Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build – Hybrid Vocation (Class)

Learn how to play the Trickster build in Dragon’s Dogma 2, a Hybrid Vocation (class), as we show gear, skills, augments & more.

DD2 - Best Trickster Build Hybrid Vocation (Class) - Dragon's Dogma 2

Best Trickster Build – Hybrid Vocation (Class)

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, the Trickster is a hybrid vocation and highly specialized support class that excels in deception and crowd control. In combat, this new Dragon’s Dogma 2 vocation (Class) uses a unique weapon called Censor and smoke-based skills to confuse and disorient its enemies. Their skills are particularly effective in group settings, where they can use their abilities to protect allies and disrupt enemy formations.

If you play the Trickster, expect your damage to come from Pawns. This vocation can only be played by Arisne player-controlled characters. Thus, you want to use this vocation if you like tanking, crowd control, and mitigating damage. We’ve built this Trickster build to emphasize defensive support with damage from pawns entirely.

How to Unlock Trickster Vocation

To unlock the Trickster Vocation, visit the Temple in Battahl, south of Rest Town, and speak with Oracle Luz. Then, pass the checkpoint at the Rest Town gate by purchasing a Beastren Mast for 8,700 and having a permit. You can read our full guide on how to unlock the Trickster here.

Trickster Build Features

DD2 Trickster Gameplay

The following list presents all the essential Trickster Build Mechanics and Features in Dragon’s Dogma 2:

  • Skills: Illusive Divider, Binding Effigy, Suffocating Shroud, Aromatic Resurgence
  • Augmentations: Provocation, Mettle, Thew, Vitality, Apotropaism, Exaltation 
  • Best Pawns: Sorcerer (main), Mage, Thief
  • Primary Stat: Magick Defense
  • Weapons: Censer
  • Armor: Light
  • Rings: Percipience, Quickening
  • Race: Human

Weapon Skills

DD2 Best Trickster Build Skills

Sweep Shroud, Delusory Screen, Latching Effigy, and Aromatic Rally are the best skills for the Trickster build and vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Sweep Shroud attracts enemies to you, and then Delusory Screen debuffs their chances to hit. Latching Effigy helps prioritize targeting one enemy with your party, while Aromatic Rally buffs your entire party. If you have the Maister skill Dragon’s Delusion, use that instead of Illusive Divider. It will create a massive dragon illusion and fear enemies.

The following list presents the best Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build Hybrid Vocation (Class) Weapon Skills:

  • Sweeping Shroud (Suffocating Shroud): area taunt
  • Delusory Screen (Illusive Divider): debuffs enemies
  • Latching Effigy (Binding Effigy): focuses on one target
  • Aromatic Rally (Aromatic Resurgence): buffs your party

Sweeping Shroud (Suffocating Shroud)

DD2 Best Trickster Build Suffocating Shroud Skill

The Sweep Shroud ability is your area-based taunt. Taunts attract enemies’ attention and are the main skills for tanks in RPGs. You want enemies to attack you while your DPS pawns are free to do damage. Consider opening up combat with this when in a range of 12 meters or less. The Suffocating Shroud skill is an advanced Sweeping Shroud that diffuses smoke over a wider area and draws targets’ attention.

Sweep Shroud—Diffuses smoke across a broad range, attracting the attention of any targets it touches. If Effigial Incense has been cast, targets will focus on the simulacrum instead.

Delusory Screen (Illusive Divider)

DD2 Best Trickster Build Illusive Divider Skill

The Delusory Screen skill acts as an enemy debuff, blocking the field of view and lower movement. This is helpful when starting combat or aiding an ally in trouble with a smoke screen. Consider this your flex skill, and take Dragon’s Delusion once you obtain the rite. The Illusive Divider skill is an advanced form of Delusory Screen that extends the effect’s duration and allows up to two walls to be conjured simultaneously.

Delusory Screen – Conjures an illusory wall that hinders hostile targets’ movement and blocks their field of vision. The wall dissipates after a time.

Dragon’s Delusion
DD2 Trickster Maister Skill - Theurgists's Rite Discipline Map Location

Alternative Dragon’s Delusion—This ability creates an illusory dragon that cannot directly deal damage but instills hostile targets with fear and even causes them to trip or flee. Consider traveling here and grabbing the Theurgist’s Rite to gain Dragon’s Delusion skill. Replace Illusive Divider as you advance with the Trickster Build and Vocation.

