Dragon's Dogma 2 director says the best classes for newcomers to the RPG are the Archer and Thief

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Hideaki Itsuno also reveals which Pawn setup he's running with

A Dragon's Dogma 2 character throws their arms in the air
(Image credit: Capcom)

Dragon's Dogma 2's director has revealed his personal setup for the RPG sequel and advised newcomers on which Vocation to choose.

'Classes' aren't quite a thing in Dragon's Dogma 2—they're instead called 'Vocations,' and they include sword and shield, archer, mage, and thief builds. Speaking to GamesRadar+ as part of our Dragon's Dogma 2 preview, game director Hideaki Itsuno doled out some sage advice on which Vocation newcomers to the Capcom series should consider going with.

"If you're an FPS or third-person shooter player and you've got good aim, then the Archers could be a good match because the better you can aim, the better you will do with that kind of ranged character. I think it'll help you get to grips with the game at the start," Itsuno says. "Alternatively, if you've been playing more close-quarters combat games, and you're playing the kind of game with rolling dodges to get out of the way of enemy attacks before countering, then the Thief is something that will suit that kind of player very well."

Of course, Itsuno stresses that players should feel free to pick whichever Vocation they want. If it's more of a rounded build you're going for, particularly at the beginning of Dragon's Dogma 2 if you're new to the series, then I'd recommend picking the Fighter - it's kitted out with a shield and sword at the beginning of the game, great for dealing and taking damage at the same time.

Additionally, Itsuno also reveals his personal Vocation setup for Dragon's Dogma 2. "It does tend to change quite a lot because there's so much variety in the gameplay from location to location, but at the moment my kind of main setup is I will have my three pawns be Sorcerers, and for the Arisen themselves I will use the Warfarer class which is one that allows you to take on various abilities across all different Vocations," Itsuno adds. 

Itsuno also points out that the Warfarer Vocation is exclusive to the protagonist Arisen in Dragon's Dogma 2, so the Pawns can't use it. "That said, there is no one-size-fits-all party. This party structure I've made is great for bosses, but we can be totally wiped out by a pack of wolves at the same time. So it isn't that there's only one correct answer in how to always win - just always think about your party setup when going into combat," the director advises.

Dragon's Dogma 2 finally launches tomorrow on March 22, after 12 long years of longing from the original game's fanbase. Check out our Dragon's Dogma 2 release time guide for a look at when Capcom's new game launches in your region. 

I restarted Dragon's Dogma 7 times in a row trying to make the perfect character, but for Dragon's Dogma 2 I'm making the weirdest RPG build possible. 

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.