Trinket Tier in Darkest Dungeon II

Explore the dim and eerie realms of a dystopian realm, haunted by otherworldly terrors, where one’s sanity hangs precariously close to the abyss. Embark on a journey into the mysterious and forbidden depths of ancient knowledge, where the understanding of every artifact possesses the potential to shape destiny.

S Tier

These are the most game-changing items in the game that can have an enormous impact on a wide variety of situations.

Clarifying Carcanet:
Effect: If you have more than 100 relics, you gain a 20% increase in MAX HP.
Effect: If you have more than 100 baubles, you gain a 20% increase in DMG.
This trinket provides a significant boost to both survival and offensive capabilities, making it highly versatile.

Shimmering Crown:
Effect: At the start of combat, if you have more than 100 relics, you are healed to full health.
Effect: At the start of combat, if you have more than 100 baubles, you are healed for 10 stress.
This healing effect can be vital in keeping your characters healthy and ensuring a strong start in every battle.

Celebrated Chalice:
Effect: If you have more than 50 relics, you gain a +4 SPD (Speed) boost.
Effect: If you have more than 50 baubles, you have a 10% increased chance to land a critical hit. This trinket enhances both the offensive and defensive aspects of the game, improving your speed and critical hit capabilities.

Oversprung Pocketwatch:
Effect: At the start of your turn, there is a 60% chance to gain an extra action, allowing you to take additional turns and potentially turn the tide of battle in your favor.
Effect: At the start of your turn, there is a 40% chance to be stunned, leaving you vulnerable. This trinket offers a high-risk, high-reward mechanic.Dark Impulse Trinkets:
These trinkets unlock the potential of Cultist Trinkets and come with various effects that can greatly impact your gameplay. Here are some examples:

Cruel Intent: If you have Dark Impulse equipped, enemies with the Blinded status have an increased critical hit chance.
Silent Treatment: If you have Dark Impulse equipped, at the start of combat, you have a chance to be stealthed, granting increased critical hit chance. If not stealthed, you deal and receive more damage.
Idle Thought: If you have Dark Impulse equipped, you gain a significant damage boost but suffer a damage penalty per round.
Temptation: If you have Dark Impulse equipped, at the start of each round, you have a chance to gain an extra action, but your resistance to death effects is reduced. These trinkets can be strategically powerful when used correctly.

A Tier

The A Tier trinkets offer valuable effects such as resistance against status effects, crowd control, healing, and offensive capabilities.

Sacrificial Host
Effect: +33% blight token status effect RES, -10% bleed token status effect RES
Similar to Clotting Cruor, the Sacrificial Host trinkets provide valuable resistance against a common and dangerous status effect, blight.

Sparkleball
Effect: Apply On Hit: daze token status effect (15%), blind token status effect (15%), weak token status effect (15%), vulnerable token status effect (15%), immobilize token status effect (15%)
Sparkleball is a common trinket that applies various negative token status effects on hit, providing crowd control options. The versatility and frequency of applying these effects make it a valuable choice in combat.

Befuddling Sundial
Turn start: Heal 10% (80%) or +2 horror token status effect (20%)
The Befuddling Sundial provides healing or increases horror, providing a risk-reward dynamic. The healing can be valuable for sustaining your heroes, while the horror can be strategically used for offensive purposes.

Pulsing Heart
Effect: Turn start: Regen 2 (33%) or bleed token status effect 1 (66%)
Pulsing Heart provides a chance for regenerating health or applying a bleed token status effect at the start of each turn. The healing makes it a versatile trinket for sustaining if you have good bleed res.

B Tier

B Tier items provide a balanced mix of benefits and drawbacks, often situational or more challenging to exploit fully. However, they can still contribute significantly to your success in the right circumstances.

Obsidian Dronepipe:
Effect: At the start of the enemy’s turn, there is a 25% chance to stun one enemy.
The Obsidian Dronepipe offers a valuable control effect, potentially stunning an enemy at the start of their turn. However, its unreliability and randomness hold it back from higher-tier placement. Use it if you lack better control options.

Guarding Gauntlet:
Effect: At the start of your turn, there is a 15% chance to gain block.
Effect: When hit, there is a 15% chance to gain a weak debuff.
This item offers a chance of applying block at the start of your turn, potentially reducing incoming damage. However, the chance of gaining a weak debuff when hit can be problematic, reducing its overall value.