Latching Effigy (Binding Effigy)

DD2 Best Trickster Build Binding Effigy Skill

The skill Latching Effigy helps single-target focus and control targets. You can also have pawns focus on a specific enemy, say a ranged spell caster, to destroy it quickly or latch onto it. The skill Binding Effigy is an advanced form of Latching Effigy that has a greater effective range and launches the simulacrum with increased speed.

Latching Effigy – Launches a simulacrum conjured with Effigial Incense toward a distant target and possesses it. The simulacrum disappears if it misses its mark.

Aromatic Rally (Aromatic Resurgence)

DD2 Best Trickster Build Aromatic Resurgence Skill

The skill Aromatic Rally is an offensive buff that allows allies to fight even if health runs out for a while. As a Trickster, you will entirely depend on your pawns for damage, so maintaining high uptime on this buff is critical for success. The skill Aromatic Resurgence is an advanced form of Aromatic Rally that has a longer-lasting effect and further enhances allies’ offensive capabilities.

Aromatic Rally – Diffuses incense in the vicinity that boosts the offensive capabilities of allies it touches and allows them to fight on even if their Health runs out. Allies’ Health falls steadily while active.

Core Skills

DD2 Best Trickster Build Core Skills

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Core Skills act as passive perks or basic attacks for your Trickster Class. The Beveiling Fumes skill is your “light attack,” while Effigial Incense is your “heavy attack.” These don’t cost stamina and can be used repeatedly without running out of stamina. Beveiling Fumes is a taunt grabbing enemies’ attention, while Effigial is a shade that aggro specific enemies. You can use the extra button (right bumper or right mouse) to invoke essence. This will send a shade to the caster’s location and potentially pin it down.

The Following List presents Core Skills for Trickster Build:

  • Beveiling Fumes: Swings the censer, engulfing targets in smoke and drawing attention to the caster.
  • Effigial Incense: Creates a simulacrum (an illusory figure that is identical to the caster) that draws the attention of hostile targets. Dissipates if continuously attacked or if too far away from the caster.
  • Invoking Essence: Beckons the simulacrum to the caster’s location. It can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
  • Mending Vapor: Slowly repairs damage incurred by a simulacrum while beckoning it to the caster.
  • Drifting Brume: Swings the censer to conjure a cloud of smoke before unleashing it upon targets. The smoke can travel to reach targets that are not too far away, and draw the attention of any targets it engulfs.
  • Trailing Aroma: Extends the distance that a simulacrum created with Effigial Incense can venture from the caster.
  • Effigial Quickburn: Hastens the speed at which a simulacrum is created when casting Effigial Incense.
  • Enthralling Aroma: Possesses a hostile target with a simulacrum of the caster, drawing the ire of foes and causing them to attack each other. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
  • Effigial Snuff: Dispels a simulacrum created with Effigial Incense.

Maister Skills

Dragon's Dogma 2 Luz NPC Oracle and Trickster maister

In Dragon’s Dogma 2 you can learn an ultimate ability for your vocation from Maisters. Each of these teachers have mastered their chosen vocation and once you have gained their approval you can unlock these powerful skills. Acquiring these abilities can often change the way you play your class, and are worth taking the time to earn.

Additionally, there is no set Vocation Rank you are required to have before you can unlock ultimate abilities. However, you must have unlocked the Vocation itself. Since this is a Hybrid class you will first need to find the Maister to unlock the Trickster vocation.

The Following Lists presents the Trickster Ultimate Ability and How to Unlock:

  • Maister: Luz
  • Location: Reverent Shrine
  • Required Quest: None. Speak to the spectral form of the Maister at the Shrine to unlock the vocation. Then, climb the ladder on the left-hand side of the structure. Speak to Luz’s physical form and she will give you the scroll for the Trickster’s ultimate ability.
  • Quest Timer: There is no quest associated with this ability, and therefore there is no ‘failure’ timer on it.
  • Ultimate Ability – Dragon’s Delusion: Creates an illusory dragon that cannot directly deal damage, but instills hostile targets with fear and even causes them to trip or flee.

