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After beating the game’s first boss, the character creator, newly Arisen, will quickly find the next big roadblock in the game: choosing a vocation. When beginning your adventure in the goals near Battahl, you’ll get the option to pick from any of the four starting vocations in Dragon’s Dogma 2, and while all look appealing, there are only a few we consider the best. After experimenting for a while in the first hours of this installment, we believe there’s a clear winner regarding vocations that’ll make your first steps in Vermund much easier.
What Is The Best Starting Vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2? Answered
Since there are only four starting vocations in Dragon’s Dogma 2, we figured it’d be a good idea to rank them from worst to best and list the first skills you’ll get. While we believe some are better in many ways, don’t let that discourage you and think certain classes are bad. Ultimately, this is your journey, so don’t be afraid of picking the one you like the most.
4. Mage
Many might believe we committed sacrilege by placing the Mage at the bottom of the list, but don’t worry; there are good reasons for it. First and foremost, the starting skills. This vocation begins as a support-focused one with only one good damaging spell. Yes, you can level up quickly to unlock more stuff, but for new players without a good tanky pawn, it might be hard. Furthermore, the class takes a backline approach, which, while it isn’t bad, might not let you see the best of the game’s combat mechanics. So, if you want this class, we recommend picking it up after a few hours instead of your starting one.
3. Archer
Instead of Strider, Dragon’s Dogma 2 split the vocation into Archer and Thief, and both are really good starting ones, but only one takes the crown as the best. However, the Archer still has a lot going on. It has some agile and flashy moves that let you kick enemies and step away from them to keep shooting. Aiming is extremely smooth if you prefer more precise shots, the starting skills are quite varied, and there is a good balance between high DPS and fast attacks. Still, we believe the melee fighters take the crown in this list.
2. Fighter
Fighter got a complete facelift and became one of the most enjoyable vocations in the game. During our playtime, we played as this until the very end and even preferred it more than some of the advanced or hybrid vocations. This class has a lot of defense and a lot of attack, too, and despite its bulkiness, it has a lot of mobility. You can see this class a jack-of-all-trades during the first hours because it works as a tank or a DPS; it’s up to you to choose which one you prefer.
1. Thief
The Thief is, for us, the best starting vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Also, it is a fantastic choice for those joining the game for the first time. It is the only vocation with a dedicated dodge skill. While it might not seem relevant, it is great for those who aren’t used to the game’s combat. Besides, it has great starting active skills, which allows you to dash around the battlefield, slicing enemies left and right. And if that wasn’t enough, the outfits this vocation gets are fantastic, which is great for the avid Fashion’s Dogma fans.
All Vocations Skills Listed
For those eager to learn what skills await them when starting their journey, we’ve made a list with a few explanations on each. So, if the above wasn’t enough to convince you to try a specific class, this might.
Mage Starting Skills
Mages focus on supporting other characters, at least during the beginning of the game. While they have a flamethrower-like skill, you’ll be mostly using healing spells to keep your party members alive.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Flagaration | Unleashes a swirling jet of flame straight ahead for a period of time. The flame ignores Defense and can pass through multiple targets. The cast can move while casting it. |
| Magick Bolt | Fires a magickal bolt that changes depending on the current active enchantment. |
| Anodyne | Conjures a magickal curative sigil that restores the health of the caster and allies who enter the sigil’s area. |
Archer Starting Skills
The Archer excels at doing damage from afar, but it also has a few tools it can use to get out of harm’s way and even make foes flinch. It is quite agile if we compare it to the Strider of the first game, and the starting skills should be enough to let them explore the first areas of Vermund.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Barrage | Fires arrows in rapid succession, allowing concentrated attacks on a single target. You can use it while moving. |
| Loose | Standard attack. Aims and fires an arrow at a nearby foe. You can use the skill while moving. If you use this while clinging to an enemy, you’ll pierce the target with your arrow directly. |
| Front Kick | Unleashes a swift kick that causes a target to flinch. You can use to launch yourself backwards if used in mid-air. |
| Steady Shot | Draws the bow carefully, allowing precise aim. You can use it while moving. |
Fighter
Whether you use this vocation as a tank or a DPS, there are enough skills that’ll let you dash to someone’s aid and charge toward enemies.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Blink Strike | Rushes toward a target to deliver a powerful blow. |
| Onslaught | Standard attack. Unleashes a flurry of hits with your current weapon. |
| Empale | Thrusts your weapon forward. If it connects a flinched enemy, it’ll follow-up with a powerful attack. |
| Defend | Guards incoming attacks from the front. |
| Deflect | Deflects incoming attacks if timed right. Subsequent counterattacks use less stamina. |
Thief
The Thief has great skills that let you beat down small enemies with ease. This is extremely useful in the early game, as you’ll be facing several goblins and harpies.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| Biting Wind | Dashes past the target and hits them with your blade. Keep pressing the button to continue the attack against the same enemy. |
| Carve | Standard attack. Delivers a flurry of attacks. |
| Twing Fangs | Performs a deadly double strike with your daggers. You can do a lot of damage with this skill if the enemy is knocked off balanced or you pin it down. |
| Swift Step | Evasive skill. Allows you to dodge attacks from any direction. |
As you can see, just with the starting skills, each vocation can be seen as the best in Dragon’s Dogma 2. However, as we always say, follow your guts and choose the one that appeals the most to you. Also, remember you can try them all, and we recommend doing that because once you unlock a vocation’s augment, you can use it in any other class.
