Capcom Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

I keep rerolling, for one reason or another. I think my understanding of the game has improved enough to meta game a little bit better (I enjoy this - naysayers, kindly fuck off). Currently focused on a Magic Knight (Tired of dipshit pawns running around like a chicken with it's head cut off). Going to try to build to be really tanky and beef up my party. I was able to get onto bitterblack isle at around level 25 and clear most of the first few quests, including baddies. I got stuck on a Giant skeleton (who I almost defeated - had him to literally 1 hit, when he one shotted my mage), and opted to try a different party build out. Not because I couldn't succeed. I would have eventually won. I wanted to explore game mechanics. Ahh the sweet smell of game mechanics!

Going to stick to my 7/10 rating. Interesting game, but not amazing by any means. Fun diversion. ;P

 

I still give it a 8/10 at least, if not 8.5 or more with the expansion.

 

archhydra with a flock of sirens is fucking awesome when all your pawns are too damn stupid to focus on the sirens first.

 

I really wish they would hurry up and make a PC version already.

 

fuck this. i just had death appear together with fucking sirens and heal all the damage i've done previously.

 

Pay attention to pawn personalities.

 

Yes. You want make sure your pawns that you want to have attack the harpies be Mitigators.

http://dragonsdogma.wikia.com/wiki/Pawn_Characteristics

 

In general you want Scather, Challenger and Mitigator pawns (or medicant if a mage), while avoiding all other (but especially guardian and nexus, which either makes them stand next to you and do nothing, or follow you into a monster's reach)

 

Utilitarian Sorcerers are good though for a 3 sorc 1 fighter party.

But yeah, what he said.

 

I did so e more research and retooled my level 90 party.

I'm still a ranger, been that through most of the game. I tried MK but didn't like it at all. I would probably have to start over to play a MK so I could learn it at a better pace as opposed to all of the horrors of Bitterblack.

Anyway, my main pawn is still a sorcerer, but now she is a utilitarian scather and I gave her mostly buffs with fulmination and bro tide as her only two weapon spells. Retooled her augments too, she survives much better now.

Hired another pawn just like her, which is always what I would try to do.

Hired a Mage for healing and minor damage.

Results are much improved. Was fighting a Minotaur hammer guy when in a tiny room when an elder ogre wrestling champion spawned in. Killed them both in seconds.

 

Are archer classes any fun in this game? Looked simple and repetitive in the videos I've seen

 

I dunno about the others, but you got a good variety of shit you can use as a MA between the different bow skills and dagger skills. Covers pretty much every element in a ton of different ways. Golems are a fucking bitch though.

 

Yes.

Using the basic attack exclusively is a bad representation, as the skills are pretty varied. Also note that past the starter mooks, most enemies are relatively agile and will actively avoid your attacks.

 

Immolation will damage the Golem disks IIRC.

 

I'm surprised by how fun this game actually is and the immersive world they created. Gran Soren is well-designed, enjoyed exploring it my first time. Bethderpa could learn a thing or two on how to make a city. Not very far yet, on my way to Shadow Fort on an escort quest and I'm sure this journey is going to be hell. Only real problems I have with this game are it needs a PC port since there are slowdown issues on PS3 and sometimes areas are just too damn dark, even during the day. Could use some modding/tweaking. Respawns can be annoying too while travelling.

Ogres crack me up. Was down in Everfall and took on my first one. Pretty easy to avoid, they're slow and predictable. He got excited by the women in my party, must've been lonely standing in place down there. So after a few minutes, I'm mounted on his back like a horse and chopping at him. Suddenly he bumrushes towards my mage near the ledge and flies off towards his doom. So I quickly jumped off his back and miraculously landed like 30 feet below on another level, only for 5-6 zombies to rise around me and kick my ass. Good times.

So I reload my save, go back to work on him and eventually he does his bumrush again, this time plummeting all alone to his death. Well, at least I got the XP. I then finished the dungeon, running from all the multi-headed dicks coming from the ground. Never did find out if he had any drops or materials, couldn't find his corpse on the bottom floor.

 

Most escort quests are already hell even without ambushes. I threw some of them fuckers from cliffs with frustration .
I'm having wet dreams about this game coming to PC :/ But Capcom gonna crapcom...

 

I'm escorting Mercedes from Gran Soren, and yeah I know this is going to be a bitch. I have a feeling she won't survive the trip and may need to take that cliff nap. I don't know what lies ahead but I'm assuming some tougher enemies and she'll get herself killed. This is a long road I haven't travelled yet. Hopefully she's not an important NPC for later in the game.

 

She is important, but she won't die permanently if you fail the escort quest.

 

Finished that quest, wasn't too bad. Killed an ogre on the way and came across a damn dragon. Ran for dear life to the Shadow Fort. Tons of annoying hobgoblins in that area too and I kept getting blinded. Using a warrior is terrible, they swing way too slow but I wanted some of the augments. Almost not worth it, about to go back to fighter.

 

You have to learn to cancel (hilt bash is good for this) and to use the jumping light attack (fastest attack you have) when playing Warrior.

 

Pommel Bash, Corona Slash, and Arc of Deliverance are my favorites for a warrior.

 

use the fucking portcrystals. there's a reason why dd:da is full of them.

 

Or just explore and level up beforehand.

 

Finding most of this game a bit too easy using a warrior now, especially with mage pawns healing and helping out. Ogres, cyclops and griffins have all been cakewalks so far. Still need to kill my first dragon though, one waiting near Shadow Fort.