Dragon's Dogma 2 "anti-Briners" dismiss the RPG's Dragonsplague as a hoax, insist Pawns with red eyes are actually "fine"
Mar. 26, 2024The Pawns just need a good night’s sleep at an inn, they suggest
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
If you’ve been keeping up with the latestDragon’s Dogma 2discourse, chances are, you’ve already heard ofDragonsplague. The contagious in-game illness, which can spread from Pawn to Pawn between players' games, has become a major talking point solely due to how severe its consequences can be if left unchecked.
Not everyone is on board with this approach, however. On Reddit, we’ve already seen rise to a group of satirical “anti-Briners” who insist that Dragonsplague is all a hoax. If your Pawn has red eyes, they say, they’re probably just tired and could benefit from a good night’s rest at an inn… in a densely populated town (please don’t actually do this).
“Dragonsplague is a hoax,” one proclaims. “First and foremost I am a proud anti-Briner. The Brine is the devil and should be avoided at all costs. If a Pawn gets red eyes, starts getting headaches, and disobeys orders, THEY ARE FINE. All you need to do is put them together with other Pawns without red eyes. This so-called ‘plague party’ will up their natural immunity to any illnesses (not that Dragonsplague is real in the first place).”
Furthermore, they suggest that once all the Pawns' eyes become red, you can “safely dismiss them back to their masters where they can continue doing the lord’s work in building up other Pawns' natural immunity to diseases.” Ironically, infecting another Pawn is genuinely one way to get rid of Dragonsplague, but it’s far less safe than just dismissing them if they’re hired from someone else, or throwing them into the Brine and then resummoning them if they’re your main Pawn.
Obviously, it’s all a big sarcastic joke, but others are joining in on the bit, too: “OP doesn’t understand that everyone has red eyes when tired. A good night of sleep in Vermund’s inn is the only valid solution,” a Reddit useradds.
“If a Pawn has red eyes and a headache, then they clearly need a sleep. A nice comfy bed, not a campsite,” anotheragrees.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
“Let me just tell you that I am an experienced Arisen, who [happens] to know about a very good cure for so-called ‘Dragonsplague,’ all [that] must be done is the Arisen and all his Pawns must eat Rotten Scrag of [Beast], cooked at the Grass-Patterned Camp. And allow it to work its magic, there is no need for such extreme measures as Brine baths or similar nonsense,” suggestsanother.
Again, it’s worth reiterating that Dragonsplague is a very real mechanic that you’ll almost certainly want to be wary of unless youreallywant to see the consequences of it play out first-hand. If you do, be mindful that quest-giving NPCs will be killed alongside all the others, which could prevent you from completing certain quests. Some players have claimed that towns have gradually repopulated a while after the Dragonsplague disaster strikes, and Wakestones can be used to individually revive NPCs, too, but all in all, it’s definitely best to try avoiding it altogether.
If you want to travel across water without getting killed by the Brine, be sure to check out our guide tocrossing water in Dragon’s Dogma 2.
I’m one of GamesRadar+’s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield’s student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming’s news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you’re sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.
Path of Exile 2’s latest patch is “build-destroying,” and action RPG fans are now stuck with heavy nerfs thanks to astronomical respec costs
