Dragon's Dogma 2 Tips & Tricks
11
Apr 24
So you lost your heart to a dragon, huh?
Dragon’s Dogma 2 has been with us for a bit and in this time we have made our fair share of discoveries, important choices, and completely idiotic fumbles! It’s all part and parcel of exploring a new title, especially in worlds as large and detailed as this title provides. As you can imagine, there were a few things we discovered far into our epic adventure that we really wish we knew in the very beginning. But fear not, while we may not be able to, we can still impart our wisdom to you, dear reader! Here are eight hints and tips we learned the hard way:
#1 — Consider your party balance
While this may seem more or less self-explanatory, the Vocation system is more complex than first impressions may convey. Your team is comprised of you, your main Pawn, and two extra Pawns you can hire from Rift Stones. Each one of you has a Vocation with four skills set, which you can edit for yourself and your Main Pawn, but your hirees are stuck with what they were hired with. Now, there is no right answer here: having a full party of Thieves and taking on the world is as valid as methodically planning out each Pawn down to their inclinations. However, it is recommended to have a balanced set of skills and Vocations to adapt to any situation!
For example, having a heavy hitter to deal and take damage can be important when taking on larger foes, anyone falling afoul of the many airborne foes of the game may attest: being without ranged attackers in your party may make some battles more than aggravating, while going into battle without a mage and the healing or elemental boosts they provide can be taxing on your resources. Now, one of the great things about Dragon’s Dogma 2 is how these roles can be filled in multiple ways! If you prefer the damage-dealing power of the Sorcerer, you can instead put your trust in out-damaging foes and use curatives to handle the errant hit or debilitation. Want to ditch magick users altogether? Some rare weapons have elemental bonuses built in, while some Vocations, such as the Thief, have skills that can cause elemental damage. Missing a Warrior, but need to give an enemy a big punch? Use an Archer to fire a heavily-drawn arrow at a weak point!
With the addition of Hybrid Vocations to the mix, multiple different team compositions can work! Try out different combinations, figure out what fits your playstyle and keep experimenting, you may wind up finding a team that can take on any challenge without breaking a sweat! Just remember to pack that camping gear, yeah?
#2 — Test things out
Dragon’s Dogma 2 may seem like a relatively simple game on the surface: go to place, kill goblins, collect quest rewards! However, the title can be surprisingly subtle in the ways quests can be completed. Sure, the game usually does give you a solution to follow, but the eagle-eyed and creative Arisen may figure out completely new ways to come to the same, or an even better, result!
To give an example, there is a quest further on in the game where the local guards have arrested a young member of a local gang. The guard captain has questioned the lad to no great result and they would like you to take a swing at it before the youth is dealt with very permanently. You could go to the jail, talk to them, and then report your findings. Quest done! OR, you could pay off the captain to release the prisoner, find a makeshift key to release them yourself and lead them in an epic escape. Or or, you could talk to another member of the gang that was caught, learn some information about the relation of the youth and the gang's leader, then use this information to infuriate the young bandit, letting slip some interesting information about a new hideout…
Going the direct route is always an option and is not inherently less valuable than being creative, but we do recommend using a bit of time to look through your options before finishing any quest! If nothing else, it may help you learn more about the quests, the world, and the people involved. That and, really, who doesn’t want to break out of jail with the guards hot on your heels?
#3 — Talk to people
This is a bit of a continuation of the previous point, but worth mentioning separately. Interacting with the many NPCs of the many cities and towns you visit is a great way to get quests, hints on how to solve some missions and even some hints for hidden treasures! Unlike the previous game, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not feature a centralised Quest Board that contains all the jobs a certain area offers. Instead, you will need to look around and talk to the many unique NPCs meandering around.
For example, there is an NPC slightly out of the way in the capital city of Vermund that you definitely need to meet; this lady dressed in read offers you a quest wherein you watch her house while she’s away so the taxation officials don’t fill her mailbox with bills. While it may sound odd, this chain of passive quests leads to you being able to buy a dwelling of your own! More on that in a few points. The main point is, that many situations may become clearer after chatting up a few locals.
Dragon's Dogma 2 Deluxe Edition
#4 — Explore
The biggest selling point of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is arguably its exploration, with the director going as far as recommending against using fast travel where possible. While we do use the occasional Ferrystone to make a very long trip shorter, we do think the director is onto something; the land of both the human-centric Vermund and the desert locales of Battahl are stunningly beautiful and absolutely filled with locales to find and explore. Hidden chests, caverns filled with foes and loot, unique encounters, and epic monster battles await all that explore past the beaten path.
