Best Positive Quirks In Darkest Dungeon 2

Highlights

• Evasive Quirk boosts dodge chances in challenging encounters, aiding survivability against consecutive boss attacks.
• Hard Skinned improves defense by halving damage from two hits in combat, essential for tanking boss assaults.
• Tactical Thinker enhances Crit and Dodge for DOT builds, ideal for Heroes relying on consistent damage output.

Players don’t have much control over their Quirks in Darkest Dungeon 2. With an expensive trip to the Field Surgeon, gamers can make a positive Quirk permanent but should only spend that kind of gold if the positive Quirk is truly contributing substantially to victory.

This is not to say that none of them do. There are a handful of positive Quirks in Darkest Dungeon 2 that are great to the point of overpowered. Players who get one of these Quirks on a character know that they’re going to be in for a good run.

Updated August 5, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: With July 15 marking the arrival of Darkest Dungeon 2 to the Xbox, fans of the dark fantasy series can finally use the console to save the world from eldritch forces threatening to fully bring humanity to their heel. The port comes with The Binding Blade DLC, which in itself comes with the Duelist and Crusader, whose skills players can rely on in their roster of Heroes.

However, for players who aim to create the perfect team composition, knowing how best to raise their Heroes is a surefire way of maximizing their use in combat. Among the many properties of Heroes that players need to study are positive quirks, which are the right combination to catapult a Hero into lead status. These buffs can help them perform properly in fights. Suggested Positive Quirks include opportunities to become more tanky, a significant boost to ranged prowess, and a buff that increases one’s critical chance.

1

Evasive

Perfect For Countering Bosses With Combos

• Start of Combat: x2 Dodge+, where each Dodge+ grants 75% chance to dodge next attack

When a game like Darkest Dungeon 2 starts to amp up the difficulty the further players go through their experience, players might notice it’s just as important to focus on defense just as much as offense. In this regard, a Quirk like Evasive can give Heroes a better shot at surviving challenging encounters.

Acquiring this Quirk gives players access to two Dodge+ stacks, effectively giving its Hero two chances of likely dodging an enemy attack. This ability is useful when dealing with bosses that use consecutive attacks and may be decently paired with debuffs such as Blind to increase the chances of enemy attacks missing outright.

2

Hard Skinned

Ever-Reliable Defense For Heroes

• Start of Combat: x2 Block, where each Block grants -50% DMG from the next hit

Players who want to enjoy their Darkest Dungeon 2 experience further should consider creating a more viable frontline with Hard Skinned. This Positive Quirk is heavily tailored toward pure defense, with the user essentially starting combat with two Block stacks. The possession of this buff gives the Hard Skinned Hero two opportunities to take half damage from their next hit.

While some players might think Hard Skinned is wasted on regular encounters where the frontliner can tank two mediocre hits, this Quirk is essential in boss fights. Being able to deter the enemy assault by forcing them to make two half-damage attacks can give the frontliner a chance to fight back or protect allies. When used by a DPS unit, Hard Skinned allows them to lessen their chances of dying when enemies hit back.

3

Tactical Thinker

Crit And Dodge Stacks For DOT Builds

• +5% Critical Chance
• Round Start: 15% Chance to gain 1 Dodge+, where each Dodge+ grants 75% chance to dodge the next attack

At first glance, getting Tactical Thinker might be less of an advantage in Darkest Dungeon 2 with its effect. After all, the Hero in question only gets +5% Critical Chance while every start of the round will grant them a measly 15% chance to acquire a stack of Dodge+. However, it’s not necessarily with the Crit Chance and the Dodge+ Chance where this Quirk is useful but rather in its application.

For instance, a Hero like the Grave Robber, who can create her own CRIT, doesn’t necessarily need the extra juice from Tactical Thinker as they rely on Taunts and Guards for their rotations. However, builds that rely on Damage Over Time effects, such as Bleed and Riposte, can significantly benefit from Tactical Thinker, as the Crit and Dodge bonuses can ensure a Hero’s survival. At the same time, they dish out consistent damage in combat.

