Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - Guides

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen(2012)

PS3 X360 PS4+4

Discord

Speedrun Mode (NG+) Guide v0.3

Guides

Speedrun Mode (NG+) Guide v0.3

Updated 2 years ago by glasnonck

[center][big][big]Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen[/big] Speedrun Mode (NG+) Guide v0.3[/big][/center]

Spoiler Warning: As the speedrun completes the entire game, the text in this guide may contain spoilers on aspects of the game's plot.

This route completes the game in Speedrun Mode as fast as possible. Timing begins upon gaining control of the player character on the beach of Cassardis and ends after the final use of the Godsbane in the Seneschal's Chamber. The leaderboard primarily compares the In-Game Time displayed during the post-game credits, but will also include RTA timing for comparison.

[section=Character Preparation] These are the recommended skills and augments based on the record run. They are by no means required for the run and could likely be improved.

[big]Skills[/big] Daggers

Instant Reset
Cutting Wind
Mad Dash

Bow

Fivefold Flurry
Pentad Shot
Mighty Bend

[big]Augments[/big] Autonomy (Assassin - 9): When venturing forth alone, Strength & Magick are up 70% and physical and magickal damage are reduced by 30 health per hit. Strength & Magick are up 20% with Dark Arisen, damage mitigation reduced to 20 health.

Clout (Warrior - 9): Increases Strength by 20%.

Grace (DA - Scroll of Grace): Raises the threshold for taking damage from falls, allowing you to safely alight from greater heights.

Resilience (Magick Archer - 6): Halves damage done from falling, though it still doesn't save you from death.

Sinew (Fighter - 5): Increases the weight that you can carry by 20kg, and increases the weight needed to go from all weight burden categories up to the next.

Vehemence (Fighter - 8): Strength is increased by 1.1 times.

[section=Ferrycrystal Placement] https://www.speedrun.com/ddda/guide/5a5nd

[section=Route Overview] This is a brief outline of the route for Speedrun Mode. The point of the overview is to highlight which main quests are completed if there is a choice of quests.

Stage 1

Complete "Newly Arisen" by selecting Strider as the Arisen's vocation.
Complete the escort quest, "Off With Its Head." [quote=Off With Its Head]Use Ne'er Do Part to heal and kicks to speed up the Ox. 1 Ne'er for every 3 kicks. Use blast arrows while the Ox is running do instantly kill any enemies ahead of the cart, ignore harpies.[/quote]

Stages 2 and 3

Complete the quest "Lure of the Abyss."
Fail the quest "A Fortress Besieged" by killing the leader with a Blast Arrow (recommend using conqueror's periapts for a guaranteed one-hit kill)
Complete the quest "The Cypher."
Visit the Duke to complete "Come to Court."

Stage 4

Complete "Griffin's Bane." [quote=Griffin's Bane]Ferry outisde Gran Soren to talk with Ser Georg. Ferry to the bait spot. Kill a spider. Place the spider as bait. Kill the Griffin with periapts and blast arrows.[/quote]
Complete "Trials and Tribulations."

Stage 5

Complete "The Wyrmking's Ring" by handing in the ring immediately.
Complete "Pride Before a Fall."
Complete "Honor and Treachery" by killing the Cockatrice while near the field gate.
Complete "Reward and Responsibility." [quote=Reward and Responsibility]Carry the Duke down to the first floor, throw him towards the treasury door while in midair. Mad Dash past the opening door and into the Treasury. Trigger the treasury exit cutscene before you're arrested, and Ferry to the Shadow Fort immediately after skipping the cutscene.[/quote]

Stage 6

Complete "Deny Salvation."
Complete "The Final Battle." [quote=The Final Battle]Lure the Gorechimera into pressing the four pressure plates. Kill the Dragon using the Maker's Finger.[/quote]

Post-Game

Use the front gate Portcrystal to immediately jump into the hole, pause buffering to line up or if you're skilled immediately directing yourself over the Flameservant's Throne, catch the ledge and skip the cutscene.
During the first stages of the Seneschal fight, use one blast arrow to drain his HP and Shearing Wind far enough away from him to skip some of his dialog.
Time ends when the Godsbane is plunged into the Arisen's chest.

[section=Detailed Route] [center][big][big]Stage 1[/big][/big][/center] [big]Newly Arisen[/big]

Run away from the dragon, backwards and a bit to the left.
Select Strider as your vocation.
Leave Chief Adaro's House.
Head down the path and enter the inn through the second door on the right.
Talk to the innkeeper Pablo to manage your items. -- Equip the bow and rings you prepared before the run. Darkening Storm and Daggerist's Ring are recommended.
Deposit any unneeded items -- Scrag of Beast, Greenwarish, Lantern, Rusted Bow, and the Set of Fisherman's Tatters.
Withdraw items that you prepared before the run.

