Darkest Dungeon II – Runaway Hero Paths

The Runaway is the new character class exclusive to Red Hook Studios’ Darkest Dungeon II. And as such, you might want to check out this article on the game’s website highlighting the two Hero Paths available to this new class that combines healing with fire-based attacks.

Here’s what the Runaway has to offer to your party:

The Runaway.
“Fire and smoke – destruction and concealment. “

Survivor or Arsonist?

The Survivor Path increases Runaways heal abilities, while giving her more dodge and speed tokens. This gives her the opportunity to focus on support to keep herself and the team alive longer.

This Path really leans into the Runaway’s support kit, punching the heal effect of Run and Hide+ up to 5 points per tick and Cauterize+ up to a whopping 50% of the target’s max HP. Her Cauterize pairs well as support for a Ravager Hellion (or an unlucky Occultist).

Starting each fight with Dodge Tokens gives her some buffer room in positioning and the Speed Token guarantees her immediate initiative in the second round; a quick Dragonfly followed by Searing Strike can land significant Burn with a little Combo luck.

The Survivor Path has no debuffs so you’re free to kit your non-support options however you normally would but, if you want to stay on the support end, consider some combination of Smokescreen, Hearthlight, and Firestarter. Smokescreen keeps a target in check, Hearthlight can consume a Dodge from all enemies in addition to its stated effects, and Firestarter can change the nature of AoE in your party. I’m looking at you, Man-at-Arms Bellow / Hellion Breakthrough!

Trinket options are very open on the Survivor Path. If you’re going to make use of Run and Hide, the Galvanizing Goblet may net you extra turns. Pile of Ash or Laden Lantern will support any of your Burn skills while Hearthlight can provide the rest of the party with greater offensive opportunities via Disarming Dagger or Staggering Striker.

The Arsonist Path exploits the Runaway’s pyromania by raising her Burn chance and CRIT for Burn skills. While there is a decrease in the Runaway’s overall damage, the extra Burn damage makes her highly useful.

The Arsonist Path makes skills like Firefly and Dragonfly obvious picks. They have high Burn values and significant CRIT, which can further raise their penetration and lengthen duration. While Searing Strike may lose a notable amount of its damage, it now also has a much higher chance of inflicting the double-strength Burn when used against a target with Combo.

Opening a battle with the Runaway in rank 1 lets you drop some quick AoE Burn via Dragonfly, with a chance to set up Searing Strike. A second dose of Dragonfly will push her into Firefly position while likely dooming the enemy front ranks to an imminent end. Alternatively, pairing the Runaway with Heroes such as the Man-at-Arms or Highwayman who have forward movement skills can keep her in constant Dragonfly position.

If you’re planning on leaning into Dragonfly, Trinkets that apply secondary effects to the target, such as the Sparkleball or Strange Sapper, can help keep the front line in check while the Hag’s Hoard improves the Runaway’s survivability.

If you prefer to operate at range, Pile of Ash or Laden Lantern will all but guarantee a successful Burn and Speed trinkets like the Oversprung Pocketwatch ensure that the Runaway is landing her DOTs before the enemies take their turn.

Regardless of focus, the Charred Litany goes a long way towards resisting the self-inflicted Burn that can happen on each turn.

For added fun, slap the Complete Catalogue on your Stagecoach to add even more Burn to your Runaway’s CRITs!