Keep Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Most Controversial Feature Intact!
Capcom is set to dilute one of the most intriguing mechanics in Dragon’s Dogma 2, and I’m not happy about it. With the upcoming August update, the notorious Dragonsplague will become a non-issue, and I think this move is a bit of a cop-out.
For those unfamiliar with Dragonsplague and planning to dive into Dragon’s Dogma 2, you might want to skip ahead, as it’s a fascinating aspect you should experience firsthand before the August update diminishes its impact. For everyone else, here’s the scoop:
Dragonsplague is a “disease” in Dragon’s Dogma 2 that can affect your Pawns, the NPC companions you can create or borrow from other players. And it’s genuinely terrifying. Right now, if your Pawn contracts the plague (which can happen during dragon encounters or be spread by other Pawns), you won’t notice it right away. The symptoms creep in: they become stronger and more aggressive in battle, start ignoring your commands, and eventually speak in a way that can be downright insulting. They’ll complain of headaches, and as the condition worsens, their eyes will glow red.
In its final stage, triggered after a stay at an inn, the Pawn transforms into a dragon and wreaks havoc on the entire town, taking out all the inhabitants.
This mechanic is incredibly cool. Sure, it’s devastating to lose a town full of quest-givers in a game that doesn’t allow save scumming, but it’s a brilliant feature that showcases the unique charm of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and emphasizes the importance of choice and consequence. It forces you to keep a close eye on your Pawns and make tough decisions if you suspect one might be infected, as the only way to deal with it is to either dismiss the infected Pawn or toss them off a cliff while monitoring your other Pawns for signs of infection. It also allows players to mess with each other by sending infected Pawns out for others to unwittingly hire.
Naturally, many players dislike Dragonsplague because it can catch them off guard (just look at the number of guides on how to avoid or cure it), leading Capcom to make several adjustments over the past two years. Some changes were necessary: initially, a Pawn could contract Dragonsplague and transform overnight, leaving players clueless about what was happening. There was also no way to tell if a Pawn had the plague when hiring them online, making trolling too easy. Updates have addressed these issues, making it easier to spot and manage the plague: now there’s a tutorial when an infected Pawn joins your party, its progression has been slowed, and the red eyes are more noticeable. Plus, a Casual Mode has been added that prevents Pawns from destroying villages altogether. To me, these changes were sufficient to keep Dragonsplague from being a game-breaking disaster (you can even revive entire villages with an Eternal Wakestone if you mess up).
So, with the upcoming August update for Dragon’s Dogma 2, Capcom is nerfing Dragonsplague in a way that will trivialize it completely. A new item, Dragonsbaulk Draught, will be introduced that simply cures Dragonsplague, and afflicted Pawns will receive new dialogue to inform you of the cure, removing any mystery. Even more, infected Pawns will become stronger, gaining new abilities that allow them to stun large enemies and take down smaller ones with ease. Honestly, this is worse than just nerfing it; they’ve completely reversed the purpose of Dragonsplague. What was once something to fear will now be something players seek out for the buffs, easily cured before it can cause any real trouble. It’s like giving Pawns a Pokérus effect.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is all about facing the consequences of your actions and navigating through the chaos of the universe, even when you’re doing your best. It feels odd to completely flip such a significant aspect of that theme, especially two years after the game’s release, when players are already more aware of the plague. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is meant to challenge me! It’s supposed to throw curveballs my way! I’m just hoping the DLC introduces some new bizarre mechanic that disrupts my plans in a way I can’t even imagine, so I can continue to have the authentic Dragon’s Dogma 2 experience. Though, if that’s the mindset I’m going for, I probably shouldn’t complain about having to replay parts of the game to access the DLC, right?
The Dark Arisen expansion for Dragon’s Dogma 2 launches on October 9, alongside a Switch 2 edition, and I’m hoping it really puts me through the wringer, because after the August update, Dragonsplague certainly won’t.
