Highlights

  • Dragonsplague is a hidden affliction in Dragon's Dogma 2 that can turn AI companions into dragons if not caught in time.
  • Signs of Dragonsplague in Pawns include red eyes, disobedience, headaches, and coughing at regular intervals.
  • To cure the Dragonsplague, players can dismiss the affected Pawn or sacrifice them to stop the spread of the disease.

Dragon's Dogma 2 isn't the most easy to understand RPG in the world. While players are bombarded with tutorials pretty much from the get-go, there are still many mechanics and systems in Dragon's Dogma 2 that aren't directly explained to the player, and even when they are, so information has seemingly been omitted. On one hand, this puts player-exploration at the forefront of the experience, which helps to set Dragon's Dogma 2 apart from its more streamlined competition. But on the other hand, the sheer number of intricate systems at play in Dragon's Dogma 2 can be an easy turn-off for new players.

Thankfully, with a bit of time and even more patience, players will start to wrap their head around some of Dragon's Dogma 2's more obtuse mechanics. However, when it comes to some systems, players just don't have that luxury. Dragonsplague, for instance, doesn't have the most in-depth tutorial, and players can't afford to just wait around and see what happens.

Dragon's Dogma 2 world-1
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Explaining Dragon's Dogma 2's Dragonsplague

What Dragonsplague Is and What It Does

One of the most novel gameplay features of Dragon's Dogma 2 is its Pawn system, whereby players can summon up to three AI companions to assist them in battle. These Pawns are either Capcom creations, or the creations of other players, and thanks to their vastly improved AI from the first game, they're an invaluable asset in Dragon's Dogma 2. However, a few hours into Dragon's Dogma 2, players might receive a tutorial message that details something called "Dragonsplague," a hidden affliction that only affects Pawns.

Not visible in the Pawn's status menu, Dragonsplague is by far one of the most dangerous elements of Dragon's Dogma 2, with it leading to utter devastation if the player doesn't catch it in time. Essentially, Dragonsplague is an illness that can eventually turn a Pawn into a dragon. This transformation will occur when the player rests at an inn, where they'll be met with a cutscene that shows their afflicted Pawn being consumed by darkness, before turning into a gigantic dragon. The screen then cuts to black, and the player-character wakes up. More often than not, the Dragonsplagued Pawn will have murdered the vast majority of the village or city's residents in their uncontrollable fury.

With most of the townsfolk dead, many players will be forced to revive any key quest-giving characters in order to move the story along, which will require them to seek out the Eternal Wakestone hidden behind the Sphinx's riddles.

How to Spot Dragonsplague In Pawns

Thankfully, Dragonsplague isn't completely invisible. One of the main signs that a Pawn has Dragonsplague - aside from the initial tutorial message popping up - is that they'll have bright red eyes. Additionally, the worse the Dragonsplague gets, the more disobedient a Pawn becomes. Upon being issued a command via the D-Pad, the afflicted Pawn will begin to refuse the command, such as stopping in their tracks when the player tells them to run head-first into battle. Finally, one last noticeable Dragonsplague symptom is that the Pawn will begin to suffer from headaches, and will begin to cough at regular intervals.

How to Cure the Dragonsplague Affliction

There are a handful of ways that players can stop Dragonsplague before it results in calamity. The easiest method is to simply dismiss the affected Pawn, though that's easier said than done as Dragonsplague is an infectious disease, which means that they might have passed it on before the player has a chance to dismiss them. Sacrificing the afflicted Pawn will also stop the spread of Dragonsplague, though it does mean that the player will need to recall them again from a Riftstone.