Novels in Dragon's Dogma 2 - an important gameplay component that is closely related to the story campaign. By developing relationships, you will discover new love scenes, you will receive letters and gifts from your lovers, you will be able to see them more often and accompany them on the road. In the game you can get close to any NPCs, even merchants and ordinary innkeepers, but a full-fledged romance and additional cutscenes are available only with a few characters.
Next, we’ll look in detail at whether there are romances in DD2 and how they work, who you can start a relationship with, how to achieve maximum sympathy, and what impact possible intimacy with NPCs has on the main plot. We'll show you where to find a brothel with prostitutes, explain how sex scenes are implemented in the game, and whether it's possible to have an affair with a pawn from the squad.
How to start a romantic relationship in Dragon's Dogma 2
Each NPC in the game has a hidden indicator of their relationship to the main character - it is called "Proximity" and reflects the character’s current opinion about the Risen, but does not affect the main passage. The mechanics of romance and intimacy in the game are entirely dependent on gifts and side quests: just give the object of your adoration more time and attention.
Nearly all named NPCs can be favored, and a select few can even become romantic partners. Unique scenes are available with more significant characters that appear in the main plot - they can only be opened with a sufficient level of sympathy and completing additional quest lines.
If your intimacy with characters is well developed, you will notice how they blush when you meet them. NPCs can give gifts in return and bring love notes to the house - after reading them, you can receive valuable items, for example, moving stone or awakening.
Merchants are able to offer a discount on the purchase of their goods if you show them a little attention, which is why the romance mechanic is so important in the game. The first time you develop a relationship with someone to the maximum, you will receive a bronze achievement. "Not just sympathy".
How to give gifts to characters
You can give gifts to any named NPC, these can be heroes who play a major or minor role in the story, up to an ordinary seller, innkeeper or cart driver. It’s pointless to level up your relationships with everyone, since most of the population exchanges just a few phrases with the Risen, without offering interesting scenes or discounts.
To present a gift, start a conversation with the selected character. In the middle of the dialogue you will see an action below "Give a gift". Click on this button to open the inventory panel, which allows you to select a specific item and give it to your interlocutor.
If the “Give a gift” option is not available, make sure that there are no open quests with the selected NPC at the moment. When a character is busy and participating in some kind of assignment, it will not be possible to give him an item. Just complete the mission and try to find the hero later to talk again and try again.
In this way, intimacy can be increased only once a day, take breaks before giving gifts, otherwise they will not bring any benefit. You can spend the night in hotels house bought from Mildred, rewind time while sitting on benches to quickly skip the game day and return to your favorite NPC with a new gift.
In section "Notes" all information about non-player characters is stored - you can check the gender, race, location, as well as the preferences of the NPC. Most often, heroes like delightful, elegant, interesting and beautiful objects. These include jewelry, bouquets of flowers, precious stones, armor and other nice things. Some characters may be interested in valuable monster parts.
Mark the heroes you like by adding them to your favorites to quickly return to a specific NPC and check information about it. Literally all the characters you met on missions or just talked to on the street are included in the general list - this section of notes is constantly updated.
A bouquet of flowers can be easily created by combining any two flowers collected in the open world in your inventory. Many valuable items are stored in chests, sold to merchants, and given out for completing quests. You don’t have to sell them to NPCs for the sake of gold, but increase your relationship in this way in order to get some kind of benefit - be it a discount or a pleasant surprise.
Additional ways to improve your relationship
If you want to make the most of the romance mechanic, there are a few other ways you can try to increase your intimacy level:
- Upgrade "Charm" - one of the skills that can be obtained by choosing a vocation illusionist, is an unlockable class that combines the mage and thief archetypes. This skill will make it easy to strengthen your connection with any NPC.
- Ring Eternal Bonds — an item can be given to a character to significantly increase the level of relationship with him. Decoration is given as a reward for collecting 120 seeker tokens in the open world or for the solution riddles of futility from the Sphinx.
In addition, some partners may ask you to accompany them to some point on the map - agree and complete these small tasks to get a good boost in intimacy. The request will be entered into the quest log, and the specific zone where the hero wants to go will be marked on the map.
