Thief

The Thief Vocation is arguably one of the strongest classes in Dragon's Dogma 2. The Thief feels powerful from the early game all the way to late game, with some of the most powerful end game weapon (Daggers) choices available. The class also provides access to some of the best mobility and utility skills in the game which allows you to move rapidly across the map and unlock rare boss trophies with ease. As the only Class Vocation with a dodge skill, the Thief is surprisingly survivable in combat and effective against both monsters and smaller foes.

Thieves use Wielding daggers with unmatched speed and precision. Their exceptional mobility allows them to dart in, unleash a flurry of strikes, and retreat before the enemy can counter. Thieves excel in exploiting openings, scaling enemies to target vulnerabilities, and even pilfering items from both foes and bystanders alike. This class is for players who relish in speed, stealth, and the thrill of living on the edge.

Thief Build Guide

Welcome to the ultimate beginners guide to creating and mastering your own Thief Build in Dragon's Dogma 2. This guide will show you how to create an early game Thief build that deals devastating damage and can become immune to any attack at the press of a button.

Early Thief Skills

Your primary focus as a Thief is maximizing damage potential with your blades on enemies weak points while not getting hit. This can be done easily by mastering the following Thief weapon skills early:

Skull Splitter: Leap and dive with spinning blades, dealing devastating damage, especially from greater heights.
Cutting Wind: Dash past enemies with extended blades, allowing follow-up slashes upon contact.
Formless Feint (Secret Skill): Accelerate reactions to evade all attacks, consuming stamina when active.
Blades of the Pyre (Secret Skill): Ignite an inferno with your daggers, dealing significant damage. When combined with Formless Feint, you'll evade all damage while using Blades of the Pyre.

Fast Movement speed: As demonstrated in the video guide below, the Thief actually has the fastest movement speed in Dragon's Dogma 2. By using the Swift Step dodge ability followed by Carve light attack, you can cancel the animation after dodging with the light attack to move forward at a rapid speed. This is as fast as sprinting but it does not consume any stamina (you regain stamina while using it), and it can be used while over encumbered.

Best Thief Augments

Augments play a crucial role in enhancing your Thief's abilities. Focus on those that boost stamina or conserve it for sustained DPS:

Endurance: Increases maximum Stamina.
Subtlety: Decreases the likelihood of being targeted.
Vigor: Reduces Stamina consumption when clinging to foes.
Verve: Bestows additional Strength.
Voracity: Recovers Stamina upon delivering the killing blow.
Zeal: Reduces Stamina consumption during weapon skills.

Note that some Augments must be unlocked by levelling other Vocations.

Best Thief Weapons, Rings and Armor

Your choice of gear complements your skills and augments. While armor can vary based on personal preference, certain items synergize well with the Thief's playstyle:

Early Game Equipment:

Weapons Bolts from the Blue: Powerful early game daggers that deal both physical and magick shock damage.
Head Howling Hood: A wolf themed helmet that fits the astatic of this build, but can later be released by the Falconian Beak helmet.
Chest Rampart Breaker: The best chest armor available to purchase until much later in the game.
Legs Thief's Gaiters: Leg armor that can be obtained for free alongside the hidden thief skills.
Face Prowler Kerchief: An astatic face covering.
Cape Lupine Cape: A Viking wolf themed cape that covers the shoulders, mainly worn for the astetic.
Ring (Right) Ring of Tenacity: Increases maximum Stamina.
Ring (Left) Ring of Skullduggery: Increases backstab damge against monsters and normal enemies.

Late Game Equipment

Weapons Heaven's Key: The best daggers for maximum damage.
Head Confidant's Hood: Headgear offering both style and function.
Chest Enshadowed Battle Garb: Chest armor for protection without sacrificing agility.
Legs Arena Breeches: Legwear providing mobility and defense.
Cloak Warbler Capelet: A stylish cloak for additional flair.
Ring (Right) Ring of Quickening: Boosts Stamina recovery speed.
Ring (Left) Ring of Tenacity: Increases maximum Stamina.

Thief Tips and tricks for Combat

Now that you're armed with the right skills and equipment, here are some combat strategies to dominate the battlefield:

Activate Formless Feint Skill at the start of combat to evade attacks effectively.
Use Cutting Wind to close gaps and reposition yourself swiftly. It can also be used to travel through the world faster than sprinting.
Employ Blades of the Pyre for crowd control, ensuring that you activate Formless Feint before to avoid damage.
Skull Splitter is your go-to for single-target DPS, especially against large enemies. This is the best skill for DPS in DD2.
Substitute Blades of the Pyre with the Draw & Quarter skill for focused single-target damage on the weak spot of large monsters.
Utilize dodges to avoid damage and conserve Stamina.
Cling to enemies to maintain consistent damage, especially on their weak spots.

