Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – Warrior Skills
Warriors only use Longswords and Warhammers, which utilize the same pool of skills below:
Warrior Skills
Savage Lash/Indomitable Lash ★★★☆ – A charged overhead smash, the Lash will deal out a massive, earth-shattering blow that can go straight through armor (such as the armor worn by cyclopes), and can severely punish all in the way of the attack. It’s both preferable, and possible, to do full-charges of this attack thanks to the super-armor you gain while preparing this strike. Of note, the Lash is a little difficult to utilize, as releasing the attack too late or too early will do much less damage than releasing it right on time (when you flash white). Properly charged lashes create a massive shower of flying dirt from the impact, and can even stun enemies further away from the fall of your blade.
Pommel Strike/Pommel Bash ★★★☆ – Though humble, the Pommel bash is essential in making openings for the warrior to land their other attacks. The damage and range on this skill is low, but is offset by very high stagger power and being the fastest possible attack the Warrior can unleash. Against sturdier enemies, it’s advisable to use multiples of these to throw them off-balance, and make a clearing for your strongest attacks.
Upward Strike/Whirlwind Slash ★★☆☆ – The essential mirror of the Fighter’s Antler Toss, this stab and slash will send targets hit by the swing flying. The upgraded version also includes a final rear-hit that can be used to help when the warrior is surrounded from behind. Very useful against confined crowds for its range, fairly quick speed, and extreme knockdown power, but underwhelming against large monsters.
Escape Slash/Exodus Slash ★★★★ – One of the only defensive skills available to warriors, the strike deals out a first retreating strike with the sword, and then can be used again to charge back in to deal an overhead swing. On the first swing, the user is actually invulnerable to damage, making this useful (when timed properly) to straight-up power through deadly attacks. This is all on top of the attack being quite quick, and also feeling super-slick if you pull the dodge maneuver off correctly.
Ladder Blade/Catapult Blade ★★☆☆ – The warrior’s version of Springboard, this sends your allies flying if they approach the warrior. Distinct from Launchboard, however, is that this can send multiple different members of your team flying instead of just one.
Savage Lunge/Indomitable Lunge ★★★☆ – Holding your blade in both hands, you run forward and mow through your foes. Of note is that you can press the jump button to perform the final hit of this lunge early, providing a ‘blink strike’ final slash to your enemy at the end of your run. Its one of the good options for punishing downed monsters quickly, as well as charging headlong down a narrow hallway.
Spark Slash/Whirlwind Slash ★★★☆ – A full-circle swing that can knock down even mid-size enemies, and even has surprising power against larger ones in the air (if it makes contact with a dangling tail for example.) Unfortunately, it is not a perfect mirror of Full-Moon Slash, and cannot be used to escape stunlocks like it can.
Act of Atonement/Act of Vengeance ★★☆☆ – By standing in the thick of battle and charging this attack, you can take damage and unleash it with this strike to deal a scaling counterattack – the more damage you took, the stronger your strike will be (up to around 1.5k damage taken it seems). The main way to tell how ready your counter is, is by how red your character is glowing while charging up the strike. Of special note is that you can use curatives while charging the attack, but powerful staggering strikes and quakes can still interrupt the process. Once again, especially after reaching Vengeance, it is useful against widespread enemy groups, but underwhelming on giant monsters.
Battle Cry/Warcry ★★☆☆ – In essence, it’s the warrior’s reskin of Shield Summons, but without the benefit of being able to block, or 3 extra skill slots. A risky maneuver to be sure.
Arc of Might/Arc of Deliverance ★★★★ – This is everything that warrior builds up to… A 10-second charge attack that can destroy even huge monsters, such as chimeras, griffins, and dragons, with a single blow… provided the user gets the necessary cover and positioning for that 10 second window. At the very least, the skill grants you some rudimentary mobility while charging, but you will still be vulnerable, and highly-dependent on your allies to make that opening for you.
