The Red Dragon is the final boss of Dragon's Dogma 2's main story, and it is a challenging fight for which you should come prepared. Make sure to buy the top-of-the-line gear for yourself and your personal Pawn.

Note that fighting the final boss leads to DD2's standard ending of Dragon’s Dogma 2. You will get different endings by ignoring the boss’ challenge by various means. The best option is to betray the dragon and agree to the fight but use the Godsbane Blade to pierce its heart mid-flight. But doing so will lock out the option of fighting it head-on.

Where To Find The Red Dragon In Dragon’s Dogma 2

Best Strategy To Beat The Red Dragon

The ultimate dragon is found at Moon Glint Tower, a destination you will be forced to go to during the main mission, “Legacy.” Finishing this quest will automatically fail all remaining side quests, so be sure to complete everything before proceeding.

At the tower's top, you must contend with the Fake Sovran and their minions. You do not need to beat them outright; just survive until the next cutscene plays. Melee classes, like Mystic Spearhead in DD2 or the basic Fighter, easily do this. If you are playing a more fragile caster, rely on the Pawns you have hired to keep the enemy busy.

During the cutscene, the dragon gives you several options. The first is to walk away, which leads to the bad ending. If you want to fight outright, agree to the challenge and ride the dragon’s back unimpeded to the arena.

How To Defeat The Red Dragon

Upon reaching the battlefield, you will be reed by all of your current Pawns. Depending on everyone's role, you may want to regroup with them or stay separated. Melee characters will want to climb on the dragon, reaching vulnerable places like its head and neck to deal damage. Archers and mages should be around mid-range to avoid claw slashes but not so far away as to get caught in fire breath cones.

Inside the arena is also a Personal Ballista. Regardless of class, the Arisen will need to operate it. Once your Pawns damage the dragon enough, its heart will shine. Take this time to shoot at it for maximum damage.

This cycle repeats: fighting the Red Dragon up close and then fleeing back to the siege weapon. As the fight goes on, the boss will also unleash spells and launch fireballs that are hard to avoid. Be sure to heal up as needed with your magic or items. If you want to see how the Red Dragon boss fight plays out, you can check out Shirrako's video on YouTube below for more context.

Eventually, the dragon falls, leading to the normal ending. After the credits roll, the Pathfinder confronts you and informs you that you made a grave mistake in killing the Red Dragon. They teleport you back to attempt the true ending path. Although this forfeits the battle with the Red Dragon, it leads to the second half of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s story.

Video Credit: Shirrako/YouTube