[360/PS3] Dragon's Dogma - Dark Arisen out!

[USMC Kato]

The Grey (sorcerer)  is currently at around lvl 80

Are you playing through NG+?  I found it to be so easy when first starting out again that I quickly lost interest and wished I could be back in the end-game.

Going to stay at post game a while, not in a rush for NG+ yetV

[Ralph-Wiggum]

So I just finished the quest that asked for 20 wakestones and the quest giver told me that once I turned them in, I might not return to the world. Is that a "you might not return for awhile like some other earlier quests said" or a "you're not ever going to return" sort of deal?

[TiLT]

So I just finished the quest that asked for 20 wakestones and the quest giver told me that once I turned them in, I might not return to the world. Is that a "you might not return for awhile like some other earlier quests said" or a "you're not ever going to return" sort of deal?

The latter. Handing in those wakestones will send you directly to the end-game and from there to NG+. You won't be coming back.

[CeeKay]

20 wakestones?  I've seen maybe 3 in the world, and two of those have been from shards.  hopefully they become easier to find at that point?

[USMC Kato]

20 wakestones?  I've seen maybe 3 in the world, and two of those have been from shards.  hopefully they become easier to find at that point?

They are a bunch in post game, and some drop from monsters post game also. There is an item that Fournival (sp?) sells that highlights wake stones on the world map.

[EngineNo9]

So I just finished the quest that asked for 20 wakestones and the quest giver told me that once I turned them in, I might not return to the world. Is that a "you might not return for awhile like some other earlier quests said" or a "you're not ever going to return" sort of deal?

The latter. Handing in those wakestones will send you directly to the end-game and from there to NG+. You won't be coming back.

Yes, this was the quest that I turned in assuming it meant "you won't be coming back to this annoying area where you are fighting all these bosses", and instead meant that I didn't get to explore the rest of the endgame world.  

20 wakestones?  I've seen maybe 3 in the world, and two of those have been from shards.  hopefully they become easier to find at that point?

Yes, at this point in the game you can go to different mini dungeons and get one after fighting each of the boss monsters, including a bunch I hadn't seen before (though were probably in the open world in it's "dark" state but I hadn't seen them due to the above).

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Ah ok, well I'll hold off then. Any recommendations of places to go/cool things to see in the post game world before completing that quest?

[Harkonis]

go everywhere.  there are several areas that are completely different post game.

[Gratch]

Put in a few more hours today, and DD is starting to click a little bit.  A few noob questions:

1.  Hired pawns do not level up as you use them, correct?  I'm guessing you just hire new, more powerful ones when they become less useful.  Also, is there protocol on sending them back with gifts? 
2.  Am I supposed to be finding better gear in the wild?  I'm level 11 and the only gear I've seen so far has been the slightly better stuff the shop in the starting town sold.  I havent hit the next big town though...I assume there will be another shop there.
3.  What triggers a level up in vocation?  I've noticed I keep getting badges (? The red circles next to 'Rank') that seem to indicate a level up, but I'm not sure what I'm doing to gain them.
4.  Should I be keeping all the random crap I find on monsters (I.e. fur, claws, etc) for crafting?
5.  Is there a way to automaticalloy access the map instead of going through the 'Start' menu? 

TIA

[CeeKay]

Put in a few more hours today, and DD is starting to click a little bit.  A few noob questions:

1.  Hired pawns do not level up as you use them, correct?  I'm guessing you just hire new, more powerful ones when they become less useful.  Also, is there protocol on sending them back with gifts?  yep, no leveling for hired pawns.  no real protocol that I know of other than always sending Ralph Wiggums pawn back in a dress.
2.  Am I supposed to be finding better gear in the wild?  I'm level 11 and the only gear I've seen so far has been the slightly better stuff the shop in the starting town sold.  I havent hit the next big town though...I assume there will be another shop there. most of my stuff has been shop bought, and then I'll usually find a decent item in the wild.
3.  What triggers a level up in vocation?  I've noticed I keep getting badges (? The red circles next to 'Rank') that seem to indicate a level up, but I'm not sure what I'm doing to gain them. vocation levels go up after you get so many DP (the points you use to buy vocation skills).  you get a certain percentage of DP when you get XP.
4.  Should I be keeping all the random crap I find on monsters (I.e. fur, claws, etc) for crafting? I just dump all the materials into the storage chest.
5.  Is there a way to automaticalloy access the map instead of going through the 'Start' menu?  not that I've seen.  you can quicksave by hitting the back button in the start menu though.

