This build guide focuses on the key aspects of a Basic Vocation (Class) Archer in Dragon’s Dogma 2, including skills, gameplay, and pawns.
Best Archer Build – Basic Vocation (Class)
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, the Archer vocation is a formidable choice for players seeking high damage output and agility in combat. The Arisen or Pawns can use the Archer Basic Vocation to make an excellent pawn range damage dealer build. With its emphasis on ranged attacks, the Archer excels at dealing substantial damage from a distance while maintaining increased mobility compared to heavier vocations. The Archer’s arsenal also includes crowd-control abilities, allowing players to hinder or stun enemies from afar.
However, the Archer comes with its own set of drawbacks. Its lower survivability makes it vulnerable in close-quarters combat, as it sacrifices defensive capabilities for offensive prowess and agility. Moreover, unlike other vocations, the Archer lacks access to magical spells or abilities, limiting its utility in providing support or additional utility to the party. Furthermore, the Archer is predominantly locked into ranged combat, as its skills and abilities are optimized for attacking from a distance, restricting its effectiveness in melee encounters.

Using a Bow and Arrows, we’ve crafted this Archer Build focusing on range burst damage.
Archer Build Features
The following list presents all the essential Archer Build Mechanics and Features in Dragon’s Dogma 2:
Weapon Skills
The best skills for the Archer Vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2 are Barrage Shot, Torrent Shot, Dire Arrow, and Whirling Arrow. Barrage Shot is used for single-target damage, while Torrent Shot does damage over time. Dire Arrow helps crowd control enemies, while Whirling Arrow deals area damage. Dire Arrow can be swapped out for Exploding Shot if you have Explosive Arrows in your inventory and want more damage.
The Following List presents the best Dragon’s Dogma 2 Archer Build – Basic Vocation (Class) Weapon Skills:
Barrage Shot (Manifold Shot)
The Barrage Shot skill and advanced version of the Manifold Shot rapidly shoot arrows, causing serious damage to one target. The benefit of this skill is it can be used on the move. You want to use this later after you obtain the Manifold Shot version. Early on, Barrage Shot won’t outperform Steady Shot and drain a lot of your stamina. However, after you get the upgraded version, use Manifold Shot as your single target damage skill when stamina is high.
Barrage Shot: This shot Fires arrows rapidly, allowing for concentrated attacks on a single target. It can be employed while moving.

Torrent Shot (Tempest Shot)
The Tempest Shot skill and Torrent Shot advanced version is a powerful rapid-fire arrow ability. The downside of this skill is that it cannot be used while moving; however, the upside is massive damage. You’ll want to use this when movement isn’t needed and you don’t expect pressure.
Consider this your “flex” skill on your build. Swap in Exploding Shot requires the use of Explosive Arrows (craftable). That skill is effective against weak points on large monsters and can be used when taking on large enemies, and mobility is imperative.

Torrent Shot: Fires multiple arrows in rapid succession, with the rate of fire increasing with consecutive shots. Prevents movement while active.
Dire Arrow (Deathly Arrow)
The Dire Arrow skill is your knockdown and stun skill. This is helpful to crowd control enemies and useful when handling pressure or if your Pawns get attacked and you need to peel. However, this skill will not be effective in large monster or boss fights as they cannot be pinned down. Thus, it is situational and can be flexed out for a Blighting Shot or another arrow-specific skill.
Dire Arrow– Fires a devastating shot that knocks down smaller targets. When using Steady Shot, arrows become even more powerful if they are loosed when the bow is fully drawn.

