Navigating the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 is no small feat. This challenging RPG demands strategy, patience, and a good understanding of its intricate mechanics. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to refine your approach, this guide will provide critical insights into the most crucial aspects, such as pawn management, weight and stamina control, quest progression, combat tips, and fast travel options. By understanding these fundamentals, you’ll significantly improve your experience and survivability in this unforgiving world.

Pawn Management: Choosing the Right Companions

Pawns are essential allies in Dragon’s Dogma 2, serving as your party members and offering crucial assistance in battle. You can recruit up to three pawns—one being your main pawn and two additional ones hired from other players or Capcom’s NPC pool. While playing solo grants a 20% XP boost, utilizing a full party is strongly advised for better combat efficiency and inventory management.

Optimal Pawn Selection

• Prioritize a Mage – Healing and buffs are invaluable.
• Consider a Fighter with a Shield – Helps control enemy aggression.
• Archers Excel Against Flying Enemies – A useful addition to your party.
• Thieves Are Less Effective as Pawns – AI limitations hinder their full potential.

When creating your main pawn, making them visually appealing increases the likelihood of them being used by other players, earning you Rift Crystals and gifts. Additionally, utilizing pawns from friends’ lists allows for a pseudo-trading system via item exchanges, which can be extremely beneficial.

Pawn Inclinations and Specializations

• Inclinations Influence Behavior – Balanced or Simple are often the best choices.
• Specializations Grant Passive Skills – Popular choices include Logistician (better inventory management) and Forager (highlights rare materials).
• Elvish Translators Exist – If you want to understand Elvish dialogue, ensure your pawn has Woodland Wordsmith.

Pawns also gain quest knowledge, which can assist in navigating storylines. Hiring pawns with quest experience can be incredibly useful if you’re stuck on a particular objective.

Weight and Stamina Management

Weight plays a critical role in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Heavier characters burn stamina faster and move slower, which can be detrimental in combat and exploration.

Best Practices for Weight Control

• Make a Large Pawn – They can carry more gear.
• Deposit Unnecessary Items at Inns – Excess weight will slow you down.
• Combine Materials – Some items can be compacted or turned into longer-lasting versions.
• Use Rings and Augments – The Ring of Accrual increases carry capacity, and certain Fighter augments can add +10 kg to your limit.
• Golden Trove Beetles – These rare insects permanently increase carry weight and are found primarily on tree trunks.

Questing and Time Management

Unlike many RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma 2 does not use traditional quest markers or boards. Instead, quests trigger organically through exploration and NPC interactions. This can make questing feel unpredictable but also immersive.

How to Progress When Stuck

• Switch to Another Quest – Completing one may trigger progression in another.
• Rest at Inns – Time passage can affect NPC schedules and events.
• Hire Pawns with Quest Knowledge – They may lead you in the right direction.
• Use Ox Carts for Travel – This can sometimes refresh quest triggers.

Time-Sensitive Quests: Some missions have expiration windows. If you delay too long, the outcome may be altered or even locked out. Escort missions, for instance, require careful planning since NPCs can be injured or killed along the journey. If an NPC dies, Wake Stones can be used for revival.

One particularly vital early-game quest involves Glendor in Wenworth, accessible only to players in the Archer vocation. Completing this unlocks The Trial of Archery, rewarding you with a Portcrystal, which is invaluable for fast travel.

Vocation System: Experiment Freely

One of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s standout features is its flexible vocation system. You can switch vocations at any time at a guild, and progress is retained when switching back.

Best Vocations for Beginners

• Fighter – Excellent survivability and solid tanking.
• Mage – Healer and buffer, essential in every party.
• Archer – Great for ranged combat and mobility.

Advanced vocations such as Sorcerer, Warrior, and Mystic Spearhand unlock later, while the powerful Magic Archer and Warfarer vocations become available much further into the game.

Gear and Equipment Upgrades

Gear progression is crucial. Always check merchants for better equipment, especially in locations like Burnworth and Checkpoint Rest Town. Avoid outfitting hired pawns, as gear vanishes when they leave your party.

Upgrading Equipment

• First Upgrade is Gold-Only – Always do this.
• Further Upgrades Require Materials – Save materials instead of selling them.
• Choose the Right Upgrade Style – Different blacksmiths specialize in unique styles.

Combat and Survival Tips

Combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2 revolves around skill usage and stamina management. Spamming attacks recklessly will leave you vulnerable when stamina depletes.

Key Combat Strategies

• Use Skills Wisely – Stamina drains quickly if overused.
• Direct Your Pawns – Use commands like Wait or Go to control AI behavior.
• Manage Health Effectively – Healing items only restore the gray portion of health; full restoration requires resting.
• Consider Retreating – If max health diminishes too much, back off and regroup.

Wake Stones are highly valuable, allowing instant revival upon death. These are rare and should be used sparingly unless in a critical situation.

Fast Travel: Getting Around Efficiently

Fast travel options in Dragon’s Dogma 2 are limited but essential for minimizing tedious backtracking.

Two Methods of Fast Travel

1. Ox Carts – Cheap but unreliable due to potential ambushes.
2. Ferrystones & Portcrystals – Instant travel to placed Portcrystals, but Ferrystones are expensive (10,000 gold each).

A must-do early game task is acquiring the Portcrystal from The Trial of Archery, which allows you to set up a custom fast travel point. Portcrystals are movable, so strategically reposition them as needed.

Final Thoughts

Mastering Dragon’s Dogma 2 takes time, but with the right strategies, you can set yourself up for success. Prioritize managing weight, recruit well-rounded pawns, plan quest progression carefully, and take full advantage of vocation flexibility. Keep an eye out for better gear, refine your combat skills, and make smart use of fast travel options. By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the challenges that Dragon’s Dogma 2 throws your way.