What are Dragon’s Dogma 2 Pawns? At the beginning of the game, along with the character you control – called an Arisen – you’ll also create a Pawn, which is a faithful NPC companion that will never leave your side. They’ll help you in a myriad of different ways as you adventure, and you’ll continually swap other player-made Pawns in and out of your party. That way, you’ll have a balanced adventuring group as you slay ogres and griffons.
If you’re keen on picking up Dragon’s Dogma 2, be sure to double check its system requirements. We’ve also got a great guide detailing all the Dragon’s Dogma 2 vocations that both your Arisen and Pawn can assume during your adventure.
How do Dragon’s Dogma 2 Pawns work?
Whether human or the beastren race, you’ll have up to three AI controlled companions called Pawns with you as you explore the realms of Vermund and Battahl. One of them will be your own that you can fully customize, from appearance to beginning vocation.
The other two Pawns you will recruit from the online network, likely through a Riftstone found in a city or settlement.
These Pawns will have been made by other players of Dragon’s Dogma 2. Much more than just an AI companion in battle, all Pawns have a variety of skills to assist you.
Here are the currently known ways that Pawns can assist your Arisen:
- Pawns will aid you in battle, from dealing damage to healing.
- Pawns will provide helpful tips on how to defeat certain enemies.
- Pawns will acknowledge points of interest as you explore.
- Without traditional quest markers, Pawns will guide you to quest locations.
- Pawns from other players that have completed certain quests will help you even more.
- Pawn Specializations give them more utility outside of combat.
While some of this may be familiar to those that played the first game, Pawn Specializations are an entirely new feature that look to bring them to the next level. The example that Capcom provides are Pawns being able to interpret Elvish or other languages for your Arisen with the Woodland Wordsmith specialization, and another they mention in an IGN interview with Dragon’s Dogma 2 game director Hideaki Itsuno, is the Chirurgeon Specialization, which gives a Pawn the ability to use healing items on others.
There’s also an illness called Dragonsplague that infects pawns; however, it doesn’t weaken them. Rather, it increases their performance in battle and changes their behavior. At this time, it’s unclear what happens when dragonsplague reaches a terminal stage in a pawn, but according to the Dragon’s Dogma 2 official website, “it will result in devastating calamity.”
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Pawn Vocations
As you’ll want to choose a Pawn that compliments the vocation of your Arisen – keeping in mind that both Arisen and your own Pawn can change vocations – it’s important to know which vocations your helpful companion can assume.
Of the 10 currently known vocations, Pawns can become the following 6:
- Fighter (starting vocation)
- Archer (starting vocation)
- Thief (starting vocation)
- Mage (starting vocation)
- Warrior (requires vocation maister)
- Sorcerer (requires vocation maister)
The 4 currently known vocations that Pawns cannot become are:
- Magik Archer (requires vocation maister)
- Mystic Spearhand (requires vocation maister)
- Trickster (requires vocation maister)
- Wayfarer (requires vocation maister)
Do note that you cannot change the vocation of Pawns that join you from the online network; however, you’ll continually swap out Pawns as the power of your Arisen increases. While it’s a good idea to have a balanced party with a Mage for healing, mixing and matching vocations will undoubtedly be the most fun way to play Dragon’s Dogma 2.
That’s all we currently know about the Pawn system in Capcom’s latest fantasy epic. Undoubtedly, there will be more information on Pawns, optimal Pawn builds, and surprising Pawn mechanics as players deeply explore the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2. If you’re a fan of massive fantasy worlds, check out our best fantasy games guide; otherwise, if you’re keen on deep RPG mechanics, we’re experts on the best RPGs games on PC. Truly, fans of fantasy RPGs are eating well in 2024.