How to Unlock Characters in Darkest Dungeon 2? Check Here
by Reshwanth A | Updated May 11, 2023
Darkest Dungeon 2
Darkest Dungeon II is a role-playing video game developed and published by Red Hook Studios, and it serves as the sequel to the original Darkest Dungeon. The game was released in early access for Microsoft Windows in October 2021, and the full version of the game was officially released on May 8, 2023. Chris Bourassa serves as the game's director, while Tyler Sigman serves as the designer.
The game's original soundtrack is composed by Stuart Chatwood, and it is powered by the Unity game engine. Darkest Dungeon II features multiple characters, each with their own unique strengths and abilities, and players can equip these characters with trinkets and combat items. The player can commandeer the stagecoach, which is the primary way of navigating the game's world, and the ultimate goal is to reach a mountain, which is the source of evil that has overtaken the world.
The game features turn-based combat, and proper positioning of the characters is essential for them to use their skills effectively. As the characters progress in the game, their stress level would increase, affecting their combat effectiveness and relationships with other characters. The game also features a hospital, an inn, and shrines of reflection where players can remove bad character traits, lower stress levels, and learn more about the game's characters.
Darkest Dungeon II is a single-player game that combines role-playing and roguelike elements to create a challenging and immersive experience for players.
How to unlock characters in Darkest Dungeon 2?
In Darkest Dungeon 2, players can unlock all characters by increasing their profile rank, which can be done simply by playing the game and accumulating Hope. Players earn Hope by completing runs or dying, and multiple rank-ups can happen in a single run during the early stages of the game. Therefore, players need not focus solely on accumulating enough Hope to rank up but rather can play the game as usual.
Each hero is unlocked at a specific rank, with the Runaway available at Rank 6. Hope can be earned through various means such as completing missions, defeating enemies, maintaining the torch, progressing the wagon, and helping NPCs. The more progress players make, the more Hope they will gain. Ultimately, the key to unlocking all characters is to progress as far as possible and complete the game's objectives.
Here is the list of ranks needed to unlock each hero
Darkest Dungeon 2 Best Characters
Flagellant
In Darkest Dungeon 2, finding the right balance between a frontline fighter and a damage dealer is crucial. Characters like the Man-At-Arms excel at striking this balance, with both offensive and defensive capabilities. However, the Flagellant struggles to achieve this balance, as their healing token is only available through one skill. While the ability to heal allies and remove debuffs is a valuable asset, the Flagellant pays a high price in terms of their own health and stress levels.
Unfortunately, this character lacks any means to cope with increasing stress levels, and their self-damage can spiral out of control much faster than other tanks.
Occultist
Players in the Darkest Dungeon 2 community have expressed their hope for a buff to the Occultist, as they struggle to find effective team compositions that utilize his healing abilities. Unfortunately, it has become clear that using the Occultist's best moves often requires taking too many risks, and these gambles do not always pay off, leaving the hero vulnerable to enemy attacks.
The Occultist's reliance on stacking Unchecked Power tokens for his best skills means that he must engage in self-harm and rely on lucky combos to do so. While the hero does possess useful debuffs, other characters like the plague doctors outshine the Occultist in terms of overall capabilities. Despite the community's desire for a buff, it seems that the Occultist remains a difficult character to use effectively.
Vestal
The Vestal is a challenging character to build, with unique buff and debuff abilities that vary depending on the chosen path. This adds an interesting dynamic to gameplay, as certain skills may perform differently at various stages of the game. While the Vestal has the potential for powerful curses, it requires the right build path to shine and may be weaker than other options early on. Additionally, the character's slow speed and long skill cooldowns can make mastering the Vestal an arduous and less rewarding task.
Grave Robber
Without a doubt, the Grave Robber is a jack of all trades but a master of none in Darkest Dungeon 2. This hero is capable of performing a wide range of actions such as tanking, healing, dealing damage, and applying buffs, and debuffs. However, this versatility comes at a cost.
The Grave Robber's potential is limited compared to other heroes who can unlock incredible abilities that make them outstanding. While the Grave Robber can do many things, they don't excel at any of them. As a result, players may find it more beneficial to focus on upgrading the stagecoach rather than investing too much in this average hero.
Bounty Hunter
The Bounty Hunter's ranking on this list may seem unfair as he is a temporary hero that can only be hired for four candles at an Inn. While he offers great damage and the ability to give a rest to a wounded character, his temporary nature and high hire fee make it difficult to justify his place in a team. As more popular characters return in Darkest Dungeon 2, the Bounty Hunter's lack of permanence and inability to be built around mean he will never truly fit in with the group dynamic and should not be relied upon.
Highwayman
The Highwayman is the epitome of a damage dealer. He has a variety of attacks that can be used at both short and long-range, making him a valuable member of any team, even from the start of the game (although his weak defenses make him less suitable for frontline combat).
To fully optimize his potential, players should use his powerful attacks from the second position. However, for players who have the Runaway or Jester on their team, it may be more beneficial to keep the Highwayman's skills balanced between ranged and melee attacks, so he can contribute from any position. Although he may not have any standout abilities, his consistent damage output makes him a vital asset for any party.
