How to Improve Relationships in Darkest Dungeon II

Are you wondering how to improve relationships in Darkest Dungeon II? The significance of the bond between your heroes cannot be understated, as it directly affects their combat prowess through blessings or curses. Furthermore, heroes can either automatically assist or impede their partner in the relationship. To reinforce these relationships in Darkest Dungeon II, four main strategies are at your disposal.

How Does Affinity Work in Darkest Dungeon II?

To check a hero’s relationship with other heroes, simply go to the Relationships tab in their character sheet by press the C button. This section displays the hero’s current affinity or connection with each hero. If there are many affinity pips, it shows that the heroes are on good terms. However, if there are few pips, it implies that they are not friendly. This will affect the likelihood of relationships developing at the next inn.

Inn Items

A proven method to enhance the connection between the two heroes is giving them the Whiskey Flask, which can be easily purchased from Inns, Hospitals, or Hoarders for 8 Relics. Sharing a single Whiskey Flask can strengthen the relationship between the heroes with no adverse effects. Therefore, it is advisable to provide your heroes with a Whiskey Flask every time they visit an Inn to give them a significant boost in their bond. You can expect 1 or 2 pips from each Whiskey given to a hero pair.

Combat

Specific actions may result in an affinity shift between two heroes during combat. You will be notified of this change through an icon displayed on the hero affected by the action. For example, if two heroes have low health, one may not like it if you don’t choose to heal them. Likewise, a hero will like it if you use a combat item to remove their Stress levels.

Related: Darkest Dungeon 2: How to Use Combat Items

Quirks

As the expedition progresses, the dynamics between heroes can be affected for better or worse. Quirks play a significant role in these interactions, which occur naturally as you navigate your stagecoach through different regions. Unfortunately, your only control over affinity changes due to quirks is removing a hero’s quirks at the hospital.

Encounters

In Darkest Dungeon II, the heroes have varying opinions on how to handle encounters. Selecting a hero’s response will increase their mutual affinity with other heroes who share their views. You can tell when heroes agree by the golden glow around them, while a blue glow indicates disagreement.

Use these encounters to improve your heroes’ relationships with each other:

• Affinity Changes
• Resistance Encounters
• Assistance Encounters
• Cultists
• Creature Dens

Note from the author: I created this guide while playing Darkest Dungeon II on my PC through Steam.