Dragon's Dogma 2 is finally out, and if you're a newcomer like me to this RPG sequel and are wondering what the best vocation (otherwise known as classes) for your Arisen is, don't worry—the game's director, Hideaki Itsuno, has you covered.
In an interview with GamesRadar, Itsuno revealed that, in his humble opinion, there are two vocations that are best suited for those who don't have a lot of experience in Dragon's Dogma games or RPGs in general:
"If you're an FPS or third-person shooter player and you've got good aim, then the Archers could be a good match because the better you can aim, the better you will do with that kind of ranged character. I think it'll help you get to grips with the game at the start," Itsuno says. "Alternatively, if you've been playing more close-quarters combat games, and you're playing the kind of game with rolling dodges to get out of the way of enemy attacks before countering, then the Thief is something that will suit that kind of player very well."
Personally, I think an Archer would be the safest bet for me. In most tough situations, I always like to be at least arm's length from the action so I can get the best idea of what's happening and not just immediately get swamped by hordes of enemies. However, I am also a fan of tumbling around on the floor in an effort to dodge some hideous creature's oncoming attacks, so the Thief vocation doesn't sound too bad, either.
But one thing's for sure: there's no way I'd start out as the vocation Itsuno picked for himself—I just don't have it in me to start a new game and jungle what sounds like a complex vocation.
"It does tend to change quite a lot because there's so much variety in the gameplay from location to location, but at the moment, my kind of main setup is I will have my three pawns be Sorcerers, and for the Arisen themselves, I will use the Warfarer class which is one that allows you to take on various abilities across all different Vocations," Itsuno says.
The Warfarer offers various weapon types and combinations for seasoned players to use to their advantage—it's a sort of jack-of-all-trades situation. This kind of blended powerhouse seems incredible, but in a game as extensive as Dragon's Dogma 2, where you can pick fights with griffins and cyclops, I think I'd be better off sticking to something more straightforward. And that'd not be a bad thing, as Itsuno does point out that each party has its strengths and weaknesses.
"That said, there is no one-size-fits-all party," Itsuno concludes. "This party structure I've made is great for bosses, but we can be totally wiped out by a pack of wolves at the same time. So it isn't that there's only one correct answer to always winning—just always think about your party setup when going into combat."
