Dragon’s Dogma 2 Area Order of Exploration & Map Level Recommendations

Draogn’s Dogma 2 is not a linear game for the most part and gives you free rein over how you explore. Out of the gate, it will often throw enemies at you that you are way too underpowered to fight. To have a more organic and standard open-world exploration journey, we’ve put together a recommended area order to play Dragon’s Dogma 2 in!

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Recommended Exploration Order & Levels

Note that these are the levels we played the game at while making use of the Thief and Mystical Fighter classes for most of the game. Both these classes are very powerful against bosses and can win battles of attrition. Other classes might require higher levels to deal with the late-game content.

Melve – Level 1

You start off by heading to Melve from the Border Town where the game drops you off. From the Border Town, make your way to the city of Melve and go along with the quests there till the soldiers ask you to take an Oxcart to Vernworth with them./o

Vernworth – Level 10-15

Spend a good amount of time completing the quests in Vernworth as they award a good deal of XP. Upgrade your Gear. Once you’re around levels 10-15, go to the Monster Culling missions assigned to you by Captain Brant.

Nameless Village – Level 15+

Once you have a bit of confidence in your ability to deal with the Saurians and some of the easier bosses, you can head to the Nameless Village. It’s a great place to get some better weapons and the Thief Maister skills.

Harve Village – Level 15+

Next up, you can visit the fishing village of Harve and help them take it back from the invaders. Be sure to explore the cavern there and unlock the Port Crystal, as you’ll have to return here several times during the story.

Sacred Arbor – Level 20

Head to the Sacred Arbor by helping out the Elf who asks you for archery advice, and by following his questline that leads you to the Elven village up in the North. Ideally, you should be around level 20 to complete this section of the game. You should also take a short trip back to Melve to deal with your first dragon at this point.

Border Town – Level 20-25

Once you’ve dealt with all of your business in Vernworth, it’s time to make your way to the Border Town. Luckily, you can take an Oxcart to this location and there are a bunch of rewarding quests here to help you level up and get Gold.

Baakbathaal – Level 25-30

The deserts of Baakbathaal are harsh and Hobgoblins, Red Wolves, Golems, bandits, and all sorts of dangerous creatures roam the wild. You’d ideally want to be around Level 25-30 for this section with some good gear on hand. It’s also one of the locations that’s basically begging you to put down a Port Crystal.

Dragon’s Tower – Level 35

If you follow the main story quests and go to hunt the dragon down in the South, you should be around level 35 to stand a chance against this fearsome beast. Even then, you’ll require good gear, powerful pawns, and enough resources to beat the Dragon in a battle of attrition.

Volcanic Island – Level 40+

We’re approaching the end of the main story here as you make your way to the Volcanic Island. We suggest that players reach level 40-45 at this point in the game, as the foes here are no joke and we’re approaching the final boss.

True Ending – Level 50+

The True Ending is where combat gets incredibly difficult, with multiple bosses and powerful enemies popping up no matter where you go. Powerful dragons show up like it’s nothing, and you’ll need a Party capable of handling multiple bosses at once. You should be comfortably around level 50 at this point of the game as long as you have a firm grip on your Vocation’s combat style. Weaker vocations might require higher levels.

That’s all you need to know about the order of exploration and recommended levels for Dragon’s Dogma 2. For more guides, learn about all the Oxcart routes, and how to get Ferrystones.