4

Eagle Eyed

All-Around DPS For Ranged Combatants

• Ranged Skills: +10% Critical Chance

Players still trying to master their Darkest Dungeon 2 experience should consider more straightforward approaches to combat. For instance, a long-distance character in the back row would likely want to amp up damage numbers as often as possible to maximize their use before they get targeted. It’s for this traditional ranged-go-wild approach to DPS where Eagle Eyed shines as a Positive Quirk.

With this activated, the receiving Hero gets +10% Critical Chance to all their ranged skills. This is a decent straightforward boost for the Highwayman, whose abilities often rely on building up crit damage for extra firepower.

5

Stout

Become Disease-Free

• +20% Disease Resistance
• +10% Max Health

While the randomness of Quirks might make Darkest Dungeon 2 a more appealing title compared to its preceding game, some random Quirks are more useful than others. Such is the case of Stout, a Positive Quirk that essentially gives its user +10% Health. Looking at this Quirk from its main bonus, it’s not that different from other Quirks that add a similar value, such as Tough (+10%) or Iron Constitution (+20%).

However, where Stout may outmatch the others would be in its secondary benefit: +20% Disease Resistance. Considering how disease can derail the game’s main mission, the added Resistance to this cumbersome setback could allow a user to be a more reliable asset in combat.

6

Breacher

A Tank’s Best Friend

• Start of Combat: x2 Block+, where each Block+ gives -75% DMG from next hit taken
• Start of Combat: x2 Strength, where each Strength deals +50% DMG to the next attack
• Start of Combat: x2 Taunt, where each Taunt forces enemies to attack the user
• Start of Combat: Forward 3

Regarding party compositions in Darkest Dungeon 2 gameplay, knowing where to place each Hero will likely dictate the effective range of their attacks. For a tank Hero like the Man-At-Arms, it’s important to ensure their placement at the frontlines to allow them to tank hits, generate threat, and boost the team’s survivability. A tank with Breacher can practically guarantee their survivability.

Despite this Quirk’s usefulness, players need to be aware that Breacher is best used with tanks or other frontline combatants. If players use the best Man-At-Arms build and get this Quirk, the odds of the enemy damaging the team or the character meaningfully are close to zero.

7

Deadly

Get A Constant Critical Hit Chance

Given how the right attack can spell the difference between life and death in Darkest Dungeon 2, raising the odds of scoring a Critical Hit can allow a DPS unit to deal enough damage to eliminate threats. Of course, the luck-based nature of Critical Hit Chance means this stat can be challenging to rely on at base, which is why some classes, like the Grave Robber, build up her Critical Hit Chance to execute deadly combos.

For this reason, Deadly can be an effective asset for specific Heroes, especially those who need the Critical Hit Chance bonus as a base buff. That way, they can stack this effect for a much higher amount instead of starting from scratch. While certain Inn items that raise this stat only last until the next Inn, Deadly’s lasting presence can at least ensure a Hero has enough juice to begin charging up their Critical Hits much faster.

8

The Jinx

Become The Living Embodiment Of Bad Luck

• On Hit may apply: Blind, which gives a 50% Chance for the target to miss the next attack
• On Hit may apply: Vulnerable, which deals +50% DMG on next hit
• On Hit may apply: Weak, which makes their next attack deal -50% DMG
• On Hit may apply: Combo, which is consumed by other skills to trigger effects

As with other roleplaying games, Darkest Dungeon 2 gameplay allows Heroes to inflict status ailments on opponents to improve the player’s chances of ending fights quickly. In the case of the Darkest Dungeon sequel, enemies and players can apply positive or negative Tokens that affect each other through stacking. Most of the time, these Tokens can only be acquired by using skills during one’s turn.

While the randomness of statuses The Jinx provides can make combos hit-or-miss, it’s a useful Quirk simply because it allows mere attacks to inflict status ailments instead of costing a skill. At the hands of the debuffing Hero, inflicting two statuses at once or multi-targeting enemies with statuses can make The Jinx a devastating Quirk against most enemies.

9

Rummager

Talking Leads To Items

• +1 Random Item after bantering in the road

The nature of Darkest Dungeon 2’s gameplay as a road trip with a splash of combat paved the way for Bantering between Heroes to develop each other’s Relationships. However, Rummager elevates this mechanic further by incentivizing Heroes whenever a road trip prompts a conversation. Bantering happens often, usually at least twice between points in the game. In turn, Rummager can facilitate the acquisition of a boatload of extra items between Inns.​​​​​​​

With enough luck, players might get crummy trinkets and some of the best Restorative items in the game. Because this will be occurring constantly, even getting one or two valuable food items or trinkets out of this is a big deal. More often than not, players will get much more than that during their journey.