TIA

[CeeKay]

this might help clarify number 3 better.

[Gratch]

Thanks CK. Two follow-ups:

1.  Where is this storage chest?
2.  How do I get the damn hired pawns from ninja looting all the good stuff?  Just came across a chest with a be shield and a ring, and the pawn grabbed it before I could.  Is there a way for me to get it back?

[CeeKay]

Thanks CK. Two follow-ups:

1.  Where is this storage chest?
2.  How do I get the damn hired pawns from ninja looting all the good stuff?  Just came across a chest with a be shield and a ring, and the pawn grabbed it before I could.  Is there a way for me to get it back?

the storage chest is at an inn (Gran Soren, Cassardis or the Encampment) or any of the places where you can rest in the wild (I've only found 3-4 of them); talking to the innkeeper should show an option to manage your stored items.  don't worry about pawns taking stuff, you can take it from them in the inventory screen; the game won't let you take any of the gear they had when you hire them though.

[TiLT]

1.  Hired pawns do not level up as you use them, correct?  I'm guessing you just hire new, more powerful ones when they become less useful.  Also, is there protocol on sending them back with gifts? 

They are frozen in time when you hire them. If the owner is an active player, you can often find a better version of the same pawn by dismissing and rehiring it. Be prepared to look for new pawns every few levels unless you're using higher-level pawns from your friends list. Don't worry about gifts unless you're feeling charitable.

2.  Am I supposed to be finding better gear in the wild?  I'm level 11 and the only gear I've seen so far has been the slightly better stuff the shop in the starting town sold.  I havent hit the next big town though...I assume there will be another shop there.

The vast majority of your gear will be obtained from shops, which improve their stock as you progress through the main quest and do certain side quests. You do occasionally find equipment in chests, and that stuff can be more powerful than what you've currently got available in shops.

4.  Should I be keeping all the random crap I find on monsters (I.e. fur, claws, etc) for crafting?

Most definitely yes! If you leave some of that stuff, you're going to regret it later. Have one of your pawns carry it for you if you're a vocation with little capacity, then put it in storage at the first opportunity. This stuff can be used directly from storage.

1.  Where is this storage chest?

There isn't a storage chest, only storage. You can add stuff to it by talking to innkeepers and the guys who control the resting camps, and can retrieve stuff only from inns.

2.  How do I get the damn hired pawns from ninja looting all the good stuff?  Just came across a chest with a be shield and a ring, and the pawn grabbed it before I could.  Is there a way for me to get it back?

The pawns' tendency to ninja loot depends on their personality, so you might just want to get different pawns. :p Not that it matters much. You can access their inventory and take back these things at any time, and if they die their loot is sent directly to your storage anyway.

[Doopri]

i actually LIKE pawns to ninja loot (started playing again last night after some time off) - you can unequip/remove stuff from pawns in the equipment screen or the inventory screen just like you can with your own pawn and character.  my pawns mule for me constantly so i can build up my dragons (dogma?) hoard of stuff!

the one exception is equipment that the pawns were wearing when you hire them - if you take this off, it just de-mystic-fi-ed-ly returns to the OWNERS chest - so if you want to give a pawn new stuff to actually WEAR make sure its better and what you want them to have, as after you take off what they are wearing you cant get it back (IF their OWNER gave it to them - NOT if you gave it to them and want it back).

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I just fought my first metal golem. What a pain in the ass. Just a word of advice, don't fight them unless you have a ranger, strider, or assassin in your party (none of which were in my party). Otherwise, you're in for about 45 minutes of frustration.

[metallicorphan]

I just fought my first metal golem. What a pain in the ass. Just a word of advice, don't fight them unless you have a ranger, strider, or assassin in your party (none of which were in my party). Otherwise, you're in for about 45 minutes of frustration.