CHANGE EQUIPMENT:

Darkening Storm
Framae Blades
Cursed King's Belt
Daggerist's Ring + Barbed Nails DEPOSIT:
Scrag of Beast
Greenwarish
Lantern
Rusted Bow
Set of Fisherman's Tatters WITHDRAW: [small]< curatives >[/small]
25 Ne'er Do Part
5 Panacea
11x Liquid Vim [small]< tools >[/small]
92x Blast Arrow
1x Maker's Finger
16x Conqueror's Periapt
1x Eternal Ferrystone [small]< special >[/small]
1x Wyrmking's Ring [small]< other >[/small]
20x Wakestone
2x Skeleton Key

Leave Cassardis.
Head down the path to the Encampment.
Interact with the Rift Stone.
Head to the East gate.
Equip Blast Arrows and use a Conqueror's Periapt.
Exit the Encampment.
Kill the Cyclops with a single blast arrow.
Return to the Rift Stone.
Confirm the creation of your pawn as a Fighter. Remove your Pawn's Equipment.
Dismiss Rook inside the Rift.
Talk to Ser Bern.
Reenter the Encampment.
Talk to Mercedes.

[big]Off With Its Head[/big]

Use 2 Conqueror's Periapt.
Shoot off a hydra head with a single blast arrow.
Talk to Mercedes.
Leave the Encampment.
Head down the path until you reach about half stamina.
Use a Liquid Vim.
Continue down the path to regroup with Mercedes at the Mountain Waycastle.
Escort the Ox to Gran Soren. -- Kick the Ox (interact while next to the Ox) to make it move quickly. -- Use blast arrows to kill some of the enemies along the way. -- Use a Ne'er Do Part while next to the Ox whenever it gets close to 60% health (2-3 kicks). -- Before the Ox reaches the gate, kill the goblins that guard it. Kick the ox once more, and then move to open the gate. Immediately kill the goblins in front of the Ox. -- Once the Ox reaches the level part of the bridge at Gran Soren's gate, run to the guards to finish the quest.

[center][big][big]Stage 2 and 3[/big][/big][/center] [big]Lure of the Abyss[/big]

Upon regaining control in Gran Soren, ferry to Gran Soren.
Enter the Pawn Guild and talk to Barnaby twice.
Enter the Everfall.
Fall down the Everfall.
Use Instant Reset when you hit the ground.
Interact with the central plate.
Ferry to the Pawn Killing Cliff, grab and throw your pawn. Immediately Ferry back to Gran Soren.
Ferry to Gran Soren.
Head up the path to the Passage Gate.
Use a Liquid Vim.
Continue up the Passage Gate to talk with Ser Maximilian twice. -- Decipher a text -- Route a Monster Infestation.

[big]Q Fortress Besieged[/big]

Enter the Shadow Fort.
Kill Ser Robert with a blast arrow and some Conqueror's Periapts.

[big]The Cypher[/big]

Ferry to the Hillfigure Knoll.
Talk to the Dragonforged.
Ferry to Gran Soren.
Use Liquid Vim.
Head up the Passage Gate to talk with Ser Maximilian three times. -- Hear the duke's directive
Enter the Duke's Demesne.

[big]Come to Court[/big]

Head inside the manor to the Audience Chamber.
Head back outside the way you came in.
Once you reach the gate, go back inside the manor to the Audience Chamber.
Talk to Aldous and accept both quests.
Ferry to the meeting point for the hunting party outside Gran Soren.

[center][big][big]Stage 4[/big][/big][/center] [big]Griffin's Bane[/big]

Talk to Ser Georg.
Ferry to the Griffin hunting grounds.
Kill a spider, grab it, and throw it into the bait zone.
Use 4 Conqueror's Periapt and use a Fivefold Flurry of Blast Arrows to kill the Griffin.
Once you are able to ferry, ferry outside Gran Soren's South gate.

[big]Trials and Tribulations[/big]

Go to the Inn and sleep till morning 5 times.
Exit the Inn.
Attack a citizen to get sent to jail.

[center][big][big]Stage 5[/big][/big][/center] [big]The Wyrmking's Ring[/big]

Open the door with a skeleton key.
Reequip your Weapons and Jewelry.
Run up the stairs to talk to Aldous 5 times. -- Turn in Griffin's Bane. -- Turn in Trials and Tribulations. -- Receive the Wyrmking's Ring. -- Turn in the Wyrmking's Ring. -- Receive Pride Before a Fall.

[big]Pride Before a Fall[/big]

Head to the front of the demesne and talk to Mercedes.
Ferry to Windbluff Tower.
Kill Julien.
Walk away once.
Ferry to Gran Soren.

[big]Honor and Treachery[/big]

Attack a citizen to get sent to jail.
Open the door with a skeleton key.
Reequip your Weapons and Jewelry.
Use a Liquid Vim.
Run up the stairs to talk to Aldous 5 times.
Ferry to the Mountain Waycastle.
Ferry to the West gate of Gran Soren.
Enter Gran Soren.
Equip Blast Arrows and use 4 Conqueror's Periapt.
Use two volleys of Fivefold Flurry to kill the Cockatrice.
Talk to the guard at the gate to return to Aldous.

[big]Reward and Responsibility[/big]

Talk to Aldous.
Go to the Duke's Solar and talk with the Duke.
Once the Duke lines up with the door to the Vault Hallway, grab him and jump down, throwing him at the door.
Mad Dash into the Treasury.
Leave the Treasury without being arrested.
Ferry to the Greatwall Encampment before you're arrested.

[center][big][big]Stage 6[/big][/big][/center] [big]Deny Salvation[/big]