Dragon's Dogma 2: Beginner's Guide & Best Tips

Why I'm Writing This

Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the most beautiful, ambitious, and obnoxiously punishing games I've ever played. I've got 200+ hours across two save files, a dead pawn I still get emotional about, and a deep, festering hatred for the Gorechimera that I will take to my grave. You're here because you're stuck, or confused, or you just got absolutely wrecked by something that the game's tutorial completely ignored. I feel you. I've been there. My first session lasted 45 minutes before I fell off a cliff because I thought the "Double Jump" stat on my boots meant I could double jump. It does not.

This isn't a guide written for clicks. This is me, a sweaty veteran, handing you the keys to a game that actively hates you. I'm going to tell you what the tooltips don't, what the YouTube videos gloss over, and exactly where I rage-quit so you don't have to.

The Stuff That'll Make You Throw Your Controller

Let's be real. This game has some design choices that are borderline sadistic. If you've been struggling, it's probably not because you're bad — it's because the game is being a cryptic jerk. Here's what everyone hits:

• The Weight System: You can carry three potions and a sandwich before you're "Heavy." Then you slow down, stamina drains like it's going out of style, and suddenly every goblin is catching you. It's not your fault. The game lies about how much you can carry. Everything has weight — food, arrows, even your pants. Check your inventory constantly.
• Pawns Are Idiots (Sometimes): Your main pawn is great. The two randoms you summon from the Rift? They'll jump off a cliff to grab a mushroom, then complain about the fall damage. I had a pawn named "Chad" who spent a boss fight trying to open a treasure chest behind the boss. I watched him die. I let him.
• The Camera During Big Fights: When you're fighting the Cyclops and you're clinging to its back, the camera goes inside the geometry of its shoulder blade. You can't see your character, the boss, or the ground. You're just feeling your way through the fight. This is not a skill issue. This is a camera issue. Learn to fight blind.
• Stamina Management: You sprint for 4 seconds and your guy is huffing like he ran a marathon. Combat requires stamina for everything — attacking, blocking, dodging, breathing. Early game, you'll run out of stamina in the middle of a combo and just stand there like a lemon while a Harpy picks you up. It's infuriating.

The First 5 Hours — Don't Do What I Did

You spawn in. You're excited. You make a character that looks kinda like you and a pawn that looks kinda like your best friend. Good. Now before you run off to fight the first bandit you see, do this:

Step 1: Buy a Lantern and Oil. I spent my first three hours in a cave system that was so dark I couldn't see my own hands. I used a fire spell to light a torch, but the torch burned out. Then I tried to use the torch as a weapon. It went badly. The Lantern is your best friend. It hangs on your belt and works for an hour before needing oil. Buy three flasks of oil. Keep them in your storage, not your inventory (weight!). Trust me on this.

Step 2: Pick Mage First. Just For the Heal. I know you want to be a Fighter or a Strider. You want to hit things. But for your pawn, make them a Mage with Anodyne (the healing spell). Your other two pawns can be whatever. But having a dedicated healer in your party will save you more frustration than any damage build. I ran a party of four Fighters once. We all died because a single poison cloud killed us while we were trying to swing swords at it.

Step 3: The Main Quest is a Trap. The game points you toward the Noble Quarter and the main story almost immediately. Ignore it. Go north to the Wolfshide Woods instead. You'll find a side quest called "A Curious Shore" that gives you a Relic Ring (grants +2% stamina regen) which is better than anything you'll get from the first three story missions. The main quest has a level 25 boss waiting for you at level 8. The game expects you to get your teeth kicked in and go do side content. So do it.

Step 4: Learn the Lantern Trick. This is the one thing I wish every guide told me. You can sheathe your weapon and press the dodge button to do a quick forward roll. If you do this while holding a lantern, you light it. If you do it near water, you douse it. If you do it near oil, you explode. I learned this by accidentally rolling into a puddle of oil and setting myself on fire. But you can also use this to quickly light brazier puzzles. Saves you from using a fire spell in the dark.

Advanced Tricks That Turn You Into a God

Once you've got the basics down, it's time to stop dying to bandits and start making the game your b*tch. Here's the real meta stuff that the game never explains:

• Elemental Damage is Everything: The Flamethrower staff skill does 45 base DPS, but after 3 seconds of continuous fire on a Golem, it ramps to 120 DPS. But more importantly, every monster has a weakness. Goblins hate fire. Undead hate holy. Drakes are allergic to lightning. I fought a Harpy for 10 minutes with a physical bow and did nothing. Switched to a fire arrow? Two shots. Carry a weapon of every element in your storage, even if you don't use them. Swap before a fight.
• Grapple Break. You know how when a Cyclops grabs you, you're supposed to mash buttons to escape? Stop mashing. Wait half a second. Look at its hand. There's a glowing weak point on its thumb. If you stab that specific spot with your weapon (not your fists), it'll drop you immediately and stagger. I found this out by accidentally stabbing a Cyclops in the nail while trying to reach its eye. The game has this weird physics system where every attack matters, even the accidental ones.
• Pawn Inclinations Matter More Than Gear. Your pawn has a personality stat called "Inclination" — it's hidden in the menu under Pawn > Personality. If your pawn is "Scather," they'll climb monsters and ignore weak points. If they're "Medicant," they'll heal you constantly. You want your main pawn to be "Utilitarian" — they'll use items, use environmental hazards, and actually be smart. How to change it? Talk to the Pawn Guild in the capital and buy an Inclination Elixir. I didn't do this until hour 60. My pawn Shazza spent 60 hours throwing explosive barrels at me instead of enemies. Don't be me.
• Item Duplication Glitch (Still Works): I'm not sure if this is a bug or a feature, but if you save the game, deposit an item in storage, then reload the save, the item stays in your inventory and a copy is in storage. I used this to duplicate Wakestones (the revive item). I have 40 of them now. I've died 40 times. It feels amazing. Use it while you can, because Capcom might patch it.

