Mages in RPGs have been the same for too long, but Dragon's Dogma 2 has the solution: a Trickster class that can taunt enemies straight off cliffs

Wizards are better than Sorcerers in Baldur's Gate 3 for one simple reason: they're weirder. Vaporizing enemies with the power of the elements is fun and all, but when it comes to magic in RPGs, I increasingly find myself hungry for off-beat approaches to thaumaturgic tactics. Enter Dragon's Dogma 2, which, to the surprise of no one, has applied its inimitable brand of cool nonsense to magicians and come up with solid gold: a Trickster class that can taunt enemies straight off cliffs. 

IGN recently released an in-depth breakdown of how Trickster works, and it's quickly shot to the top of my list of classes to unlock as soon as possible when the long-awaited RPG finally arrives in March. It goes just above the Mystic Spearhand, which is the very definition of beating a MFer with another MFer.

Trickster is nominally a support class focused on buffing allies – in this case, your AI Pawns, which shows admiral commitment to Dragon's Dogma's returning party system – and debuffing enemies. The kicker is that one debuff you can apply liberally is: death. 

The Trickster can create all kinds of illusions by conjuring smoke from the censer they carry around – if you don't think that's cooler than a wand or staff, you're a liar – and enemies will be convinced they're real. You'll summon clones drawing aggro and kiting groups of mobs, walls that only you can see through, platforms suspended over abysses, and smoke dragons that apply a fear debuff. You can also scout ahead using an astral projection. These creations are all very real to Dragon's Dogma's 2's many monsters, and that is just plain cool. 

Mark my words, Trickster will spawn some of the best gaming clips of 2024. I can see it now: kiting a conga line of kobolds through a field and up a mountain just to dangle a Trickster clone over a smoky, cliffside platform to send those hapless monsters plummeting like we're all in a Wile E. Coyote skit. The Trickster is a mage that deals virtually no direct damage, and that's exactly the kind of weird energy I want from RPGs in 2024. 

Dragon's Dogma 2 director apologizes for the long wait for the JRPG, says its best ideas were inspired by lack of sleep.