Greetings, Arisen. Mayhaps you aught be looking for how to start the new expansion for Dragon’s Dogma 2?
Don’t worry, I’m not going to speak like that for the whole article.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen is a great expansion to one of my favourite action RPG’s in recent memory, but as with the main game, there are a few things that aren’t immediately obvious, i.e. how you actually start the thing. If you’re not sure where to look then I have you covered…
How do you start Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen
As with most early game quests, Captain Brant is the man to speak to here. You’ll find him in the Vernworth tavern, and speaking to him will present you with two new dialogue options that weren’t there previously:
- Asking him about the new Arisen will put you on the path to the Dark Arisen DLC. Once you’ve done this you’ll need to sleep at the nearby inn overnight, and from there the path to Norgan is self-explanatory.
- Asking him about the uncovered ruins will mark the location of one of the new Lost Rites dungeons on your map. Visit this and complete the combat challenge to unlock the Proving Ground compass which will identify all other dungeons across the main game map for you.
What level should you be to play Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen
Norgan is a harsh, frozen wasteland and it’s absolutely packed with roving hordes of enemies and colossal beasts, all waiting to stab, slash and stomp you. It’s been recommended that you’re at least level 40 before attempting the expansion, however I was 50 when I started and still felt fairly underpowered, so make of that what you will.
The Lost Rites dungeons are a bit more laidback, and you could start tackling these when you’re about level 20. As these appear in the main game map you might find they’re a better fit when played organically during a playthrough too.
Can you start Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen during The Unmoored World endgame event?
The short answer here is no.
The Unmoored World, aka the bit where the world is all red and scary, prevents you from accessing Dark Arisen. If, like me, that’s where you last left your save then you need to start a New Game+, and you have 3 options to do so:
- Clear the game on your current save
- Pass 10 in-game days by resting in inns
- Go to the main menu save slot screen and select “restart game with current level and equipment”
Once you’ve done that you’ll need to play through the prologue and get to Verworth before you can meet Captain Brant and trigger the expansion questlines. The good news is that you’ll likely be so overlevelled that anything you meet on the way to Verworth will be dead in a single hit!
Don’t forget to check out our Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen review.