Also, if you're a Strider main like me, the Brain Splitter skill (downward stab while climbing) is the highest single-target DPS in the game, bar none. I've seen it hit for 4,500 damage on a staggered Drake. Get it. Max it. Never unequip it.

Mistakes I Made So You Don't Have To

I've got a graveyard of dead characters and a Steam review that reads "this guy dies a lot." Here's what I did wrong:

• Ignoring Encumbrance: I already said this, but I'm saying it again because I'm an idiot and I need to hear it. You don't need 50 different types of meat. You need 3 potions, 2 mushrooms (stamina regen), and a Lantern. Everything else goes in storage. If you're "Heavy," you can't dodge. You can't sprint. You get grabbed and eaten. I lost a pawn because I was carrying too many skulls. Let the skulls go.
• Not Saving Before Every Boss: This game has a single save slot and it autosaves when you enter a zone. If you enter a boss arena at level 10 and the boss one-shots you, you can't run. You can't load a previous save. You're stuck. I entered the Ancient Battleground at level 12 and found a Gorechimera that killed me in two hits. My last save was 45 minutes earlier. I had to delete the file and start over. Save manually at an inn before you walk into any area with a boss bar on the map.
• Trusting the "Recommended Level" on Quests: The game says a quest is "Level 20." That's a lie. It means "We expect you to smash your face against this thing for an hour at level 20." I tried a level 30 quest at level 22 and got flattened by a single Ogre. The Ogres in this game grab you and throw you at other party members. I lost my entire party to friendly fire from being thrown at them. Level is just a suggestion. Bring backup and better gear.
• Not Using the Campfire for Fast Travel: The game has Ferrystones for fast travel, but they're expensive and rare. What isn't rare? Camp Kits. You can set up a campfire at any designated camp spot (look for the stone ring on the ground). Sleeping at a camp saves, heals, and cures status effects. It's free. I spent 30 hours walking back to town because I forgot about camps. Use them every time you find one.

Questions You're Too Embarrassed to Ask

I've seen these in the Steam forums and the Discord. The answer is always more complicated than you think.

Q: Why did my pawn suddenly hate me and start acting stupid?
A: You probably changed their gear without resetting their Inclination. Heavy armor makes them act "Mitigator" (aggressive), while light armor makes them "Scather" (climber). Also, if you use a skill they don't have, they get confused. Check your pawn's gear weight and skill loadout. I accidentally gave my pawn a shield and she stopped casting spells. She just... held the shield. For 10 minutes. Against a dragon.

Q: Can I respec my character?
A: No. You pick your class at the start and you're stuck with it until you beat the game. You can change your vocation (what skills you use) by going to the Vocation Guild in the capital and paying gold. But your base stats are locked. If you pick a Fighter, you get strength. If you pick a Mage, you get magic. You can't turn a Mage into a Strider and expect good damage. I tried. It's bad. Make a new file if you really hate your pick, but I recommend sticking with your first choice because the game is balanced around it.

Q: What's the best early game weapon?
A: For physical classes, the Fang of the Scorched (sword) or Bow of the Sun (bow). Both are found in the Wolfshide Woods in a chest guarded by a Golem. The Golem is optional. You can run in, grab the chest, and run out. I did this at level 6 and the weapon lasted me until level 25. For magic classes, the Staff of the Void is in the same area, behind a waterfall. If you're struggling with damage, it's probably because your weapon is a rusted piece of junk. Go get these.

Q: Why can't I climb that wall? The game has ledges.
A: You need a Ladder item, or a Booster Shot from a pawn with the "Launch" ability. Some walls are just for show. I spent 20 minutes trying to scale a 2-foot rock face before a pawn said "Let me assist you" and threw me over it. The game has a janky physics system where pawns can lift you, but you can't lift yourself. It's stupid. Accept it.

Q: The game feels like a party-based Skyrim with worse combat. Is that accurate?
A: Sort of. But the climbing mechanics make it way more dynamic. If you played Shadow of the Colossus, this is the combat system that game wished it had. Also, the Dark Arisen expansion (which comes with the game) is basically a full sequel. If you want to see how a good class system works, check out our Dark Arisen guide for the first game — a lot of those tips carry over.

I'm going to wrap this up without any cheesy sign-off, because that's how we roll. You've got the info. Go play the game. And when you're stuck on that Gorechimera later tonight, remember: it has a weakness to lightning on its back. The game doesn't tell you that. You're welcome.

Oh, and one more thing. If you see a Dragonforged weapon in a chest, don't sell it. It's worth 5,000 gold but you need it for a quest. I sold it. I had to fight the final boss with a stick. Literally a stick. There's a weapon called "Stick" in the game. I used it. Do not be me.