Augmentations

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Augments are passive bonuses to your character and build overall power. You obtain these by leveling classes or vocations and can equip up to 6. However, you want to level in a particular way to gain the most effective ones at the start of DD2. This Trickster build uses three from the Fighter class; thus, we suggest leveling that until you unlock the Trickster. At the start, consider taking any vocations augments and experiment with different vocations.

The following list presents the best augmentations for Trickster Build:

  1. Provocation (Fighter): Increases the likelihood of being targeted by foes. Requires Fighter vocation rank 4 and 900 discipline.
  2. Mettle (Fighter): Augments your physical Defense. Requires Fighter vocation rank 2 and 300 discipline.
  3. Thew (Fighter): Enables you to carry additional weight. Requires Fighter vocation rank 6 and 1,800 discipline.
  4. Vitality (Warrior): Increases your Maximum Health. Requires Warrior vocation rank 2 and 300 discipline.
  5. Apotropaism (Mage Vocation): Augments your Magick Defense. Requires Mage vocation rank 2 and 300 discipline.
  6. Exaltation (Mage Vocation): Augments your Stamina recovery speed. Requires Mage vocation rank 9 and 5,000 discipline.

Best Pawns for Trickster Build

DD2 - Sorcerer Build Quickspell - Dragon's Dogma 2

The best pawns for the Trickster Build vocation are Sorcerer for area damage, Mage for support, and Thief for large enemy damage. As a Trickster, you are entirely dependent on your pawns for damage. You can also use a Warrior in replacement for Sorcerer if you feel lacking on boss damage.

Below are the best pawns for the Trickster vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2:

  • Sorcerer (main pawn) – the highest ranged damage pawn is the Sorcerer. The downside to the Sorc is that you won’t be able to mount and damage bosses or large enemies. A warrior is an alternative choice here.
  • Mage – the main will provide buffs and healing, helping out your overall group damage and survivability.
  • Thief—The thief will help against bosses and mount them to do extra damage. If you prefer a Warrior as your main pawn, you can swap the thief out for an archer.

Trickster Gameplay Tips and Tricks

Crowd control with taunts and stuns is the most important aspect of the Trickster. Your goal is to free up your allies to do damage, especially in large enemy encounters. Focus your gameplay on buffs, debuffs, and stuns.

Taunt

The Trickster has two ways to taunt and grab enemies’ attention with aggro. You can use your Sweeping Shroud skill or light attack. Sweep Shroud is helpful because it is area-based and can grab all the enemy’s attention immediately. Then, you can prioritize maintaining aggro on the most damage-producing target with basic attacks and crowd control.

Survivability

DD2 - Sorcerer Build Consumable - Dragon's Dogma 2

To survive with the Trickster, rely on movement and deception with your skills. Your stamina should be somewhat easy to maintain as long as you’re not ability spamming. You want to keep uptime high on your party buff skill and taunt, then use your other two abilities to keep your stamina above 25% at all times. Use potions that recover stamina and health when you need rest at camps or inns before adventuring out.

Large Monsters

DD2 - Weak Points - Dragon's Dogma 2 10 Tips to Know Before Playing

Unlike other tanks, your Trickster will be ineffective against larger monsters. Thus, having a pawn that can jump and climb them is important. Warrior, Fighter, and Thief make great choices because they do significant damage once on top of the enemy. Thief, in particular, you want to support during these fights, which has the best chance of inflicting massive damage on large bosses.

Equipment for Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build

Not all equipment is known for Dragon’s Dogma 2, but the best equipment increases your strength and stamina. For Rings, look to increase health early on. While you progress, upgrade gear with raw materials to gain additional stat increases. Even one level that only costs gold can increase your survivability.

Additionally, prioritize weapon purchases over armor for the Trickster Build. Using the Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build Hybrid Vocation (Class), you want higher offensive capabilities rather than damage.

