Best Heroes In Darkest Dungeon 2

Highlights

Choosing top-tier heroes is crucial in Darkest Dungeon 2 for success on tougher difficulties.
Some heroes shine in specific aspects while elite heroes cover multiple bases effortlessly.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each hero and building a balanced team is key to victory in the game.

As a seasoned veteran of the Darkest Dungeon, I can confidently say that each hero brings their own unique strengths to the table, making every playthrough a new and exciting adventure. Among these characters, there are some who truly stand out, and today, I’m going to share my top three picks for the most effective heroes in this challenging game.

In the challenging world of Darkest Dungeon 2, it’s crucial to choose top-tier heroes rather than mediocre ones. On harder Confessions and difficulties, attempting to succeed with anything less than the best is likely to lead to an unfavorable outcome. While any hero can eventually win a battle, some make the journey significantly easier.

It’s worth noting that even “unfavorable” characters can excel within a specific team setup. The game Darkest Dungeon 2 masterfully tests players with various penalties, harmful attacks, and hurdles. Each character showcases their prowess in at least one facet of the game. However, some top-tier characters effortlessly manage multiple roles, while others may require more attention to reach above-average performance.

For those aiming to fully grasp the game’s intricate mechanics, it could be beneficial to use top-tier Heroes during play. Although the game offers numerous Hero options, certain ones prove more valuable due to their combat strength and versatility. Some suggestions for players to experiment with include the latest additions introduced in the Xbox version, one of which carries a powerful sword, while the other uses a rapier.

14 Flagellant

Hurt Through Getting Hurt

The combination of frontline and damage dealer is a careful balance. Characters like the Man-At-Arms do a great job of it. The Flagellant, on the other hand, does not. He has a unique healing token but only one skill that creates it. Experts using his best build will still find themselves wishing he wasn’t so bent on hurting himself.

Having the ability to mend allies and eliminate negative effects on them is a powerful advantage, but this comes at the cost of the Flagellant’s own Health and Mental Strength. Unfortunately, this character lacks means to manage accumulating Stress levels, and self-inflicted damage can spiral uncontrollably high, making it less favorable compared to other tank characters in terms of managing stress and self-damage.

13 Occultist

Deal Damage Through Self-Harm

The community eagerly anticipates an upgrade for the Occultist. However, as players experiment with various team setups to improve his healing capabilities, it becomes clear that the Occultist has to take excessive risks in order to utilize his strongest abilities, and these risks frequently don’t pay off, inadvertently aiding the enemies instead.

The protagonist must accumulate Unchecked Power tokens to unleash his most potent abilities, which can be achieved by landing fortunate combos at the cost of self-inflicted damage. Despite having an ideal setup, he relies on a supportive team that shields him and prevents him from self-destructing to make it effective.

12 Grave Robber

Flexible Kit Needs Support To Perform

The jack of all trades, master of none title goes to the Grave Robber with no debate. The character has abilities that tank, heal, deal damage, apply buffs, and apply debuffs. Since teams have to do all of this, Darkest Dungeon 2 might seem like the perfect place for such a hero.

Unfortunately, the Grave Robber’s ceiling is more limited compared to other heroes on the list. While they are acquiring abilities that make them extraordinary, the Grave Robber is opting for an average skill set. A well-designed Grave Robber build can mitigate this challenge, but she will still trail behind as other heroes reach their full potential.

11 Bounty Hunter

A Temporary Powerhouse

The Character labeled “Bounty Hunter” might seem misplaced on this list. He’s a short-term savior who requires four resources to acquire, sometimes offered at an Inn for hire. Once you move on to the next Inn, he vanishes and won’t be available for hire for the remainder of the game session.

The Temporary Bounty Hunter, despite boasting high damage and providing a weary fighter respite, is hard to justify due to his transient status. Since he’s not a permanent addition and cannot be strategically planned around, he may struggle to seamlessly integrate into the team dynamics. Furthermore, his lack of durability makes it challenging for him to endure until the next safehouse, making him an unreliable choice.

10 Crusader

Flexible Tank For Plugging Gaps In Offense, Defense

The Crusader, like the Man-At-Arms, is effective in combat situations, but focuses more on durability rather than dealing damage. It has the ability to offer targeted healing (Battle Heal) as well as healing over time (Battle Heal), and can even attack two enemies simultaneously to receive a small heal (Reap).

Despite the expectation of being a hardline tank, the Crusader is surprisingly flexible with his Paths. As the Wanderer, the Crusader can support teams by reinforcing or filling gaps missing in offense and defense. Meanwhile, the Aggressor can be set up for fast kills with the right support. Moreover, the Templar can become a formidable tank with the right assist, while the Banneret can off-tank while securing survivability through defensive setups.

9 Duelist

Decent Performer When Combo Tempo Is Understood

Obtained in the downloadable content for “The Binding Blade”, the Duelist is a mid-tier Damage Per Second (DPS) unit. Her abilities are centered around her movement within the second and third ranks. When she uses Feint, the Duelist gains Riposte, allowing her to retaliate against enemies, thus promoting more dynamic gameplay. Among her basic skills are Touche, her default moving attack, Disengage, an attack that provides Evasion along with a pull or push effect, and additional defense (Flick) or offense (Preparation).

