Parties in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen consist of members of the Pawn Legion along with your created Arisen. Early on in the game, you will be tasked with creating one that will accompany you through the entire game, but you can have a party of up to four. That’s when hiring comes in.
Scattered throughout the world are Rift Stones. These are the huge hunks of rock that start glowing with blue writing when you approach them. Interacting with one of these will allow you to enter the Rift, where Pawns await. You can approach any you see here and check their stats and equipment. You can choose which Pawns you want and hire them on the spot. There are a few things you should know before you hire, though…
Rift Crystals
Hiring a Pawn is free as long as they are either an equal or lower level than your Arisen. But, if they are of a hire level, you will have to pay Rift Crystals. Crystal cost is determined by the experience gap between you and the Pawn in question.
Rift Crystals are earned through simply playing Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. You will often get them as rewards for completing tasks and quests. You will also start off with enough to hire one or two decent Pawns to help get you through some of the difficulty in the beginning.
Vocations and Skills
Each Pawn will have a Vocation just like your Arisen and main Pawn. Make sure to not only check what the Pawn’s Vocation is, but also the skills equipped. You can level them up but you will be unable to change their skills, so pick Pawns with something useful as well as in sync with your play style.
Inclinations
Inclinations are what a Pawn will do in battle. Knowing what they mean will help you pick the best one for your Party. The last thing you need is some Pawn in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen charging in when you need them to be a healer. The Inclinations are:
- Acquisitor – Will search for items no matter what is going on (even during battle).
- Challenger – Will treat ranged and magic using enemies as a priority.
- Guardian – Will guard you.
- Medicant – Will focus on healing all party members and keeping everyone alive.
- Mitigator – Will treat weaker enemies as a priority.
- Nexus – Will focus on assisting other Pawns.
- Pioneer – Will check areas ahead and constantly be aware of incoming threats.
- Scather – Will treat stronger enemies as a priority.
- Utilitarian – One of the best Inclinations to have. Will adapt the way it acts in battle to make sure everyone has an advantage.
You can adjust the Inclinations of your main Pawn (the one you create yourself) by visiting a Knowledge Chair. These are easy to pick out (since they’re prettier than other chairs) and can be found anywhere you can rest.
Gear
You can change the gear of Pawns you hire, but there are two things you should know. Gear removed from a Pawn that belongs to another player will go to that player (you can’t steal it) . If you decide to give a hired Pawn gear to use, it counts as a gift and you cannot get it back. So if you’re just trying to buff their abilities for just a couple of minutes think about whether or not you really want to relinquish that weapon/armor/accessory/item.
Pawns in the Wild
You will also encounter Pawns out in the open world. These can be hired as well, and tend to have more special skills/abilities. Things like getting you more gold for your wares, or higher damage against certain enemy types. You should also be aware, though, that some Pawns may be corrupted and that will lead them to attack you on site. So always remain vigilant.
As long as you keep these points in mind you’ll always ensure that you pick the right Pawn for the job and have a solid party going forward. Just remember to get new Pawns as you progress so you can get access to more powerful abilities down the line.
Check Out More
- Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – How to Get New Skils
- Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – How to Fast Travel
- Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen -How to Romance and Get “Married”
- Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – How to Level Up Easily
