Should you buy or find weapons and armor in Dragon’s Dogma 2?

After clocking 40+ hours in Dragon’s Dogma 2 and beating the game, I’m equipped to inform you whether you should buy and enhance weapons and armor at the start of Dragon’s Dogma 2 or find them while exploring. Let’s dive into it.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 weapons and armor: Buy and enhance or find?

In my experience playing Dragon’s Dogma 2, finding weapons and armor while exploring, especially weapons and armor that match your Vocation, is rare. Also, I’ve come to realize that the vast majority of weapons and armor you find are the items you can buy at shops throughout the game.

My answer is to buy armor and weapons at the beginning of the game and enhance them a bit. Naturally, you’ll find better armor and weapons as you progress through the game, so you don’t want to waste all your resources on enhancing gear you’ll soon replace. That said, it’s best to buy good weapons and armor at the beginning of the game. I recommend doing this at the blacksmith and swordsmith in Vernworth.

The only benefits finding armor and weapons have in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is that you don’t have to spend Gold buying it, you’ll often find weapons and armor that are leagues better than what the current shops available to you have, and you can happen upon rare weapons and armor that isn’t available in shops.

If you want to find their weapons and armor, I suggest looking for and looting caves. Caves usually have a weapon or armor piece or two and are always worth exploring. The nice thing about caves in Dragon’s Dogma 2 is I’ve never seen two that are the same. If you’re looking for good gear in caves, I’d start with the cave featured in the Warrior and Sorcerer quest.