Capcom will rework Dragonsplague, the affliction that spreads among a player's Pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2, in Title Update 3.2. Rock Paper Shotgun reports the update is due in late August, drawing on a question-and-answer session with producer Naoto Oyama and Dark Arisen expansion director Kento Kinoshita.
Dragonsplague infects a player’s Pawns quietly and raises their combat ability while it runs. Left untreated it ends in a mass-casualty event that can kill the population of an NPC settlement. Since the game shipped in 2024 Capcom has patched the mechanic repeatedly, making the symptoms more visible and allowing Pawns to recover on their own in Casual mode.
Oyama said those earlier measures did not resolve the underlying problem.
While the Dragonsplague can enhance Pawn's abilities, those positive aspects were not being communicated clearly enough to players. In addition, even when players noticed that their Pawn is afflicted, there were limited options available for dealing with the condition.
What update 3.2 changes
The update addresses both halves of that complaint. It adds an outright cure, an item called the Dragonsbaulk Draught, giving players a direct way to end an infection once they spot it. It also extends what an infected Pawn can do in combat, so the upside of leaving the condition alone is more legible.
- Dragonsbaulk Draught, a consumable that cures an afflicted Pawn
- Infected Pawns can stun large enemies by attacking their legs
- Infected Pawns can temporarily strike smaller enemies without consuming stamina
Oyama framed the result as a decision the player now makes deliberately: leave an afflicted Pawn as they are and take the combat benefits, or spend the new item and clear the condition. He said the studio hopes players will more clearly understand and enjoy the strategic decisions it originally envisioned.
Title Update 3.2 lands ahead of Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, the expansion Capcom has dated for October 9.
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