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Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen PS4/XB1 |OT| They're master ports all, you can't go wrong

Also! I don’t get the quest system at all. Sometimes people have yellow !s over their heads and they just tell me something I already know, but sometimes they tell me something new. I don’t know what determines if a quest gets a map marker, as I had one to get a Wakestone from a dude. The dude himself gave me the quest, so I theoretically knew where he was... but I had forgotten and then the quest wouldn’t draw a marker on my map. Just... why make me wander around to find a guy I already met?

Red symbol means NPC has knowledge of the quest you have set active as current quest.

Yellow means info for a quest that isn't set as your active one.

Green is for a new quest.

Blue is for handing a quest in to complete it.

The red/yellow symbols stay even if you gain the knowledge from the NPC.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
But I was CONSTANTLY overencumbered from mining ores despite having no idea what the point of ores is, and then picking up these “altar slates” which, also, have no indicated use but clearly matter. Ultimately figured out what the slates were for and then when I returned to town finally figured out what all the “upgrade material” things like ores are for with Enhancing equipment. All this time I thought I’d have some Skyrim-style “use the anvil to craft” kind of thing but it was just in the shop menu all along.

I still think inventory management is a real pain but now it seems I can just dump everything off every time I walk past an inn, I think it’s more manageable than I originally thought.

Don't forget you can make your pawns carry as much as you want and remain light-weight.
 

jiggle

Member
Also! I don’t get the quest system at all. Sometimes people have yellow !s over their heads and they just tell me something I already know, but sometimes they tell me something new. I don’t know what determines if a quest gets a map marker, as I had one to get a Wakestone from a dude. The dude himself gave me the quest, so I theoretically knew where he was... but I had forgotten and then the quest wouldn’t draw a marker on my map. Just... why make me wander around to find a guy I already met?
You have to go into your quests log and select/change your primary/active quest
That will usually put a marker for the quest on the map


Regarding inventory
When you are out
Dump your items on your mules pawns
 

Brakke

Banned
Yeah there was some tip early on that said something about not giving stuff to rented Pawns, but I think that was just for Equipment?

If a rented Pawn becomes forfeit while holding stuff, is the stuff obliterated? I was nervous about passing out those super-heavy altar slates in case someone fell to their death in a spot I couldn’t retrieve from.
 

Brakke

Banned
Also are these escort missions worthwhile? Seem like bigish commitments, the one dude from the starter town wanted me to escort him beyond Gran Soren. Seemed like a long way to go killing trash goblins again and worrying that the AI would kill itself.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
Yeah there was some tip early on that said something about not giving stuff to rented Pawns, but I think that was just for Equipment?

If a rented Pawn becomes forfeit while holding stuff, is the stuff obliterated? I was nervous about passing out those super-heavy altar slates in case someone fell to their death in a spot I couldn’t retrieve from.
Any items carried (not equipped) by pawns that become forfeit will be automatically transferred to your storage.

Also are these escort missions worthwhile? Seem like bigish commitments, the one dude from the starter town wanted me to escort him beyond Gran Soren. Seemed like a long way to go killing trash goblins again and worrying that the AI would kill itself.
No, they are not. Only do them if you really care about the reward or find them fun (I don't :p).
 

Brakke

Banned
Any items carried (not equipped) by pawns that become forfeit will be automatically transferred to your storage.

Sweet ok. Not sure when it’d actually be useful but now I definitely want to load someone up with materials and then chuck them off a mountain to send the stuff home for me. 😈

No, they are not. Only do them if you really care about the reward or find them fun (I don't :p).

Cool thanks! Dunno why this game thought it was a good idea to have both tailing and escort missions! Water level when?
 

jiggle

Member
Also are these escort missions worthwhile? Seem like bigish commitments, the one dude from the starter town wanted me to escort him beyond Gran Soren. Seemed like a long way to go killing trash goblins again and worrying that the AI would kill itself.
Escort quests are for romancing the NPCs

Yeah there was some tip early on that said something about not giving stuff to rented Pawns, but I think that was just for Equipment?

If a rented Pawn becomes forfeit while holding stuff, is the stuff obliterated? I was nervous about passing out those super-heavy altar slates in case someone fell to their death in a spot I couldn’t retrieve from.
Only gear you equipped on rented pawns are gifted(and there will be a warning for doing it every time)
Everything they hold goes into your storage automatically when they disappear
 

Ferr986

Member
Ok, got Daimon Electric Boogalo down. Switching to Ranger did the try (was trying to do it as Assassin for the higher STR leveling).

