Dragon’s Dogma 2: Archer’s strengths, weaknesses, gameplay, skill combinations, recommended companions, and equipment choices

Archer
Occupational Advantages: Can use special arrows to cause abnormal status to monsters, strong single-target output ability, extremely strong anti-air capability, excellent ability to clear miscellaneous troops. Compared to the first generation, it has increased the ability to shoot while moving but weakened the ability to blast at a fixed point. In this game, the archer is more like a traditional ranger.
Occupational Disadvantages: Poor early-stage knockback ability combined with almost no close combat ability makes it easy to be hit up close by monsters, causing significant staggered reactions, which greatly affects the gaming experience. The high stamina consumption before strengthening Dragon’s Blood can easily lead to exhaustion, affecting the archer’s fixed-point output ability. Similar to Magic Archers, they heavily rely on weapon enchantment attributes.

Gameplay: Switch between auto-block and manual block, use strafing to employ running shots, utilize taunting to draw aggro from front-line enemies, then choose an ideal position for manual block and fixed-point output. Oil arrows paired with ignition can cause continuous damage over time to hairy enemies and Cyclopes. However, Amber Dragons are difficult to ignite, making this tactic less effective against them. Water arrows are mainly used in conjunction with ice attributes to freeze enemies after “target practice.” Explosive arrows retain the high-damage AoE properties from the previous installment and can interrupt some boss skills. For example, during a dragon’s skill execution, explosive arrows can target the dragon’s heart for interruption. They can also penetrate armored giants’ armor and be used to deal with swarming enemies. Poison arrows, when stacked with debuffs, create a “Poison Burst” effect, which can be costly and best crafted by the player. Some late-game mechanized or highly poison-resistant enemies are immune to Poison Arrows.
Skill Combos: Torrential Shot + Swift-End Shot + Explosive Arrow + Water Arrow/Poison Arrow/Oil Arrow/Ghostly Shot/Consecutive Shot
Fan-Shaped Shot (Phoenix Arrow) has reduced significance due to the introduction of automatic blocking, as focusing on weak points with Torrential Shots or consecutive shots is more effective against large creatures. Whirling Arrow’s function in the first installment was to cause abnormal statuses to monsters, while in the second installment, its primary role is to repel enemies at close range. However, due to the addition of headshot shooting and the ability to stagger most small creatures with over 600 accumulated knockback properties, its utility is diminished. Sniper Arrow isn’t very necessary due to the ranged limitations in this installment and the reduced importance of ambush tactics.

Dragon’s Blood Skill Enhancement: Torrential Shot
Recommended Companions: Main Pawn (preferably tanky for close combat, equipped with arrows that can switch main pawn’s weapons, such as carrying oil arrows to pair with a fire maul, or water arrows for an iced cutlass) and Secondary Pawn (must bring an enchanted mage to modify attributes based on arrow types carried). The second secondary Pawn can continue to carry out close-combat tanking to enhance front-line provocation, or can be switched with a Fire-Focused Sorcerer to increase damage.
Equipment: Weapon: Hydra; Forging: Dwarf + Dwarf + Orc
Armor: Can be selected based on personal preferences, but it is essential to maintain knockback resistance not lower than 550 (preferably not lower than 450 with Double Valiant). Forging: All Dwarf
Rings: Suppression (knockback) + Resolution (knockback resistance) / Valiant Advance + Valiant Advance (requires matching passive weight reduction and lowering backpack items, not recommended to bring Double Valiant before equipping Dragon Forge), not recommended for melee rings, as the archer’s greatest advantage is their distance. While melee rings will improve performance, they may detract from other aspects of gameplay.
Passive Skills: Essential: Discipline, Vigor, Ferocity, Impact, Stability

Optional: Muscle Gain (to complement Double Valiant), Gracious Spirit, Core Strength
Monster Tactics: Due to the lack of early knockback abilities, it is recommended to manually aim for small monsters, using stomping followed by shooting or penetrating shot for shield-bearing enemies. The shovel itself has attack judgment that can stagger enemies or even knock them down, making it useful against bandits, birds, and wolves. For Goblinoids, Harpies, and Wolves, it is suggested to strafe shoot first to let the tank draw aggro before finding a high point or open area, then switch to automatic block and engage with Torrential Shot or Consecutive Shot. Ogres, Cyclopes, and Chimeras can be ignited with oil arrows and targeted with Torrential Shot. Armored Cyclopes can have their helmets blown off with explosive arrows. Chimera can be ignited and then hit with Torrential Shot for the sheep. Against dragons, wet them with water arrows, freeze them with ice enchantments or companion ice weapons, and then target their weak spots. If a dragon is about to execute a skill, it is advisable to use explosive arrows to target their heart for a timely interruption. After knocking them down, follow up with a Torrential Shot on their heart. For Stone Lizards or Poison Lizards, stomp their heads followed by automatic block and Swift-End Shot. Generally, against undead, flipping them over to expose their bellies for a finishing blow or letting the melee tank execute them is recommended.