LOL,i was an assassin and it was still a pain when i killed one....i now have a quest that wants me to kill another two of them

I will probably start the last mission before the post game tonight

[EngineNo9]

I just fought my first metal golem. What a pain in the ass. Just a word of advice, don't fight them unless you have a ranger, strider, or assassin in your party (none of which were in my party). Otherwise, you're in for about 45 minutes of frustration.

Was this the one in that swamp area?  I had that same problem since I was a fighter and my pawns didn't do anything.  To smash the last token thing up in a tree I had to repeatedly climb all the way up onto his head, jump up and take a single swing at the token, fall to the ground, recharge stamina, and then do it again.  What a pain in the butt.  Not the first or last time I regretted sticking to my class...

It wouldn't be so bad if you could actually tell your pawns to target something specifically, but they never do.  My main pawn was one of the archer classes but she never shot anything useful that i could tell.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I just fought my first metal golem. What a pain in the ass. Just a word of advice, don't fight them unless you have a ranger, strider, or assassin in your party (none of which were in my party). Otherwise, you're in for about 45 minutes of frustration.

Was this the one in that swamp area?  I had that same problem since I was a fighter and my pawns didn't do anything.  To smash the last token thing up in a tree I had to repeatedly climb all the way up onto his head, jump up and take a single swing at the token, fall to the ground, recharge stamina, and then do it again.  What a pain in the butt.  Not the first or last time I regretted sticking to my class...

It wouldn't be so bad if you could actually tell your pawns to target something specifically, but they never do.  My main pawn was one of the archer classes but she never shot anything useful that i could tell.

It was in the Everfall. I had to do the same thing: climb, jump, swing widely, hope to hit, repeat ad nauseum. And the golem is running all over the place in the meantime so 3/4 of the time I would climb up and then he would run too far away from the token. And then, of course, Ralph Wiggum would cast Maelstrom and completely blind me from seeing where I need to jump. Screw that quest; I'm never fighting another metal golem if I can avoid it.

[metallicorphan]

I know this may not help you guys that much if you are not Assassin etc...but you can start to attack those tokens before the Golem even stirs,i destroyed all tokens and the Golem didn't get up(and yes,i still got the credit)...just don't go near it


Okay i have finished the story part of the game

Spoiler for Hiden:

So,what's the story with that Emo kid?

after i rescued her from the mob,she came to live in my house in Cassardis,and i used to visit her frequently just to see if she had anything new to say,she seemed to think she would be traveling with me in future...until she disappeared

and then,there she was at the end....after i killed the Dragon,there was a questionable cutscene,so are me and her an item now??,it's just that she looks all of 10 years old(and the princess didn't look much older either),and i did my character middle aged

Had to laugh,when i climbed on the Dragons Back in the end fight while it were flying as at that moment i unlocked the 150 locations achievement,LOL

The Dragon fight was quite enjoyable actually....one word,Malestrom ...or whatever that one word is,it kicked the shit out of the dragon and i was just lost in a sea of blackness and couldn't find my way out,it was quite funny


Not really sure how much post game i want to do,the world is shit now the enemies are all bastards,and Gran Soren is a dump...and i defeated the Evil Eye,but not sure i want to slog through another 16 dungeons to get to the 'real' end

Did a few post game quests as well....Fornivel(?) wanting to go to Blood Beach,what a dick!!!,soon as i stepped out of Cassardis thinking it would be an easy run,he got killed my mega hard goblins,did it in the end though


Overjoyed to see Madeline in Cassardis again,gutted to hell that she had absolutely nothing to say ...bitch,after all i did for her!!

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I haven't quite figured out why people consider the part after the dragon "post game"; it seems to me it's just a continuation of the story.

[EngineNo9]

I haven't quite figured out why people consider the part after the dragon "post game"; it seems to me it's just a continuation of the story.

Well, I think it's because going into the dragon fight you kind of assume that is the end of the game with the giant boss fight, and then it just keeps going.  "Post game" is probably the wrong term for it, but there is a clear division in the game and world before that point and after.

MO, for what it's worth, the ending is actually quite good in my opinion and worth finishing out if you've already gotten that far.