Of course no bow, fucker didnt even drop a weapon ;(
 

Zeta Oni

Member
yAT7h1y.png
 

Salarians

Member
pawn update! I've only just changed his vocation so he's got a ways to go

PSN ID: quote to see
Platform: PS4
Pawn Name: Tavish
Pawn Level: 26
Pawn Vocation: Fighter
Addition details: if you add me, just put Dragon's Dogma or NeoGAF in the message.
 

ZangBa

Member
It's too bad there is no option to set everything you pick up to go directly to your pawn's inventory. That would really help with the annoying inventory management.

Someone got my pawn over 100k RC, gave all 5 stars and a nice comment. I'm so proud.
 
I’m playing offline, is there an advantage to using someone’s pawn online? Or is it basically the same as have the ai as a pawn?

AI Pawn VS Player Built pawn. Pawns from this thread alone are waaaaaay better than 90% of the Rift. Plus you hire a pawn, earn the user crystals, and maybe it will be returned likewise. I have 200K RC already and I am still on the Wyrm Hunt quests.
 
May as well update pawn details

PSN: KylieDog
Pawn name: Kara
Vocation: Strider
Level: 65-70ish.
If send a friend request mention GAF please, blank ones get rejected.
 

138

Banned
So, what happens after the end of the game? Will I be able to wander and explore, or is there a definitive Point of No Return message that tells me to get all of that out of my system before continuing on to the finale?
 

jiggle

Member
So, what happens after the end of the game? Will I be able to wander and explore, or is there a definitive Point of No Return message that tells me to get all of that out of my system before continuing on to the finale?
There is a point of no return after you complete a fetch quest of
20 wakestones

You do keep most of your progress in new game plus though
 
On my PS3 playthrough I played a Sorcerer main, so I had a huge male Fighter pawn (Fafhrd to my Gray Mouser, or Caramon to my Raistlin if you like), set up to look like your stereotypical barbarian warrior. Most of the game he was bare chested or with just chain mail bracers, and nobody ever sent him back with his chest fully covered! Haha.


Ha, I also made Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.

I wanted Mouser to be an Assassin though, since he can use both sword and dagger, plus Powder Barrage is like magic. My one regret was that the Sorcerer clothes would have looked better on him. I ended up just putting both in Cursed Kings Belt (the only way to get fully bare-chested guys).


Hmmm, just reached level 100 and I thought I'd do Assassin for the rest of the run, but he's kinda boring. Jack of all trades master of none.


Give a try to Powder Barrage if you find the Ring/Band for it. That's honestly my single favorite skill for Assassin, it's crazy. It's really quick to set the explosive and then as you walk away it leaves a fuse on your trail. When you detonate it, the fuse itself does damage/knockdown on the entire path you walked, and the explosion is a huge area of effect that can knock down dragons. But you need the Ring/Band.

Masterful Kill is amazing, but you might end up finding it boring because it's too powerful.
Nevertheless, I like using it on Daimon 1st form to easily grab his neck

Similar to how Magick Archer is probably the best climber, and Strider is probably the best melee DPS, Assassin is probably the best archer. Gale Harness and Force Hatchet are both applied to bows, which to me pushes it above Ranger. Also, Lyncean/Eagle Sight is much better than the Ranger's sniping skill, and is the only bow move that can do serious magical damage (easily kills blue ghosts, but red ghosts are super annoying still).
 

138

Banned
There is a point of no return after you complete a fetch quest of
20 wakestones

You do keep most of your progress in new game plus though

Huh. Well, that sounds like a bummer. Guess I'll just ignore the fetch quest as long as possible. Hit up BBI and check that place out.
 
Something about the game is just not grabbing me yet. I’m not sure if it’s the world, the abundance of fetch/kill quests, or something else. Sure, the combat is fun, but combat alone can’t carry a game.

Currently went from mystic knight to magick archer and it seems a little better, but something still feels clunky; is there really no target lock?
 

138

Banned
Something about the game is just not grabbing me yet. I’m not sure if it’s the world, the abundance of fetch/kill quests, or something else. Sure, the combat is fun, but combat alone can’t carry a game.