Bouncer’s Belt:
Effect: You gain a 20% increase in healing received.
Effect: You have a 15% reduction in move resist.
Bouncer’s Belt provides a solid healing received boost, which can make a big difference in long fights. However, the negative move resist can be problematic, especially against enemies that frequently reposition your characters.

Fate’s Forteller:
Effect: At the start of combat, there is a 15% chance to gain a critical token.
This item has a chance of applying critical token status effect at the start of combat, providing a nice damage boost if it triggers. However, this is unreliable and hence falls into the B Tier.

Skeleton’s Sight:
Effect: At the start of your turn, you gain a critical token.
The guaranteed application of critical token status effect at the start of your turn can be a significant advantage in combat. However, it only applies to one turn, which limits its overall impact.

Bulwark Band:
Effect: At the start of combat, there is a chance to gain a dodge token.
Effect: When hit, there is a chance to gain a blind debuff.
The Bulwark Band provides a chance of applying a dodge token at the start of combat, improving survivability. However, the chance of gaining a blind debuff when hit can be detrimental.

Buttressing Band:
Effect: At the start of your turn, there is a 15% chance to gain a dodge token.
This item has a chance of applying dodge at the start of your turn. While useful, the relatively low chance limits its impact, relegating it to B Tier.

Thrilling Tablet:
Effect: At the start of combat, you gain a speed token.
This item applies a speed token status effect at the start of combat, enhancing your action economy. However, its one-time benefit places it in B Tier.

Proxy Doll:
Effect: Your DMG Dealt is increased by 10% for each Positive Token and DMG Received is increased by 10% for each Negative Token.
This item boosts DMG Dealt by 10% for each Positive Token but also increases DMG Received by the same amount for each Negative Token. It’s a risky choice but can potentially provide significant boosts.

Faceless Visage:
Effect: Shuffling effect at the start of combat.
The shuffling effect can be a double-edged sword, potentially disrupting enemy formations but also your own. It’s useful if you can manage your positioning well.

Curing Cuppa:
Effect: Chance to apply blight.
Effect: Blight resistance if HP is over 75%.
This item has a chance to apply blight, and also provides blight resistance if HP is over 75%. However, it’s situational, and its benefits can be offset by other factors, such as enemy resistances.

Kitchen Knives:
Effect: Benefits on a CRIT and when an enemy has blight.
The benefits on a critical hit and when an enemy has blight can be quite powerful, but they are also situational and not always easy to exploit.

Ghastly Gruel:
Effect: Healing effect triggers 33% of the time.
The healing effect can add up over a long fight, and the healing bonuses depending on rank can be very valuable. However, its impact is somewhat limited by the fact that it only triggers 33% of the time.

Hag’s Hoard:
Effect: Scaling boost to healing received based on Positive Tokens.
Effect: Reduces maximum health if the wearer is diseased.
This item provides a scaling boost to healing received based on Positive Tokens, but reduces maximum health if the wearer is diseased. It’s good if you can keep diseases in check, but risky otherwise.

Unwavering Standard:
Effect: Provides block tokens to allies at combat start.
Provides block tokens to allies at combat start, which can be great for damage mitigation early on, but its use diminishes as combat extends.

C Tier

The C Tier trinkets offer some benefits, but they may have limitations or provide relatively minor advantages compared to higher-tier trinkets. They can still be situationally useful but may not be as impactful overall.

Anchoring Charm
Effect: +15% move RES
Effect: +10% stun RES
Useful for preventing certain status effects, but only provides a relatively minor benefit.

Skeleton’s Sight
Effect: At the start of your turn: Apply critical token status effect
The guaranteed crit token at the start of your turn could be useful, but it doesn’t offer any other benefits.

Buttressing Band
Effect: At the start of your turn: Apply dodge token status effect (15% chance)
The effect is ambiguous, but unless the provided token is highly impactful, it is likely a middle-tier trinket.

Bulwark Band
Effect: At the start of combat: Apply dodge token status effect (15% chance)
Effect: On hit: Apply blind token status effect (15% chance)
Provides a chance for a dodge token, but also has the potential downside of applying a blind token on hit.