10

Stress Knitter

Stress Is Wealth

• -1 Stress if Stress is above 3 after bantering in the road
• Gain either 2 Bandages, 2 Fisherman’s Net, or 4 Milk-Soaked Linen if Stress is above 4 after bantering in the road

Unlike other games with heavy tactical elements, Darkest Dungeon 2 has sub-mechanics that try to realistically portray the horrors of fighting eldritch creatures. For instance, Heroes accumulate Stress, which represents the mental strain of their battles with darkness. Higher Stress levels can accrue debuffs such as lower HP and resistance to Death Blows.

The advantage of Stress Knitter will make it so that gamers barely have to worry about the Stress level of the Hero who has this positive Quirk while traveling. It will always end up reducing to 3 as the characters converse. Players get a ton of extra gear with high Stress as the Stress level automatically corrects itself.

11

Defiant

A Little Healing That Goes A Long Way

• +5% Health at round start

Considering the potential difficulty of encounters in Darkest Dungeon 2 along the line, players might have difficulty juggling attacks, buffs, and even healing in combat. With downtime healing being hard to come by on the road, a Quirk like Defiant can become a game-changer for healing-challenged parties. Its straightforward +5% Health bonus whenever rounds start might seem little, but the additional healing can aid players in crucial encounters.

Some of the game’s best Heroes have some healing they can rely on, but these primarily depend on charges. Thanks to Defiant, this auto-heal removes basic scratches and bruises sustained out on the road. While the measly 5% Healing per round isn’t a big enough heal to immediately bounce back against bosses, it could give players enough time to mount a steady counter-offensive.

12

Natural Eye & Natural Swing

Decent Addition To Any Attacker

• +10% Ranged/Melee Damage Dealt
• +3% Critical Hit Chance

The position-reliant turn-based combat of Darkest Dungeon 2 means Heroes can only hit opponents within a certain distance, transforming specific Heroes into frontline melee and backrow long-ranged specialists. Depending on the Hero using them, players looking for Positive Quirks that enhance their combatants’ overall damage should consider Natural Eye and Natural Swing.

Both abilities have +3% Critical Chance to Skills of their associated range, which is incredibly small and shouldn’t weigh too much in the mind of a gamer. However, a 10% chance to boost melee or ranged damage is massive. Suddenly, enemies that survive hits die much faster. This is primarily a perk for damage dealers, but it can add up even on tanks and support heroes.

13

Sunny Disposition & Peacemaker

Secure Better Affinity

• +10% positive relationship chance
• -5% negative relationship chance

Unlike other games with a dungeon premise, Darkest Dungeon 2 has equal parts turn-based tactics and relationship management elements. While players may have the best possible party at any given time, their members may end up hating each other and eventually crash their Affinity. This is where Sunny Disposition and Peacemaker come in, each affecting chances of increasing Positive Relationships and reducing Negative Relationships, respectively.

While the party is squabbling, building Affinity between members can feel like an uphill battle. Characters will start to hate each other and there won’t be anything the gamer can do about it. Sunny Disposition or Peacemaker makes it so all Relationships tend toward positive with the hero who has either Quirk.

14

Bloodthirsty

Massive Boost To DPS

• +30% Damage Dealt
• +5% Critical Chance if the enemy is under 25% Max Health
• 15% Chance of suffering Vulnerable on hit

In a game like Darkest Dungeon 2, where great builds often come with a price, Bloodthirsty is a Positive Quirk with setbacks that preface a potential powerhouse. At its core, the Quirk forcing players to have a 15% chance of being Vulnerable when hitting foes can put heavy-DPS units at a disadvantage, as Vulnerable’s +50% DMG from the next attack can cement their status as glass cannons even further.

However, its consistent +30% Damage Dealt benefit quickly outshines potential losses with just how it can boost the potential of heavy damage dealers such as the Highwayman to blast his way through opponents.