Best Trickster Beginner Gear

Gear SlotGear ItemEffect
HeadVeil of AwakeningDefense 35/Magick Defense 60/KD Res 5
BodyPriestly HabitDefense 75/Magick Defense 94/KD Res 27
LegAscetic GaitersDefense 55/Magick Defense 70/KD Res 15
CloakCommander’s MantleCold Resist and Mild Debilitation Resist
WeaponBewitching BalmStrength 75/ Magick 180/KD Power 50
RingRing of ExultationIncreases maximum health
RingRing of AcclamationIncreases maximum health
Best Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build Beginner Gear

Below is the location for the best Trickster Beginner Gear:

  • Veil of Awakening: Purchase at Bodas’s Armory (Bakbattahl) for 2,700 gold.
  • Priestly Habit: Purchase at Bodas’s Armory (Bakbattahl) for 19,000 gold.
  • Ascetic Gaiters: Purchase at Bodas’s Armory (Bakbattahl) for 15,200 gold.
  • Commander’s Mantle: Purchase at Celeste’s Smithy (Checkpoint Rest Town) for 12,000.
  • Bewitching Balm: Purchase at Awaran’s Arms (Bakbattahl) for 12,250 gold.
  • Ring of Exultation: Reward for completing the quest ‘Medicament Predicament’ in Melve.
  • Ring of Acclamation: Purchase at Philbert’s Sundries in Vernworth for 8,000 gold. Also rare drop from Minotaur.

Best Trickster Advanced Gear

You should know that the Charming Corset is the best advanced piece of body armor for any vocation, but you can only acquire it once by turning in 150 Seeker’s Tokens at the Vocation Guild.

Finally, don’t forget to upgrade and enhance your items in order to improve their damage dealing abilities and levels of protection. The following is a table of the best advanced gear for our Dragon’s Dogma 2 Mage Build – Basic Vocation (Class) guide.

Gear SlotGear ItemEffect
HeadPersecutor’s HornsDefense 76/Magick Defense 50/KD Res 28
BodyAres Morpho RobeDefense 115/Magick Defense 162/KD Resist 14
LegArena BreechesDefense 103/Magick Defense 63/KD Res 18
CloakCommander’s MantleCold Resist and Mild Debilitation Resist
WeaponWhimsical DaydreamStrength 175/ Magick 290/KD Power 50
RingRing of PercipienceIncreases maximum magick
RingRing of QuickeningIncreases Stamina recovery speed
Best Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build Advanced Gear

Below is the location for the best Trickster Advanced Gear:

  • Persecutor’s Horns: Purchase at Volcanic Island Armory (Volcanic Island Camp) for 33,500 gold.
  • Ares Morpho Robe: Purchase at Volcanic Island Armory (Volcanic Island Camp) for 42,800 gold.
  • Arena Breeches: Purchase at Volcanic Island Armory (Volcanic Island Camp) for 33,100 gold.
  • Commander’s Mantle: Purchase at Celeste’s Smithy (Checkpoint Rest Town) for 12,000.
  • Whimsical Daydream: Find the Sphinx at the Mountain Shrine. This is the reward for solving her 10th and final riddle.
    • Resonant Hymn is a less powerful but easier to find alternative. You can purchase it at Volcanic Island Armory (Volcanic Island Camp) for 39,000 gold.
  • Ring of Percipience: Can be looted from a chest in Ancestral Chamber near Sacred Arbor, or stolen from Myrddin’s Home at Checkpoint Rest Town. Can also be purchased at Grisha’s Armory (Sacred Arbor) for 5,000 gold.
  • Ring of Quickening: Purchase at Volcanic Island Armory (Volcanic Island Camp) for 10,000 gold.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Trickster Build Summary Guide

Skills:

  • Sweeping Shroud (Suffocating Shroud)
  • Delusory Screen (Illusive Divider)
  • Latching Effigy (Binding Effigy)
  • Aromatic Rally (Aromatic Resurgence)

Main Pawn: Sorcerer

Recruit Pawns: Mage, Thief

Primary Stat – Magick Defense

Weapons: Censer

Armor: Cloth

Race: Human

Augmentations:

  • Mettle, Provocation, Thew (Fighter)
  • Vitality (Warrior)
  • Apotropaism, Exaltation (Mage)

Best Beginner Gear

  • Head: Persecutor’s Horns
  • Body: Ares Morpho Robe
  • Leg: Arena Breeches
  • Cloak: Commander’s Mantle
  • Weapon: Whimsical Daydream
  • Shield: Round Shield
  • Ring: Ring of Percipience
  • Ring: Ring of Quickening

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