The Trickster is an advanced Vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2 that excels at tanking and distracting the enemy. This class is unique in its functions and handles, requiring you to strategize on the spot and make split-second decisions.
This guide’ll review the best Trickster build in Dragon’s Dogma 2, the pros and cons of this Vocation, the best skills, equipment, augments, and party composition, and how to unlock it.
How to unlock Trickster
The Trickster Vocation can be unlocked by simply talking to Luz’s spirit form at the Reverent Shrine. This shrine is located south of Checkpoint Rest Town in Battahl, so you’ll have to progress the story a bit before you can do so.
Trickster Build Overview
The Trickster works as a distraction in Dragon’s Dogma 2. This Vocation dispels incense using a special weapon that instantly attracts the ire of every foe in the vicinity. This is done through a summonable Simulacrum, a mirror image of the caster.
The Simulacrum is the bread and butter of this Vocation. Apart from keeping your pawns safe during combat, your Core concern will be effectively deploying and controlling this being. The Simulacrum can be placed anywhere when fighting enemies, but you must constantly monitor its health and positioning to use it effectively.
The Trickster, despite being a good tank, does little to no real damage and has very limited usage outside of its main role. Furthermore, it consumes a lot of Stamina when using core skills. Outside of your Simulacrum, the only way you’ll be able to deal damage is by either picking enemies and throwing them or throwing environmental objects like rocks at them.
Below, we’ve gone over a basic overview of our Trickster build:
| Pros | Being able to buff your Pawns | |
| One of the best Tanks in the game | ||
| Cons | Limited damage output | |
| Restricted role in combat | ||
| Skills | Sweeping Shroud / Suffocating Shroud | |
| Aromatic Rally / Aromatic Resurgence | ||
| Latching Effigy / Binding Effigy | ||
| Espial Incense / Visitant Aura | ||
| Augmentations | Vitality | |
| Apotropaism | ||
| Provocation | ||
| Endurance | ||
| Conveyance | ||
| Detection | ||
| Equipment | Censer | Whimsical Daydream / Dragonswail Litany |
| Head Armor | Persecutor’s Horns | |
| Body Armor | Ares Morpho Robe | |
| Leg Armor | Arena Breeches | |
| Cloak | Any cloak of your choosing | |
| Ring #1 | Ring of Percipience | |
| Ring #2 | Ring of Momentum | |
| Best Party Composition | Main pawn | Mage |
| Pawn #2 | Fighter | |
| Pawn #3 | Archer / Thief | |
Character Creation Recommendations
You do not need to build your Trickster a particular way to maximize the usefulness of this Vocation in combat. However, we do recommend selecting a larger body type just so you have a little more resistance to being knocked down.
Best Weapons For Trickster
The Trickster uses a unique weapon called the Censer to diffuse incense that attracts nearby enemies and summons their Simulacrum. There are many Censers available in the game but the best one to use is the Whimsical Daydream.
It possesses a strength stat of 175 and a Magick stat of 290. It also comes equipped with 100 Strike Strength and 50 Knockdown Power. You can also use the Dragonswail Litany, which is a notch above the Whimsical Daydream in every aspect, but this weapon is only available in the post-game.
Best Skills Selection For Trickster In Dragon’s Dogma 2
Below we’ve listed the best skills to use with the Trickster
- Sweeping Shroud / Suffocating Shroud: This skill is unlocked by default and is probably the most important skill for this build, as using it is the best way to distract your enemies. If you’ve summoned your Simulacrum using the Effigial Incense core skill, your enemies will target your Simulacrum instead. If your Simulacrum perished recently, using a Sweeping / Suffocating shroud is a great way to keep the attention away from your Pawns.
- Aromatic Rally / Aromatic Resurgence: Aromatic Rally / Resurgence allows the Trickster to buff all the Pawns in their party to deal increased offensive damage. The one trade-off this skill has is that while it is active, your Pawns slowly lose health. Aromatic Rally / Resurgence is best used sparingly.