Whirling Arrow (Spiral Arrow)
The Whirling Arrow skill is your area damage (AOE) and does spread-out damage. Use this skill when multiple enemies are in the area, and you must land additional attacks on more than one. While you aren’t an AoE damage machine like an archer, having some AOE is useful when exploring and combating.
Whirling Arrow – Loses a spinning arrow that delivers a barrage of hits to an area.
Core Skills
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Core Skills act as passive perks or basic attacks for your Archer Class. The Loose skill is your “light attack,” while the Front Kick is your “heavy attack.” The front kick is a melee skill and shouldn’t be used unless you must hit a target already stunned. Your main bread-and-butter skill is Steady Shot, which will be explained in detail below in the gameplay section.
You’ll want to rely heavily on light attacks and steady shots for damage, not spam skills draining your stamina. With Fire Boon from a Mage, passive damage will be high, and not draining your stamina is important for survivability.
The Following List presents Core Skills for Archer Build:
Maister Skills
In Dragon’s Dogma 2 you can learn an ultimate ability for your vocation from Maisters after earning their approval. Acquiring these abilities can often change the way you play your class, and are worth taking the time to earn.
Additionally, there is no set Vocation Rank you are required to have before you may unlock ultimate abilities. However, you must have unlocked the Vocation itself. Since Archer is one of the Starting vocations in Dragon’s Dogma 2, you will already have access to it.
The Following Lists presents theArcher Ultimate Ability and How to Unlock:
Augmentations
In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Augmentations function as passive boosts to your character’s overall power and build. These bonuses are acquired through leveling vocations, and you can equip up to 6 of them. Additionally, you can equip augmentations from other vocations if you have Ranked up that class high enough to unlock them. Therefore, it’s crucial to strategize your leveling process to acquire the most effective Augments early on in DD2. For this Fighter build, we recommend focusing on leveling the Warrior and Archer to unlock four specific Augments. These are the recommended mix of augmentations which will give you the most power and efficiency out of your Fighter.
The Following List presents Augmentations for Archer Build:
Best Pawns for Archer Build
The best Pawns for your Archer Build are a Fighter for crowd control, a Mage for support, and a Thief for melee damage. In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Pawns act as companion allies. Each Arisen (player) will have one main pawn who can pick vocation and skills and two additional support basic vocations. Below are the best pawns for the Fighter vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2:
Below are the best pawns for the Archer vocation in Dragon’s Dogma 2:
Archer Gameplay Tips and Tricks
The most important aspect of gameplay playing an Archer is managing your stamina by using Steady Shot as your primary damage source vs skills. While skills are effective as an Archer, using your basic attacks and pinpoint aiming will do good damage without draining your stamina. However, you’ll want to focus on weak points and exploding arrows or other types of elemental arrows later in the game for optimal damage.
Steady Shot
The Steady Shot core skill allows you to aim shots manually. By default, your light attack button will try to track targets but does poorly if movement is high. Thus, use Steady Shot, which will also do more damage. Weak points are parts on large monsters or enemies that deal extra damage. This can be the back, head, or misshapen colors from monsters or bosses. A Steady Shot is best when you are decent at aiming and want optimal damage without using stamina!
Arrows and Ammunition
If you use skills that consume arrows, you’ll need to have them in your inventory. One of the best is the Explosive Arrow, which requires the skill of Exploding Shot or Erupting Shot. These can also be crafted in your inventory but are rare due to resource restraints early in the game. It’s best to focus on crafting one or two specific shots that fill in a weakness for your Archer build. This could be a lack of area damage, damage over time, or weak point damage.
Stamina Sustain
Managing your stamina on Archer means you keep above 20% at all times and do not rely on skill spam for damage. It would be best if you weaved in and out skills rather than clicking them repeatedly. Moreover, sprint to get out of the way when taking aggro, and don’t stand toe to toe with melee enemies.
Your character’s size and weight will also determine stamina regeneration. Thus, smaller characters, with less equipment, will have been more sustained than larger pack mules. Lastly, keep consumables on you to drink when low.
Large Monsters
Unlike other builds, the Archer doesn’t need to climb on monsters to do damage. Your Archer can hit weak points on large enemies with arrows using Steady Shot. Moreover, you can use Exploding Arrows to aim precisely and ramp up the damage. Your goal when facing large monsters is to keep your time on target high by consistently doing damage and moving. Don’t stay in one place for long, or these monsters will randomly jump and attack you.
Equipment for Dragon’s Dogma 2 Archer Build
The best equipment for an Archer increases your strength and stamina. For Rings, look to increase health early on. While you progress, upgrade gear with raw materials to gain additional stat increases. Even one level that only costs gold can increase your survivability.
Additionally, prioritize weapon purchases over armor for the Archer Build. Using the Dragon’s Dogma, 2 Archer Build Basic Vocation (Class), you want higher offensive capabilities rather than damage.
Best Archer Beginner Gear
Below is the location for the best Archer Beginner Gear:
Best Archer Advanced Gear
In general, the best advanced gear in the game comes from the vendors rather than from monster drops. Note that theCharming Corsetis the best advanced piece of body armor for any vocation, but you can only acquire it once by turning in 150 Seeker’s Tokens at the Vocation Guild.
Finally, don’t forget to upgrade and enhance your items to improve their damage dealing abilities and levels of protection.
Below is the location for the best Archer Advanced Gear:
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Archer Build Summary Guide
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