Dragon's Dogma 2 - Thief Skill and Augments Guide • DotGG

The thief, a fast attacking, mobile vocation with the ability to pilfer items, is a very strong discipline in Dragon's Dogma 2 thanks to their ability to deal very high damage as well as their expertise in climbing foes and getting out of harms way. While the Thief excels at one on one encounters, their quick speed allows them to dart around the battlefield with the use of their innate dodge with R1, being able dispatching foe after foe in quick succession. This best thief skills guide goes over all active skills, when to use them, and my overall thoughts on their effectiveness and rather or not you should spend the Dcp on them.

Weapon Skills

Biting Wind / Cutting Wind

Dashes past the target with blades extended. Followed by further slashes when using the same attack on contact.
The advanced skill Cutting Wind has an exdtended attack range.
This is a good starter skill for Thief that allows you to dash around smaller enemies with little fear of getting attacked, however, the amount of damage leaves a lot to be desired, thus, should be replaced once more skills are unlocked.

Enkindled Blades / Ignited Blades

Brings the daggers together to ignite, wreathing them in flame for a short time. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
The advanced skill Ignited Blades has a longer-lasting effect.
This is a great skill but situational, if you're attacking foes weak to fire and you don't have a mage in your party, then this would be a great skill to have. Due to it's situational usefulness, I think there are better skills to equip for most of the time, but it's good to have in your back pocket.

Shadow Cloak / Shadow Veil

Enables the user to blend into their surroundings, rendering them more difficult for histole targets to detect. Less effecting when attacking or dashing. Consumes stamina while active.
The advanced skill Shadow Veil renders the user even more difficult for hostile targets to detect at a decreased cost to Stamina.
Not a very useful skill unless you're travelling solo or command your pawns to wait, and even then at best, you will be able to backstab one enemy, which is easy enough to do while in combat thanks to the dash.

Helm Splitter / Skull Splitter

Leaps up, then dives through the air while spinning, blades extended. More powerful when performed from high places. Also employable in mid-air.
The advanced skill Skull Splitter employs a faster spin to deliver a greater number of slashes during the spinning dive
This is another situational skill, if you're facing foes on terrain with lots of elevation, this has the opportunity to increase your damage by a lot. Having a warrior to boost you can also provide the same effect, but at a lessened consistency.

Powder Charge / Powder Blast

Places an explosive on the ground at the user's feet that can be detonated from afar at a moment of their choosing. can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe.
The advanced skill powder blast plants a more powerful explosive with a greater effective range.
This is a good AoE option for the thief, and since it can be detonated at your own leisure, you can lure a large group of enemies to it.
It can also be planted on an enemy you're clinging onto and used at the last moment as a retreat attack.

Concussive Step / Concussive Leap

Uses an explosive blast to withdraw from the point of detonation. The blast may cause lightweight targets to flinch. Also employable in mid-air
The advanced skill Concussive Step consumes less stamina and is more likely to cause targets to flinch.
In my opinion, not a useful skill, considering the limited number of slots for skills you have, there are far better options to spend your points on. There is just not much use for this apart from looking cool while doing it.

Ensnare / Implicate

Casts out cords to snare targets and tug on them. Pulls smaller targets closer, and topples larger targets that have been knocked off balance.
The advanced skill Implicate allows the user to pull targets with greater force.
One of the best skills for the Thief, allowing you to snatch those annoying airborne enemies out of the sky to follow up for an instant kill, and safely topple off balance enemies from a safe distance.

Smoke Screen / Smoke Shroud

Throws a smoke bomb that blinds nearby targets. Useful for creating chaos when counterattacking or withdrawing. Can also be employed while clinging to or pinning down a foe, or in mid-air
The advanced skill Smoke Shroud provides an extended smoke radius and longer-lasting effect.
This skill is useful for escape when you're in a pinch, or to blind enemies in order to easily back stab them for increased damage. Not the best skill, not the worst, however, I would choose skills that help your damage.

Pilfer / Plunder

Allows the user to rob targets that have been knocked off balance and targets not in battle stance of a curative of other item. Can only rob larger targets while they are downed.
The advanced skill Plunder increases the likelihood of stealing a rare item.
Another situational skill. If you're looking for a very specific item and have not already hoarded a bunch just from playing the game, this skill could come in handy, even though you get so many materials by just playing the game normally, so this skill is not a priority.