Runaway
In Darkest Dungeon 2, no single hero can do everything they need to succeed. They must rely on their teammates to cover certain areas. However, the Runaway comes close to being an all-around hero with her stealth making her hard to hit and her fire effects causing damage over time to enemies. She changes ranks often, which can make her challenging to use with allies that depend on specific ranks. Nonetheless, players with a versatile team will appreciate how she can heal, remove stealth from enemies, take care of her own defenses, and stack fire damage consistently.
Jester
The Jester's primary limitation is his tendency to move around with most of his skills. This can disrupt a player's carefully arranged formation and preferred rank spots. However, his ability to generate more combo tokens than any other hero in the game often makes up for this drawback. This is particularly important since some heroes, like the Occultist, rely heavily on combo set-ups, while others, such as the Leper, can easily become uncontrollable. A skilled Jester can turn the game into one of the most engaging turn-based CRPGs available.
Leper
The Leper is a hero that can both take and deal out a lot of damage. However, he comes with a drawback that may deter some players - he starts with two stacks of blindness and has moves that can add more. However, experienced turn-based tactical gamers can easily mitigate this with Leper's Reflection, which not only removes blindness but also decreases stress. Despite this initial challenge, the Leper is a great tank and can hold his own on the front lines while also healing himself, making him a valuable asset to any team.
Hellion
The medieval-themed setting of video games makes the Hellion a natural fit. As her health decreases, she becomes stronger and has a skill called Raucous Revelry, which heals the entire team and reduces their stress levels. She can also remove debuffs from her allies.
Her only drawback is a unique debuff called Winded, which reduces her damage output. However, she has multiple moves that can clear all stacks of Winded, making it a non-issue. When paired with a skilled healer, the Hellion becomes an overpowered hero in battle.
Man-At-Arms
The Man-At-Arms is a hero that excels in applying block buffs to himself and potentially another hero in the second rank. He has the unique ability to move forward and even debuff himself to prevent being pushed back, which may appeal to players who use heroes like the Runaway or the Jester.
As enemy damage becomes more intense with stronger enemy buffs like Ordainment, the number of heroes capable of taking hits and shrugging them off will decrease. The Man-At-Arms is capable of absorbing these blows while reducing the stress from repeated hits. He's a reliable and sturdy choice for players looking for a tank that can hold its own.
Plague Doctor
The Plague Doctor, available from the start, is an exceptional hero that surpasses others in the game. With excellent healing abilities, she can remove negative debuffs and convert them into more healing.
Moreover, the Plague Doctor's build allows her to inflict Blight, Fire, and Bleed on enemies, making her a formidable opponent against bosses. Although the hero's low defenses are a weakness, it is only a concern if she is positioned in ranks one or two.
Darkest Dungeon 2 GamePlay
Darkest Dungeon II is an RPG with elements of a roguelike game. The game features multiple characters, each with their own unique strengths and abilities, which players can equip with trinkets and combat items. The stagecoach is the primary way to navigate the game's world, and players can use it to move forward toward the ultimate goal of reaching a mountain that is the source of evil overtaking the world.
As players explore the world, they will encounter different locations of interest and roadblocks, leading them into turn-based combat scenarios. Proper positioning of heroes is crucial, as some of their skills cannot be used when they are standing in the wrong spot. During exploration, players can also visit Shrines of Reflection to learn more about the characters' backstories.
As characters progress in the game, their stress levels increase, which could lead to debilitating meltdowns during combat, causing a decrease in health and negative traits. High-stress levels can also affect relationships between characters, with friendly relationships leading to additional perks and hostile ones hindering the use of skills and increasing stress levels.
Players can visit a Hospital to remove negative traits and lower stress levels. When a team member dies, a new one will join the team at the inn, which also provides an opportunity to lower stress levels and improve team dynamics. However, a stay at the inn increases the Loathing stat, indicating the all-consuming evil of the world. The flame on the stagecoach represents the team's hope, and as it nears extinction, the team suffers from penalties.
When a run ends, the Profile rank increases, unlocking new characters and items for players to use in subsequent runs.
Darkest Dungeon 2 OverView
Developer(s)
Red Hook Studies
Publisher(s)
Red Hook Studios
Director(s)
Chris Bourassa
Designer(s)
Tyler Sigman
Composer(s)
Stuart Chatwood
Engine
Unity
Platform(s)
windows
Release
October 26, 2021 (early access) May 8, 2023 (full release)
Genre(s)
Role-playing, roguelike
Mode(s)
Single-player
Specification
Details
How to unlock characters in Darkest Dungeon 2 - FAQs
Darkest Dungeon 2 is a role-playing video game developed and published by Red Hook Studios. It is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Darkest Dungeon and features similar gameplay mechanics and a Gothic Lovecraftian theme.
As of now, Darkest Dungeon 2 is only available on Microsoft Windows. There is no information on whether the game will be released on other platforms in the future.
No, Darkest Dungeon 2 is a single-player game only. There is no multiplayer mode available in the game.
Yes, Darkest Dungeon 2 is generally considered to be more difficult than its predecessor. The game features tougher enemies, more complex mechanics, and a harsher penalty system for character deaths.