Dragon's Dogma 2 "anti-Briners" dismiss the RPG's Dragonsplague as a hoax, insist Pawns with red eyes are actually "fine"

GamesAction RpgDragon’s Dogma 2Dragon’s Dogma 2 “anti-Briners” dismiss the RPG’s Dragonsplague as a hoax, insist Pawns with red eyes are actually “fine"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

GamesAction RpgDragon’s Dogma 2Dragon’s Dogma 2 “anti-Briners” dismiss the RPG’s Dragonsplague as a hoax, insist Pawns with red eyes are actually “fine"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Capcom)

A dragon in Dragon's Dogma 2.

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.

Namely, if you fail to deal with the disease fast enough, it canresult in a town’s entire NPC population getting wiped out overnight.So yeah, it’s a bit extreme. Needless to say, ever since it was highlighted, most players have been on the lookout for any signs of their Pawns coming down with the illness. Red, glowing eyes are a dead giveaway, and you might also notice them suffering from headaches or becoming disobedient all of a sudden. At that point, there’s onevery easy solution – throw them into the Brine.

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.

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“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.

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Nemesis board game models and tokens laid out on a board

1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”

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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”

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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”

4

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5

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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”

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4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”

4

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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

5

Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”

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