Gut and Run / Draw and Quarter

Cruelly stabs and gouges the target before drawing back. A fearsomely powerful skill, employable only while clinging to or pinning down a target. Inflicts greater harm on a foe's weak point.
The advanced skill Draw and Quarter inflicts greater harm when withdrawing.
This is one of the thief's key skills, not only does it deal massive damage when you're targeting the enemies vital spot, which is usually the head, but is also a way to finish off your clinging assault before you run out of stamina, providing a safe retreat.

Easy Kill / Masterful Kill

Darts behind the target after parrying their attack, then slits their throat.
The advanced skill Masterful Kill can be employed in mid-air.
An excellent defensive skill for the thief, not only does it make you invulnerable, but also deals a considerable amount of damage, and works well with back attack damage scaling equipment.

Blades of the Pyre

Brings the daggers together to ignite, wreathing them in a blazing inferno so potent that the user cannot escape being burned.
While on paper this seems like an extremely useless ability due to the self burn damage, this can be completely cancelled out if you use Formless Feint first, making for an absolutely busted combo. If you're not using Formless Feint, I wouldn't take this skill.

Formless Feint

Accelerates the user's reactions to an ungodly degree, enabling them to evade all manner of attacks from hostile targets. Consumes stamina while active.
Without a doubt the best skill for Thief, making you nigh invincible, leaving you worry free while you dish out all of your attacks. Sure, it drains stamina, but the stamina drain is slow, and it can be cancelled at anytime you feel that your stamina is dangerously low.

Core Skills

These are key skills that don't take up any slots and that should be unlocked as soon as they are available, as they make the thief not only more mobile, but able to deal more damage overall, as well as earn more loot through just battling.

Scarlet Kisses

Unleashes a flurry of forward slashes.
This will be used a lot on stunned enemies, and is also useful for applying debilitations if you're using elemental daggers due to the fast rate of attack.

Controlled Fall

Tucks the body into a tight roll when hitting the ground after being knocked down, allowing the user to swiftly regain their feet. Reduces damage taken upon impact.
A highly useful ability that I wish more vocations had, as not only does this increase the overall mobility so you're not stun locked on the ground for long, but it also reduces damage taken upon landing.

Bump and Lift

Robs the target of an item when an attack connects. Activates when using Carve, but has a low success rate.
A simple ability that gives you a chance to steal items from enemies without needing to use Pilfer.

Footpad

Kicks off a wall, allowing the user to launch themselves a great distance.
A useful skill for traversal, as well as quickly getting out of the way from attacks.

Augments

Avidity - Enables you to clamber up cliffs and scale foes and other surfaces more quickly. A great mobility augment for just about all classes. With thief, you want to be mobile in order to avoid the enemies ire as well as climb foes quicker to reach those vital spots. This is unlocked from Archer
Lethality - Increases damage dealt when striking a target's vitals. A must have augment for Thief as you will be constantly aiming at enemy weak points to deal the most damage with your skills regardless, including Gut and Run. This is unlocked from Archer
Endurance - Increases maximum stamina. A must have augment for any class as stamina amounts to how much damage you can deal, the amount of time you can grip, as well as dashing. This is unlocked from Archer
Verve - Augments your strength. A must have augment for all physical damage based classes.
Vigor - Reduces the Stamina consumed when clinging to or pinning down foes. As a lot of the Thief is built around clinging and pinning, this is a must have.
Thew / Vitality- Enables you to carry additional weight / Increases your maximum Health. These can be used interchangeably depending on what you want more of. Vitality is unlocked from Warrior, Thew from Fighter

What to spend Dcp on / Priority

For Thief, first focus on unlocking whatever Core Skill you are able to at the level you're currently on. After this, focus on your important augments: Vigor and Verve. Afterwards, I would focus on maxing Draw and Quarter, Masterful Kill, Implicate, and Skull Splitter (or Ignited Blades if you're not travelling with a fire enchanter). Any left over points should be spent on how you see fit.