Currently went from mystic knight to magick archer and it seems a little better, but something still feels clunky; is there really no target lock?
Magick Archer has a lock automatically, plus Seeker Bolt which targets multiple foes as you pan around.

I play as Magick Archer, switched from Strider as soon as I got to Gran Siren. It's tough, but I'm surviving.
 
Magick Archer has a lock automatically, plus Seeker Bolt which targets multiple foes as you pan around.

Which is probably why I like it the most.

The other problem is mob flinch feels almost non-existent and without a roll or dodge, you get hit, flinched, and potentially knocked out without the ability to quickly move out of the way (or you can just hop around like an idiot)


Edit: edited post
 

jiggle

Member
Huh. Well, that sounds like a bummer. Guess I'll just ignore the fetch quest as long as possible. Hit up BBI and check that place out.
If BBI is all that's left before u finish the game
It's definitely better to wait for new game plus
No point to start now and lose your progress
When you can enter it right away in new game plus
 

138

Banned
If BBI is all that's left before u finish the game
It's definitely better to wait for new game plus
No point to start now and lose your progress
When you can enter it right away in new game plus

No, I've got plenty of time (I think) to screw around and explore. Was just curious about options afterwards. I don't want to play NG+ and play the story over again. I've never been that type of gamer.
 
Which is probably why I like it the most.

The other problem is mob flinch feels almost non-existent and without a roll or dodge, you get hit, flinched, and potentially knocked out without the ability to quickly move out of the way (or you can just hop around like an idiot)


There are core skills that allow for doubme jump and rolls.
 
So, what happens after the end of the game? Will I be able to wander and explore, or is there a definitive Point of No Return message that tells me to get all of that out of my system before continuing on to the finale?

Don't hand over 20 Wakestones. All you need to know.
 

Brakke

Banned
Pawn!
PSN: quote to see
Level 24
Female Fighter, one away from maxed (might swap her to Warrior or whatever it's called soon)
Challenger / Scather (no clue what these mean tho)

She's a pretty lady but she wears chain mail and armor and a helmet. Not for gawking.

I just ran this quest to investigate a cult and it was the first time playing that I thorough enjoyed, I'm starting to get a grip on this game. Was surprised that I had a choice at the end of the quest. Was that a real choice? Are there branching quest lines in this?

I wish the cult leader didn't attack me though! I would've joined! Necromantic despair cults are my jam!

pawn update! I've only just changed his vocation so he's got a ways to go

I'm level 24 so I picked this guy up! My own Pawn is going to switch off of Fighter soon so hopefully this dude will cover for her. Didn't need to be PSN friends, just searched by your ID and he showed up.

I'll be sure and try to remember to send him back with something other than my standard gift of rotten pumpkins...
 

HenryEen

Banned
Pawn!
PSN: quote to see
Level 24
Female Fighter, one away from maxed (might swap her to Warrior or whatever it’s called soon)
Challenger / Scather (no clue what these mean tho)

She’s a pretty lady but she wears chain mail and armor and a helmet. Not for gawking.

I just ran this quest to investigate a cult and it was the first time playing that I thorough enjoyed, I’m starting to get a grip on this game. Was surprised that I had a choice at the end of the quest. Was that a real choice? Are there branching quest lines in this?

I wish the cult leader didn’t attack me though! I would’ve joined! Necromantic despair cults are my jam!



I’m level 24 so I picked this guy up! My own Pawn is going to switch off of Fighter soon so hopefully this dude will cover for her. Didn’t need to be PSN friends, just searched by your ID and he showed up.

I’ll be sure and try to remember to send him back with something other than my standard gift of rotten pumpkins...

pawn update! I've only just changed his vocation so he's got a ways to go

PSN ID: quote to see
Platform: PS4
Pawn Name: Tavish
Pawn Level: 26
Pawn Vocation: Fighter
Addition details: if you add me, just put Dragon's Dogma or NeoGAF in the message.

I'm in similar level range with you guys, will add both of you !
 

Fauve

Member
How do those elemental enchant spells work? Do they add damage to your weapon or only do extra damage if you attack an enemy's weakness?
 
How do those elemental enchant spells work? Do they add damage to your weapon or only do extra damage if you attack an enemy's weakness?

They override any existing elemental effect a weapon has, plus add a set amount of magic damage.

Upgraded versions barely add extra damage (as in affinity barely more than boon), they mainly up duration.

