This may not be your first time being Arisen, as the first Dragon's Dogma arrived way back in 2012. It's not that it's a difficult or devilishly complicated title, but understanding how the intent of the story and its world is translated doesn't always come through to the player, as we discussed in the review. Dragon's Dogma 2 is a monster with a lot of health bars that you're going to spend a lot of time on, but hopefully with this guide of hints, hints and some well-intentioned advice we can cut down on those periods between one objective and the next.
In the end, as is often the case, you'll be alone with the dragon (well, you and your trusty Pawns) but before that you'll have to kick some serious ass in his world, collect a thousand resources, explore dozens of caves and collect (and not lose) thousands of gold coins. We'll also teach you how to survive the night even if you can't find a place to camp and you're in the middle of nowhere. You'll thank us later.
Finally, remember that these tips are only based on a single playthrough, and therefore (bearing in mind that there is only one save slot) we cannot confirm that this is always the only way forward. If you discover a quicker way to progress, let us know in the comments!
One of the best solutions for your character and Pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2 is the ability to change Vocation (class) as often as you like. All you have to do is go to the Vocation Guild and pay a small amount of Vocation Points (VP) to start training in a new one. Keep in mind, however, that each Vocation has different passive and active skills and backgrounds for the character, and that you will also have to spend points to unlock and upgrade them, so you will have to be selective. It is more worthwhile to choose four regular skills and upgrade them to the max than not having seven with half progression.
Finally, you should know that in both Vermund and Battahl there are certain individuals who offer master skills for each Vocation. These attacks are usually the best in the game, and to get them you will have to pass a specific test or quest.
In addition, each class has unique equipment and weapons, so you will also need enough gold to afford them and pay an armourer to upgrade them, which leads to...
Although all items can be sold to traders and crafters, our experience has shown that, except for equipment that has become obsolete, it is neither necessary nor advisable to sell anything. Gold is not a plentiful resource (at least for most of the adventure) and pieces of equipment are quite expensive.
In addition, ingredients are much more useful when you combine them to create consumables and potions that boost health and energy or heal altered states. Soothing potions are never in short supply, and the same goes for the various Roborants, items with identical effects.
There are three types of weapon and equipment enhancement crafting: One in Vermund, one in Batthal and one by the individual known as the Dragonforged. Each of these techniques boosts both physical and magical attack and defence to a different proportion, as well as influencing the weight of upgraded equipment (for example, the weight of upgraded equipment on Vermund is lighter, but the upgrade is less than that on Battahl).
The Dragonfoged is a case apart, as he imbues the most powerful upgrades using draconic crystals in his abode in the Cove Sanctuary. Draconic crystals are very rare in the wild, as they are made from petrified dragon blood, so to get your hands on more you must either visit areas where a dragon has passed through... or kill a dragon. Dragons (smaller than THE dragon that turns us into Arisen) are still the toughest enemies in the game, so be sure to be well prepared beforehand, bring your best equipment, magic spells, and spare ammo, and pause at a bonfire beforehand if possible.
The journey through Dragon's Dogma 2 is a long path full of dangers. There will be constant battles, fast travel as such is not available (unless you spend some really important resources on it) and with each fight your maximum health is reduced, unless you sleep in an inn, at home (more on this later) or in a camp.
Although buildings in cities are the most comfortable, with no chance of being attacked by monsters (and with the inventory storage at hand), it may be that the mission or the night forces you to camp in the open and wait for the morning. In these cases it is best to look for a lit campfire (it is easy to distinguish where they are by the plume of smoke they release) and rest there using a Camping Kit. If there are monsters nearby, your rest will be interrupted and they can destroy your camp, which would be a problem (you would have to find a trader to sell you another one). Camping kits come in various qualities and weights. If you get a good enough one, monsters will not attack you.
Camping is also the only way to cook and therefore get that boost to attack, defence and energy that eating slices of steak offers (and watch out for the cooking scene, because it's the crispest meat you'll ever see in a video game). That's why it's always good to cook any piece of animal or monster meat you have on you - you'll get that extra combat boost you'll need to get home.
Pawns are the backbone of the whole game. Although you always take your personal Pawn with you, the other two will be temporary companions that you must change throughout the adventure. Ideally, you should assemble a balanced team of different vocations to be able to take on anything, but the configuration needs to be changed as you progress. The reason for this is that "borrowed" pawns do not level up or learn new skills, so they will always be limited to your level. That's why it's important to visit the rift stones or talk to the wandering Pawns you encounter along the way.
Pawns are also useful because they help you find the specific mission objective within the area marked on the minimap. Sometimes it is even better to ask for a lower level Pawn who knows where you need to go rather than a strong one who has no idea. In the end it will be a time saver, and you can always bookmark the ones you like the most and re-summon them when they have leveled up with their respective Arisen players.
Sometimes brute force alone will not be enough to accomplish the mission objective. There are times when the Arisen will have to infiltrate heavily guarded areas where NPCs may turn hostile and quickly finish you off. Vernworth Castle will be the first such place you see, and to avoid attracting attention in its gardens and interior corridors you need to dress as a nobleman. To do this, you'll need to get the courtier's attire and leggings.
The most direct way is to complete the quest "The Ornate Box" in which you must buy this item from a merchant in Vermund's marketplace for 800G and deliver it to an individual named Sven. He will summon you after a few days in the same square (you can wait a few times by sitting on a bench) and when you meet him again he will give you the outfit. With it, you can now move freely around the castle area and attend the queen's reception.
The other way is to go straight into the castle and avoid the guards, and when you go up to the first floor where the chambers are, in one of the rooms you will find a chest with the complete outfit. Equip it (no weapons in sight) and the result will be the same.