Fate’s Forteller
At the start of combat: Apply critical token status effect (15% chance)
Reason: Only a chance for a crit token at the start of combat, lacks versatility and consistent utility.

Guarding Gauntlet
Effect: At the start of your turn: Apply block token status effect (15% chance)
Effect: Gain weak debuff status effect when hit (15% chance)
Block tokens can be beneficial, but the chance is quite low. Additionally, gaining a weak debuff when hit can be a significant disadvantage.

D Tier

The C Tier trinkets offer some benefits, but they may have limitations or provide relatively minor advantages compared to higher-tier trinkets. They can still be situationally useful but may not be as impactful overall.

True Entropy
Effect: Turn start: Adds random token
Adding a random token at the start of the turn is quite unreliable as it could provide either beneficial or detrimental effects.

Foreclosure Notice
Effect: On hit: Apply combo token status effect
Effect: On hit: Apply -75% healing received
While the combo token on hit is beneficial, the potential negatives for the user make it less appealing.

Rotten Tomato
Effect: If Rank = 1: +25% DMG
Effect: On hit using Breakthrough Skill: Apply combo token status effect
The benefits are conditional and might not always be useful, while the detriment when in rank 1 is quite significant.

Empty Stein
Effect: If bleed token status effect: +25% DMG
Effect: Self on Barbaric Yawp Skill: Apply strength token status effect (66% chance)
Effect: Gain on bleed token status effect RES: Apply weak token status effect (25% chance)
Its benefits are conditional and it could be detrimental if the user is not able to apply bleed token.

Insulating Insignia
Effect: If first in round: Apply block token status effect
While block tokens are beneficial, this trinket has no effect if the user is not the first in the round.

Reverberating Redoubt
Effect: Apply when hit: 2 DMG
Effect: Gain when hit: If SPD <= 2: Apply block token status effect (66% chance)
While it offers some protection, it may be less beneficial than other trinkets since its bonus only applies when hit, which ideally you’d want to avoid.

Hero Trinkets

Plague Doctor Trinkets

Annotated Textbook
Description: Melee Skills: +10% CRIT, If Medicinal Herbs is Equipped: +50% Healing Given, Turn Start: If First in Turn Order: vulnerable
The Annotated Textbook is the best trinket for the Plague Doctor due to its increased CRIT chance and bonus healing when equipped with Medicinal Herbs. The downside of applying the Dazed is relatively minor.

Early Experiment
Description: If Noxious Item is Equipped: +2 Blight Dealt, Apply on Hit Disorienting Blast Skill: Blight 2 (50%), Incision Skill: -100% Bleed Dealt
The Early Experiment trinket provides increased Blight damage and a chance to apply Blight with Disorienting Blast. The reduced Bleed damage on Incision is a downside, but it can be managed.

Storage Room Key
Description: Target: Ounce of Prevention Skill: block, Target: Emboldening Vapours Skill: regen 2, Battlefield Medicine Skill: -50% Healing Given
The Storage Room Key allows the Plague Doctor to apply the Block and Regen 2 with specific skills. However, the downside of reduced Healing Given with Battlefield Medicine should be considered.
Grave Robber Trinkets

Foreclosure Notice
Description: Apply on Hit: If Rank = 4: combo (33%), Gain on Hit: Flashing Daggers Skills: stealth (33%), If no stealth: -75% Healing Received from Skills
The Foreclosure Notice is the top trinket choice for the Grave Robber due to its potential to apply the Combo and gain Stealth. The downside of reduced Healing Received is manageable with careful positioning.

His Rings
Description: Poison Dart Skill: +2 Blight Dealt, Apply on CRIT: Ranged Skills: Blight 2, If Rank = 1: +75% DMG Taken
His Rings increases Blight damage and the chance to apply Blight on critical hits. However, the increased damage taken in Rank 1 should be considered.

Stiff Drink
Description: Pick to the Face Skills: +50% DMG, Turn Start: Convert stealth to crit (80%), Turn End: Convert speed to daze (20%)
Stiff Drink provides a damage boost to Pick to the Face and can convert stealth and speed tokens. However, the chance of converting speed to daze should be taken into account.