If you or a pawn got an ice weapon, cast ice boon/affinity can still be worth it for the damage buff.


Edit: Unsure about some Mystic Knight ones, they act differently I think.
 

Fauve

Member
They override any existing elemental effect a weapon has, plus add a set amount of magic damage.

Upgraded versions barely add extra damage (as in affinity barely more than boon), they mainly up duration.

If you or a pawn got an ice weapon, cast ice boon/affinity can still be worth it for the damage buff.


Edit: Unsure about some Mystic Knight ones, they act differently I think.

They're more powerful but the lengths are considerably shorter. Perpetuation is basically a requirement for those.

Oh nice, thanks for the responses. I thought the buffs were helping when my pawns cast them on me but I wasn't exactly sure how it helped. I'm running MK right now so it's good to know about perpetuation. I should work on my Mage then I guess.
 

usp84

Member
Spent hours today at Bitteblack Isle.

It's the best part of the game without a doubt.It feels like a Souls game with shorcuts and everything else.


Should i keep the Bitterblack Gear/armor/weapon etc that i get or should i give them to the lady at the beginning?

I have 800.000 RC already(Thanks for choosing my pawn btw)

Here is an update

PSN ID: ocelot14gr
Pawn name: Legolas
Pawn level: 99
Pawn vocation: Sorcerer changed from Mage

Basically he recks everything using the Meteor and Tornado powers(I forgot their actual names).

I have 60 hours at this game and i never get bored of it.A mage/sorcerer playthrough is guaranteed at this point.Magic is too good in this game!
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Sweet ok. Not sure when it'd actually be useful but now I definitely want to load someone up with materials and then chuck them off a mountain to send the stuff home for me. ��



Cool thanks! Dunno why this game thought it was a good idea to have both tailing and escort missions! Water level when?

Some of the escort quests give you items that you can only find rarely if you play the game normally though, such as Mason's Recluse Robe.

Oh nice, thanks for the responses. I thought the buffs were helping when my pawns cast them on me but I wasn't exactly sure how it helped. I'm running MK right now so it's good to know about perpetuation. I should work on my Mage then I guess.

If you're running MK, don't forget that upping both Physical and Magical is important (so get that Acuity and Clout if you can, and perhaps add Attunement + Vehemence in there too) not just one of the two, considering that some of his more powerful moves, such as Great Cannon (which many consider as his best), are split damage (in this case, 60:40 magical:physical)
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle

Oh man, I never main Assassin before. I main Magick Archer I still distinctly remember that Hard Daimon can oneshot my character back then in the PS3 playthrough though, and even after level 200 and equipped with the best equipment possible for my character, he can still kill me in 3 - 4 lucky shots.

I see it that it's not mainly about reducing the damage he does to you, but mainly about increasing the damage you do to him, particularly in Hard Mode.
 

Darksheik

Member
Having a blast replaying the game after so many years. Originally I played it on X360, now on Ps4.

Few questions I'm having are

- Does the malus for renting overleveled pawns apply only to Exp gained from monsters or even for quests?
- Are there rings/items to increase Exp and Gold gained?

Thanks :D
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Having a blast replaying the game after so many years. Originally I played it on X360, now on Ps4.

Few questions I'm having are

- Does the malus for renting overleveled pawns apply only to Exp gained from monsters or even for quests?
- Are there rings/items to increase Exp and Gold gained?

Thanks :D

Rings of Perseverance ups your DP gain (you need to go somewhat deep into BBI to get it though) and there is an armor from a "kill x monster" quest post-game with a name that escape me at this moment.

As for EXP gain, here, from the Wiki:

There are various conditions that alter the amount of Experience Points gained. XP is calculated via the Arisen's and Main Pawn's level relationship to the other party members. This functions like a handicap; the harder the party works to kill a creature, the more experience is earned. Higher-level pawns and more party members decrease the rewards. For maximum experience gains, the Arisen can adventure alone, or with no main pawn and two hired pawns who are more than 25 levels below the Arisen.

