| “ | When Dragoons meet, blood will flow and as they leave, time does slow. | ” |
|
-Rose | ||
Dart as the Dragoon of the Red-Eye-Dragon.
The Dragoon is the "Knight of the Dragon who is chosen by fate to rule over Dragons", as Rose says. The essence of a dragon's soul was given to each dragoon in form of their Dragoon Spirits.
A Dragoon is the chosen vessel of the essence of a Dragon's soul, the Dragoon Spirit. The person of its choice becomes a Dragoon. Dragoon Spirits take form in a crystallized colored stone. During the game, only eight of them are confirmed to exist – specifically, seven original spirits and one new spirit. When the prospective host obtains this power, the stone glows brightly and the stone levitates toward its new owner and the Dragoon is said to have been recognized by the Spirit.
Upon transforming into a Dragoon, a person merges with the power of the Dragon and gains supernatural powers, the ability to fly and the access to powerful magical abilities.
Gameplay[]
In the battle system of The Legend of Dragoon, the player is able to use the power of the Dragoon Spirits to transform the wielder into the Dragoon form. Various stats are increased when doing so; Dragoons also have access to powerful magic spells that use MP rather than items.
Dragoon Transformation[]
Rose's Dragoon transformation.
Rose explains that Humans fight war by making themselves enter insanity and that "war is not in their nature". This form of insanity is the source of power for the Dragoons, but it is only the flame which requires combat to feed the fire. The Dragoon's need for this fuel is the reason that transformation into Dragoon form is extremely difficult outside of battle.
Within the game, this "insanity" is measured in units known as SP (Spirit Points) which are needed in order to transform into and sustain the Dragoon. When enough SP has been accumulated, a new command appears on the command bar, and Dragoon Transformation is possible. The transformation animations can be toggled between short and long in the Menu.
While transformed, the only two options available to the player are D-Attack (Dragoon Attack) and Magic. Each dragoon has an exclusive list of magic appropriate for their respective element. Progressively powerful and costly spells are added for each Dragoon level achieved, with a maximum of four (except Kongol, whose maximum is three and Dart's Divine Dragoon form, whose maximum is two).
D-Attack (Dragoon Addition)[]
Rose about to perform a Dragoon Attack.
In Dragoon form, the character's who transformed into it has their attack mode changed and enhanced, known as D-Attack. It is different from addition, but timing system precision remains. The timing signal is no longer a spiraling box; now it is a spinning light on the circumference of a "Dragoon Spirit Time-Dial". When the light is very near the mark at the top, that is the moment to press the X button. The standard attack is pressing it each of the four (or three, in Kongol's case) times it goes around. Each time the mark is hit, the light will continue around the circle, gain momentum,[2] and become continually harder to land. Upon the final mark, or a miss, the light stops and the attack commences. On a Perfect execution, the character will display a flashy "elemental" attack at the end of the combo. Despite this, all damage is calculated as physical, and no elemental properties are included.
If a character uses their Special, the Time-Dial will not be used for them, and their attack will automatically be perfect. Kongol's Dragoon attack also registers as a 5-hit attack rather than 4-hit when using his special, giving him a unique increase to damage (+25%) whilst doing so.
Dragoon Magic[]
- Main article: Dragoon Magic
Magic is a special command that appeared and usable only by Dragoons. Every dragoon has their own magic skills and also represents their elements. Magic is calculated by magic attack attribute, which makes the damage caused by magic attack cause less damage to enemies with same elements and cause more damage to opposing elements. Magic uses MP (Magic Power), every dragoons has the same number of MP with the minimum 20 at dragoon level 1 and maximum 100 at dragoon level 5. Not all magic is used to attack, some of them are used for healing and supporting.
Spirit Points[]
Of the three characters, only Rose has a Dragoon Spirit at this point, so only she can gain Spirit Points and has a Spirit Gauge.
The Dragons' fury, which for Humans is "insanity", fuels the Dragoons transformation which in turn grants them their powers. It is measured in units of SP (Spirit Points) which act in 2 ways:
First, and most noticeably, SP fills the lowermost "Spirit Gauge" in the bottom menu inside battle. It takes 100 SP for a single bar, which grants a single turn as a dragoon inside battle.
