Dragon’s Dogma 2 tips and tricks – a beginner’s survival guide

You’re going to want to know the ultimate Dragon’s Dogma 2 tips and tricks before you ply your hand at surviving the landscapes of Vermund.

The latest of Capcom’s RPGs makes use of difficult quests, unforgiving strategy, and a wholly different experience. While the game doesn’t just dump you into its world without explaining its mechanics, there’s a whole lot that you can easily miss. A strange save file system, disappearing pawns, and a few quirky performance issues that might put you off. Here’s everything we think you should know before giving up Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 tips and tricks

• Design your characters carefully
• Invite pawns on your adventure with you
• Control your pawns with commands
• Make use off inns for storage, sleep, and saving the game
• Look out for travelling merchants
• Give gifts, get romance
• Change your vocation often
• Explore!

Design your characters carefully

For me, one of the first things you should know before playing Dragon’s Dogma 2 is that it has an atypical save file system. In the same vein as Pokémon, the game limits you to a single save. It’s unforgiving, and not a feature that many have praised. While it’s possible to delete your Dragon’s Dogma 2 save file on PC, it’s worth noting that this is quite a technical solution. If you want to immerse yourself fully in the game, you should definitely take the time to create a character that you’re happy with. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your Arisen, and also your Main Pawn. Don’t skimp on the character creator – you’re going to be stuck with these two for a long time, though you will be able to adjust your character’s appearance later in the game.

If you do end up creating a character that you’re not happy with, at least you can change your vocation without having to dive into your game’s filesystem.

✓ Amaar’s advice

A lesson to be learned

Above, we’ve pictured why. On the left is Tom Bardwell’s (VideoGamer Guides Editor) Arisen; Colin, “He just wants to go home and do a puzzle.” On the right, my main pawn. I hate him. Don’t be like me and make them ugly.

Invite pawns on your adventure with you

Dragon’s Dogma 2 revisits a mechanic that, at least for me, totally defines the game. On your adventures, you will encounter Pawns. Some will be the stock Capcom creations, while others will be the Pawns created by other players on your platform. Each will have a unique appearance, playstyles, vocations and builds. You won’t have much control over the Pawns, only a selection of four commands and control over their inventories. It elevates Dragon’s Dogma 2 beyond a simple action RPG and instead invites elements of strategy, while also letting you live up to the role playing aspect of the game.

One of the moments that really sold the game to me was just after the Pawn hiring system is explained to you. I’d just left the encampment, and saw an archer wandering the cobbled roads around me. He had long golden hair and he smelled of Wood Elf. It was Legolas. Instantly, I hired the heir to Mirkwood and he tagged along on my adventure, alongside Feyd Rautha.

Control your pawns with commands

There are four basic commands that you can tell your Pawns. While it’s not possible to direct them specifically, the commands will apply to all of the pawns you control. It’s useful in battle, as you can turn the tides with smart selections.

Action	What it does
Go	There are several different possibilities when you select Go. In battle, they will charge. While exploring, they will lead the way.
Help	If you have a healer in your party, this will get them to heal you.
Wait	In battle, this can let you take on enemies one-on-one. If you’re a Thief, for example, you can stealthily approach enemies and take them out without causing a fuss. Outside of battle, it’s handy in stopping your pawns from following you as you parkour across a stoney bridge, only for them to fall to their inevitable death.
To me	This keeps your pawns in a pack, tight to your movement. Useful if you want to evade enemies and stop them from fighting.

Inns: Store, Sleep, Save

While Dragon’s Dogma 2 has an autosave function that’s pretty handy, you can also save your game by heading over to an inn.

Sleeping at inns will let you heal your character, replenishing their health fully without the use of items, though be prepared to pay a pretty steep price for a roof over your head. While you’re at an inn, you’re going to be able to manage your inventory and get store items you won’t need on the long road.

There are also some inns which have Vocation Guilds. These will allow you to change your vocation and try out new playstyles.

Make use of travelling merchants, they often have the best wares

Travelling merchants can be found wandering the rocky roads of Vermund. These peddlers will find rare items, weapons, and consumables that they will be more than happy to sell to you. They’re a good opportunity to offload some of the gold you’ve been collecting along the way.

You’re going to be able to take advantage of some of these merchants too, with some ready to pay ludicrous prices for items they can’t ordinarily find. This is one of the best money farming tricks to earn gold fast in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

You will notice the merchants by the giant backpacks they wear, an indicator that you’re about to encounter some good fortune. That brings me onto my next tip.

