How to stop the Dragonplague in Dragon’s Dogma 2

Like many players, you may have initially dismissed the tale told by your Pawns in Dragon's Dogma 2 about a virus causing them to go berserk as typical video game banter. However, the reality is far grimmer – the virus, known as 'Dragonplague,' is all too real and can wreak havoc on your playthrough if left unchecked. Here's how to stop it.

How to prevent the Dragonplague in Dragon's Dogma 2

As just mentioned, the Pawn insanity virus is called Dragonplague, and it comes from facing off against Dragonkin. Specifically, when a Dragonkin attempts to mind control a Pawn, that Pawn can secretly catch the Dragonplague virus. So, the question begs: How do you know when a Pawn has Dragonplague? Thankfully, it isn't too hard to spot the symptoms of this virus if you're aware of them. There is a huge catch though.

All known Dragonplague Symptoms

Before I get into the symptoms, know that only Pawns can catch the Dragonplague virus. You, yourself, are immune to it due to being an Arisen.

• Red or Purple Flashing Eyes - A Pawn afflicted by the virus may occasionally have their eyes flash red or purple. This a very subtle symptom that is very difficult to spot unless you're looking right at their face. This symptom appears randomly, so if you're suspect, keep a close eye on them.
• Idle Crippling Headaches - A Pawn in the later stages of the Dragonplague virus will suffer from horrific headaches that appear to cripple them while you're idle. That bold text is important because they will only show this symptom while you're idle. Yes, I mentioned and bolded it again, because this is incredibly important to take note of.
• A Disobedient Attitude - The Pawns themselves mention this symptom during their conversation about the virus. It is easy to dismiss because games with parties always have conversations like this. However, if you experience a Pawn ignoring your orders, talking back to you harshly, or stating they will do as they please, there is a high chance you have a Pawn with the Dragonplague virus.

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How to cure the Dragonplague Virus

If you notice any of the above symptoms in a Pawn, then it's time to administer treatment. The best way to 'cure' the Dragonplague virus in a Pawn is to kill them. Throw the infected Pawn in a body of water. After which, revive them as normal. Doing this will cure the Pawn of the virus. Super easy, thankfully, to rid yourself of this plague.

Unfortunately, it's time to talk about the big catch involved with the Dragonplague virus. As mentioned earlier, the virus is caused by Dragonkin mind-controlling Pawns. Yes, Pawns, with a 's". This means, that any Pawn can contract the virus this way. Pawns are mostly player-created and are shared between everyone online via the Rift. This means that Pawns hired from other players can already have the Dragonplague virus when you get them. Great right? It gets worse.

The Dragonplague virus is contagious, meaning an infected Pawn can spread to all the other Pawns in the party. Symptoms for the virus only start to show after some time has passed, so you wouldn't even know a Pawn is infected until later. This effectively requires you to carefully consider the Pawns you hire. My recommendation for you is to hire Pawns with low hire rates. The amount of 'Likes' a Pawn has, directly correlates to the odds the Pawn has the Dragonplague virus. This is currently the only preventive measure you can take besides constantly checking for symptoms, or just playing alone with your Pawn. If things change, I'll let you know here.

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What happens if you don't cure Dragonplague in Dragon's Dogma 2?

A Pawn with the Dragonplague virus is a ticking timebomb. If you fail to notice the symptoms of the Dragonplague virus in your Pawns in time, then you're in for a calamity. If a Pawn fully submits to the virus, the next time you rest at a location, the Pawn will kill everyone within a massive radius. If the virus reaches this point, there's nothing you can do to stop this from happening. The killing is done in a cutscene, meaning you have no control over it once it occurs.

Killing NPCs in Dragon's Dogma 2 comes with the big risk of it being an important NPC for later quests. You can revive them and go about your business, so it's not a huge problem as long as you're prepared with a Wakestone, but it is still frowned upon due to only having access to a single save.

Now, imagine the entire population of Vernworth, wiped off the face of the planet, forcing you to revive every single important NPC with precious Wakestones. Imagine that every NPC killed has "???" for an identifier, making it almost impossible to tell which NPCs are important and which aren't. This is dire enough that it can prevent you from finishing the game until the necessary NPCs have been restored to life. A single Pawn with the Dragonplague virus will be the cause of this event if you do not notice it soon enough.

Pay close attention to how your Pawns are acting toward you, and watch their physical symptoms to make sure the virus isn't present. The Dragonplague virus is a game ruiner if you let the calamity occur. Don't put yourself through this madness. Don't let this insane virus ruin your playthrough.

For more helpful guides and useful information relating to Dragon's Dogma 2, check out All Vocations (Classes) in Dragon’s Dogma 2, Explained right here on Pro Game Guides.