Highwayman Trinkets

Rat Skull
Description: Turn Start: If First in Turn Order: crit (66%), Self: Duelist’s Advance Skill: immobilize (66%), vs Creature: -90% Healing Received from Skills
Rat Skull is the top choice for the Highwayman, providing a high chance of critical hits and the ability to immobilize enemies. The downside of reduced healing received from creatures is manageable.

Tormenting Locket
Description: Melee Skills: +15% CRIT, Open Vein Skill: +2 Bleed Dealt, Gain on Attack: Ranged Skills: +1 stress (25%)
The Tormenting Locket increases critical hit chance and bleed damage. It also provides a chance to gain stress tokens on ranged attacks. The downside of additional stress should be considered.

Cursed Coin
Description: +5% DMG per Positive Token, Self: Highway Robbery Skill: ripostex2 (50%), If Relics > 100: -15% CRIT
Cursed Coin offers increased damage based on positive tokens and grants riposte chance with Highway Robbery. However, the downside of reduced crit chance when relics exceed 100 should be taken into account.

Man-at-Arms Trinkets

Price of Pride
Description: Gain when Hit: blockplus (33%), Apply on Attack: Bellow Skill: stun (10%), Turn Start: If First in Turn Order: blind
Price of Pride is the recommended trinket for the Man-at-Arms, providing block chance when hit and the ability to stun enemies with Bellow. The downside of applying the blind token is relatively minor.

Standard of the Ninth
Description: Each Hero on Combat Start: blockplus, Courageous Abandon Skill: +50% CRIT, Gain on Miss: If Rank = 1: weak
Standard of the Ninth grants block chance to all heroes at the start of combat and enhances the crit chance of Courageous Abandon. The downside of applying the weak token is manageable.

Undeserved Commendation
Description: If Rank = 2: +25% Max HP , Target: Command Skill: crit (33%), When Moving: If Rank = 1: +1 stress
Undeserved Commendation provides additional maximum HP in Rank 2 and the ability to apply the crit with Command. The downside of gaining stress when moving in Rank 1 should be considered.

Hellion Trinkets

Bloodied Branch
Description: Gain on CRIT: Melee Skills: strength 2 (66%), If It Bleeds Skill: +2 Bleed Dealt, When Moving: If Rank = 4: +2 stress
Bloodied Branch is the top choice for the Hellion, granting additional damage on critical hits and increased bleed damage with It Bleeds. The downside of gaining stress when moving in Rank 4 should be managed.

Rotten Tomato
Description: If Rank = 1: -20% Disease RES, If Rank = 2: +30% DMG, Apply on Hit: Breakthrough Skill: combo, Add 1 Negative Token
Rotten Tomato offers reduced disease resistance in Rank 1 but provides a significant damage increase in Rank 2. It also adds a combo token with Breakthrough but applies a negative token, which should be managed carefully.Empty Stein
Description: If Bleed : +25% DMG, Self: Barbaric YAWP! Skill: strength 2, Gain on Bleed Resist: weak (25%)
Empty Stein increases damage when inflicted with a bleed token, enhances Barbaric YAWP! with strength tokens, and grants weak tokens when resisting bleed. The downside of gaining weak tokens should be considered.

Runaway Trinkets

Carved Toy
Description: Turn Start: If stealth : crit (50%), Apply on Hit: Hearthlight Skill: combo (50%), vs Gaunt: -4 speed
Carved Toy is the recommended trinket for the Runaway, providing a chance of critical hits when stealthed and granting a combo token with Hearthlight. The downside of reduced speed against gaunt enemies should be managed.

Pile of Ash
Description: When Moving: dodgeplus (50%), Self: Backdraft Skill: stealth, Combat Start: vs Gaunt: +1 stress
Pile of Ash grants increased dodge chance when moving and the ability to enter stealth with Backdraft. It also applies stress tokens at the start of combat against gaunt enemies, which should be managed.

Knitted Blanket
Description: +100% Burn RES, Burn-Causing Skills: +2 Burn Dealt, vs Gaunt: -25% DMG
Knitted Blanket offers increased resistance to burn, boosts burn damage, but reduces damage dealt against gaunt enemies. The downside of decreased damage should be considered.

