Summary

• Dragonsplague in Dragon's Dogma 2 is a deadly disease that can wipe out towns
• Signs of Dragonsplague include red glowing eyes in infected pawns
• The consequences of Dragonsplague are not as permanent as they initially appear, with NPCs respawning over time.

Although Dragon's Dogma 2 has many mechanics that make it uniquely difficult compared to other open-world RPGs, the obscure and deadly Dragonsplague is possibly the game's most punishing mechanic. Released 12 years after the original Dragon's Dogma, the sequel features an all-new map and greatly expanded systems, but with a new, wider audience, some of the game's new or returning mechanics have proven to be somewhat controversial.

Like the first game, Dragon's Dogma 2 intentionally leaves out many of the conveniences and quality-of-life features that most other open-world RPGs feature, with the intention of forcing players to engage more heavily with the game's world. Some quests, for example, have strict in-game time limits, meaning that Dragon's Dogma 2 may punish players who treat it as a normal RPG. Similarly, the game has minimal fast travel systems, often forcing players to travel on foot. However, while these mechanics are a part of Dragon's Dogma's unique appeal for many players, the Dragonsplague system has proven to be more controversial.

How Dragonsplague Works In Dragon's Dogma 2

Dragonsplague Is One Of The Game's Most Punishing Mechanics

A new mechanic in Dragon's Dogma 2, Dragonsplague is a deadly disease that can be contracted by Pawns while in combat with drakes and can be spread from one pawn to another. The short-term consequences of Dragonsplague are mild and, in some cases, even beneficial. Pawns with the disease are actually stronger in combat, but will start to have more aggressive dialogue and may disobey orders from the Arisen. Allowing Dragonsplague to advance to its final stages, however, has heavy consequences, as resting in a town or settlement with a Dragonsplague-infected pawn can wipe out every NPC residing there.

Once the Dragonsplague is in its final stages, a process which can take several in-game days, resting at an inn or a player-owned house will trigger a cutscene of the afflicted pawn transforming into a shadowy dragon, and when the player wakes up from their rest, every NPC in the town that they rested in will be dead. Losing any settlement can be a great loss, as it potentially means losing side quests and a place to rest at and travel from, but Dragonsplague can be particularly punishing if it's set off in a major hub like Vernsworth.

For players unlucky enough to have Dragonsplague trigger early on in their playthrough, the consequences can drastically alter their path through the game and might result in them losing access to many of the game's side quests. However, while the mechanic might seem overly punishing, it's also relatively easy to avoid for vigilant players, and its consequences aren't as permanent or as negative as they might seem at first. For players looking to avoid or recover from Dragonsplague, the steps are relatively easy.

How To Identify And Avoid Dragonsplague

Dragonsplague Has Multiple Warning Signs

While Dragonsplague can be extremely punishing, there are also ways to identify and avoid it. Importantly, the first time that a player's pawn contracts Dragonsplague, or they hire a pawn that has it, the game will give them a one-time tutorial message explaining the mechanic - so players who have yet to receive the tutorial message are safe to rest in towns without consequences. Once players have received the tutorial message, however, they must identify further Dragonsplague infected Pawns on their own. Fortunately, the signs of an infected pawn are relatively hard to miss for attentive players.

Pawns infected with Dragonsplague have several fairly obvious visual and behavioral oddities to clue players in. One of the easiest ways to check for infection is to look at a pawn's eyes - if they're flickering with a glowing red color, that pawn is infected. Likewise, infected Pawns have a unique idle animation where they clutch their head as if they have a headache, and they will noticeably disobey orders given to them by the player, often with an aggressive or disrespectful voice line towards the Arisen.

The red glow in a pawn's eyes grows stronger and more noticeable the longer they have the disease - in the final stages, a pawn's eyes will glow brightly and constantly. Notably, the eyes of hired Pawns can be customized to always be shut or hidden by equipment, so players should still be on the lookout for other signs of Dragonsplague.

Once an infected pawn has been identified, avoiding its consequences is as simple as dismissing the pawn, if it belongs to another player, or, if a player's main pawn has been infected, throwing them into any deep body of water to have them killed by the Brine - upon getting the pawn back at a Riftstone, they will be completely cured. A third method for main Pawns involves having the infected pawn Dragonsplague to another pawn in the party, which can happen when resting at inns or campsites - when Dragonsplague spreads, the original host is cured.

The Consequences Of Dragonsplague

Dragonsplague Isn't As Punishing As It Might Seem

For players who don't spot the signs early enough and end up having a town wiped out by a Dragonsplague-infected pawn, though, the consequences aren't as harsh as they seem at first. Even if a major town like Vernsworth gets wiped out by Dragonsplague, the game's progression will not be softlocked, and players will be able to finish the game even if major, plot-relevant characters are dead. Being an open-world game similar to Tears of the Kingdom, players can technically find the final boss on the map of Dragon's Dogma 2 and fight it without needing to actually complete quests.

It's unlikely that players will have to resort to simply wandering the map, however, because any NPCs crucial to the normal progression of the game will also respawn with time, and can otherwise be resurrected with Wakestones. After waiting for a certain amount of time in-game, which can be sped up through dozing on benches or resting at campsites, essential NPCs will repopulate any wiped out towns, allowing players to progress mostly as normal - although some NPCs relevant to side quests may have to be resurrected manually with Wakestones and run the risk of permanent death.

Although Dragonsplague is potentially one of the scariest and most punishing mechanics in Dragon's Dogma 2, it's also relatively easy to avoid for observant players, and though the single-save nature of the game makes Dragonsplague potentially devastating, it can also be recovered from over time. Contrary to some widespread rumors, Dragonsplague cannot softlock or brick a player's save, and although the quality of the mechanic's implementation is debatable, it can also contribute to a unique experience in Dragon's Dogma 2.