NPCs will follow on the heels of the protagonist until you come to the indicated place and say goodbye. Usually, at the end of the walk, important characters give a bouquet. It can be given to other NPCs or the same character to further increase sympathy.
Make sure your companion doesn't die or get lost on the way, otherwise you can resurrect him stone of awakening. Another option is to use the fast travel features by spending a travel stone or riding a cart if your destination is in one of the main settlements, or near the return crystal. This way, reduce the travel time, and the character will follow the Risen in any case.
In a separate manual, it is detailed how return crystals and carts work.
How to check your relationship level with a character
You can check how many heroes you reached maximum intimacy with during the playthrough in the NPC adventure log. It displays all the characters: male, female, human or not. Specific names and lists are not available, so you'll have to track it down yourself.
If you're trying to reach maximum affinity with a specific character, check this page frequently after giving gifts to see if the stats have changed and to see when the affinity level with a particular NPC increases. Having earned the sympathy of fifty characters or more, you will unlock a bronze trophy "Philanthropist".
Is it possible to have romances with multiple characters?
It is possible to become romantically involved with different characters in a single playthrough, as the novel only unlocks one love scene with a character, if there is one at all. The system does not oblige loyalty to any NPC; heroes will not get angry, jealous or break off relationships if you strengthen your connection with someone else.
Also, unlike other games, here the characters do not have any special preferences regarding their partner. They will willingly make contact, regardless of the race and gender of the protagonist, so you won’t be able to skip any branch because of the type of hero created. You will be able to get past the novel only if you do not specifically devote time and attention to any NPC, or if you move far ahead in the plot, forgetting to complete a certain side quest.
Who can you romance in Dragon's Dogma 2?
Some heroes have their own quest arcs that can lead to a special scene. Such heroes play a secondary, and sometimes even key role in the life of the Risen, appearing in story missions much more often than ordinary named NPCs. Here is a list of characters you can romance in DD2:
- Ulrika - archer and head of the village of Melve, helps repel the dragon's attack and subsequently escapes from the royal authorities in Harv.
- wilhelmina - the owner of the Rose Manor brothel, who saves the protagonist several times from the castle guards and in her heart wants to take revenge on one of the ministers.
- Glyndr - an elf from the Sacred Grove who wants to learn the martial art of people and pass the Arrow Trial. This is a minor character who does not appear in the main plot.
- Brandt - a captain from Vernworth, who sided with the protagonist and helps him overthrow the current government so that the true ruler can take his rightful place on the throne.
Just meet your lover and talk a little, you can give a gift or limit yourself to a few words. In this case, the chosen NPC will be established as the main romantic partner after the point of no return.
Romantic lines do not affect the main plot of the game in any way - they are simply additional side-quests that better reveal the world and its inhabitants. The relationships here are not as deeply developed as in other similar video games, e.g. Baldur's Gate 3 or Cyberpunk 2077 and do not have much impact on the Risen.
Nevertheless, generous rewards are given for completing such tasks: many Gold, jewelry, nice bonus experience. Sometimes, you can even get a weapon or a return stone - install it in any convenient place for fast travel. We recommend that you do not ignore or postpone additional missions aimed at romances with companions in order to better reveal the plot and get more valuable items.
Before completing important quests related to romantic relationships, we recommend creating additional saves, as some characters can be easily lost in the heat of battle with monsters. Several orders are urgent and have a time limit - their failure also means that the chain will be interrupted and a relationship with a partner will not be achieved.
Create additional slots using the save manager or spend the night in hotels more often to easily roll back the gameplay to the desired moment.
In a separate manual, they showed where to find and how to add save slots.
How to start a relationship with Ulrika
You will meet Ulrika at the beginning of the passage, during your first visit to the village of Melve, where you will help repel the dragon’s attack and learn a little more about the protagonist’s past as part of the quest "In the Footsteps of the Dragon". The girl will show special attention and help restore strength after a difficult fight, leaving the Risen in her house for one night.