Look, we understand: the map is super big and exploring all of it would take way too much time. Sometimes you just want to go to a quest’s location and be done with it, and that is completely fine! However, we do recommend letting yourself loose every now and again. If you’re on a long journey, it may be worth the time to look around to see if there are any errant Rift Stones, camping sites, or even chests or Seeker’s Tokens around. Not all ruins are filled with loot and not all caverns go deep into the ground, but you may be glad for the experience regardless!
#5 — Keep that backpack light
The applicability of this advice is really determined by the kind of Arisen you play. You see, the weight of your backpack affects more than just your walking speed! By keeping your pack light, you can easily outmanoeuvre your enemies with stamina to spare, whereas having a bit of extra weight to root you down may be a blessing when your face makes the acquaintance of a cyclopses club. Let us explain:
The level of your encumbrance is directly related to many facets of gameplay. The heavier you are, the slower you are and the more stamina you use when you dash. Jump from the same height with a heavy pack vs a light one, and you may notice a considerable difference in vertical height and number of knees ruined on landing. Vocations that rely on speed, such as the Thief, Mystic Spearhand, and Archer usually benefit from being as light as possible, making item management crucial.
However, having a heavy step is not all bad news! The heavier you are, the harder you are to move, allowing you to take bigger hits without finding yourself in the neighbouring village. Your extra weight also adds a bit of oomph behind your swings, while also allowing you to be a terror to all agile foes! Imagine trying to do a backflip in combat while a walking pillar of steel hangs on your arms. In summary, your Vocation of choice may require some planning in terms of the weight you lug around. A heavy pack will keep your footing, while a light one will let you fly into the fight! Note, being a Warrior light on their feet or an absolute unit of a Thief is not wrong by any means and we recommend experimenting with different loads.
#6 — Buy a house
As anyone travelling for a longer time knows, staying in a hotel night after night can quickly drain your wallet. This fact is equally as true in the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2, as staying at an inn can quickly become a financial burden! Sleeping is rather important, as it resets your health, progresses the day, and allows your Pawn to report on any escapades they partook in while you slept, making the occasional kip almost mandatory! With a room at an inn costing anywhere from 1000 to 9999 gold, it doesn’t really feel worth it. Worry not, however, as the housing market is here for you! By doing an unlockable quest in the capitals of both Vermund and Battahl, you can purchase a dwelling of your very own! Sure, these are not cheap little houses and can wind up costing you multiple tens of thousands of coins. However, the houses offer a few features that make them more than worth the investment!
First off, considering a stay in the inn can net you a few thousand coins, buying a house with a bed will pay itself off within the tenth nap! Additionally, the house comes with a nifty chest with which to access your storage easily without having to interact with people. While you can’t decorate your new home, they usually do look quaint. Imagine a ye olde studio flat with an actually affordable price and you should have an idea. Now, the major feature a dwelling nets you, however, is the one we actually love the most: letters.
As you venture through the land, you’ll end up making friends and allies among the many people you meet. These lovely souls will, occasionally, visit the closest capital to see if they can bump into you for a little chat! However, if they miss you and you have an address, they will leave a little letter and gift for you! While they’re mostly invitations to do a little quest with them and the items may not be overtly useful, this little touch is absolutely adorable.
#7 — Have fun
The final tip we want to convey to you, our lovely reader, is a simple one: have fun. We have laid before you quite a few items to consider when playing and if you were to believe the many guides and examples out there, you can build the perfect Arisen and Pawns to take on any flow. However, we recommend not sweating the details too much. Trying out a different combination of Vocations, experimenting with quests, or just going with what's fun are all completely okay.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is, at its heart (pun intended), a game of exploration and discovery. You don’t have to meet every encounter with the best response and it’s ok to fail a quest or two. The main thing is to enjoy the journey! Make your own discoveries, have your own experiences, and when the time comes, regale your friends with how you totally found a different solution to that quest or found that fiery sword of Ogre Punching in a noble’s wig collection!
#8 — Seeker Token
Oh, before we forget, there IS one more tip we want to make: mark down the first Seeker’s Token you find. Believe us, you’ll be happy you did.
Dragon's Dogma 2
And there you have it! Eight of our top tips to make your Dragon’s Dogma 2 both enjoyable and efficient! We hope you enjoyed our list and found a tip or two to save for later reference. Did we miss something vital, do you have some good hints for new players? Let us know!