Dragon's Dogma 2 Character Creator & Storage

Alright, let's talk about the Fighter in Dragon's Dogma 2. Think of them as your classic fantasy tank – they're all about blocking with a shield and dishing out damage with a sword. While they might not be the flashiest class for leveling up, once you get them to a decent level, they become pretty solid.

A key thing to remember with Fighters is Stamina. More Stamina means you can block more hits, which is super important because not everything can be blocked, especially spells. Fighters aren't exactly known for their mobility, so they can struggle to close gaps or avoid attacks they can't block. They also tend to have lower Magick Defense, so keep that in mind. However, they are absolute beasts when it comes to physical defense, and their swords? Pure destruction in their hands. They get some of the best physical damage sword attacks in the game.

Keep an eye out for skills like Heavenward Slash, which helps a bit with their lack of ranged options, and Burst Strike for those quick offensive pushes. Just don't expect them to have fancy movement skills like Double Vault or Levitation – getting around will be a bit trickier as a Fighter.

When it comes to Augments, there are a few worth grabbing. Sinew lets you carry more stuff, which is a lifesaver if you tend to hoard items. Vehemence boosts your Strength, though not as much as another skill called Clout, it's still good for a Strength-focused build. The real game-changer, though, is Exhilaration. This massively cranks up your Strength and Magick when your health is low (when your HP bar is red). If you stack that with Assassin skills like Autonomy and Bloodlust, you can turn your character into an absolute powerhouse.

Overall, the Fighter is a decent, but maybe not the most exciting, class to play, especially for leveling. If you're struggling with the damage-soaking aspect, having a Pawn with you to take hits could be a smart move.

The Strider class in Dragon's Dogma 2 Character Creator & Storage offers balanced growth, with Stamina growth being third overall and equal to Hit Points. However, a build composed solely of mediocre stats does not create a great character. This class is not even ideal for balanced builds; a pure Strider at level 200 will achieve 467 Strength and 467 Magick, totaling 934 offense over 200 levels.

In contrast, an Assassin/Sorcerer hybrid build, which involves playing as a Strider until level 10, then an Assassin from levels 11-100, and finally a Sorcerer from levels 101-200, would result in 637 Strength and 597 Magick. This hybrid approach yields a total offense of 1234, a significant difference of 300 points compared to a pure Strider build.

Alright, let's talk about how you'll actually be playing the game, focusing on the Strider Vocation for a bit. You're going to find that bows are seriously awesome in Dragon's Dogma 2. Having a way to aim your attacks from a distance is a game-changer, and thankfully, four different classes get to use them. The Strider, though, might be a little weaker with their bow skills compared to others. They get skills like Fivefold Flurry and Pentad Shot, which are decent, but they miss out on the long-range sniping abilities that the Assassin and Ranger classes have. Their daggers are okay – they're fast, which is nice, but they don't have a really strong 'rush' attack like the Burst Strike you might see elsewhere. Skills like Cutting Wind just don't pack the same punch when it comes to staggering or knocking down enemies, and honestly, that's a bit of a problem for daggers in general.

For defense, the Strider's main move is 'Forward Roll,' which you'll have to learn. It's not the quickest, and it's not always super useful because it's a bit slow. We're all used to characters who can just zip around with dodges, but Dragon's Dogma 2 is a bit different. A much better skill, both for defense and just getting around, is 'Double Vault.' Seriously, this is a must-have in my book. It lets you reach ledges that are higher or further away, and makes jumps you could already make even easier.

Don't forget about the 'Reset/Instant Reset' dagger skill either. It's a neat trick that just snaps you back to a neutral standing position. This is super handy if you get staggered or knocked down, as it can help you avoid getting hit with follow-up attacks. Now, here's a cool hidden advantage for Striders: they are the absolute fastest climbers in the game. This makes them arguably the best Vocation for grabbing onto and taking down large monsters. Of course, this is if you ignore the Assassin's Invisibility skill, and also if you forget that the Ranger and Magic Archer classes have way better bow skills, meaning they don't need to grapple as much. As for their augments, they're pretty forgettable – mostly just stuff about staying calm or moving faster and more efficiently.

Honestly, while the Strider is okay for leveling up and can be fun to play, it just gets outshone by the more advanced Hybrid and Advanced Vocations that do most of what the Strider does, but better. If you're thinking about sticking with the Strider, you might want to consider switching to the Assassin, Magic Archer, or Ranger later on.

Mage

Type: Basic Vocation
Primary Weapon: Staff
Secondary Weapon: None