- Reducing the number of pawns in one's party raises XP gain by 25% per vacant slot.
- A lower-leveled pawn causes the Arisen and main pawn to gain XP at a higher rate. This is capped at 25%, which corresponds to 25 levels below the character receiving XP. There is no difference in XP earnings between an empty party slot and a support pawn 25 levels or more below the Arisen or Main Pawn; they both grant a 25% XP bonus.
- A higher-leveled pawn causes the Arisen and main pawn to earn XP at a lesser rate. This is similarly capped at 25%, which corresponds to 25 levels above the character receiving XP. It is possible to cancel the XP penalty of a single high-leveled pawn by either hiring a second pawn that is 25 or more levels below the Arisen or Main Pawn, or by leaving the fourth party slot empty.
- The cap for XP bonuses or losses is 25% per party member.
- Weal and Hard Mode each double experience gain; these two conditions also accordingly double the calculations of DCP and RC.

Weal
Weal is an effect granted by certain items that doubles the experience gained from defeating enemies. This effect is indicated by a four-leaf clover icon. Weal items include the Blessed Flower which lasts a whole game day, until it wilts, and shorter duration items such as Veteran's Periapt, Pilgrim's Charm which last only 5 actual minutes. Weal is not to be confused with Prosperity, which converts normal monster material drops into Gold pouches of random value.

The Bezel Crown
The Bezel Crown is a longbow. In Dragon's Dogma it scaled the party's experience/rift crystal earnings by 5x when a party member used it to dispatch a foe, at a cost of greatly increased Stamina use. In Dark Arisen, its effect was reduced to 2x experience. The effect of this bow does not stack with Weal, though it will stack with Hard mode.

Difficulty
Increasing difficulty to Hard Mode will double the amount of all experience points gained. There are no changes to XP earnings from decreasing the difficulty from Normal to Easy Mode or by increasing the difficulty from Easy to Normal Mode.

Examples
By traveling in Hard Mode either alone or with no Main Pawn and two support pawns at least 25 levels below that of the Arisen with a Weal item present, the maximum XP gain is calculated as the base monster XP value x 2 (for Hard Mode) x 1.25 (for one empty Pawn spot) x 1.25 (for two empty Pawn spots) x 1.25 (for three empty Pawn spots) x 2 (for Weal effect). A support pawn 25 levels below that of the Arisen is synonymous with an empty party slot in terms of XP gain.
 

Brakke

Banned
pawn update! I've only just changed his vocation so he's got a ways to go

Yo this dude is chatty! He knows about all the quests I’m working on and just can’t help but chime in. :D

We had a good moment together, though. This icy wolf had me pinned on the ground when Tavish here came charging over and shield-smashed the Wolf off my throat. Immediately after, he was surrounded by icy Harpies and just getting wailed on, so I dropped a rain of arrows to clear them off him. Good buddy!
 
I went straight into BBI after getting my pawn in the Encampment. Killed the Gazer with some good old throwblasts and watched the levels rain down on me. :D

I missed this.
 
Time for some update. Not too many people have hired her, not sure why. She looks like a proper adventurer and is badass.

PSN ID StaffyManasse
Platform PS4
Pawn name Nefer
Pawn Level 27
Vocation Ranger

She likes sniping enemy casters and climbing on big nasties and stabbing their eye(s).
 

Kensuke

Member
Ha, I also made Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.

Give a try to Powder Barrage if you find the Ring/Band for it. That's honestly my single favorite skill for Assassin, it's crazy. It's really quick to set the explosive and then as you walk away it leaves a fuse on your trail. When you detonate it, the fuse itself does damage/knockdown on the entire path you walked, and the explosion is a huge area of effect that can knock down dragons. But you need the Ring/Band.

Masterful Kill is amazing, but you might end up finding it boring because it's too powerful.
Nevertheless, I like using it on Daimon 1st form to easily grab his neck

Similar to how Magick Archer is probably the best climber, and Strider is probably the best melee DPS, Assassin is probably the best archer. Gale Harness and Force Hatchet are both applied to bows, which to me pushes it above Ranger. Also, Lyncean/Eagle Sight is much better than the Ranger's sniping skill, and is the only bow move that can do serious magical damage (easily kills blue ghosts, but red ghosts are super annoying still).

Damn, thanks for the tips. I'll definitely try those skills out. Problem is I don't have the ring/band , even after decoding a ton of Gears. I'll have to grind for it once I can get Gear lvl 3 items. Another problem I have with Assassin right now is that the BBI lvl 2 shortbow feels weak compared to the Ranger and MA bow. I'm doing a balanced build, so once I have the proper equipment I can switch back to Assassin to give it another shot.

Btw, what makes MA such a good climber?
 
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