With these tips and strategies, you're well on your way to mastering the art of thievery in Dragon's Dogma 2. Remember, adaptability and quick thinking are your greatest assets. So, hone your skills, gather your gear, and embark on your journey as the ultimate Thief!

All Vocations

Thief Core Skills

Name	Rank	Cost	Description
Bump and Lift	3	400	Robs the target of an item when an attack connects. Activates when using Carve, but has a low success rate.
Carve	1	0	Delivers a flurry of dagger blows.
Controlled Fall	2	250	Tucks the body into a tight roll when hitting the ground after being knocked down, allowing the user to swiftly regain their feet. Reduces damage taken upon impact.
Footpad	4	600	Kicks off a wall, allowing the user to launch themselves a great distance.
Scarlet Kisses	1	150	Unleashes a flurry of forward slashes.
Swift Step	1	0	Lowers stance and renders movement swift and light. Effective as an evasive maneuver.
Twin Fangs	1	0	Performs a deadly double strike forward, followed by a powerful successive strike if target is knocked off balance. Hold down to cling to larger targets or to pin down smaller flinching targets.

Thief Weapon Skills

Name	Rank	Cost	Description
Biting Wind	1	0	Dashes past the target with blades extended. Followed by further slashes when using the same attack on contact.
Concussive Leap	6	1,600	An advanced form of Concussive Step that consumes less Stamina and is more likely to cause targets to flinch.
Concussive Step	3	450	Uses an explosive blast to withdraw from the point of detonation. The blast may cause lightweight targets to flinch. Also employable in mid-air.
Cutting Wind	4	1,000	An advanced form of Biting Wind that has an extended attack range.
Draw and Quarter	8	2,500	An advanced form of Gut and Run that inflicts greater harm when withdrawing.
Easy Kill	7	2,500	Darts behind the target after parrying their attack, then slits their throat.
Enkindled Blades	1	200	Brings the daggers together to ignite, wreathing them in flame for a short time. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
Ensnare	3	450	Casts out cords to snare targets and tug on them. Pulls smaller targets closer, and topples larger targets that have been knocked off balance.
Gut and Run	6	1,800	Cruelly stabs and gouges the target before drawing back. A fearsomely powerful skill, employable only while clinging to or pinning down a target. Inflicts greater harm on a foe's weak point.
Helm Splitter	2	300	Leaps up, then dives through the air while spinning, blades extended. More powerful when performed from high places. Also employable in mid-air.
Ignited Blades	4	1,000	An advanced form of Enkindled Blades that has a longer-lasting effect. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
Implicate	7	2,000	An advanced form of Ensnare that allows the user to pull targets with greater force.
Masterful Kill	9	3,000	An advanced form of Easy Kill that can be employed in mid-air.
Pilfer	5	1,100	Allows the user to rob targets that have been knocked off balance and targets not in battle stance of a curative or other item. Can only rob larger targets while they are downed.
Plunder	8	2,500	An advanced form of Pilfer that increases the likelihood of stealing a rare item.
Powder Blast	6	1,600	An advanced form of Powder Charge that plants a more powerful explosive with a greater effective range. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
Powder Charge	2	300	Places an explosive on the ground at the user's feet that can be detonated from afar at a moment of their choosing. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
Shadow Cloak	1	200	Enables the user to blend into their surroundings, rendering them more difficult for hostile targets to detect. Less effective when attacking or dashing. Consumes Stamina while active.
Shadow Veil	5	1,300	An advanced form of Shadow Cloak that renders the user even more difficult for hostile targets to detect at a decreased cost to Stamina.
Skull Splitter	5	1,300	An advanced form of Helm Splitter that employs a faster spin to deliver a greater number of slashes during the spinning dive.
Smoke Screen	4	700	Throws a smoke bomb that blinds nearby targets. Useful for creating chaos when counterattacking or withdrawing. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe, or in mid-air.
Smoke Shroud	7	2,000	An advanced form of Smoke Screen with an extended smoke radius and a longer-lasting effect.

Thief Maister Skill

Name	Image	Rank	Cost	Description
Blades of the Pyre		-	-	Brings the daggers together to ignite, wreathing them in a blazing inferno so potent that the user cannot escape being burned.
Formless Feint		-	-	Accelerates the user's reactions to an ungodly degree, enabling them to evade all manner of attacks from hostile targets. Consumes Stamina while active.

Thief Augments

Name	Rank	Cost	Description
Gratification	4	900	Slightly restores Health when you deliver the killing blow to a foe.
Poise	6	1,800	Reduces the Stamina consumed when struggling in a foe's grip.
Subtlety	2	300	Decreases the likelihood of being targeted by foes.
Verve	9	5,000	Augments your Strength.
Vigor	8	3,000	Reduces the Stamina consumed when clinging to or pinning down foes.