Fundamentally, the Duelist character can be an effective team member under the right circumstances and careful management of her speed or pace. Her abilities enable her to control the battlefield immediately following her setup phase:

8 Runaway

Deal Stealthy Damage Over Time

In Darkest Dungeon 2, no hero is entirely self-sufficient for success; they depend on their teammates to fill in skill gaps. However, the Runaway character comes particularly close to being self-reliant with her best build, as her stealth makes her hard to target and her damaging over time fire abilities gradually wear down enemies.

Her frequent shifts in rank position might pose challenges for those using her due to the unpredictability of adjustments she makes to an ally’s attacks. However, players with adaptable teams will appreciate how the Runaway can strategically heal, reveal hidden enemies, bolster defenses, and accumulate persistent fire damage under specific circumstances.

7 Leper

A Tank With Decent Survivability

The “Leper” character serves as both a tank and a raw damage dealer, capable of reaching extremely high potential damages. However, due to certain drawbacks similar to other characters further down the list, some players might choose to avoid him. His initial state often includes two stacks of blindness, and he has abilities that can further increase these blindness stacks.

The Leper’s blindness can be overcome by his abilities or strategically positioning and using combo tokens optimally with his preferred build. He excels as a tank, offering significant value even if he fails to hit an enemy once, and self-healing on the battlefield is a beneficial asset for players who prefer not to rely heavily on healers in their team composition.

6 Hellion

A Literal Stress Relief Tank

In a medieval-themed setting, the character known as Hellion is an ideal fit due to her unique traits. As her health decreases, she becomes even stronger, which is quite unusual in most games. One of her skills, Raucous Revelry, not only heals her but also reduces stress levels for the entire team. Moreover, she can remove negative effects from herself, making her a valuable asset in tough situations.

The only drawback is a unique debuff, Winded, which reduces her damage output. But she has so many moves that will clear all stacks of Winded that this doesn’t become an issue. When paired with a great healer and using her best build, the Hellion is overpowered.

5 Jester

Win Through Combat Positions

The main disadvantage of the Jester character is that many of his abilities cause him to move frequently. This can disrupt a team’s preferred positions, causing inconvenience. However, it’s worth noting that the Jester usually compensates for this constant movement by applying more combination tokens than any other player in the game.

I’ve spent countless hours honing my skills and strategy in this game, and let me tell you, the difference between a mediocre and a standout hero can be night and day. For instance, some characters like the Occultist are virtually useless without having combos set up, while others, such as the Leper, can easily become unmanageable if their damage isn’t kept in check. However, when it comes to the Jester, a well-crafted build can make him an absolute crowd favorite. His unique abilities and versatility make him a joy to play and watch. So, my fellow gamers, don’t overlook the power of strategic character selection and building!

4 Highwayman

Set Up Combos From Any Position

The Highwayman functions as an all-out attacker in combat. With both ranged and melee abilities, he can prove useful at any level, although his lower defense makes him vulnerable when leading the pack.

As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I’ve encountered countless characters in various games, but few have left as lasting an impression as the Highwayman. This character stands out due to his unique playstyle that combines solid attacks from the second position with a versatile ability to switch between ranged and melee combat.

3 Plague Doctor

The Resident Healer

From the get-go, the character known as the Plague Doctor is available, offering gamers an exceptional blend of supportive and damaging abilities. This character excels in healing, swiftly removing detrimental effects on allies, and even converting those negative impacts into additional healing power.

As a devoted fan, let me share my favorite approach for optimizing the Plague Doctor build: This setup empowers the hero to afflict foes with Blight, Fire, and Bleed, gradually chipping away at bosses during their turns. By maintaining a position in ranks three or four, I minimize the character’s vulnerability – its relatively low defenses become less of an issue.

2 Man-At-Arms

The Universal Frontlin Tank

The Man-At-Arms, uncontested in self-block buffs and potentially assisting another at a secondary level, is an intriguing choice for players who prefer characters like the Runaway or the Jester. What makes this hero appealing is his ability to rejoin the frontlines when needed and even impose a debuff on himself that prevents him from being pushed back again.

As the frequency of buffs on hostile Ordainment enemies increases, causing more damage, the pool of allies capable of withstanding such impacts will gradually decrease. However, an optimized Man-At-Arms build is well-equipped to endure these attacks and mitigate the accumulating Stress.

1 Vestal

An Extremely Flexible Buffer, Debuffer

The Vestal faces more challenging decisions when selecting builds, as their unique buffs and debuffs can vary based on the chosen path. This selection of paths also influences how specific abilities work within the game, modifying the Vestal’s overall performance during gameplay.

In the optimal setup for the Vestal character, her supportive skills are unrivaled and uncontestable. The Vestal’s strongest abilities from the initial game remarkably return in the sequel, providing team assistance once her consecrations are set up. After placing these consecrations, she no longer requires reusing the same skill to continue supporting her team.

2024-08-11 18:55