Secondly, acquiring SP levels up the Dragoon Spirits; this adds an incentive to use and level some of the less powerful, but more SP rich additions.
There are three ways to gain SP in battle. The most important is through additions. Of course, different additions at different levels are capable of different amounts of SP. The second is Spirit Potions that heal 100 SP. The third way is through equips.
Some equips will increase the amount of SP gained through additions, and some simply generate SP every turn or when attacked by the right type of damage.
The Dispirit status effect makes SP gain impossible until the character is healed, by using a dragoon (if he/she had enough SP before becoming dispirited), by using a mind purifier or visiting a clinic.
Spirit Potions drop from Icicle Ball, Will-O-Wisp, Mermaid, or Sandworm, all at the same 8% rate. Or they can be won or indirectly bought (200G for 20 tickets) at the Arena minigames in Lohan. They are a 100% drop from the Unique Monster 00PARTS.
Dart's MP and SP are set to zero while his Dragoon Spirit is in the hands of the Gehrich gang.[1] However, using a save editor shows his Dragoon Level and total SP accumulated are left intact, without further total SP accumulating. This seems to indicate that the Dragoon Spirit being present in Goods is the sole determining factor in when SP starts being counted for a character, as each character's data starts them at Dragoon Level 1 with 0 SP accumulated, and SP accumulation is not tracked for characters who are not already Dragoons.
Special Transformation[]
- Main article: Special Transformation
Special Transformation used by Lavitz, transforming the surrounding into a Wind Element dimension.
When all characters in the team are at maximum SP and in normal form, any character can initiate a Special Dragoon transformation. The surrounding changes to an element dimension of the color of the Dragoon Spirit initiating the transformation, and both D-Attack and Magic of that Dragoon are given a bonus. The initiating character gets a guaranteed Perfect when using their Dragoon Attack, disabling the need to use the Attack Dial.
Dragoon Level[]
Gaining experience from victory in battle only has any effect of the character Level, not the addition or the Dragoon Level. As mentioned above, accumulating SP is what levels up the Dragoons.
The number of bars of SP you can accumulate is directly proportional to the Dragoon's level. (At level 5, you can accumulate 500 SP, in 5 bars, which means the maximum of 5 turns as a Dragoon inside Battle).
In addition to being able to spend a greater time as a Dragoon, gaining Dragoon Levels increases the Dragoons' stats (stronger attack, defense and magic while in Dragoon form), and unlocks new magic at levels 2, 3, and 5. (3 and 5 for Kongol).
A character with Dragoon Level two or more will gain more than 100 SP. This additional SP is displayed as a turquoise colored bar over the first blue one, then a yellow over the turquoise, orange over the yellow, and finally the fifth red bar. Each of these bars are sufficient to remain in Dragoon form for one turn, and each is used up at the end of the turn; the only way to return to human form is to end the battle or run out of full SP bars. Only a full bar of SP is sufficient for the transformation; if a character has one full bar and a partially filled bar and transforms, the partial SP is lost.
The chart below depicts how much SP you must accumulate in order to reach the next level of Dragoon. SP does not stop accumulating towards your next level when your bars become full, so try to constantly reach the end of your additions.
| Character | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dart | 100 | 1,200 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Lavitz
Albert |
100 | 1,000 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Shana
Miranda |
100 | 1,000 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Rose | 100 | 1,200 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Haschel | 100 | 1,000 | 6,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Meru | 100 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
| Kongol | 100 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 12,000 | 20,000 |
Dragoon Elements and Colors[]
- Main article: Element
| Name | Color | Element | Opposing Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red-Eyed Dragoon | Red | Fire | Water |
| Jade Dragoon | Green | Wind | Earth |
| White Silver Dragoon | White Silver | Light | Dark |
| Darkness Dragoon | Indigo | Dark | Light |
| Violet Dragoon | Violet | Thunder | |
| Blue Sea Dragoon | Blue | Water | Fire |
| Golden Dragoon | Gold | Earth | Wind |
| Divine Dragoon | Grey | No Element |
Player Guidance[]
As Dragoon Spirits amplify the user's powers, the Dragoon form grants tremendous advantages for battle, but also some disadvantages. The weakness of Dragoons is that they are unable to run away, guard, use items, and unable to return to human form until their spirit power gauge empties. Dragoons are also immune to Status Ailments. If they were affected by one in their normal, turning into Dragoon will eliminate the ailment. The Dragoon Transformation can in some way act as an replacement for carrying around Body Purifiers and Mind Purifiers.
