How does the Academic’s Study work in Darkest Dungeon 2

Hey, a quick Shambler fight.

Screenshot by Gamepur

The different encounters in the Academic’s Study

The Academic’s Study in Darkest Dungeon 2 has a star icon on the minimap. Like events where you help villagers or marked encounters with hostiles, you’re not always guaranteed which responses are available. And, yes, character Affinity is affected as well based on your replies. Here are some examples:

No other possible actions – There are cases when you have no other choice but to leave (i.e., door icon).
Trinkets and other rewards – In other instances, a response might grant you rewards, such as trinkets or additional Flame for your Stagecoach. Conversely, some effects might decrease the Flame value or cause Stress to your characters.
Shambler battle – Finally, it’s possible to fight the Shambler as long as you see the crossed-swords icon. Beware, though, because the character who chooses this option might end up with the Lost In Space quirk.

Facing the Shambler in Darkest Dungeon 2

The Shambler is back from the original game. Previously, it was an enemy that you hunted for decent rewards. Often, you’d need to explore in the dark or find its altar. In Darkest Dungeon 2, the Shambler retains its tricks, including blasting your entire party, reshuffling positions, and summoning Shambler Tentacles.

The old methods still apply, such as having the Riposte buff (i.e., the Highwayman using Duelist’s Advance or the Man-at-arms’ Retribution). Since the Shambler hits everyone in the team, having people who could counterattack helps whittle down its 85 HP. However, one of the biggest differences in Darkest Dungeon 2 compared to the original is that each character is unique (i.e., you can’t have a party of four Highwaymen). As such, not all four people will be using Riposte attacks whenever the Shambler hits them.