Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined producer emphasizes the importance of having a cleric in your party, admitting he’s “not particularly skilled at RPGs,” but I think that’s solid advice for everyone.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined has finally arrived, and I’ve got some valuable insights for newcomers, inspired by recent comments from producer Takeshi Ichikawa.

During a recent Reddit AMA, Ichikawa was asked about his favorite job from the revamped vocation system, which allows any party member to “moonlight” as two vocations simultaneously. He highlighted the cleric, or priest as it’s often referred to these days, as his go-to choice.

“I’m not particularly skilled at RPGs, so I often put a Cleric in my party,” he shared. “With their job traits, they can heal the whole team, so they really help support the party in tough moments.”

What Ichikawa is subtly suggesting to new players is that having a magic healer is always a smart move in any RPG. In Dragon Quest, it’s your quickest route to acquiring Zing, a vital revival spell that can save you from using rare Yggdrasil leaves or the hassle of locating a church to bring back fallen party members. Plus, their healing spells can restore the entire party’s health at once, which is incredibly useful during the early to mid-game grind.

On the other hand, director Masato Yagi prefers the martial artist vocation. “Their defense isn’t very high, but landing a single decisive blow can turn the tide. Maybe that kind of fighting style just appeals to me,” Yagi explained.

Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii pointed out a key difference between the two legendary JRPG series, noting that Final Fantasy protagonists “speak a lot,” which means “you’re not necessarily becoming the protagonist.”