Hero Trinkets (continued)

Jester Trinkets

Severed Finger
Description: If Target Bleed : +25% DMG, Slice Off Skill: +2 Bleed Dealt, +1 Bleed Received
Severed Finger is the top choice for the Jester, providing increased damage against bleeding targets, enhancing Slice Off with additional bleed damage, and applying a bleed token to the Jester. The self-inflicted bleed should be managed effectively.

Royal Summons
Description: When Moving crit (10%), Target: Play Out Skill: Destroy 1 Negative Token, Turn End: If Rank = 4: taunt x2
Royal Summons grants a chance of crit when moving, the ability to remove negative tokens with Play Out, and the taunt token at the end of the turn. The downside of taunt should be managed strategically.

Busker’s Haul
Description: Random Ally on Turn End: If Rank = 1: Add 1 Positive Token, Self: Solo Skill: crit (50%), If Relics < 25: -25% DMG
Busker’s Haul grants a chance to add positive tokens to a random ally at the end of the turn. It also enhances Solo with crit tokens. However, the downside of reduced damage when relics are below 25 should be taken into consideration.

Leper Trinkets

Simple Flower
Description: Gain on Move Resist: regen 2, Gain on Stun Resist: blockplus, Gain on CRIT Melee Skills: +1 stress (25%)
Simple Flower is the recommended trinket for the Leper, providing resistance to move and stun tokens, and enhancing CRIT melee skills with stress tokens. The downside of gaining stress should be managed carefully.

Inevitable End
Description: Target: Break Skill: Cannot Gain block (2 rounds), Gain when Hit: If Icon speed <= 2: Remove weak and vulnerable, Round Start: -2% Deathsdoor RES (1 Battle)
Inevitable End allows the Leper to disable enemy block tokens with Break. However, it removes weak and vulnerable tokens when hit based on icon speed, and decreases Death’s Door resistance at the start of each round. The downsides should be considered and managed strategically.

Uncommon Seashell
Description: -10% DMG Received per Negative Token, Apply on Hit: Intimidate Skills: combo, Gain when Hit: Bleed 1 (15%)
Uncommon Seashell provides damage reduction based on negative tokens, applies combo tokens with Intimidate skills, and gains bleed tokens when hit. The trade-off is the potential for increased damage received from negative tokens.

Occultist Trinkets

Seeing Sphere
Description: Turn End: Convert vulnerable to uncheckedpower, Apply on Hit: Daemon’s Pull Skill: 1 Negative Token (66%), Gain when Moved by Enemy: 1 Negative Token (33%)
Seeing Sphere allows the Occultist to convert vulnerable tokens into unchecked power tokens at the end of the turn. It also applies negative tokens with Daemon’s Pull and when moved by an enemy. The downside of negative tokens should be managed effectively.

Scalded Skull
Description: If Target Burn : +50% Healing Given, Ranged Skills: +25% Debuff RES Piercing, Random Ally on Turn Start: If uncheckedpower >= 2: Burn 1 (33%)
Scalded Skull increases healing given to targets with burn tokens, enhances debuff resistance with ranged skills, and has a chance to apply burn tokens at the start of the turn. The downside is the need to manage unchecked power tokens carefully.

Shambler’s Eye
Description: +10% DMG per Stress, -10% Healing Given per Stress, Gain on CRIT: Binding Shadows Skills: uncheckedpower
Shambler’s Eye is a powerful trinket for the Occultist, granting increased damage per stress token and enhancing Binding Shadows skills with unchecked power tokens. The damage boost can significantly increase the Occultist’s effectiveness in combat. However, the downside of reduced healing given per stress should be carefully managed, as it can impact the Occultist’s support abilities. Overall, it is a high-risk, high-reward trinket that can be effective with proper strategy and team composition.

Vestal Trinkets

Icon of the Light
Description: If Rank = 4: +2 regen Dealt, Target: Consecration Skills: -1 stress, Melee Skills: -50% DMG
Icon of the Light provides a significant advantage to the Vestal’s healing capabilities with increased regeneration effect. The reduced stress from Consecration skills is also beneficial for managing the party’s stress levels. However, the downside of reduced damage for melee skills should be taken into account, especially if the Vestal is expected to engage in combat. Overall, this trinket prioritizes the Vestal’s support role, making it a solid choice for parties that rely on her healing abilities.