[metallicorphan]

I haven't quite figured out why people consider the part after the dragon "post game"; it seems to me it's just a continuation of the story.

Because the credits roll after you kill the dragon

MO, for what it's worth, the ending is actually quite good in my opinion and worth finishing out if you've already gotten that far.

It's just when i saw another 16 dungeons i thought "euugh really?"

and i don't even want to comment on the Ur Dragon online(if a lot of people have defeated the UrDragon it will be harder,if a lot of people have been beaten by the UrDragon it will be easier)

[Ralph-Wiggum]

The 16 "dungeons" are each only a few rooms and they have some of the coolest monsters in the game. Plus, I'm pretty sure you don't have to complete all 16 of them to get to the end/end of the game.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

As an aside: what's the deal with the NG+ game. Is it pretty much exactly the same as before except your character and pawn are stronger? Sounds pretty boring.

[metallicorphan]

As an aside: what's the deal with the NG+ game. Is it pretty much exactly the same as before except your character and pawn are stronger? Sounds pretty boring.

yeah you get to keep your levels,a lot of games have NG+ now,Batman Arkham City for one.

There is one cool thing about NG+...Port Crystals are for sale in the shops(instead of just doing the game with one of them)

someone posted this map,as to where he has placed his port crystals,so just buy Ferrystones and get to these points instantly



if there are any quests you missed,you can make sure you get them this time,as it carries over from your last play and you can go for the achievement(same with the 10 million achievement and the 350 pieces of armour achievement)


NG+ sounds kinda boring i guess if you are going to play the game straight away,but later down the line if you want to play it,it may be best to play it this way and get through it quicker

[metallicorphan]

More DLC incoming

More Dragon's Dogma DLC is in the works, according to game director Hideaki Itsuno.

Speaking to 4Gamer (via Andriasang), Itsuno said "new play elements" were being prepared to follow previously released quest, armour and weapon DLC.
"I'm sure many have already cleared the game, but for Dragon's Dogma, we're continuing to prepare new play elements," he said. "It would be best if you held on to the game for a bit."

Hopefully "New Play Elements" means something more than the DLC we currently have had

[metallicorphan]

Okay finished,I could not for the life of me defeat the UR-Dragon,and i think that was pretty much the only thing i missed out on

started NG+ now,mopping up the last 3 achievements(not included the Ur-Dragon one)...just got to Gran Soren(and i swear Mercedes Benz and her crew go slower this time around it was way dark by the time we got there)


I did really like the ending,glad i stuck with it and yeah the Dungeons weren't as bad as i was expecting

[TiLT]

AFAIK you can fight the Ur-Dragon at any time during NG+ by finding a portkey on the beach of the starting city.

[EngineNo9]

I never even got to fight the Ur Dragon...when I first got there it showed me the cinematic camera shot of it coming down and I died nearly right away and when I came back was gone and never came back.  I'm guessing somebody else killed it, but it was a pretty anti-climactic moment for me.

[CeeKay]

beat the main quest tonight, and somehow Selene turned out to be my love interest:

Spoiler for Hiden:

it felt kinda creepy seeing her and Mister T get it on.

on to post game!

[edit] on another note, I figured the Duchess would be the love interest, or at the very least Madeline.  I didn't have many encounters with Selene at all.

[TiLT]

I never even got to fight the Ur Dragon...when I first got there it showed me the cinematic camera shot of it coming down and I died nearly right away and when I came back was gone and never came back.  I'm guessing somebody else killed it, but it was a pretty anti-climactic moment for me.

That encounter is designed so that you have to rest at an inn between each fight, regardless of whether you win or lose.

[metallicorphan]

AFAIK you can fight the Ur-Dragon at any time during NG+ by finding a portkey on the beach of the starting city.

killed it last night...it took 1 and a half hrs,i was nearly crying,LOL

I never even got to fight the Ur Dragon...when I first got there it showed me the cinematic camera shot of it coming down and I died nearly right away and when I came back was gone and never came back.  I'm guessing somebody else killed it, but it was a pretty anti-climactic moment for me.

