Dragon’s Dogma 2 BEGINNER Guide

After over ten years since the first cult classic was launched, Capcom’s much-anticipated sequel Dragon’s Dogma 2 came early in 2024. This ambitious open-world action RPG is currently being listed among the most rewarding and challenging games of the year.

For all those unfamiliar, Dragon’s Dogma is a fantasy RPG series that fuses traditional party fighting with climbing mechanics that let you grab onto and climb huge beasts. It boasts an incredibly vast open world filled with mythical creatures to explore while offering players virtually infinite freedom in how they approach battles and quests.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 dials up everything great about the original. And the world is even bigger and full of lesser-known gems to unearth. The combat has been further refined, with new vocations and augment systems that offer incredible depth to how you can personalize your combat style. And it looks like never before that gothic fantasy setting has had a gorgeous next-gen makeover.

But Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t meant to be a supporting game. Its opaque, intricate physics, which can take hours upon hours to completely comprehend, defy you at every turn. Even simple things like the save system work very differently than most modern games. As such, we’ve compiled 14 essential tips that every new Arisen (the player character) should know before embarking on their epic journey.

Save System and Character Creation Warnings

First and foremost, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has a very strict single save file system with no way to start a new game. It autosaves regularly, but there are only two main backup points–autosaves from resting at inns or manual saves done at campsites using limited camping kits. If you die, you can revert to the last inn rest point, but this will overwrite all progress made since then.

This punishing save system means you need to be extremely careful with how you manage savepoints. More importantly, you must be absolutely certain you are happy with your character before committing, as you are permanently locked into your Arisen and main pawn’s race, appearance, and starting vocation. Changing classes or looks later incurs hefty fees.

The Importance of Augments and Smart Traveling

Your starting vocation determines your core gameplay style, abilities, and the augments (passive bonuses) you initially unlock. However, Dragon’s Dogma 2 lets you apply any unlocked augments to any class. So be strategic about which vocation to level up first to get the passive skills you want on other jobs.

Since fast travel is very limited, you’ll also be doing a ton of traveling by foot across the sprawling open world. Always stick to roads and mark routes on your map to avoid getting lost or falling to your death in unscalable terrain. Using ferry stones to teleport is expensive, so plan out routes efficiently.

Don’t Be Afraid to Avoid or Flee Battles

One brilliant aspect of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s design is that you don’t have to fight every single enemy you come across. Larger foes will often ignore you if you simply run past them without engaging. Your AI-controlled pawns can also be commanded to disengage and retreat.

Instead, mark tough enemies on your map and come back stronger later. There’s no shame in living to fight another day in this brutally challenging game. Along those same lines, liberal use of the “go to camp” feature to restore HP is highly recommended after demanding battles.

Mastering Your Inventory and Finding Collectibles

Inventory management is vital in Dragon’s Dogma 2 due to weight limits. Fruits, vegetables, and meats age in real-time, but can be combined into powerful curatives when ripened. Rotten foods aren’t useless either, as they can craft lantern oil.

Be on the constant lookout for rare collectibles like golden trove beetles which increase inventory size when consumed. And the 240 well-hidden Seeker’s Tokens scattered about can be traded for valuable rewards.

Use the Deep Combat Systems to Your Advantage

Dragon’s Dogma 2’s core combat revolves around staggering enemies, climbing onto them, and striking their weak points for massive damage. Certain vocations like Warriors have skills to help you mount bigger foes. You can also toss staggered smaller enemies off cliffs for insta-kills or into groups.

Make Use of Nighttime Tactics and Exploration Benefits

The day/night cycle isn’t just for aesthetics. Deadlier supernatural creatures appear at night, forcing you to manage limited light sources, stock up on supplies, or travel cautiously. However, defeating these foes yields rare riftstone currencies used to recruit pawns.

Camping also lets pawns gain invaluable location knowledge, making them stronger allies in that region. So don’t just rush from quest to quest – take the time to explore paths at night and revisit areas to increase pawn expertise.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an unflinching, deeply crafted RPG that demands you to think strategically and pay attention to details. It is a game that calls for the persistence and patience of players. If you can dig into its depths, you will receive just about the most compelling open-world experiences in decades. Grit your teeth and start preparing, Arisen–the struggle to become the Dragon’s true master awaits.