How to Beat the True Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2

As you reach the end of The Guardian Gigantus quest, you’ll face Lord Phaesus and the Dragon through the Legacy quest. The Dragon will fly you on its back to a battlefield where you’ll fight each other. Here’s how to beat the real Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

How to Defeat the Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2

I highly recommend bringing a full pawn party to this fight with a Mage with Argent Tonic and a Fighter with Shield Summons to draw aggro. Let’s analyze strategies for each vocation and then talk about the Dragon’s moveset and how to finish it off.

Whatever vocation you’re playing, don’t charge in right away. Instead, wait for it to howl first. The AOE howl saps you off all of your Stamina, placing you in an awkward position. The key to beating the True Dragon is staggering it by hitting its head and then attacking its exposed chest wound. Once it howls, here are several tips:

• Thieves, Warriors, and Fighters should run to the side of the Dragon’s head. Thieves and Fighters should climb its head and Warriors should try to fully charge their attacks and hit the head from beneath with Heavenward Sunder or legs until it staggers. The Thief Parry and Fighter Gutting Skewer are also great for damage.
• Archers, Magick Archers, and Sorcerers should stay back and try to hit the head, as this is the best way to stagger the Dragon. I used Explosive and Dire Arrows to great effect.
• I recommend that support vocations like Tricksters and Mages set up their buffs and support abilities and then run to the nearby ballistas and start shooting the Dragon in the head. The Dragon will notice and destroy them with a ranged spell attack, but you can disengage from them before the attack and move on to the next one.

Moreover, bring plenty of HP and Stamina curatives and Panaceas as well as Quenching Syrup to remove burning. Also, I recommend you pick up the best gear available and perhaps even Wyrmfire enchant your weapon with a Level 3 Dwarven enhancement first for knockback.

How to Force the Dragon to Land

Additionally, and this is for all vocations, if you notice the Dragon is taking flight, climb its tail keeping in mind stamina curatives. This allows you to follow it mid-flight as it flies over a platform with a massive ballista. Jump off as soon as the Dragon approaches the platform and then use the ballista to force the Dragon to land by hitting it anywhere. Immediately run back to the arena below using platforms to the right, or the Dragon will destroy the ballista with a long-range fireball attack, and you’ll lose access to it later.

The Dragon’s Moveset in Dragon’s Dogma 2

Besides general swipes with his limbs, the Dragon has a few powerful attacks to watch out for that are easily dodged if you know they’re coming:

• Fire Breath: The main attack is the fire breath, in which you can see the Dragon charging with fumes coming out of its mouth, similar to the False Dragon. It’s a slow wind-up where he pulls his neck back. This is when you need to run sideways and behind the Dragon. It’ll then slowly turn its neck, and the breath attack will last for a while giving you the perfect opportunity to hit it in the side of the head.
• Spawning Fireballs: The Dragon also channels a fire spell where globules of fire spawn near you and have a delayed explosion. Run to the side to avoid them.

• Fire Projectiles: At low HP, with around 2 bars left, the Dragon will spawn numerous fire projectiles around its wings and shoot them toward you. They’ll home in, but you’ll have a few seconds head start, so save up your Stamina as soon as you see them spawning, then start running sideways to doge them until all have fired.
• Tail Swipe: Don’t stick around the Dragon’s back, as it’ll hit you with its tail.

Generally, the most optimal position for this fight is to remain sideways with the Dragon so that you can dodge its breath and still keep hitting its head.

How to Finish Off the Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2

To defeat the Dragon, you’ll need to stagger it. This is best done by damaging its head, whether by shooting it, hitting it from below with the Warrior’s Heavenward Sunder, hitting it with a ballista, or climbing and damaging it. Once the Dragon staggers, it’ll expose its chest, and you’ll see its heart. Immediately rush in and start hitting it with your strongest attacks. 

I dealt 3 or more bars of damage just by shooting it with three Explosive Arrows and my Ring of Proximity point blank. Warriors and Sorcerers can deal incredible damage here with fully charged attacks, and Thieves can climb it for Gut and Run. This is also the perfect opportunity for Fighters to use Riotous Fury, as it’s the only time the Dragon will be standing still.

If you don’t kill it on the first stagger, then just repeat the cycle we talked about above. Defeating the Dragon nets you a massive amount of Wyrmslife crystals you can use in the true ending area. More on that below.

Lastly, don’t forget about the giant ballista on the elevated platform, which you can reach by climbing onto the Dragon and flying with it to the platform. Jump from the Dragon onto the platform and aim it. Any hit with the giant ballista will topple the Dragon, and then you need to rush down the right path to go back to the arena. Don’t linger here and use the ballista again since the dragon will just use his Spawning Fireballs to destroy it.

How to Get the True Ending in Dragon’s Dogma 2

After you defeat the Dragon, you can enter the true ending area to reach the late-game region and start doing true ending quests. In short, you need to speak to the Pathfinder twice after the ending cutscene and avoid sitting on the throne. Then, as they teleport you back to before the fight, climb down the Dragon mid-flight to its chest/heart area and use the Empowered Godsbane Blade on yourself. This will transport you to the true ending area where you can finish the game.

That’s it for my guide on how to beat the real Dragon in Dragon’s Dogma 2. For more Dragon’s Dogma 2 guides, check out our top 10 rings and my Warfarer build I used to beat the Dragon.