Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance has been out a few weeks, so players have had some time to make use of its playable characters. Each character brings something unique to the gameplay. The action RPG has countless encounters with all manner of enemies, and cooperative play is undoubtedly a major selling point for some gamers. With that said, Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance can be completed while playing solo. While each character brings something unique to the table, not every character is equally viable for solo play.
While it launched to some decent reviews, players would like to see certain aspects of Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance improved. Almost universally, fans and critics alike have disliked certain parts of Dark Alliance. The camera has been a common criticism, as well as some of its visuals and enemy behavior. The developer, Tuque Games, has promised to improve the game with future updates. Many consider the game to be at its best while with a group, but this doesn't mean it can't be beaten while playing solo. The Companions of the Hall each fulfill unique roles, but some are more practical than others while playing solo.
S Tier - Bruenor Battlehammer
For playing Dark Alliance solo, Bruenor Battlehammer could be considered the best option at the moment. Bruenor is, by some margin, the tankiest playable character at the moment. By design, Bruenor fulfills the tank role on the battlefield in Dark Alliance. His deep pool of hit points and defense enable him to outlast his enemies in battle. Bruenor is also capable of some decent damage output, thanks to abilities like Whirlwind and Anvil of Clangeddin. While his damage output isn't as considerable as others, he has the highest survivability of all the characters, which is especially important in solo play when no other characters are around to revive the player character.
A Tier - Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urdern is perhaps the best-known character in Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance. The Drow Ranger is a deadly force on the battlefield in Dark Alliance. Drizzt functions as a pure damage-dealer with his twin scimitars, and he is perhaps the most maneuverable of all the playable characters. Drizzt strikes extremely fast and can wear down enemies very quickly, especially so with abilities like Blink and Cloud of Daggers. Drizzt can easily duck and weave between his targets, though he is considerably more fragile than Bruenor. While his damage output is excellent, his isn't quite as much, making him a bit less manageable than Bruenor Battlehammer.
B Tier - Wulfgar
The barbarian, Wulfgar, is a solid choice to beat Dark Alliance while playing solo. Wulfgar's talents are focused on dealing heavy strikes that do proportionate damage and break enemy defenses. He isn't capable of the same damage output as Drizzt, and he isn't as hardy as Bruenor Battlehammer. Wulfgar sits in between as a happy medium of sorts, where he can deal and withstand a respectable amount of damage. Wulfgar has some great abilities like Shockwave and Primal Instinct, which scales his damage and defenses with how many hit points he lost. While he isn't as ideal a choice as Bruenor or Drizzt, players should be able to comfortably beat the game with Wulfgar.
C Tier - Catti-Brie
Catti-Brie perhaps has the most unique playstyle, but she isn't as good a choice as her fellow companions for playing solo. Catti-Brie's strength comes from using long-ranged attacks and keeping her distance, but this can be difficult to manage while playing solo. Catti-Brie plays best while she has companions who keep enemies engaged in melee, and while she can use melee attacks, they're simply not as strong as her associates.
Catti-Brie acts as a great healer in cooperative sessions too, which she can use in a limited capacity, but she doesn't lend herself to solo play as well as the other playable characters. Her usefulness in multiplayer play sessions is hard to deny, abilities like Ensnaring Strike are great while playing with others, but unfortunately, she doesn't translate as well while playing solo.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is due DLC before the end of 2021. After some free downloadable content is released, an expansion entitled Echoes of the Blood War is due to be launched. It's been confirmed that this will have a new playable character, so time will tell how this new protagonist will stack up against the other companions. For players who are looking to complete the game solo, Bruenor is potentially the most viable option. Drizzt and Wulfgar are certainly doable as well, but Catti-Brie will likely give players the biggest challenge. While Dark Alliance arguably thrives in co-op, it is certainly achievable to beat the game solo.
Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