Be generous, give gifts

Whenever you’re talking to NPCs, you will see a little option to Give Gifts. You will be able to choose an item from your inventory that you want to offload, all with the chance of strengthening your personal relationships. You will strengthen your Affinity with some, while others will be impressed with your Romance.

Items like flowers, gemstones, and jewellery are all great gifts if you’re trying to find a romantic partner, this is the way to do it.

You don’t just want to do this because your Arisen is lonely, though. After your secure a property for yourself, you’re then going to find little trinkets and items left for you. Your romantic partner will give you Wakestones and Ferrystones, all incredibly useful in the game.

Explore everywhere

Dragon’s Dogma 2 rewards you for your curiosity and attentiveness. Your pawns will be more than willing to help you too, pointing you in the direction of chests and materials. Take your time while exploring the world as you’re going to find plenty of items, monsters, and hidden areas.

Along the way, you’re going to find Seekers Tokens. There’s a finite number of these around the world, so you’re going to need to keep a close eye out. They blend in with the surroundings too, though you will often find them marked by an exclamation mark on the map, alongside plenty of other landmarks and interactable objects.

While exploring, you’re also going to encounter countless new enemies. At night time, you will encounter slightly varied and stronger enemies too, which makes it a great time to level up fast in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Switch up your vocation

All of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s vocations offer a varied playstyle. Between Warriors, Mages, Archers, and Thieves, you’ve got a range of different mechanics and build options to choose from. On top of that, your vocation can also level up. Try not to corner your character or Pawn into a pigeonhole. If you change your vocation, you’re also going to be able to focus on learning new Vocation skills too. If you’re struggling with a quest or boss battle, you can switch to a different Vocation that you’ve also been levelling up in order to approach the task from a new perspective.

Run away from fights you can’t win

Don’t get caught up in the chauvinistic allure of a courtly romance. There’s no shame in running away from a battle you can’t win. Your pawns will often warn you that the best course of action in some fights is fleeing. If your secondary pawns die before you can revive them, you will lose them, alongside the items they’re carrying.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is about survival, and sometimes the best way to do that is to be a coward.

Stray from the beaten path … but stick to it all the same

The map is designed with clear-cut paths guiding you the entire time. They’re often safe, with minimal enemies pottering about about. Following the patch will take you past merchants, riftstones, statues, and new locations. This is the safest way to explore the game.

However, if you follow our previous advice to explore, be prepared to find valuable loot hidden behind tough enemies.

Take makeshift campsites with you

Along your travels, you will find abandoned campsites. If you have a makeshift campsite in your inventory, you can put you and your team of adventurers up for the night. You will be able to cook and pass the time in Dragon’s Dogma 2, though make sure to clear the surrounding area of enemies so you’re ambushed mid-snooze.

Put a marker down at the location you’ve found your first Seeker Token

One of the quests involving Sphinx riddles will ask you for the location of where you found your first Seeker Token. Put a map marker down so you don’t forget, as if you want to complete the game 100% you’re going to need to know this.

Combine your ingredients as often as possible

Whenever you pick up Syrupwort Leaf, Morningtide, and Harspuds, make sure to head on over to the local inn and talk to the keeper. They will give you an option to combine your ingredients, which is going to let you choose between a range of consumables you can craft. Each of these will give you a much better boost than consuming the ingredients directly, and you will last a little longer in the wild.

Get used to frequent frame drops, unfortunately

One of the most important tips I’ve got for you when playing Dragon’s Dogma 2 is for you to get used to atypical performance. The performance issues have made the game unplayable for some, and though there is a clear emphasis in Capcom’s attention, FPS drops are inevitable in crowded areas. You can start by checking out what the best graphics settings for Dragon’s Dogma 2 are, which will make your life a little bit easier.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 tips – Frequently Asked Questions

What should you do first in Dragon’s Dogma 2?

After you spend a lot of time making your character and pawn, you’ve then got to choose a vocation. Once you’re happy with the characters you’ve created, start exploring. Collect items, level up your vocation, alongside others, and invite new pawns into your band.

What is the strongest Vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2?

Tough question, as they’re all extremely varied. If you want the easiest route through the game, then a Mage is your best option. If you want a tougher experience, go for Thief, arguably the weakest but for many – the most fun.