By default, your weapons and armor are fairly weak no matter what Vocation you choose in Dragon’s Dogma 2. Of course, you can obtain stronger gear as you progress, but it still might be weak relative to your level. Luckily, you can upgrade both your weapons and armor in DD2.
The upgrade process can be extremely confusing at first, as the game doesn’t explain how to use it or that it even exists. However, if you found a resource that states it’s used to “enhance equipment,” then you know there’s a way to somehow make your gear stronger. In the guide below, you can see exactly how the upgrade system works in DD2.
Upgrading weapons and armor in DD2
Unfortunately, even though you can acquire resources to enhance equipment very early in DD2, you won’t be able to use them to upgrade gear until you reach the capital city of Vernworth. This is the first location in DD2 that allows you to access a Smithy and an Armory.
While both of these shops mainly allow you to buy and sell weapons and armor, you can also use them to “Enhance Equipment.” All you need to do is speak to one of the shopowners, select that option, and you’ll be in the upgrade menu. It doesn’t matter which shop you go to, as both allow you to upgrade your entire set of gear, including all weapons and armor.
Furthermore, you can also upgrade any gear on your Primary Pawn as well as gear you have given to any of your Support Pawns. When going to upgrade a piece of gear, click on it and you’ll see the cost it takes to enhance at the bottom of the screen. The first upgrade on any piece of gear always costs gold alone, while the second and third upgrades cost extra resources plus gold.
The resources you need will increase in rarity and quantity the more you upgrade a weapon or piece of armor. For example, the second upgrade on my daggers only required some Copper Ore, while the third upgrade required Leapworm Skin, which is far rarer. Another common final upgrade resource is Whitecobble, an extremely rare resource you won’t find much of in the world.
There are Smithys and Armorys in every major town after Vernworth in DD2, so you can upgrade quite often if you have the gold and resources available. Once your gear is updated, you might also want to visit a location in Vernworth that allows you to change your character and Pawn’s appearance.
