES either, as the remakes practically throws it at you. Just be careful to keep the Mist Staff when you find it in Portoga. Don't sell it. From there, everything else should fall into place. Just make sure to buy two Wizard Rings and two Sleep Staves at Elvenham before trading away the Change Staff. That way, your Warrior and Mage/Warrior can use Sleep and Stopspell as well!

In conclusion, the qualities that make it great for speed runs are also what makes it great for beginners, as it is a party that can survive on very little. It's not great at clearing random encounters, but it's incredible for boss fights; and ultimately, those are the only fights that are really required.

Hero, Thief, Thief, Mage (For SNES/Mobile completionists) *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Thief

• 

  Thief

• 

  Mage

1. Hero
2. Thief >>> Sage
3. Thief >>> Sage
4. Mage >>> Thief

One of the other benefits to playing the remakes is the presence of whips and boomerangs. The former hits an entire group of enemies with just one Attack command; and the latter hits every enemy in the battle. In a game where you're just trying to beat the main game, these weapons will eventually fall behind in power. But if you visit every Pachisi Board as soon as possible, buy all the stuff you can get in their shops, and collect all the Mini Medal rewards as you go through the game, you will get whips and boomerangs strong enough that they will never become obsolete. In fact, collecting Mini Medals is all you need to do if you're playing on the Mobile version.

This party is made to take full advantage of that. Thieves are quicker than Fighters, can use all whips and boomerangs, and have the strength needed to take advantage of that. Mages, for their part, now have enough HP to thrive in the early game, learn Bikill at Level 21, and can use whips once they class change into a Sage. By the time you hit the endgame, you will bearly even need to think about what you're doing. Your party will obliterate entire enemy groups just by pressing the A-button.

In addition, they have the ThiefNose and MapMagic abilities. Use those two skills in every place you go, and you will always be able to find and locate each town's hidden items.

As for them becoming Sages, that's for access to Priest spells, as well as Falcon Swords & the Transform spell for Divinegon; the SNES version's post-game boss. You need to be able to defeat him in 15 Turns or less before he will grant all of your wishes; and that's excessively difficult without those last two things. Read Advanced Party Analysis for more details.

Hero, Fighter, Thief, Mage (For SNES/Mobile completionists)

• 

  Hero

• 

  Fighter

• 

  Thief

• 

  Mage

1. Hero
2. Fighter >>> Sage
3. Thief >>> Sage
4. Mage >>> Thief

This is not a party that has any significant advantages over the previous "SNES/Mobile Completionist Party". The Fighter is simply there for the sake of variety. Not everyone enjoys having two of the same type of class in their party; and the Fighter is at least slightly better for single-target damage. Plus, this allows you to make actual use of all the claws you can get in the game's various dungeons. With the previous party, you would just end up selling them all.

Hero, Thief, Priest, Jester (For GBC completionists) *Recommended*

• 

  Hero

• 

  Thief

• 

  Priest

• 

  Jester

1. Hero
2. Thief >>> Sage
3. Priest >>> Sage
4. Jester >>> Sage

SNES completionists only need to worry about beating the main game, and defeating Divinegon in under 15 turns. GBC completionists, however, face a far greater challenge. They will have to go spend a very long time hunting for Monster Medals; long enough that even the Sages will reach Level 60+ when all is said and done. Read Monster Medals for more details.

This is where the Jester comes in. For all it's obvious weaknesses, it is the only class that knows "Whistle". This ability costs no MP, and will instantly trigger a random encounter. All you need to do is use the map located on the Monster Medals, figure out which places have the monster medals they need, and then spam Whistle over and over again at those locations. Plus, the Jester can turn into a Sage without needing a Zen Book.

As for grinding, you would do it before fighting any of the game's bosses, thus an early trip to the Tower of Garuna. That's also why the Priest is here. The Hero will not have as much MP as he normally would; so in addition to some added safety in the early game, the Priest is also there for in case the Hero can't use Expel on SkyDragon anymore. This way, you'll be able to grind until you have class-changed both the Priest and Jester into Sages.

Naturally, this is not necessary if one is not planning to complete the Ice Cavern. In that case, it is recommended that you simply use the "SNES/Mobile completionist parties" listed above.

Hero, Thief, Priest, Mage (For casual speedruns)

• 

  Hero

• 

  Priest

• 

  Thief

• 

  Mage

1. Hero
2. Thief
3. Priest >>> Sage
4. Mage >>> Warrior

To be clear, this is not a part that should be used for serious world record attempts. The lack of a dedicated Warrior can be managed if one actually fights most of the random encounters after Garuna; but that should never happen in a true speed run setting. As a result, the party is simply too fragile to consistently survive against Zoma.

So rather than a hardcore minimalist party, this one is more for those who want to mix it up a bit. Instead of going for world record pace, this party settles for going reasonably fast. Instead of being designed only for boss fights, this party allows one to quickly defeat random encounters as well. Instead of having two copies of the same class, this party allows everyone to be unique.