Dragon's Dogma 2 Pawns explained: Companion character build tips
A friend to the end!
Pawns have seen an upgrade in Dragon's Dogma 2, with lots of new customisation and interesting upgrade paths for one to follow if they choose. This can then lead them to become a master of their chosen vocation.
The choices made when designing a pawn are nearly as important as the character creation for the protagonist, known as the Arisen. The good news is that players can sport up to three Pawns at any one time, whether you're playing online or offline.
Every Arisen is partnered with one main pawn, where you will get to decide everything from their look and fighting style to name and behaviour. Two more additional pawns can also be recruited from other players' networks via the mysterious Riftstone.
Let's dive into all the details you need to know about pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2, including the best combinations to pair with your Arisen.
Dragon's Dogma 2: What is a Pawn?
A pawn is described as a "loyal companion" who will accompany the Arisen on their adventure in Dragon's Dogma 2. This is a customisable character that can be designed to your liking, with certain traits that affect the overall game, like how they behave in battle or interact with other NPCs.
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Pawns can also learn Specializations from their masters, such as being able to heal players in combat, regardless of if it's part of their vocation or not.
"We wanted it to feel like a friend who's played the game before is sitting there next to you and giving you advice," game director Hideaki Itsuno told IGN. "Like, ‘Hey, go this way,’ or ‘In this case, you should go with this here,’ or ‘This is what you do.’ In other words, having a friend there with you who provides guidance in an enjoyable way."
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Dragons Dogma 2: How do Riftstones work
A Riftstone is a gateway bridge to other Atwixt worlds where pawns traverse between different rifts. Essentially, it allows you to access different pawns from other people's games, or ones created by developer Capcom, if you are playing offline. These can be found at camps and main cities.
An Arisen can summon pawns that meet their specified preferences. These pawns cannot be levelled up when accompanying you. Therefore, summoning new pawns regularly is recommended.
Dragon's Dogma 2 Pawn creator: Your options explained
Race
- Masculine Human
- Feminine Human
- Masculine Beastron
- Feminine Beastron
Body
All body elements have further customisation within, such as which body parts to place tattoos and/or body hair as well as additional customisation for everything from eyes to ears to height and beyond. The main body options in character creator are as below:
- Head
- Body Hair
- Makeup
- Tattoos/Markings
Vocation
Four vocations are available for your pawn upon creating them, however, the Warrior and Sorcerer will need to be unlocked as you progress through the game.
- Fighter – Battle enemies in close quarters with a sword and shield
- Archer – Wield a bow, striking down foes from a distance
- Mage – Use a stave to cast a variety of spells
- Thief – Break through an enemy's guard using speed and agility
- Warrior – Robust physique specialising in direct combat
- Sorcerer – A large staff that utilises magic and can change the tide of battle
Inclination
An inclination determines how your pawn acts in battle, conversations and more. The four options and what each means are listed below:
- Kindhearted – compassionate, devoted and dutiful. The most obedient sort of pawn. Favours a balanced approach with an emphasis on support. Quick to aid in battle
- Calm – Rational, shrewd and strategising. A pawn characterised by caution. Favours defence and evasion, employing clever tactics to survive at all costs
- Simple – Curious, earnest and adventurous. A pawn with their heart on their sleeve. Enjoys exploring and gathering items, and is always up for a challenge
- Straightforward – Candid, flippant and impulsive. A pawn unbound by precepts. Enjoys the thrill of combat, tackling fierce foes head-on with daring assaults
Voice
The Pawn's voice is determined by what Inclination is chosen. Here's what each inclination offers:
- Kindhearted – Sweet 1-5 or Faithful 1-5
- Calm – Wise 1-5 or Placid 1-5
- Simple – Amiable 1 to 5 or Witty 1- 5
- Straightforward – Jaunty 1-5 or Nonchalant 1 to 5
Additional
- Name – Input a name
- Moniker – Select a Moniker from the hundreds listed
Dragon's Dogma 2 best Arise and Pawn combinations
Fighter and Archer
A tried and trusted formula. By partnering a Fighter with an Archer, you'll have the benefit of close-quarter combat while another peppers the enemy with arrows from afar.
Mage and Fighter
Power up and protect your fighter with this deadly duo. Similar to the Archer with the Mage hanging back while the Fighter heads into the action upfront, this is a smart combo for taking advantage of enhancements and becoming an ultra-powerful Arise.
Thief and Archer
These two are all about speed, agility and whittling down an enemy's defence. A Thief is great for breaking down an enemy's guard before an Archer can then come in to deal some serious damage by identifying their weak points.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is available across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows.
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