Darkest Dungeon 2 Plague Doctor Failing Grade

The Plague Doctor in Darkest Dungeon 2 is a versatile support hero, adept at both healing and inflicting debilitating status effects upon enemies. However, a specific build, often referred to as the "Failing Grade" build, leverages the skill "Plague Grenade" to maximize damage output through damage over time (DoT) effects. This article will dissect the mechanics of the Failing Grade build, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, and provide guidance on its effective implementation.

Understanding the Core Mechanics

The Failing Grade build hinges on several key aspects of Darkest Dungeon 2's combat system. These include the application and stacking of DoT effects, the influence of Hero Paths, and the importance of managing character stress.

Damage Over Time (DoT) Effects

DoT effects, such as Blight and Burn, inflict damage at the start of a character's turn for a specified number of turns. The Failing Grade build primarily focuses on Blight, as the Plague Doctor possesses multiple skills that apply this effect. Understanding how these effects stack is crucial. In Darkest Dungeon 2, DoT effects of the same type are not directly added together. Instead, each application of a DoT effect acts as an independent instance, ticking down its duration separately. This means that applying Blight multiple times will result in multiple instances of Blight dealing damage concurrently.

For example, if a character is afflicted with two instances of Blight, each dealing 3 damage for 3 turns, that character will take 6 Blight damage at the start of their turn for the next three turns.

Plague Grenade and the Failing Grade Hero Path

The skill "Plague Grenade" is central to this build. It inflicts Blight upon the targeted ranks, with the amount and duration varying based on upgrades and character stats. The "Failing Grade" Hero Path further enhances this skill. The Failing Grade Hero Path grants the Plague Doctor the following key benefits:

+25% Blight Potency: This significantly increases the amount of Blight damage inflicted by the Plague Doctor's skills.
-50% HP: A substantial reduction in health, making the Plague Doctor more vulnerable.
+2 Speed Token every turn: Speed tokens increase the Hero's speed allowing them to act earlier in the turn order.

The increased Blight Potency directly amplifies the damage dealt by Plague Grenade, while the reduced HP creates a glass cannon archetype – high damage output but low survivability. The added Speed tokens are crucial, allowing the Plague Doctor to act earlier in the turn order, maximizing the impact of her DoT effects before enemies can react.

Stress Management

Due to the Plague Doctor's inherent vulnerability and the focus on DoT effects, stress management becomes particularly important. As a run progresses and stress accumulates, characters are more likely to suffer Meltdowns, which can severely cripple their effectiveness. Therefore, incorporating characters or trinkets that mitigate stress is often essential.

Building the Failing Grade Plague Doctor

Effectively implementing the Failing Grade build requires careful skill selection, trinket choices, and party composition.

Essential Skills

Plague Grenade: The cornerstone of the build, used to apply Blight to multiple enemies.
Noxious Blast: Another Blight-applying skill, useful for targeting specific enemies or ranks.
Incision: While not directly applying Blight, Incision provides valuable utility by removing Dodge tokens from enemies, ensuring that Plague Grenade and Noxious Blast can consistently land. It also deals direct damage.
Disorienting Blast: An excellent option for disrupting enemy actions and applying Vulnerable, further increasing the damage they take.
Ounce of Prevention: This skill increases disease resistance for allies.

Beneficial Trinkets

Trinkets play a vital role in augmenting the Plague Doctor's capabilities and mitigating her weaknesses. Some particularly useful trinkets include:

Items that increase Blight Potency: These trinkets directly amplify the damage output of Plague Grenade and Noxious Blast. Examples are the Cadaver's Mask or the Blight Bulb.
Speed-enhancing items: Speed trinkets further increase the Plague Doctor's speed, ensuring she acts early in the turn order. Examples include the Featherlight Charm.
Stress-reducing items: These help mitigate the stress accumulation that can lead to Meltdowns. The Distracting Whistle is a useful early-game option.
Items that increase damage against Blighted enemies: These trinkets can significantly boost overall party damage.

Optimal Party Composition

The Failing Grade Plague Doctor excels in parties that can capitalize on her Blight application. Ideal party members include:

Characters with strong frontline presence: Heroes like the Man-at-Arms or Leper can provide protection for the fragile Plague Doctor, allowing her to focus on applying Blight.
Damage dealers who benefit from Blighted targets: Some heroes have skills or quirks that deal increased damage to enemies afflicted with Blight. Examples include the Jester (with the appropriate skills) or other heroes with trinkets and combat items that increase damage against Blighted enemies.
Stress Healers: The Plague Doctor is more vulnerable with the Failing Grade path, so ensuring that a character that can mitigate stress accumulation is critical. The Jester or the Occultist are good choices.

Strategic Considerations

The Failing Grade build requires a nuanced approach to combat. It is not simply about spamming Plague Grenade. Careful planning and execution are essential for success.

Prioritizing Targets

Identify the most dangerous enemies and prioritize applying Blight to them. Focus on enemies with high damage output or those that can inflict stress on your party. Use Incision to remove Dodge tokens from priority targets to ensure that Blight is consistently applied.

Managing Turn Order

The Failing Grade Plague Doctor benefits greatly from acting early in the turn order. Utilize Speed tokens and trinkets to maximize her speed and ensure that Blight is applied before enemies can act. This allows the DoT effects to tick down for a longer duration and potentially weaken or eliminate enemies before they have a chance to attack.

Adapting to Enemy Resistances

Some enemies possess high Blight resistance, making it difficult to reliably apply the effect. In these situations, consider using Incision to reduce their Dodge rating and consider utilizing heroes and trinkets that apply Vulnerable to enemies. Another approach is to focus on other damage-dealing skills or to target less resistant enemies.

Utilizing Combat Items

Combat items can provide valuable support for the Failing Grade build. Items that apply Blight or increase damage to Blighted enemies can further amplify the Plague Doctor's effectiveness. Items that grant Dodge or Block tokens can help mitigate the Plague Doctor's vulnerability.

Potential Drawbacks

Despite its high damage potential, the Failing Grade build has several limitations.

Vulnerability: The reduced HP makes the Plague Doctor exceptionally vulnerable to direct damage. Enemies that target her directly can quickly eliminate her.
Reliance on DoT: The build relies heavily on DoT effects, which can be less effective against enemies with high resistance or those that can cleanse negative effects.
Stress Management: The reduced HP and focus on dealing damage can lead to increased stress, requiring careful management.

Practical Advice and Insights

While the Failing Grade Plague Doctor is specific to Darkest Dungeon 2, the principles behind it can be applied to other games and even real-life situations.

Understanding Trade-offs: The Failing Grade build exemplifies the concept of risk versus reward. It offers high damage potential but comes with significant vulnerability. Recognizing and evaluating trade-offs is crucial in many situations, whether it's choosing a career path or making investment decisions.
Strategic Planning: The success of the build depends on careful planning and execution. Prioritizing targets, managing resources, and adapting to changing circumstances are essential skills that are applicable in various aspects of life.
Adaptability: While the build provides a solid foundation, it's important to adapt to different situations and challenges. Being able to modify your approach based on the available resources and the specific circumstances is a valuable skill in any endeavor.

In conclusion, the Failing Grade Plague Doctor is a potent but fragile damage dealer in Darkest Dungeon 2. Understanding the underlying mechanics, carefully selecting skills and trinkets, and employing strategic planning are essential for maximizing its effectiveness. While the specific build is unique to the game, the principles of risk assessment, strategic planning, and adaptability can be applied to various aspects of life, enhancing decision-making and problem-solving skills.