Darkest Dungeon 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to incredibly challenging, gothic rogue-like, Darkest Dungeon, and has attracted an immense following of fans with its demanding gameplay. Building upon the success of its predecessor, the game features some classic characters from Darkest Dungeon.
While Darkest Dungeon 2 also features some well-received new faces, such as The Runaway, it's worth noting that some beloved characters from the original Darkest Dungeon are noticeably missing from the game's roster of characters. Here are some original heroes from Darkest Dungeon that have not made their return in Darkest Dungeon 2.
6 Abomination
Abomination is one of the most complicated heroes in Darkest Dungeon. He has two forms that players must perfect - his human form, and Abomination form. His Abomination form is incredibly powerful but will inflict Stress on the rest of the party, making him particularly tough to master. Typically, players should use the Abomination in his human form to stun targets, and only transform when they need some high damage.
Unfortunately, his move set may be difficult to translate over to Darkest Dungeon 2's skill unlock system. In Darkest Dungeon, players will have all his skills available straight away, instead of unlocking them through Shrines like in Darkest Dungeon 2. Due to the complexity of his character, and requiring two models, he's one of the more unlikely heroes to return in Darkest Dungeon 2. However, he'd still be a welcome addition for fans looking for a bigger challenge.
5 Arbalest
The Arbalest's main niche in Darkest Dungeon is to provide some solid backline damage with her long-range attacks. This role is particularly lacking in Darkest Dungeon 2, and it would be great to see her return. Currently, the game's most similar hero is The Highwayman, who's a bit more versatile with his ranks.
She also acts as an off-healer and can support some of the less reliable or weaker healers in the game. The Arbalest is a solid choice for players who don't want to bring a main healer, and instead want multiple heroes who can sustain the team's health, whilst still providing good damage. Darkest Dungeon 2 features quite a few characters who can self-sustain themselves - the Arbalest would be a great hero to compliment them without having to bring a main healer.
4 Crusader
One of the most anticipated characters from Darkest Dungeon is the Crusader. The Crusader is one of the first heroes players will ever get to try out in Darkest Dungeon and is truly beloved in the community. He's able to fill various roles, acting as a tank, Stress healer, and stunner. He also particularly shines in The Ruins against Unholy enemies.
Unfortunately, his niche, frontline damage, is already quite an oversaturated role in Darkest Dungeon 2, and other roles will likely be prioritized over him. Still, as the face of Darkest Dungeon, fans are eager for his return.
3 Houndmaster
Many fans are eager for the return of the Houndmaster in Darkest Dungeon 2. The Houndmaster really is the jack of all trades. He excels in aggressive combat, dealing substantial damage over time through Bleeds, and in providing valuable support to the team. Players will find that the Houndmaster is particularly good to bring into The Warrens, due to extra damage against Beasts.
With the capacity to heal both his own and party Stress, and mark enemies as targets, the Houndmaster serves as a utility class with a supportive role. The Houndmaster can also hit all ranges, which would make him incredibly useful in Darkest Dungeon 2. He can be tailored to suit any party, and he'd be a welcome addition to the game's roster.
2 Musketeer
The Musketeer was released as a free DLC for Darkest Dungeon and is functionally a reskin of the Arbalest. She does, however, have her own unique trinkets and lore, but hasn't had much time to shine as her own character. Darkest Dungeon 2 would be an excellent opportunity for her to step into the spotlight.
The game is particularly lacking characters that deal long-range, backline damage, and she would make an excellent addition to the roster. Darkest Dungeon 2's Shrine system would be a fantastic opportunity for her lore to be developed further, too.
1 Shieldbreaker
Shieldbreaker is a DLC character for the original Darkest Dungeon, and it's clear her design had a lot of love put into it. She has a well-developed backstory that would fit perfectly into the Shrine system of Darkest Dungeon 2. Her play style is incredibly fun and unique, involving plenty of interaction with different tokens, such as Guard, Stealth, and Block.
She's also one of the more versatile heroes in Darkest Dungeon, as she can do damage from any rank. For this reason, she'd be a great fit in Darkest Dungeon 2. Many of the game's main bosses require heroes to hit multiple ranks and deal with being moved around a lot, and Shieldbreaker can do this with ease.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is available now for PC.