Moving further into the story, go to Vernworth and talk to Captain Brant during the main quest "Throne of the Lord". Accept and carry out any of his instructions - it’s better to choose "Disa's Intrigues", as you will finish it the fastest. Afterwards, you will open additional branches and secondary missions that will allow you to improve your closeness with the headman.
Return to Melve using the oxcart in the northern part of Wernworth to begin the storyline with Ulrika. To level up your love relationship, you need to complete several side quests with the archer:
- "Return of Disaster" - again save Melve from the dragon’s attack and find out where Ulrika went, who they want to accuse of conspiracy and take into custody. Don't skip the mission if you want to start a romance with the headman, otherwise the story with her will be interrupted in the future.
- "Trouble on the Cape" - Having found Ulrika in the village of Kharv, help her rescue a local resident who is being held captive by lizards in a cave. The joint test will bring the Risen and the Archer much closer together.
- "Home is where the heart is" - return to Melve and organize the escape of the townspeople, who were locked in their own houses and kept in custody, accused of conspiracy. Ulrika will highly appreciate the help of her people and generously reward them for their exploits.
If you did not complete a third-party assignment before starting the mission “Return of Calamity” "Scaly Invaders", then the conversation with the archer may be interrupted by an attack by lizards. As a result, the girl may even be killed; in this case, use the revival stone or identify the body at the Vernworth funeral home.
After this, return to Ulrika in Kharv and tell him what happened to her people. The headman will thank you for saving him and offer to meet you in the evening on the beach, where a heartfelt cut-scene with a kiss will take place. The next morning the protagonist wakes up in the girl's house, after which the novel can be considered a success.
At the end of the route, Ulrika will remain the headman of the village of Harv, leaving Melve forever. At the same time, the information about her location in the notes will not change, but the girl will only be able to be found in a new settlement, since the house captured by the royal guards will remain a thing of the past.
Later, Ulrika will begin to send letters and gifts to the Risen’s house, and may even appear on the doorstep and ask to be escorted to a specific place. Join her on a pleasant walk and get another surprise in return.
You can unlock your relationship with the archer even if you don’t give her gifts at all—you just need to progress through romantic quests related to her. However, you can still give the girl a bouquet of flowers, a gem or other amazing and beautiful itemsto express sympathy. Later, the archer will ask for an escort and send love letters.
Take your time to complete the task "Extravaganza of Deception", if you want to increase intimacy with Ulrika and watch the cutscene. First, make sure that you have completed “Return of Calamity”, otherwise the mission with the archer after a certain plot twist, when the Risen will be forced go to Battal, will remain unavailable. The dragon simply won't attack Melwe, so the secondary chain won't even start.
In a separate manual, it is detailed how to start an affair with Ulrika.
How to start a relationship with Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina is found in several story quests: "A Disturbing Find" и "The Stolen Throne". In both missions, she comes to the aid of the Risen and hides him from the guards while he unravels the plans of the regent Disa. What else you should know about these orders:
- During the mission "A Disturbing Find" Be sure to jump out of the window of Allard's chambers to meet Wilhelmina in the castle courtyard and flirt. If you don’t do this and leave the room through the door, you may miss out on having an affair with the courtesan in the future.
- As part of the quest "The Stolen Throne", when the chase begins, hide in the Rose Manor brothel to trigger another cutscene with Wilhelmina. Otherwise, you will also miss the beginning of a relationship if you try to hide from the guards in another way.
Later, complete the secondary mission "Every rose has its thorns", after which you reach the maximum level of sympathy with the owner of the brothel - the girl will become a romantic partner and a new spicy cut-scene will open.
After the story missions, meet Wilhelmina at the Rose Manor brothel and offer your help in collecting evidence of Minister Allard's crimes. If you refuse to assist the courtesan or betray her intentions to the royal nobility during the task, then you will not be able to achieve a romantic relationship.
Please note that the task is given three game days, so it is better not to postpone its implementation. Otherwise, the mission will be lost, and starting a romance with the courtesan, as well as seeing a beautiful cut-scene, will no longer be possible.
