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

This Dragon’s Dogma 2 Thief Build will rely on quick evasive striking and deadly melee damage.  The Thief Vocation is a Starting Vocation that will have a well balanced stamina and strength growth with moderate to low health and defense.  The Thief Vocation Build will require avoiding damage and eliminating problematic enemies quickly.

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

Table of Contents:

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

Skills for the Thief Build in Dragon’s Dogma 2

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

• Biting Wind –  [Cutting Wind]
• Gut and Run – [Draw and Quarter]
• Helm Splitter – [Skull Splitter]
• Powder Charge – [Powder Blast]

Situational Skills:

• Ensnare – [Implicate]
• Pilfer – [Plunder]

Biting Wind – [ Cutting Wind ]

A very effective gap closer that doubles use in avoiding damage while dealing it.  It allows you to maneuver the battlefield quickly and get to the appropriate targets quickly.  If there are ranged targets for example, you should quickly dash through and pressure these targets out.  Biting Wind will help avoid a lot of problematic positioning, and can be used in rapid succession.  Do not be afraid to relocate, it’s better than eating damage as a Thief.

Gut and Run – [ Draw and Quarter ]

The true punisher, this skill is only useable while clinging to large enemies or smaller downed ones.  Generally, Twin Fangs will be enough for smaller targets.  This skill is in our arsenal to handle larger enemies.  This skill does bonus damage to enemies weak spots.  Thus we want to climb typically to the creatures head and use this skill.  It will kick us off and dismount after completion.  Therefore, Twin Fangs can be used if your stamina is pretty high before you eventually Gut and Run and kick off the creature to regen some stamina.

Helm Splitter – [ Skull Splitter ]

A flying maneuver that will allow multiple strikes on large targets adding up for a powerful attack.  This is effective primarily for large targets and it will continuously make strikes as it goes up and comes down.  This leads one of the most powerful spammable tools that will scale in the game as you continue to upgrade weapons.  This is also a useful tool for intercepting flying targets as they approach your party.

Powder Charge – [ Powder Blast ]

Powder Charge is useful for a few reasons.  For starters, its great to place these on weak spots on larger enemies before you Gut and Run.  Gut and Run will force you to kick off and you can Powder Charge right after.  What results is a heavy amount of damage in a combo and a good chance to set the target off balanace for a knock down.  It can be useful for Griffons and Dragons that may fly and you can detonate it while they’re in flight as well to potentially bring them back down.  Additionally, they can deliver damage and knock down physical resistant saurians in the later game onto their back allowing them to be executed.

Situational Skills

These can be swapped out with Helm Splitter or Powder Charge depending on your preference.

Ensnare – [ Implicate ]

Useful early game and for harpies if you lack range.  This is a moderate ranged ability that is effective for setting small targets off balance, flying targets to the ground, and larger off balanced targets easily to the ground.  Understanding and using it will put you in a position to employ Twin Fangs on targets to finish medium to smaller targets instantly, and punish larger targets.  Rather than grabbing larger targets that are flinched, you can pull them instantly and get in position for a mounted headstrike.

Pilfer – [ Plunder ]

This is not a skill you would need to carry frequently, but if youre ever hunting rarer creatures and you’re looking for loot, particularly for weapon enchancing, this is not a bad option.  Although you will lose out on damage on a larger fight, the point is to gain more loot.  Keep this skill in mind if you ever have to set off to get 2 or 3 items for a weapon enchantment.  Chances are, you may need more in the future for another weapon later.

Core Skills for the Thief Build in DD2

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

Carve – The Thief’s basic light attack, quick and effective.  Squeeze these in between all attacks whenever Stamina is regenerating.

Twin Fangs – The heavy attack that should be saved for off-balanced and downed targets.  Downed targets will take a large amount of damage from this move.  Can be used over Gut and Run for large burst and stamina preservation, while targets that are recovering from a downed state can be grappled to reengage Gut and Run.

Scarlet Kisses – Extending the use of Carve’s light attacks, this allows you to lay steady damage into enemies without using stamina.

Swift Step –  The vocation’s special maneuver is a quick dodge that can be used to reposition unexpected incoming attacks.  Typically it is good to harass smaller targets with a combination of Biting Wind and Carve light attacks so you are always at the ready to dodge with Swift Step.

Controlled Fall – Allowing the Thief to recover quickly from a knocked-down state so they don’t take extra punishment.

Bump and Lift – Finally the Thief vocation gets a robbery skill, true to its name.  Successful thieving will occur at a very low chance while using Carve light attacks.

Footpad – A useful maneuvering utility skill that allows gaining a higher jump range which synergizes well with Helm Splitter.  Useful in accessing some difficult-to-reach places if there is a wall nearby.

Augments

Here we will discuss the Augments used on the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Thief Build.  While you can use Thief’s Augments only while levelling, the following would be ideal.

• Verve (Thief Vocation) – Improves your Strength.
• Lethality (Archer Vocation) – Increases damage dealt when striking a target’s vitals.
• Exaltation (Mage Vocation) – Augments your Stamina Recovery Speed.
• Endurance (Archer Vocation) – Increases your Maximum Stamina.
• 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.

Optimal Party Setup for the DD2 Thief Build

This Dragon’s Dogma 2 Thief Build functions primarily as a pure damage dealer, therefore we will add a supportive tank and healer roster around it.  Thus we would benefit from the following pawn members:

• Fighter/Warrior Vocation – Included for drawing aggression and acting as a front line for the party.  Once you are able to find a Warrior you should swap these in place to provide better knockdown management for your party and increase your chances of getting large burst windows.
• Mage Vocation – A must-have in the party with Thief Vocation to provide elemental buffs through boons.  A good option for primary pawn as it can then be set to provide Celerity for more speed.  This will fill your role for healing in the group as well.
• Sorcerer Vocation – Provides elemental attacks to adapt to any fight.  Large Area of Effect attacks will help with multiple targets and can assist the Mage in engaging flying targets.

Equipment

The Thief’s primary focus is upgrading its weapons and keeping them at the highest damage.  Jewellery providing extra strength are sold in Melve early game will also help in damage output.  This is an effective use of money early game to increase your strength by 30 with each ring.  Upgrade armour secondary to keeping the highest damage weapons, as the Thief is able to avoid a significant amount of damage.

Early-Game Gear

• Bardiche Daggers
• Ranger’s Vest
• Thief Gaiters
• Lupine Cape
• Howling Hood
• Rings of Aggression

The Bardiche Daggers (22300G), Howling Hood (3900G), Thief’s Gaiters (7400G), and Lupine Cape (3200G) are sold by the Nameless Apothecary at the entrance of the Nameless Village. The Ranger’s Vest can be bought from Bjorn’s Armory in Vernworth City.

Additionally, we are using two Ring of Accrual just to increase the amount of weight we can carry. This is also sold in Bjorn’s Armory.

Late-Game Gear

This is a setup that you can work towards obtaining as you progress through the game – it is quite expensive especially if you plan to fully upgrade everything, but if you get everything then your character will be very powerful. This is not just a list of the “best items” in the game – there are some items that are stronger than those below but are unreasonably time-consuming to obtain for most players or are only available so late in your playthrough that you will barely get to use them.

Don’t worry if cannot obtain everything on the list right now – just equip the best you have for the time being and replace or upgrade 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 the Strength stat of your gear, buffing your damage output.

Related Dragon’s Dogma 2 Content:

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