The new attack command D-Attack, or Dragoon Attack, uses a spirit dial, where timing is key. If done perfectly, it will give a powerful finishing attack. Dragoon Additions become less powerful, on the whole, than Master Additions late in the game. But then, that means they are more powerful in the early game. Dragoons also gain special elemental powers corresponding to the user and the spirit, with great attribute boosts to the user. The magic command allows the Dragoon to unleash elemental powerful spells, dependent on their Magical Attack stat. along with the possible elemental advantage to further push the power of the Dragoon Magic.
There are eight Dragoon abilities with special effects, from four of the seven Dragoons. Three from Shana/Miranda, Lavitz/Albert's Rose Storm, three from Rose, and one from Meru, are skills that do something other than, or something as well as damage. Effects that you cannot get from Items, or even weapons: Instant Death and Fear weapons cannot affect all enemies at once.
Some enemies have skills that specifically target Dragoons, and might force players to use the normal form, if only in a few select fights. In the second battle with Lloyd, he utilizes the Dragon Buster, an ancient weapon capable of killing a dragoon in a single strike. Up to two characters can be protected from this with the Talisman. It even makes the fight significantly easier, since Lloyd relentlessly and uselessly attacks the invulnerable Dragoons. Some boss fights have an effect that will weaken a Dragoon until they are weaker than their base form: The Grand Jewel can utilize the Dragon Block Staff it guards, although Dragoon forms can still be useful to use Magic such as Healing Spells or Albert's Rose Storm, and it will not use the command if the player only uses one Dragoon turn. Melbu Frahma possesses a similar ability to reduce the power of Dragoons in his fourth form. The fight against the Divine Dragon has the Dragoons using the Dragon Block Staff and weakening their own Dragoon forms in the process. Again, Rose Storm and Miranda's healing abilities are unaffected.
There is a drawback to Dragoon form that is seldom recognized: Using Dragoon grants normal EXP, but fighting in the Dragoon form does not level up Dragoon Levels (as one is unable to gain SP) and Additions. However, this drawback can also be turned into a Challenge.
Farming and other Strategies[]
- Most characters would require 393 Spirit Potions to max out their Dragoon, costing 78,600G at the Arena in Lohan.
- It takes Meru the least amount of time to level up her Dragoon Level due to not only a short amount of SP needed to reach level 3, but the fact that she can gain the highest possible amount of SP by equipping the Pretty Hammer and Wargod's Sash to her, and selecting Cool Boogie at level 5 for 495 SP. Meru gets her Dragoon Spirit in the last battle of disc 2.
- Despite a reduction, similar to Meru's, in the SP required to reach level 3, it still takes Kongol the longest amount of time for him to reach Dragoon Level 5. He is slow and his additions do not gain much SP. Using Spirit Potions on him will help. For equips, there is something to be said for either the Wargod's Sash or the Bandit's Ring, since giving him +20 Speed not only gets him more than 50% faster SP but more than 50% faster damage as well. Either way, Bandit's Shoes are a must: they also grant +20 Speed and the shoes slot has no counterpart to the Wargod's Sash. Speed Up doubles Speed, but 100% more of a low number is less than 100% of a high one. Haschel and the other fleet of foot characters benefit more.
- Another method of speeding up Dragoon leveling involves the Spirit Ring and other SP boosting gear such as Emerald Earring, Ruby Ring, as well as Armor with the same effects. While not as powerful as Wargod's Sash and a high SP Addition, this combination will allow characters to work on leveling low SP additions and still accumulate reasonable amounts of SP.
- The cutoff point for the Spirit Ring to be better than the Wargod's Sash is at 40 SP per addition. Below that, Spirit Ring is more SP per turn, and above Wargod's Sash is more. They are exactly equivalent at 40 SP.
Story[]
WARNING: Section contains spoilers.
The Origin of Dragoons[]
Rose draws the Dragoon Spirit from the Darkness Dragon.