When you deliver the necessary scroll to Wilhelmina, which contains a report about a certain murder, again offer your help to the courtesan. The quest will continue here, where the Risen and his passion will organize the murder of Allard and hide from the guards.
The day after the murder of the minister, visit the brothel owner again at Rose Manor for a romantic scene and to cement the bond. After this, you can consider that you have achieved a relationship with a courtesan.
By correctly fulfilling all the conditions of the side quest with Wilhelmina, you will increase intimacy even without additional gifts and accompaniments. As a token of gratitude, the girl will send love letters to the Risen’s home with valuable items inside and inform him that he will always be welcome in the brothel. In return you can give her amazing and beautiful things, the girl will especially like bouquets, precious stones and rings.
In a separate guide, how to have an affair with Wilhelmina.
How to start a relationship with Glindr
You can meet Glindr upon arrival in Vernworth, at the beginning of the passage - he does not appear in the main story missions and acts as a secondary character. An elven archer must pass the Trial of the Arrow to come of age in the traditions of his people, but is unable to wield the weapon.
Complete several side quests related to the guy - this will lead to a romantic line with him:
- "Gift to the Archer" — teach the blond elf how to shoot with a human bow so that he feels confident in the main test. Find the stranger at Roderick's forge to meet him and receive the quest, otherwise you may accidentally skip the novel, since the line is not related to the main plot.
- "Arrow Trial" — together with Glindr, go to the Sacred Grove, where the rest of the elves live, and help him save his sister from the clutches of the ogre, who took her to the cave. Even if Dorian dies during the mission, the romance with her brother will still be revealed. However, it is better to spend one revival stone and bring the girl back to life.
If you couldn’t find Glyndra at the forge, then try to advance through the plot and complete tasks from Captain Brant. The shooter must appear before the decisive quest "Extravaganza of Deception". On the way to the elf settlement, the guy can easily die, since he will fight any enemy on the way and attract a lot of attention to himself. If this happens, then resurrect him on the spot or find the body in the Vernworth morgue.
In the future, you will be able to see Glindr in the Sacred Grove; sometimes he will visit the Risen’s house and offer to take a walk. If you take a guy to the marked place, you will get a big increase in sympathy and get closer to romance.
With Glindr there is no separate sex scene, kiss or emotional cutscene, as with Ulrika and Wilhelmina, but the guy can still be the main lover at the decisive moment of the game. Give it to the elf beautiful and elegant gifts, precious stones, wine and various jewelry are well suited as offerings.
Visit Glyndra often and only talk to him until the end of the game so that you can keep your character as your main companion when you reach the quest. "Giant Guardian". When you reach the maximum level of intimacy with the elf, you will notice how he begins to blush while talking. His face will be painted with a very noticeable pink blush that is difficult not to see.
How to start a relationship with Captain Brant
The captain is the first to lend a helping hand and make a plan to gather evidence against the regent in order to overthrow her from the throne. Relationships with Brant can be strengthened by completing the main story quests that he gives in Vernworth after meeting him in the quest "Throne of the Lord".
Gifts can also be given to the character, but the corresponding prompt may not be available if Brant currently has unfinished errands. If you cannot give anything to the captain, you will have to move further along the main storyline until you complete all the main missions in Vernworth.
During the main campaign, meet Brant at the Stardrop Hotel and complete the following quests:
- "Disa's Intrigues" - get into the regent’s office and find a scroll confirming her selfish intentions.
- "Prisoner Lawyer" - Free Valdar from prison so that he can help you understand the intricacies of the law.
- "Monster Cleanup" — help residents in different locations deal with monsters, earning self-respect.
- "Nameless Village" — figure out who really is hiding behind the mask of the false Master.
- "The Stolen Throne" — visit the masquerade and find out the plans of the current government.
- "A Disturbing Find" - steal a letter from Allard’s chambers confirming his involvement in Disa’s atrocities.
When you report the results to Brant, check if you can give him a gift and take the opportunity. Showering character interesting and elegant objects, such as wine and jewelry, will quickly increase your sympathy level.
