Specific Build Objective: Maximizing Arisen and Main Pawn Stats

Description
 A fundamental feature of all RPGs is a system that allows for player-character progression. Player-characters increase their attack and defense. The increases are usually associated with levels and most RPGs have a maximum level beyond which characters cannot advance. The metrics differ from RPG to RPG and may include variations on attack and defense such as agility, luck, wisdom, etc.  Dragon’s Dogma and Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen use a very basic set of character metrics and stats:




 * Hit points (HP)—a measure of health


 * Attack—a statistic indicative of the magnitude of physical damage the character can inflict


 * Magic Attack—a statistic indicative of the magnitude of damage a magic attack can inflict


 * Defense—a statistic indicative of the character’s resistance to physical attack


 * Magic Defense—a statistic indicative of the character’s resistance to magic spells and debilitations

   In addition to the above, there is a special metric called Stamina. Stamina is consumed whenever a special physical or magical skill is used. It also is consumed when characters run or carry an excessive load. Finally, there is the special case of some weapons that require a minimum level to wield. Characters who do not meet that prerequisite may equip the weapons but consume stamina at a very rapid rate.

 The main purpose of this article is to provide insight into the leveling up system. It establishes some precepts relating to an optimum build but allows for variation depending on the player’s style of play. Regardless of whether the player accepts these precepts or not, the article should provide comprehensive coverage of the leveling system. Although the concepts are the same in Dragon’s Dogma and Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, there is some variation in the actual stats. This article addresses the stats in Dark Arisen. Making allowances for stat variation, the principles of character build are the same in the two games.



 From here on out, this article will refer to Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen as DD:DA. All statistics in the article, unless otherwise noted, will refer to DD:DA.

Details
 Many RPGs incorporate a leveling system with a degree of randomness. In other words, the stat increases vary from player to player under the same circumstances. One player, advancing from level 1 to level 2 might gain a strength increase of 5, for example, while another player might gain a strength increase of 10 under exactly the same circumstances. This is not the case with DD:DA. Increases vary from vocation to vocation but, within each vocation, are set. For example, a mage character will always gain an attack increase of 2 when advancing from level 1 to level 2. A strider character will always gain an attack increase of 3 when advancing from level 1 to level 2. A fighter character will always gain an attack increase of 4 when advancing from level 1 to level 2.

 Given that stat increases when leveling up differ from vocation to vocation, choosing a vocation associated with a certain level becomes very important in shaping a character. Prudent players thus need to make some early decisions to optimize their player-character builds for the style they wish to employ in the latter stages of the game. To make those decisions some precepts must be established at the beginning of the game.

   This article will refer to HP and Stamina as metrics. It will refer to Attack, Magic Attack, Defense, and Magic Defense as stats. It is assumed that, for most players, Stamina is more important than HP and the Attack, both physical and magical is more important than defense. It is also assumed that physical defense is less important than magical defense.

   The reason that HP and Physical Defense are considered less important is because most physical attacks can be evaded or blocked. Attack is given greater weight than all forms of defense because the faster the enemy is defeated the less defense is required. Following the above logic, if evasion is the main defensive tactic then HP becomes less important.

   This type of hierarchy is important when determining how to approach a character build. A Fighter advancing from level 100 to level 101, according to the above precepts, provides an undesirable stat increase. Attack increases by only 1 while Defense increases by 3. Stamina increases by only 5 while HP increases by 15. In contrast, an Assassin advancing from level 100 to 101 will gain a stamina increase of 15 while HP increases a modest 5. Attack increases by 3 while Defense increases by 1.

   Note that these are general guidelines. Players whose style of play employs a damage absorbing character (often referred to as a tank, whose role is deliberately to attract attack and withstand damage) will see value in both high HP and substantial defense. Nevertheless, the principle of choosing the right vocation at the right time to optimize build remains valid. This article should provide sufficient insight for character builds that adopt very different precepts from the ones above.

   The maximum total stats—the combined values of Attack, Magic Attack, Defense, and Magic Defense—is 1,958. This results in the lowest HP and Stamina combined metrics of 6,118. In other words, when the player maximizes stats, potential metrics points are left on the table. Conversely, if metrics are maximized, the player leaves potential stat point on the table.

   At the beginning of the game, players choose their initial vocation. There are only three vocations initially—Fighter, Strider, and Mage. Each vocation receives 280 stat points broken out as follows:



Beginning Character Stats by Vocation


<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 5.05pt;line-height:normal"> Whereas the total stat points are the same for each vocation, the total metrics are not. Although each vocation receives the same 540 stamina points, the HP differs by vocation as follows:

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 5.05pt;line-height:normal"> Beginning HP and Stamina by Vocation

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: 5.25pt;line-height:normal"> Although the Fighter starts out with the overall best totals, it is the Mage who progresses the fastest while the only vocations available are the first three. Stat progression for the first nine levels is as follows:

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Stat Increases by Level up to Level 9
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