Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Casual Mode Explained

Key Takeaways

• Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Casual Mode reduces costs for Inns & Ferrystones, making gameplay more accessible.
• Casual Mode in Dragon’s Dogma 2 eases weight mechanics and stamina for a more streamlined experience.
• In Casual Mode, the loss gauge is less punishing and Pawns recover from Dragonsplague to eliminate setbacks.

While some players might have preferred a Hard Mode instead, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has recently been updated with a Casual Mode that targets casual players. This could be Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s way of preparing for DLC, but it should nonetheless be welcomed with open arms by the game’s casual audience.

Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode doesn’t make enemies easier but instead softens up the game’s most demanding mechanics. These changes affect things like fast travel, recovery, weight, and more, making it a much more casual-friendly experience.

Everything That Changes in Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Casual Mode

The Cost of Inns and Ferrystones Has Been Reduced in Casual Mode

One of the most valuable changes made in Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode reduces the cost of staying at Inns and purchasing Ferrystones. For some time now, players have complained about the cost of Inns in Dragon’s Dogma 2, which used to reach costs of anywhere between 2,000 and 9,999 gold, often making it not worth it. However, in Casual Mode, Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Inn prices have been drastically reduced, with some — like Borderwatch, Melve, and Vernworth — only costing between 200 and 500 gold.

The cost of Ferrystones has also been reduced for Casual Mode players. In Normal Mode, Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Ferrystones generally cost around 10,000 gold to purchase. Since these are very useful in that they allow players to fast travel in Dragon’s Dogma 2, their high price makes them exceedingly rare. Fortunately, Casual Mode drops the price of these valuable items to 1,000 gold, making them far easier to obtain and less painful to use.

It’s Harder to Become Overburdened or Exhausted in Casual Mode

Another welcome addition with Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode makes it much harder for the player’s weight to reach “Heavy” and “Very Heavy.” Dragon’s Dogma‘s weight mechanics have always been a point of contention, and that is doubly true of Dragon’s Dogma 2, where there seem to be even more items and equipment to collect in its open world. Thankfully, in Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode, players can carry a little more weight without their Stamina and speed being penalized for it.

Players can also sprint for longer periods in Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode, as less Stamina is expended on dashing outside of combat. What makes this such a noteworthy addition is Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s massive open world, its lack of mounts, and its fast-travel restrictions. All of this inevitably means players have no choice but to walk to their destination, especially since Dragon’s Dogma 2 punishes players for taking shortcuts like Oxcarts. Casual Mode’s more lenient Stamina meter, however, should alleviate some of the pains of traveling long distances.

The Loss Gauge System Is Less Punishing and Pawns Can Recover From Dragonsplague in Casual Mode

The final changes introduced in Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Casual Mode affect the player’s loss gauge and Pawns. Firstly, after players die in combat in Dragon’s Dogma 2, if they select “Load from Last Save” to reload the game, they will not inherit an increase in their loss gauge. Essentially, this means their maximum health will not be decreased after dying. As players can only recover their loss gauge by resting, this is a much-needed addition for casual players.

Pawns will also now gradually heal from Dragonsplague over time, and a “devastating calamity” will never occur, even if the disease progresses to a terminal stage. As Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s Dragonsplague could potentially ruin a playthrough by decimating entire cities, the fact that Pawns now automatically recover from the disease in Casual Mode puts those worries to rest. Dragonsplague is one of Dragon’s Dogma 2‘s most interesting mechanics, to be fair, but it can still ruin entire playthroughs, making that part of Casual Mode worth it.