You can additionally interact with the captain and ask him for help during the quest "Every rose has its thorns", dedicated to Wilhelmina. Find additional evidence against Allard and ask Brant for help to hide the Risen from the guards. This will not affect the development of the romance with the courtesan, but it will make the mission easier and will bring the protagonist somewhat closer to the captain.
Around the middle of the game, Brant will send the Risen to the neighboring kingdom of Battal - by this point he will no longer have pending assignments. Subsequently, you can find the captain in Vernworth and give him gifts, leveling up your affinity. A man will be happy even with strange things, like parts of monsters, and will not refuse armor and weapons.
A cut-scene with a kiss is also not provided here, however, when communicating with the captain, you may notice a blush on your cheeks if you have achieved strong romantic ties. Later, the character can also appear at a personal home and ask to be escorted to some place.
Since there are no separate side-quests with Brant, you will have to give him more gifts than Ulrika, Wilhelmina or Glyndra. If you want to get him as your main romantic partner, then try to get him to the maximum before you go on the story mission "Giant Guardian".
Is it possible to have relationships with pawns?
Romance with pawns is not available. Here it is worth taking into account the mechanics of pawns themselves - they are not completely autonomous creatures, like other NPCs. The squad is completely dependent on the Risen; the comrades do not have their own preferences and desires, since pawns exist primarily as a tool for the protagonist.
Because of this, it will not be possible to build a real relationship with them - this requires consent, as well as feelings and motivation independent of the Risen. Don't forget that pawns, although similar to ordinary people, are immortal beings whose sole purpose is to help their masters.
In addition, you cannot physically give gifts to party members or help in quests and escorts, as with other named NPCs. Pawns do not have an affection meter; we can assume that they are already as close as possible to the Risen, since they follow him on travels, carry out commands and participate in all battles.
It is better to view pawns purely platonically or, even better, strictly from the point of view of profit. While they care about the Arisen's well-being, it's more of a bodyguard-boss relationship than romance.
Mod to start a romance with your main pawn
Despite the fact that in the original game the developers removed the possibility of romantic relationships with pawns, users have already found a way to get around this restriction. You can install a modification that allows you to have an affair with your main companion. By interacting and communicating with your companion, you can achieve a close relationship, and progress is easily tracked by points in the upper right corner. The author of the mod explained in detail how to open the way to the heart of a pawn, and how many points each interaction gives:
- Talk to the pawn - 2 sympathy points.
- Give five - 5 points.
- Visit a hot spring - 10 points.
- Use the services of a barber - 50 points.
- Change a pawn's equipment - 5 points.
- After the death of the main pawn, the favor will decrease by 25 points each time, so do not let it die.
Between actions, take a break of 10 minutes - using the timer, you can quickly talk to the pawn, high-five, etc. Exiting the game to the main menu can reset the interaction cooldown, so you don't have to wait even 10 minutes.
When reaching 620 sympathy points, the main pawn will fall in love with the Risen, sometimes blushing and saying something affectionate depending on the personality type. At the end of the story, the companion will turn back into a humanoid form and a romantic dialogue will begin.
Where to find prostitutes
Prostitutes are in Brothel "Rose Manor", located in the noble quarter of Wernworth. In a brothel you can pay 20 gold for intimate services, but first of all you need to get a pass - special brothel VIP card. Otherwise, everyone present will turn away from the Risen, not wanting to make contact, and at a certain moment the guards will attack the protagonist.
Having given the money, you can watch a “bed scene” with your favorite NPC, where the Risen and his partner will simply sit in their underwear. Visiting a brothel for the first time will also unlock a bronze trophy. "Visit to the Rose Manor". Please note that pawns can, without hesitation, talk about their adventures in the brothel to other players or discuss them among themselves during the trip.
There is no particular benefit from such entertainment, except that you can quickly strengthen your connection with the chosen courtesans. The rebel will not receive any additional bonuses, except access to the third floor of the brothel, where elite prostitutes meet.
Read on:We hope that this guide has helped you learn how romantic relationships work in Dragons Dogma 2. If you encounter any difficulties during the process, ask questions at comments belowso that we can help. Read other useful articles on Dragon's Dogma 2 in the relevant section of our website.