Although it is never fully explained how Dragoon Spirits are created, events during Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 show that during the death of a Dragon, its soul can manifest itself in the form of a Dragoon Spirit. This is shown when at the time of the Divine Dragon's death, its soul and power is transferred into its Dragoon Spirit, and in a flashback from Rose, she sacrifices the Darkness Dragon to obtain its Dragoon Spirit.
| “ | Darkness Dragon.... Sorry. We don't have time. Winglies are mighty. Mighty enough to annihilate us, and the entire species. In order to liberate Humans, we have to sacrifice you, Dragon. | ” |
The Official Guidebook to the game only released in Japan sheds some more light on the matter. According to it, Dragons are ranked into seven different levels. The number of eyes a dragon has determines its rank and power, to a maximum of seven eyes. The Divine Dragon is one of two top-rank dragons with its seven gleaming magical eyes - the other both unnamed and its fate unknown. When a dragon of sufficient power dies, its "eyes are dragged together" to form the Dragoon Spirit - but it must be claimed right away, or the power will expire. It is unknown whether there is a minimum eye-count required for a Dragoon Spirit to form, however. The lowest ranked dragons are the Pseudo Dragons, a species seen in the game in the Moon That Never Sets.
Dragon ranks, according to the Guidebook, also apply to the Dragoon Spirits. The number of eyes in a Dragoon spirit will match the original dragon that died to create the spirit. This count appears to be reflected on the Dragoon headbands, but some arrangements do not match between in-game art and the FMVs. As a rule, Dragoons can only control dragons that are at least one rank lower - one less eye - than their spirit. This allowed Greham, using the six-eyed Jade Dragon's power, to control Feyrbrand, a wind dragon with three eyes. Lenus, wielding the Blue Sea spirit with six eyes, took control of Regole who had four. Rose's Darkness Dragoon spirit, at six eyes, would be just high enough rank to take Michael, of five eyes, as her vassal. All Dragoon spirits featured in the game with the exception of the Divine Dragoon spirit have six eyes or are the second-highest ranking.
The Original Seven Dragoons[]
During the Dragon Campaign, seven Dragoon warriors (Zieg, Rose, Belzac, Kanzas, Damia, Syuveil and Shirley) were sent by Emperor Diaz to liberate humankind from the domination of the Winglies 11,000 years ago before the beginning of the game. In the events of The Legend of Dragoon, the Dragoon Spirits of these seven Dragoons are passed on to several individuals. Each of these Dragoons corresponds to an element (see "Dragoon elements and colors" below).
Events of the game[]
When Neet, the hometown of Dart, was destroyed by the Black Monster 18 years prior to the events of the game, Dart found the "mysterious stone" that his father, Zieg Feld, had in his possession. Unaware of its true nature as the Dragoon Spirit of the Red-Eye-Dragon, Dart keeps it with himself until its powers are awakened by Rose during a time of grave danger for his life at the defense of Hoax during the events of Disc 1.
By the fateful events of the game, one by one, Dragoons re-unite in Dart's group in a grand quest to save Endiness from various perils and to eventually bring the historic events originating from the Dragon Campaign to a closure.
Dragoons as villains[]
Throughout the events of The Legend of Dragoon, Dragoons are not only encountered as heroes within Dart's group or as old heroes from the past, but also as villains. Examples for this are Greham, Emperor Doel and Lenus.
Trivia[]
WARNING: Section contains spoilers.
- There are similarities between the magics and appeance of the hosts of a given Dragoon Spirit, but there are many individual differences and specialties also, for example Greham's "Dragon Crucification", Doel's "Judgment Storm", and Lenus's "Pillar Break". Generally, the Dragoon form enhances the wielder's basic abilities and weapons of choice, such as Doel's use of two swords instead of knuckles like Haschel, and Lenus' chakrams whereas Meru uses a hammer.
- This indicates that coincidentally, the Original Seven Dragoons from the Dragon Campaign had the same weapon and fighting style as the individuals from Dart's group.
- As a result of Dart gaining the Divine Dragoon Spirit, his Element changes from Fire to No Element, thus making him neutral against all Elements and weak against none. He is the only character to have multiple Elements.
Gallery[]
