How to use Special Arrows in Dragon’s Dogma 2

In Dragon’s Dogma 2, Vocations that utilize bows have the option to purchase, craft, and use special arrows. Each arrow type inflicts a unique debuff on enemies, offering significant benefits to you and your team. Equipping and using them isn’t straightforward, though, so here’s how.

Special arrows in Dragon’s Dogma 2, explained

You can use most special arrows in Dragon’s Dogma 2 only with their corresponding Weapon Skills. For instance, Explosive Arrows only work with Exploding Shot or Erupting Shot. This means you can’t use them with normal attacks or other skills. Additionally, the skill will fail if you don’t have the needed arrows in your inventory.

You must ensure the Archer who needs the special arrows has them in their inventory. This might seem obvious, but it’s easy to overlook. I made this mistake with my Main Pawn, an Archer, by not adding the special arrows to his inventory when I equipped him with the appropriate skills.

The Unmaking Arrow is an exception to this rule. Once you get it by solving one of the Sphinx’s riddles or buy it with Wyrmslife Crystals from The Dragonforged, you can use it by selecting it from your Items menu, not Equipments, and choose “Equip.” Then, the next arrow you shoot with your normal attack will be the Unmaking Arrow. Please note that if you equip the arrow then stow your bow right after, redrawing the bow will force you to equip the Unmaking Arrow again. That means you should equip the arrow at the very moment you’ll use it.

Below is a list of special arrows and the skills you need to use them:

You learn these skills by spending Discipline Points (Dcp) at a Vocation Guild located in any major town. Some skills might not be available immediately because they are advanced versions of basic skills, like Erupting Shot, which is an upgrade to Exploding Shot. Continue playing, rank up your Vocation, and check back at the Vocation Guild for upgrade options.

How to get special arrows in Dragon’s Dogma 2

The easiest method to get special arrows is to buy them from weapon merchants in major towns like Venworth and Bakbattahl. The cost and availability of these arrows depend on their type and effect, with Drenching Arrow being the cheapest and Blighting Arrow the most expensive.

Alternatively, you can craft them by mixing Withered Branches with various items. The recipes I’ve found let you create Explosive Arrows with Sunbloom and Tarring Arrows with Lantern Oil. You can’t craft the Unmaking Arrow.

We’ll update this guide as more crafting recipes for special arrows are discovered.