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Darkest Dungeon 2 throws players of the first game back into the fray with an adventure into the dark and unforgiving world that made the first so popular. With this, it's only fair that old faces return, this time bolstered by some new additions.

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While not everyone has yet healed from the events of the first game, the madness of the world won't wait. So, as you build a team to fight the encroaching darkness: which of these adventurers is best suited for defeating the horrors ahead? Or at least, which ones have the best chance of coming back in one piece?

Man-At-Arms, Highwayman, Grave Robber, Plague Doctor

darkest dungeon 2 plague doctor grave robber man at arms and highwayman all standing by cart

Your starting characters and the ones you'll probably be playing the most until you find other compositions that you enjoy.

This setup is your starting composition for a reason; all of these characters are easy to get a handle on and fill their respective roles well. While you can easily switch out these characters for others as you unlock more, it is far from a bad idea to keep this group as your main composition.

Doing so allows you to approach new threats without adding any new variables you aren't comfortable with yet, and as you see what each of these characters can do for you, you can upgrade them to suit your reflective play style.

Man-At-Arms, Hellion, Jester, Vestal

Darkest Dungeon 2 Man At Arms

This quartet focuses on the idea of hitting hard and healing hard. With the front half doing the hitting, and the back half as our support.

The Vestal is best used as your buffing and healing expert, in which she excels. The Jester is your stress healer and can lend a helping hand with buffs or damage earlier in fights before stress gets too bad. The Man-At-Arms should be front and center, as he is the biggest tank of the group and can take a lot of damage.

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This leaves the Hellion to take the second rank from the front, as she is a solid damage dealer but doesn't have as much health as the Man-At-Arms.

Making sure your Hellion and Man-At-Arms both have higher speed means you can oftentimes hit first and hit hard, ending fights quicker. Following these strikes up with your designated back ranks to support the party or mop up whoever may be left as needed is a good strategy.

Hellion, Flagellant, Runaway, Plague Doctor

Runaway using Searing Strike in Darkest Dungeon 2

An interesting assortment of characters, it may not seem like the ideal solution to your enemy problem, but each of them adds something to the mix.

Each of these characters has an affinity for a certain damage type. Hellion can inflict bleeding damage, Flagellant and Plague Doctor are blight-attuned, and the Runaway is a pyromaniac. Each of these damage types does damage over time (DOT), which is perfect for larger targets with bigger health bars.

The dual blighters help a lot when resistances to blight are high, and allow for massive stacks. That being said, the Plague Doctor or Flagellant can be switched out for other characters to fit that role as needed. But, it's best to keep one to cover all your bases, or both to drive the point home.

These DOT damage types aren't the only plus; each of these characters holds its own spots well and has plenty other strengths to offer.

Man-At-Arms, Leper, Highwayman, Vestal

darkest dungeon 2 vestal casting consecration of light on highwayman

This group is all about doing maximum damage. It is best used when you need to get in and out of an encounter as quickly as possible, potentially sacrificing those you've brought into the fight.

The Man-At-Arms and Leper are both absolute tanks and should be kept in first and second spots respectively. The Highwayman is a champ at spot three and can hit most if not all targets from his vantage there away from most damage. The Vestal is still a designated healer but can be upgraded to do some solid damage from her spot well away from the fight proper.

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When using this comp, it's best to pick your targets wisely and to pay attention to exactly what the going order of each character and enemy is. Know who will attack what from your team and the enemy team. Picking key targets to obliterate first will make mopping up the rest of the bad guys a breeze.

Leper, Flagellant, Plague Doctor, Jester

Flagellant pulling in blight energy in Darkest Dungeon 2.

A strong choice for later game fights and especially in boss encounters where stress is a key factor. There isn't much more you could want from a team like this.

The Leper is a solid choice for a main attacker, cleaving through foes with his large sword. He and the Flagellant can be switched in spots one and two, depending on the upgrades you have chosen for them and where their attacks are best used.

You should try to get your Leper and Flagellant to take the brunt of the damage. The Flagellant especially, as his Sepsis attack is amazing once his health gets low enough. The Plague Doctor should be your healer, with the ability to cause blight where the Flagellant fails and provide some damage/buffs as needs be.

The Jester should stay in the back of the pack, buffing the characters as needed and reducing the stress that will no doubt be gained as the fighting continues. Both he and the Plague Doctor's focus should be on the front two characters - the Flagellant especially, as his health and stress will fluctuate greatly with his moves.

Next: Darkest Dungeon: Relatable Things Every Player Does