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Capcom’s 2012 ARPG Dragon’s Dogma featured a complex companion system where players created secondary AI characters called Pawns or Myrmidons along with their Arisen. This faithful NPC would follow you on your adventures and assist you in a myriad of ways.
This system has been retained in Dragon’s Dogma 2, with the devs even providing an overhauled version, expected to feature new and improved mechanics to offer an immersive single-player experience. Without further delay, let’s delve into the functions of the enhanced Pawn system in the upcoming game.
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Pawn System Explained
Although Dragon’s Dogma (DD) 2 will retain the core elements of the Pawn system, several changes have been made to offer an enhanced companion experience for your Arisen. When you launch into the game and enter the character creation screen, you will be prompted to create an additional character after your Arisen. This secondary avatar will act as your Main Pawn and will accompany you on various adventures throughout the massive open world.
As you progress through the game, you can unlock two more Pawns, bumping up your party size to four. This can most likely be done through the Riftstones scattered across the world. This feature has been overhauled and now allows players to use an online network where they can hire other player-created Pawns or lend their own to assist others through various quests.
Apart from their physical traits, you are also free to choose their attributes such as their Race and their Vocation to help you with exploration and combat. Similar to your Arisen, the stature of your Pawns will directly influence their proficiency in combat. Based on their chosen race and vocation, they will wield different weapons, spells, potions, etc. However, they will be restricted to six job classes such as Fighter, Archer, Thief, Mage, Warrior, and Sorcerer.
Pawns in Combat
Thanks to the implementation of AI, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will feature Pawns that are versatile and dynamically support you in various ways. During battles, they will automatically pick out the weakest foe and quickly take them out to help you focus on the main threat. If you are combatting certain foes known to the Pawn, they will even provide tips to effectively defeat them. In addition to dealing with damage, they will heal you or even provide other minor buffs, depending on their chosen class. They will also try to mimic your combat moves.
Besides combat, your companions will offer aids such as:
Apart from embarking on adventures with you, they will also explore and search for items and resources present in your surroundings.
Pawns can act as your official translator. For example, if your companion belongs to the Elven race, it can help you understand their language.
When venturing through an unknown or new location, your Pawns will guide you through it, provided they are familiar with the area themselves.
Pawns borrowed from other players will have increased knowledge of a quest that they have already completed. This means, that if you are tasked with an unfamiliar mission, your hired Pawn might help you get a better understanding of it.
Apart from scouring through the area for loot and other resources, your companion will also acknowledge points of interest as you reach new locations.
Beyond these overhauled mechanics, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will also showcase Dragonsplague, an illness that only affects all your Pawns in the game. Your companion will be affected by this condition while traveling through the worlds of DD2 and while most gamers anticipate the disease to hinder your Pawn’s abilities, it seems to have a positive effect, increasing their combat skills and other attributes. However, the game’s lore also claims that once the illness reaches its terminal stage, it might create a disastrous effect, which remains to be unseen.