That encounter is designed so that you have to rest at an inn between each fight, regardless of whether you win or lose.

yup,while you play 'online' I understand you have 8 minutes to kill the Dragon..if you play Offline(just adjust it in the options,no need to sign out)...you go to the beach and a weaker UR Dragon is there(still a bitch though),after 10 minutes he flies off,so you go back through the door and end up on the beach again,go buy more potions if you want,sleep/save at the Inn and then come back and the Dragon appears again and he doesn't heal...so you just carry on like that,repeat until dead

But it is like a Golem,where you have to hit certain points on his body,and dickhead here left the tips of his wings until last and i pretty much could not hit them,i could not for the life of me climb up onto him as the camera is damn shit...so i spent ages just using my bow and arrow and hoping my pawns would use some magic..eventually he went down

you get 20 wakestones for winning,which will come in handy for the end of my NG+,i can just avoid all those dungeons altogether

however,because i didn't kill it online,i don't get some facemasks or something ..which i care not about

The real problem for me to get 1000/1000 is getting 350 pieces of armour,in my stats,it says i have 134 pieces

been placing port crystals all over the world...i should be able to fly through this again now,as the main story is not really that long

beat the main quest tonight, and somehow Selene turned out to be my love interest:

Spoiler for Hiden:

it felt kinda creepy seeing her and Mister T get it on.

on to post game!

[edit] on another note, I figured the Duchess would be the love interest, or at the very least Madeline.  I didn't have many encounters with Selene at all.

Keep playing,doesn't take long ...hour or two tops(although there are new quests at the notice boards everywhere),and like Ralph says its pretty pointless that the game 'pretended' to end where you are now

[EngineNo9]

The real problem for me to get 1000/1000 is getting 350 pieces of armour,in my stats,it says i have 134 pieces

Does it count to just looking at any armor marked "new" in the inventory?  If so, you can often see a lot of new inventory by hiring different pawns of different types and levels.  I know it has their armor/weapons marked as "new" if you've never seen that kind before, but I don't know if inspecting it counts as collecting it for that achievement.  You should test that out. 

[metallicorphan]

The real problem for me to get 1000/1000 is getting 350 pieces of armour,in my stats,it says i have 134 pieces

Does it count to just looking at any armor marked "new" in the inventory?  If so, you can often see a lot of new inventory by hiring different pawns of different types and levels.  I know it has their armor/weapons marked as "new" if you've never seen that kind before, but I don't know if inspecting it counts as collecting it for that achievement.  You should test that out. 

Hmm,yeah i will try that out,i still need to hire some 36 more pawns for that achievement as well

[CeeKay]

OK, I have to call BS on (post game):

Spoiler for Hiden:

the castle guards being crazy enemies who swarm and attack quicker than anything I've seen in game so far but only give you 78 XP when you manage to kill one.

[metallicorphan]

OK, I have to call BS on (post game):

Spoiler for Hiden:

the castle guards being crazy enemies who swarm and attack quicker than anything I've seen in game so far but only give you 78 XP when you manage to kill one.

Spoiler for Hiden:

yup,run away from them,and never enter the Nobel quarter again(guards everywhere else are fine)...its your own fault for not saying a friggin' word when being accused of all sorts

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Beat the game tonight. Not exactly sure what happened there:

Spoiler for Hiden:

So you become a god like being but then have to kill yourself? And then your pawn becomes you? Wha...?

A question about the NG+: so I start at the same level and with all my stuff, but my vocation level is set to one? Or is it just like that since I chose a different vocation that I had been in the first game?

[CeeKay]

wow, I just found the Adventure log (I never paid any attention to the History section beyond occasionally looking to see what a pawn may have said) and jeebus, 82 hours sunk into the game and I'm not even done yet.

[CeeKay]

so, playing a bit more post-game, and is it going to be:

Spoiler for Hiden:

long, drawn out battles against boss monsters that really don't threaten me but take forever to kill?  fought the beholder and arch hydra so far, and they really couldn't damage my group but they had enough hit points and defenses to take 20 minutes or so to take each one down and I've only gotten a combined total of 4 wake stones from both of them.

I've also been doing some exploring in the world, and so far haven't found much different other than some of the larger critters in spots they weren't before.