Dragon’s Dogma 2 offers its players a lot of choices in how they approach combat in the game through its Vocation System. Each Vocation is tied to a specific weapon, and the more you fight with that weapon, the more levels you gain in that Vocation. More levels mean more Weapon Skills for your player, which are unique attacks of which you can equip up to four of.

While each Weapon Skill does have unique situations in which it can offer up huge advantages, some of them just stand out from the crowd for their versatility or just raw damage. Some of them come with trade-offs, however, as they can be hard to unlock early in the story, or could leave your Arisen drained of health or stamina in many cases.

Destructive and Useful Weapon Skills You Should Check Out in Dragon’s Dogma 2

However, the destructive potential of these Weapon Skills could, in theory, offset any losses that come from their use. Paired with the right Augments and buffs, they could devastate even lesser drakes and other tough foes, meaning that their effective use could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Many of these Weapon Skills are unique to the Arisen, putting your character front and centre, and leaving their application in your control. We do have a pick for your Main Pawn too, though!

Here are some of the best weapon skills we found in Dragon’s Dogma 2:

5. The Ricochet Seeker

For maximum damage in small, cramped spaces there is no better Weapon Skill than the Ricochet Seeker or its evolved version the Ricochet Hunter. With the Magick Archer Vocation equipped and a suitable Magick Bow to hand, this skill sees your Arisen charge up a swarm of magical shots that bounce of nearby walls with deadly speed and surprising accuracy.

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Watch enemy health bars melt away in a matter of seconds after you let this skill loose. However, in an open space, this Weapon Skill serves no other function than occupying a skill slot that could be taken up by another, more useful skill. However, it can be worth having as a Magick Archer if you complement it with other skills to manage a variety of situations.

You could consider the Sagittate Downpour as an alternative to this Weapon Skills based on if you’re exploring outside and swap between the two at Campfires if the need arises.

4. Helm Splitter

A Weapon Skill for the Thief, the Helm Splitter and its evolved form Skull Splitter let either your Arisen or Main Pawn do a ton of damage to an enemy’s weak spot if you get the placement right. What’s more, holding down your heavy attack button could let you hang on to your foe, negating the stamina requirements for climbing it.

It’s a versatile skill that could be very destructive in the right hands. You could also equip it to your Arisen and Main Pawn and go for raw destructive power against enemies who won’t be able to see or hit you with the right set-ups!

3. Formless Feint

Another skill for the Thief Vocation, this skill lets you tank a lot of damage in exchange for stamina, making you a ghost on the battlefield as far as your foes are concerned. You simply phase through enemy attacks and can punish them with impunity.

While stamina management becomes paramount to using this skill effectively, you could essentially become an immortal whirlwind of damage, especially if you could combine this skill with other ones from the Thief skill tree, which is already versatile, to begin with.

It can also be unlocked fairly early in the game once you can access Vermont at the Nameless Village to the East. Be ready for some puzzle-solving and platforming, however, as you gain this as a reward for finding the right Thief Maister!

Note that you cannot equip this skill with the Warfarer Voation which blocks you out of using Maister skills.

2. Winding Cut

While technically not a weapon skill, this Core Skill for the Mystic Spearhand Vocation lets you channel your inner Darth Maul and twirl your duospear around with deadly results. You may need to get a little of practice in before the button timing feels right when you activate it, but it’s well worth the effort.

SUGGESTED: How to Unlock the Mystic Spearhand Vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2

It is fantastic against enemy weak points and can easily stun-lock lighter enemies in many situations. What’s more, it works very well with Weapon Skills like the Mirour Shelde, making you an invincible destructive force that’s built to bring even the largest drakes to the ground. The Wild Furie Maister Skill for the Mystic Spearhand is a great alternative to use too.

This skill can only be used by your Arisen, as the Mystic Spearhand is not available for Pawns.

1. Martyr’s Bolt

The Martyr’s Bolt is simply the most destructive Weapon Skill for any Arisen in Dragon’s Dogma 2. As the Maister Skill for the Magick Archer Vocation, all you need to do is charge it up within range, let it loose, and watch your foes’ health bars just vanish in front of you.

It comes with a trade-off that’s hard to ignore, sadly. Charging up the bolt comes directly at the cost of your health bar from the second you activate the ability. You choose the amount of health you are willing to give up in exchange for damage, adding a layer of tactics to the mix. What’s worse, the health you lose can only be regained by resting at an inn or campfire.

Think of this skill as a last resort, but a very effective one at that.

These Weapon Skills should let you brave the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 with fewer reasons to be afraid of its many threats. Stay tuned for more on the latest in gaming!