Dragon’s Dogma Summary
Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma is an open-world Action Role Playing Game (ARPG) originally released in 2012. The player assumes the role of The Arisen, a hero whose heart is stolen by the game’s titular dragon. Players journey across the world of Dragon’s Dogma to hunt down the dragon and reclaim their hearts. The game has an expanded version from 2013 titled Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen. One of the more unique aspects of gameplay is the ability to create and share “Pawns,” who accompany players as sidekicks in battle.
Dragon’s Dogma Premise
Dragon’s Dogma puts players into the shoes of The Arisen, a nameless hero whom the player creates and customizes. At the beginning of the game, The Arisen is magically resurrected after their heart is stolen by a dragon. The resulting journey takes players across the realm of Gransys in search of their missing hearts. In addition to the main player character, it is possible to create Pawns. These Pawns are semi-sentient humanoids that act as sidekicks to The Arisen. Players can download Pawns created by others, and create and customize their own. Pawns are useful in both combat and resource collecting as you make your way across the game’s map and complete quests.
The world of Gransys is similar to others in fantasy RPGs and is inhabited by mythical and supernatural creatures. The game uses a third-person camera and features methodical combat not unlike From Software’s Dark Souls. However, unlike Dark Souls, the game is not nearly as difficult thanks to the Pawn sidekicks. Dragon’s Dogma features a robust cult following, complete with thousands of player-created Pawns available for download and use in your own game.
Players can also assign both The Arisen and Pawns Vocations, which are Dragon’s Dogma‘s version of classic RPG jobs or classes. These Vocations change the approach that both The Arisen and their Pawns have in battle and need to be balanced to overcome some of the tougher challenges on offer. Each Vocation has several skills available that align with traditional RPG archetypes.
Dragon’s Dogma Main Characters
The world of Gransys in Dragon’s Dogma is populated by hundreds of unique characters, each with their own stories and motivations. As the player (The Arisen) progresses in their quest, they will meet both friend and foe alike. Because much of the game is predicated on the player character, the side characters mostly shine through their quest storylines. The main characters in Dragon’s Dogma include:
Heroes
- The Arisen: The Arisen is the player character and main hero of Dragon’s Dogma. Completely customizable in both name and appearance, the hero is an everyman in search of the dragon who stole their heart. The player’s Arisen is the latest in a long string of Arisen chosen to fight the dragons.
- The Main Pawn: Pawns are semi-sentient humanoids born to serve The Arisen. Similar to The Arisen, players create and customize the Main Pawn as the primary adventuring sidekick.
Allies
- Madeleine: Madeleine is a charismatic shopkeeper who is all too happy to relieve The Arisen of their hard-earned gold. A traveling salesperson of sorts, the player’s patronage of her wares will eventually allow her to open her own shop.
- Caxton: Similar to Madeleine, Caxton is a purveyor of wares, only he specializes in weaponry. Since Dragon’s Dogma is an adventure game, The Arisen will have plenty of need for good weapons. Caxton, much like Madeleine, keeps players interested in returning to shop with witty and engaging dialogue.
- Duke Edmun Dragonsbane: Early on in Dragon’s Dogma, the player meets Duke Edmun as part of the main quest. Assisting the Duke is one of the more enjoyable side questlines and will help players learn more about this reclusive ruler.
- Mercedes: Mercedes assists the player in their first battle against a Hydra and then go on to repeatedly show up at various quests throughout the game. She is unique as a female knight and her quests flesh out her character in unexpected but rewarding ways.
Villains
- Grigori: Grigori is the titular dragon of Dragon’s Dogma and a force to be reckoned with. Each of the game’s fights against Grigori reveals more about the overarching lore and mythology of the world, providing ramifications for both The Arisen and the realm of Gransys. A fearsome and powerful dragon, Grigori is one of the only of his kind that communicates with humanity.
Games in the Dragon’s Dogma Series
Since its release in 2012, Dragon’s Dogma has amassed a sizeable cult following thanks to its unique spin on ARPG gameplay. In 2023, developer and publisher Capcom revealed that a sequel was in development. The games in the series include:
- Dragon’s Dogma (2012)
- Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (2013)
- Dragon’s Dogma II (In Development, expected 2025)
Dragon’s Dogma Cheats and Secrets
Similar to many other games on both consoles and PC, only the PC version of Dragon’s Dogma features cheats. However, these cheats are only accessible through the installation of third-party cheat engines such as WeMod. The console versions of Dragon’s Dogma feature secrets and exploitable glitches but do not feature inputtable cheats.
Dragon’s Dogma Cheats for PC
The first step to using cheats in Dragon’s Dogma on PC is to make sure that you have the WeMod software installed. Simply visit WeMod’s website and click the “Download” link. Once downloaded and installed, you can access the thousands of “Trainers” (cheat files) that have been uploaded and verified by WeMod. The Dragon’s Dogma Trainer can be found here, and features the following cheats:
Player Cheats
- Unlimited Health
- No Fall Damage
- Unlimited Stamina
- Unlimited Weight
- Instant Spell
- Custom Jump Height
Physics Cheats
- Slow Motion
Game Cheats
- Unlimited Party Health
Enemies Cheats
- One-Hit Kill Enemies
Inventory Cheats
- Unlimited Items
- Add Gold
- Add RC
Stats Cheats
- Unlimited Discipline
- Add 5 Strength
- Add 5 Magick
- Add 5 Defense
- Add 5 Magick Defense
- Add Level
- Max Vocation Rank
- Unlimited XP
Dragon’s Dogma Secrets for PS3/PS4 and Xbox 360/One
Easy Spring Water Early On
If you’re in need of a great item for whole-party healing, Spring Water is one of the best options. It heals 330 HP with a strong chance to heal the entire party and only requires one flask. Buying empty flasks at Aestella’s shop in Gran Soren (20 G each) will set you up for collection. Then head to any healing spring across the map. There are three healing springs in Dragon’s Dogma — one northwest of Gran Soren, one northwest of the Blighted Manse, and one far west of the eradication site and north of the Conqueror’s Sanctuary. Players can use Pawns to collect the water faster by entering the spring and pushing the action button.
Easy Money and Experience in Everfall
While playing offline, enter The Chamber of Lament. Each time the player damages the Ur Dragon, collect the items that drop. Defeat the Ur Dragon and collect the loot that drops and repeat the entire process. Equip the Suasion augment for both The Arisen and your Pawn. Recruit 2 other Pawns with Suasion. This will allow you to sell the items you’ve collected for more rewards. Sell the dropped items and loot for gold, and gain experience from killing Ur. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Easy Experience in Cassardis
The Gorcechimera will appear at night on the beach outside The Arisen’s hometown Cassardis. Defeating the Gorechimera nets 13,000 experience points (doublt with the Veterans Periapt). Enter Cassardis and rest at the inn for 5 nights. This will respawn the Gorechimera. Again, this process can be repeated as many times as necessary to grind for XP.
Dragon’s Dogma Cheat FAQs
Does Dragon’s Dogma Have Console Commands?
Yes, players can access the command console on the PC version of Dragon’s Dogma using CTRL+SHIFT+TAB. From here, players can type commands that affect procedural elements of the game but are not cheats.
How Long Does it Take to Beat Dragon’s Dogma?
While the game can be completed in roughly 38 hours, most players will spend around 55 hours in Gransys. Completionists playing Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (the expanded game) can expect to spend roughly 120 hours.