Profane Scroll
Description: If Rank = 1: +25% Max Icon HP , If Rank = 2: +25% DMG, Hand of Light Skill: taunt x2, Turn End: If Rank = 3 or 4: +2 stress
Profane Scroll offers a versatile set of bonuses for the Vestal. It increases max HP at Rank 1, boosts damage at Rank 2, and provides the ability to taunt with Hand of Light. The extra stress at the end of turns for Ranks 3 and 4 should be managed carefully, but the benefits of increased survivability and damage output make this trinket a strong choice for the Vestal.

Smoldering Firewood
Description: If Flammable Item is Equipped: +25% DMG, Target: Illumination Skill: Burn 2, Gain when Hit: Burn 1 (15%)
Smoldering Firewood enhances the Vestal’s damage output by providing a damage bonus if a flammable item is equipped. The Burn effect on Illumination can add additional damage over time, and the chance to inflict Burn when hit adds a bit of offensive capability. However, the reliance on a flammable item and the random chance for the Burn effect make this trinket less consistent compared to others. It can be a situational choice for players looking to increase the Vestal’s damage potential in specific scenarios.

Bounty Hunter Trinkets

Crime Lords’ Molars
Description: +50% Move RES Piercing, If Target combo: +20% DMG, If Target stun: +5% CRIT
Crime Lords’ Molars provide valuable resistances against movement-related effects, allowing the Bounty Hunter to maintain positioning more effectively. The damage bonus against targets with combo tokens and increased critical chance against stunned targets further enhance the Bounty Hunter’s damage potential. This trinket is a strong choice for players who prioritize maximizing damage output and exploiting enemy vulnerabilities.

Vengeful Kill List
Vengeful Kill List boosts the Bounty Hunter’s damage after landing a killing blow, increasing their overall damage output until the next Inn visit. The additional resistance to Deathsdoor effects improves the Bounty Hunter’s survivability in dangerous situations. This trinket rewards players who focus on securing kills and can be particularly effective against tougher enemies or bosses.

Utility Belt
Description: Caltrops Skill: +25% Debuff RES Piercing, Apply on Hit: Flashbang Skill: blind, Apply on Hit: Hurlbat Skill: weak
Utility Belt provides utility-focused bonuses for the Bounty Hunter’s skills. The increased debuff resistance on Caltrops helps in countering enemy debuffs, while Flashbang applies a blind token and Hurlbat applies a weak token when hitting enemies. This trinket excels in providing crowd control and debuffing capabilities, making the Bounty Hunter a valuable asset in disrupting enemy strategies. It’s a solid choice for players who prefer a more tactical and control-oriented playstyle.

Conclusion

As this ominous manual nears its conclusion, it is vital to acknowledge that the ever-shifting cosmic realm of mystical artifacts and their enigmatic powers eludes mortal comprehension. Within the unfathomable depths of this realm, where shadows sway and ancient whispers reverberate through the ages, the selection of these artifacts becomes your responsibility.

Caution, brave seeker of power, for the trinkets you wield possess the potential for both salvation and damnation in equal measure. The boundaries of sanity blur as you plunge into the enigmatic enigmas of the tiers, where the fabric of reality thins. Each artifact carries the ability to mold the destinies of heroes, to influence the tides of battle, and to unravel the very fabric of existence itself.

However, amidst the tumultuous chaos and terror contained within these pages, it must be remembered that no guide can capture the true essence of the eldritch realm. The nature of these artifacts is enigmatic, ever-shifting like the capricious desires of cosmic entities. The ultimate truth lies not within these written words, but within the enigmatic depths of your own personal encounters, forged through toil, sweat, and the fragile erosion of sanity.

As you navigate the convoluted maze of this treacherous game, allow the whispers of the eldritch to guide your steps. Embrace the unknown, for it is within the realm of madness that the most profound revelations are unveiled. With each choice, each artifact, you inch closer to the unfathomable secrets dormant in the core of this spectral dominion.

This guide about Darkest Dungeon II was written by James Jedi. You can visit the original publication from this link. If you have any concerns about this guide, please don't hesitate to reach us here.

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