- Latching Effigy / Binding Effigy: This Trickster skill allows you to hurl a ball of incense at an enemy and possess it for a short period. Latching / Binding Effigy requires precise aiming and timing, so ensure your target is either immobile or away from other enemies before you take the shot.
- Espial Incense / Visitant Aura: This skill is mainly targeted toward exploration as it allows you to easily remove your spirit from your body and explore areas around you. Espial Incense / Visitant Aura is especially useful for finding hidden loot and objects.
Best Augmentations
You can equip up to six augmentations on your character in Dragon’s Dogma 2. These are the best ones to use for the Trickster class:
- Vitality: This augment simply increases your maximum health. Since enemies will constantly target you, Vitality will ensure you have more of a fighting chance at surviving.
- Apotropaism: Apotropaism enhances your defense against Magick attacks. In principle, it works similarly to the previous augment, ensuring you have more of a chance of surviving attacks from enemies.
- Provocation: Since your role as a Trickster is to garner the attention of your enemies so that they attack you, using Provocation is a no-brainer as it increases the likelihood of enemies noticing and attacking you during combat.
- Endurance: Endurance increases your maximum stamina allowing you to use your weapon skills more often. Stamina tends to be a problem when playing as a Trickster and this augment helps to remedy that.
- Conveyance: This augment increases your movement speed when carrying objects. Since throwing enemies and objects is the main way you’ll deal damage with this build, Conveyance enhances that facet of your core gameplay.
- Detection: Detection is mainly used for exploration. When you’re near a Seekers token or Wakestone shard, you’ll hear an audio cue indicating that it’s nearby. You’ll also be able to spot the items easily as they shine when you have this augment equipped. It is especially useful when used with the Espial Incense / Visitant Aura skill.
Equipment Selection
Since the Trickster is mainly used for Tanking purposes, their armor should net them the greatest amount of defense possible.
- Head Armor – Persecutor’s Horns: This head armor grants the wearer 76 standard and 50 Magick defense. It also has a Knockdown resistance of 28.
- Body Armor—Ares Morpho Robe: The Ares Morpho Robe provides 115 standard and 162 Magick defense and 14 Knockdown resistance. It also resists Silence and Blighted Debilitations.
- Leg Armor – Arena Breeches: With the Arena Breeches, you’ll receive 103 standard defense, 63 Magick defense, and 18 Knockdown resistance. Furthermore, this armor piece also provides resistance against Blighted, Sleep, and Silence Debilitations.
- Cloak – Any cloak of your choosing: Cloaks don’t have a major impact on your builds, so pick whichever one you like.
- Ring #1 – Ring of Percipience: The Ring of Percipience increases your Magick by 30, allowing your Simulacrum to stay alive for longer.
- Ring #2 – Ring of Momentum: This ring increases your maximum stamina by 150, allowing you a little more leeway to use your skills.
Best Party Composition for Trickster
Since Trickster’s are all about distracting enemies and tanking in Dragon’s Dogma 2, your party composition should be comprised of Vocations that deal high damage while also providing support for the Trickster.
- Main pawn—Mage: Mages are an essential part of any Party Composition. They can deal massive amounts of damage and heal their allies. Since enemies constantly target you, you’ll likely take some damage. The Mages’ healing skills ensure that you’re never low on health.
- Pawn #2 – Fighter: Having a good melee Vocation in your party is essential in dealing with constant and consistent damage. Since the Trickster doesn’t do much damage and Mages take quite a while to incant their spells, Fighters will be your first line of defense and will ensure that your enemies don’t get too comfortable.
- Pawn #3 – Archer / Thief: For your last Pawn you can either go with an Archer or Thief. The Archer provides increased weak spot damage and is better at taking down flying enemies while Thieves are better at dishing out large amounts of damage quickly, while easily climbing larger enemies. The choice between better ranged capabilities or better melee damage boils down to your preference.
