Introduction to Paladin's Quest (2)

Discover Paladin's Quest, a traditional turn-based RPG from 1992/1993. Learn about its unique HP-based magic system, optional mercenaries, and the story of Chezni.

Paladin's Quest (known in Japan as Lennus: Kodai Kikai no Kioku) is a traditional turn-based RPG released by Asmik Ace Entertainment in Japan in 1992 and Enix in the US in 1993. It follows the misadventures of Chezni, a precocious sorcerer, as he attempts to save the world from an ancient machine bent on mass destruction. He is joined by another magic-using prodigy, Midia, and any number of mercenaries the player wishes to hire.

One of the game's unique aspects is the presence of mercenaries. Over the course of the game, the player will come across a number of mercenaries available for hire, usually (but not always) for free. They can't be customized in any way, but are typically very useful to progress through the point in the game they are available. Hiring mercenaries is completely optional; no-merc runs have been completed, though they can be quite a bit more difficult at times.

The magic system is something else that makes the game somewhat unique. Instead of an MP resource, casting spells draws from the caster's HP pool, essentially pulling from their very life force to power the desired magic. While each spell is pretty cheap on its own, the self-inflicted damage can add up and put your characters in threatened positions. This is only really problematic in random encounters and a couple of late boss fights.

In 1997, Asmik Ace Entertainment released a sequel called Lennus II: Fuuin no Shito on the SNES. It was never officially translated to English, although there was a fan translation patch released back in 2008.