Dragon’s Dogma 2 is set in a sprawling open world with deep RPG mechanics. These mechanics extend to the game’s gripping combat, which can sometimes be difficult to understand and work through. While the game has many elements of traditional RPGs, they are named different here and can be difficult to get used to.
In this guide, we’ll review several combat tips to help you improve your combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2. We’ll discuss strategy, Vocation skills, placement, and more, so let’s get into it without any further ado.
Pop a health potion after you die
Unlike other games, Dragon’s Dogma 2 allows you to pause the game and use items at any time. It takes this idea further by allowing you to pop a health potion even if you’re dead.
Once your health drops to zero, quickly use a health potion to revive yourself. Do note that this only works when your grey health is active and before you hit the ground. This technique allows you to maximize the usage of your health items and lets you stay on the battlefield longer.
Finish off enemies after knocking them down
When using a melee class, you can knock down enemies by staggering them with a heavy attack. (Y on Xbox and Triangle on PS5) Instead of following this up with another heavy attack or a series of light attacks, you can simply get close to the enemy and finish them off with a single blow.
Doing this saves you stamina and prevents the enemy from getting back up again, allowing you to thin out the herd much quicker. You can practice this technique by focusing on single targets instead of the enemy squad.
Once you’ve downed an enemy, you can pick them up and throw them over cliffs and chasms.
Split your abilities evenly to combat every scenario
Dragon’s Dogma 2 allows you to equip up to four vocational skills at a time. While it may seem tempting to deck out your character with high-damage skills, practicing restraint and balance is always a good idea to allow yourself to perform better on the battlefield.
Pick a mixture of defensive, offensive, and traversal abilities. If you’re using a ranged class, it is always a good idea to pick a utility skill to buff your Pawns. Pick and choose skills that work best for you, but maintain a balance to
Use your Vocation abilities often
Vocational abilities make up the bulk of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s combat, and while saving your stamina may seem like an attractive proposition, the more you use your Vocational Abilities, the better you’ll understand them.
A better understanding of your Vocational abilities will allow you to know when to use certain skills and avoid them. These abilities also lay down the most damage, allowing you to take out your enemies swiftly.
Refresh pawns by jumping to and from the Rift
A strong lineup of pawns is essential for performing better at combat in Dragons Dogma 2. When you enter the Rift, you may not find a Pawn that clicks with your current team or preferred Vocation.
To counteract this, you can simply exit and enter the Rift several times until you find a Pawn with your desired abilities. Do note that, by in large, the Pawn offerings will remain quite similar; however, you should see some variation every time you enter and exit.
Make ample use of pawn commands
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Pawns comprise a significant chunk of the core combat loop. They move and execute tasks based on your commands, so it’s always a good idea to use them often and appropriately.
Use the “To Me!” command to use a large AOE healing spell to heal your comrades or the “Go!” Command if you want to stay back and heal. Learning the ins and outs of the Pawn system will take a little trial and error, but once you master it, you’ll be unstoppable.
Take note of enemy health bars
Some enemies have multiple health bars in Dragons Dogma 2, and knowing when they do can allow you to change your strategy to better suit the situation. Enemies with dots under their health bars have multiple health bars, and each dot represents an additional health bar. For multiple health bars, you’ll want to take a more defensive approach to combat.
This is especially true for larger bosses with upwards of three health bars. It is always a better idea to chip away at their health slowly instead of going in at once and dying or losing your pawns. Adopting a strategy centered around enemy health will almost always let you come out on top and, as a result, improve your combat skills.
Positioning is important
Dragon’s Dogma 2 features ten unique vocations, each with its own set of skills, strengths, and weaknesses. If you’re a Mage or Sorcerer, you’ll need to position yourself a few feet away from the battle to incant spells, which will take a significant amount of time.
On the other hand, if you’re a Fighter or a Thief, you’ll have to position yourself close to the combat as you’ll primarily be using melee attacks. One of the best tips is knowing your appropriate positioning is crucial to learning Pawn setup and performing better in combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
Carefully consider when you should climb large enemies
Climbing large enemies is one of DD2’s most unique combat mechanics. It allows you to hit their weak spot, giving you an upper hand in combat. However, doing so consumes a significant chunk of your stamina; if you don’t exactly know what you’re doing, it can cost you your life.
Always consider your health, stamina, and knowledge of the creature before you climb them. The creature will also be moving around so be mindful that you can fall off or get damaged.
Experiment With Different Vocations
One of the best tips to excel in combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is to change your Vocation. To do so, head to a Vocation Guild. They are usually found in or around Inns in different settlements. Select the Vocation Guild option and try out a new one.
Try out a couple of different Vocations until you find the one that works best. As we’ve discussed above, different vocations have different strengths and weaknesses, and your combat prowess ultimately boils down to how well you can manage the latter.
