Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake: How to beat Chiromancer
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake has several new bosses, including the Chiromancer. One of Archfiend Baramos’s trusted aides, they are guarding the Blue Orb. What makes this fight even more difficult is that you have to complete it with just the hero. At the end of the trial, the hero undertakes at the village of Lanson, this boss, alongside a Madvlad enemy. It’s certainly not an easy battle, but it’s one you can do alone.
Like the Dying Fire before it, the Chiromancer in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake has an ally, but unlike that fight, it can’t constantly spawn them. It requires him to cast the Zing spell, which may not work and doesn’t bring the ally back at 100% HP. Here’s what we recommend for this difficult encounter.
Note: This guide features some minor spoilers for Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake.
Tips to defeat the Chiromancer in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
Before you go into the Chiromancer fight in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, there are a few things we recommend you have access to. A few Coagulent items will help, so you can inflict the Madvlad with Confusion. At least one Prayer Ring, maybe two can help as well. If you have MP restorative items, these also work — whichever you prefer using.
You also definitely want the Zapple spell — it’s the second-strongest Lightning Spell. If you come to this late enough to have the final Zap spell, that’s even better. At least Zapple is a must. The Madvlad is weak to Boom, so having that to deal damage to both enemies helps. Killing him immediately stops Kasap and his ability to inflict Fear, stopping you from taking a turn.
You must defeat the Madvlad quickly and keep it off the field. It can hit you with Kasap to lower your defenses. Chiromancer occasionally deals Desperate Attacks (crits) in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, but they amount to nothing unless your defense is low. Even if he casts Oomph on himself, it’s not too bad.
It can also hit you with Dazzle, but that’s not relevant, because you aren’t going to be fighting him. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself be Sapped though. Suddenly, he’ll cast Swoosh for 30-50 damage and may do it two times in a row.
The only time I attack is with a Boomerang, and just to get Madvlad off the board, if he’s low. It’s important to hit Chiromancer for at least 40 damage a turn — he heals somewhere from 35-40 damage every single turn. Turns spent restoring mana are stressful for that reason. That means you need to hit him as hard as you can — that means Zapple.
You can put Chiromancer to sleep, but it won’t last for more than a turn, so it’s not really worth doing. When it’s just you and him, slam that Zapple spell over and over to hit the Chiromancer in Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake for 120+ damage a shot. Coming into this fight with a good 200 HP is very helpful though.
Even if you aren’t weakened, his spells hit for an average of 50 damage (Frizzle, Swoosh), so having access to a good amount of HP, and a solid healing spell is going to come in handy.
Sometimes he’ll waste turns, by double-casting Oomph, or a failed Zing. If Madvlad comes back, just cast Boom again, to hopefully one-shot him and ensure you don’t get Kasapped. This is a grueling fight, honestly. It comes down to how efficient you are with heals, potential MP restoring, and spellcasting.
The worst turns are when he manages to take two attacks and blast you for about 100 points of spell damage. If you have to take two turns to cast Midheal, do it. It’s worth it to not have to restart this fight. Success will grant you the Chiromassacre achievement, as well as the Blue Orb.
The game is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. If you want to know more about it, check out our Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake in-depth review.