Dragon's Dogma 2 may not have much in the way of overt stealth mechanics, but it still delivers a satisfying experience for anybody who loves playing as the Thief archetype. Wielding two daggers, the Thief Vocation is a highly agile class capable of dancing around the battlefield to deal massive amounts of damage to enemies, exploiting their weaknesses and even stealing from them outright. Keep reading for a closer look at the best way to approach your Thief build.
Thief Build
The best way to play Thief is as an aggressive damage dealer, constantly using Swift Step to dodge attacks or close the distance between you and your enemies. For Weapon Abilities, Biting Wind or its upgraded version Cutting Wind should be your go-to opening attack. Helm Splitter and later Skull Splitter is excellent for diving aerial takedowns, even to initiate combat against an unsuspecting enemy. We also highly recommend Gut and Run (later Draw and Quarter) to deal tremendous damage. Your playstyle as Thief will dictate that fourth active Weapon Ability, and you have some great options. If you're adept at parrying, definitely go for Easy Kill and later Masterful Kill. For a casual and simple boost to offense, consider Enkindled and Ignited Blades for access to fire damage. But there are other more strategic options available as well.
For Augments, Gratification and Poise are particularly useful for Thief. Target the weakest enemies on the battlefield at all times, and you'll replenish health with Gratification when you kill them. And Poise will make pinning down or clinging to foes that much easier. Consider dipping into Archer to get Avidity, increasing your climbing speed on enemies and walls, and Endurance to increase max Stamina. (Running out a Stamina can be a problem, so you want to do everything you can to boost that stat.) Dominion from Fighter can extend the duration of your pins. Voracity from Magick Archer is also ideal since you recover a bit of Stamina whenever you deal a killing blow. The final Augment is a personal preference. Verve will increase overall damage output, but Subtlety will make enemies target you less. You could also pick up something like Mettle from Fighter to augment your physical defense.
Best Team Comp
Dragon's Dogma 2 lets you bring up to three Pawns to accompany you on your adventures. Depending on your chosen Vocation, picking a team composition that benefits your class is essential. Running a Thief as your Arisen means you'll probably attract too much attention because of all the damage you'll be dealing with. Two ways to help with that: always roll with a Fighter to serve as your tank and a Mage to support you with offensive magic. The final slot is really up to personal preference. Archer or Sorcerer is probably your best pick for some extra DPS.
Best Thief Armor
We've included below some of the best pieces of armor for your Thief, whether that's you or one of your Pawns. Definitely get Unseen Shadow first ASAP. Then get Ranger's Vest followed by Sprinter's Boots. The Scaled Jacket is admittedly heavier and a bit less ideal for the Thief, but it may be worth considering.
- Unseen Shadow (Head) - Bought from Bjorn’s Armory in Vernworth for 4500 gold
- Ranger's Vest (Body) - Bought from Bjorn’s Armory in Vernworth for 7900 gold
- Scaled Jacket (Body) - Bought from Bjorn’s Armory in Vernworth for 11700 gold
- Sprinter's Boots (Pants) - Bought from Bjorn’s Armory in Vernworth for 7900 gold
- Thief's Gaiters (Pants) - Looted from the Thief Maister's secret chamber during The Nameless Village main quest
- Ring of Skullduggery - During the Hunt for the Jadeite Orb quest, give the genuine Jadeite Orb to Everard. This ring boosts damage delivered from behind.
Best Thief Weapons
As you might expect, you'll be upgrading your daggers throughout the game as you progress. We've included five of our favorites listed in the order that you are likely to discover or purchase them.
- Stilettos - Bought from Roderick's Smithy in Vernworth for 5300 gold
- Snagdaggers - Bought from Roderick's Smithy in Vernworth for 14800 gold
- Peltflayers - Looted from the Thief Maister's secret chamber during The Nameless Village main quest
- The Spite - Bought from Awaran's Arms in Bakbattahl or Celeste's Smithy in Checkpoint Rest Town for 27800 gold.
- Framae Blades - Bought from the Volcanic Island Armory for 60000 gold.
