The Affinity system in Darkest Dungeon 2 allows the heroes to have positive and negative relationships with each other. Positive relationships will empower skills with the Blessed trait, making it so that when the hero uses the given skill, their friend receives a benefit.
Conversely, heroes that do not have a good relationship with one another in Darkest Dungeon 2 will create debuffs and penalties for each other when using skills labeled as Cursed. Runs can be ruined by Cursed effects and saved by Blessed effects, so building healthy relationships with the Affinity system becomes vital.
Creating Positive Affinity
The following moves, decisions, and items have a chance of generating positive Affinity points:
- Make decisions allies agree with
- Buff, reduce stress, guard or heal an ally at low health
- Complete a combo
- Attack an enemy with back-to-back strikes
- Attack an enemy immediately after it attacks an ally
- Move an ally with low stress
- Use Inn items and get lucky
- Boxing Gloves
- Candles and Chocolate
- Dartboard
- Playing Cards
- Pipeweed
- Roast Pig
- Songbook of Amorous Ballads
- Songbook of Touching Dirges
- The Wine
- Whiskey Barrel
- Whiskey Bottle
It must be stressed for both gaining and losing Affinity that, aside from decisions, there is only a chance of gaining or losing relationship points. There are no guarantees that any of these combat maneuvers will work or fail. Generally speaking, with the Inn items, the odds are better of getting positive points so it's worth the gamble most of the time. Upgrading the stagecoach can yield some Inn items to use as well.
Avoiding Negative Affinity
The following moves, decisions, and items have a chance of generating negative Affinity points:
- Make decisions allies disagree with
- Buff, reduce stress, guard or heal an ally when another ally is also in need
- Move an ally with high stress
- Use Inn items and get unlucky (see the previous section for the item list)
The best heroes can overcome bad Affinity points but it's not pretty. Especially when a Cursed debuff pops up on a core skill, players will then occasionally be forced to keep using the ability while punishing their ally or abandon the move entirely and play shorthanded in combat.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is available now for PC.