Best Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build Vocation Class – DD2

This Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build will focus on being a robust fighter with high defense, knockdown capability, and sparing execute damage.  The Fighter Vocation Build naturally provides great strength, defense and health stat growth as we level.  The Fighter Vocation is made to absorb damage and the focus of battle while delivering damage on off balanced and knocked down targets.

For a full listing of all of the Fighter skills, please see the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Guide.

Table of Contents:

• Skills
• Core Skills
• Augments
• Optimal Party Setup
• Equipment

Skills for the Fighter Build in Dragon’s Dogma 2

Here we will discuss the Skills used on the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build. The Fighter Build uses the following Skills:

• Blink Strike – [Burst Strike]
• Shield Bash
• Gouging Skewer – [Gutting Skewer]
• Impeccable Guard – [Flawless Guard]
• Rightous Fury

Situational Skills

• Shield Bash – [Shield Pummel]
• Compass Slash – [ Full Moon Slash]
• Airward Slash – [Cloudward Slash]

Blink Strike – [ Burst Strike ]

Your first skill is an excellent gap closer that can assist in flinching smaller to medium targets.  It allows you to directly engage into a point and decidedly take focus for taunting an area.  Smaller targets that are knocked down can immediately be executed with a follow up Empale.  It is also a good follow up after a successful Deflect if the target is only off balance as it will likely knock down medium sized targets.

Gouging Skewer – [ Gutting Skewer ]

Skewer is an effective punish tool on larger foes.  After setting them off balance with Deflect, we want to get them on the ground and Empale.  But since we aren’t using a direct taunt, we can climb and punish weak spots with this skill.  It is also useable on smaller foes.

Impeccable Guard – [ Flawless Guard ]

This is your get out of jail free card.  The Fighter can find themselves staggered quite easily being in the front line.  This will most importantly be used to break any flinching and reposition themselves back into the fight.

Riotous Fury

An effective skill combo that will put out significant damage on targets in front of you.  This costs a bit of stamina, but for more difficult targets this is a good tool that helps prevent you from being flinched as easily while executing.  Save for medium targets that aren’t easily flinched.

Situational Skills

Shield Bash is an effective skill early on that is a lot of fun but its use case fades out compared to other options, generally once you can get Riotous Fury.  It’s not effective enough on large enemies and smaller ones should be dealt with normal attacks and Deflections.

Shield Bash – [ Shield Pummel ]

Shield Bash will be used to knock enemies down and assist in setting larger foes off balance.  Once upgraded, it becomes a formidable knockdown tool.  Not as effective on large targets.

Compass Slash – [ Full Moon Slash ]

A broad sweeping strike that is quickly paced and effective at dealing short area damage.  Effective early on while leveling, but can be moved out and replaced once Riotous Fury is in your build along with Impeccable Guard.  If you’re in a bad spot surrounded, use Impeccable Guard to relocate, then Riotous once they’re all in front of you.

Airward Slash – [ Cloudward Slash ]

This is an excellent striking tool on larger targets and flying targets.  You will have little option but to wait for flying targets to strike.  If you have an archer, sorcerer, or thief with Debilitate you’ll be mostly fine without this.  It’s a good option to strike large targets in the head but you’ll get more damage out of mounting and Skewering.

Core Skills for the Fighter Build in DD2

Here we will discuss the Core Skills (Passives) used on the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build.  All Core skills can be learned and are passively applied.

Onslaught – Your basic light attack, a decent 3-hit combo that can be followed well with Empale or Tusk Toss if you flinch smaller targets.  Can be used between looking for a Deflect from enemies.

Empale – A heavy attack and also an effective punish for off balanced and knocked down enemies.  This will be used on smaller enemies to finish after a successful Deflect.  On larger enemies, it can be used on weak points of downed targets for extra punishment damage.

Defend –  This is simply the Fighter Vocation block, but also our main tool for flinching and knocking enemies down.  It is best to keep the fight in front of you as it is difficult to switch directions quickly.  Keeping enemies within the front 180 degree arc will make life easier.  When needing to change directions, release block direct your character for the next block and then press it.  It will quickly adjust even if its a 180 degree turn.

Deflect/True Deflect – The shield is your counter-attack measure.  A well-timed Deflect will be just before the enemy hits you, sending the enemy back and putting them off balance.  Mastering this is critical to the success of the Fighter Vocation.

Tusk Toss – A decent knock down that will launch smaller enemies into the air first.  Allows for a follow up Empale.  It is useful to weave between Onslaught and can even begin charging just before you land a Deflect.

Steeled Foundation – Holding block while falling will allow you to brace the impact of damage.  This is an effective skill when jumping off a larger target or being thrown, granted you still have control.

Enchanted Counter – A bonus that will work in tandem with your blocking and countering on the front.  Added elemental damage from your weapon either passively emitted or from a boon.

Augments

Here we will discuss the Augments used on the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build.  While you can initially only use Augments from the Fighter Vocation itself, the ideal setup is to use the Augments listed below (you will need to level up the Thief, Warrior, Archer, and Mage Vocations to unlock all of the recommended Augments):

• Vigor (Thief Vocation) – Reduces the Stamina consumed when clinging to or pinning down foes
• Avidity (Archer Vocation) – Enables you to clamber up cliffs and scale foes and other surfaces more quickly
• Dominance (Warrior Vocation) – Improves your Knockdown Power
• Endurance (Archer Vocation) – Improves your Maximum Stamina
• Lethality (Archer Vocation) – Increases the damage dealt when striking a target’s vitals
• Exaltation (Mage Vocation) – Improves your Stamina Recovery Speed

Optimal Party Setup for the DD2 Fighter Build

This Dragon’s Dogma 2 Fighter Build functions as a tank and damage dealer in party.  Therefore we would benefit from the following pawn members:

• Mage Vocation – Included for healing, boon enchantments, and potentially celerity for speed.  This may be ideal as a main pawn as it can be difficult to find a mage with all 3 of these buffs while leveling.
• Sorcerer Vocation – Since our Mage will function as a buffer primarily, the sorcerer can assist with additional elemental damage for any situation.
• Thief or Archer – This last spot is more flexible, but a thief can benefit by adding extra damage with downed targets.  Alternatively, the archer is great for downing flying targets and provides constant pressure on weak spots.

Equipment

In the early-game, you will need to simply make do with the equipment pieces you find. Once you have enough gold, you can purchase some equipment from vendors to improve your damage and survivability. Look out for rings that boost your Health, this is a relatively cheap way to upgrade your character that will help you to survive, especially in the earlier parts of the game.

As you progress through the game you will find you have more resources and can obtain higher quality items from both NPCs and loot. The table below shows a powerful gear setup for the Fighter in Dragon’s Dogma 2. However, don’t worry if you do not have exactly the same items – just equip the best you have for now and replace or upgrade it later on when you can.

Please note that the purchasable items in the table above may not become available until you progress through the game to a certain point – if you are low level then you will only see fairly weak items in vendors.

When collecting equipment for your build, you may struggle with your Carrying Capacity being too low, especially in the early game. Fortunately, this is something that can be increased in various ways. We have a guide that explains all of the ways to improve Carry Capacity.

Equipment Upgrades

We recommend upgrading your equipment with the Battahli Smithing Style for an increase in both the Strength and Knockdown Power of your gear. Alternatively, you can use the Dwarven Style which grants you greater Knockdown Power but a smaller amount of Strength. Use Dwarven if you want to be more support-oriented, or Battahli if you want to be more damage-oriented.

Related Dragon’s Dogma 2 Content:

• Fighter Vocation Guide
• All Dragon’s Dogma 2 Guides and Builds