How to Lower Stress in Darkest Dungeon 2

As a roguelike RPG, Darkest Dungeon 2 has a plethora of mechanics players can immerse themselves in. One of these mechanics is the Stress mechanic. Stress in Darkest Dungeon 2 can cause different effects on the player’s party based on how stressed the members are. This guide will show you what the levels of stress are and how to lower it.

What is Stress in Darkest Dungeon 2?

Stress is caused by certain actions the player takes during a run. Stress levels rise from 0-10 with three sections dividing it. As the Stress level elevates, it changes the Negative Banter between the party.  Below are the three different effects of Stress:

Negative Banter is a mechanic that raises Stress and reduces the Relationship between Heroes. Stress not only affects players in battle, it also changes the dynamics of the party. This mechanic can reduce the Relationships of party members.

Relationships in Darkest Dungeon 2 is a system in which party members’ combat abilities increase or decrease as the player makes different decisions. When the relationship amongst Heroes is high, it increases the chance of Blessed skills receiving buffs. Other party members will do follow-up attacks or do additional damage. Inversely, when a relationship status amongst party members is low, characters are afflicted with debuffs such as increased Stress levels.

When Stress reaches 10, players have a chance of being afflicted with one of the three outcomes:

How do I lower Stress?

As there is a high chance of Stress levels rising, Red Hook Studios provides numerous ways to lower it. Stress is reduced with Battle skills and other items that are purchasable or found. Here is a list of items and skills to decrease Stress:

Combat Stress Reducers:

• The Bolster skill for the Man-at-Arms can decrease Stress by one
• The Plague Doctor’s skill, Ounce of Prevention, reduces Stress by one
• Albative Powders reduce Stress by one
• Clotting Powders decreases Stress by one
• Mineral-Rich Spring Water removes three Stress
• Remove one Stress level with Neutralizing Powders.

Inn Items:

• Book of Bawdy Tales, -6
• Boxing Gloves, -1
• Calming Incense, -2
• Candles of Chocolate, -1
• Dartboard, -1
• Meditative Totem, -2
• Mop and Bucket, -3
• Pipeweed, -2
• Poetry, -4
• Roast Pig, -2
• Song Book of Rousing Tunes, -1
• Whittling Tools, -3
• The Wine, -3

Inn items such as Mop and Bucket have two effects that can be detrimental to the Heroes’ Stress. With a 50% chance, Mop and Bucket can increase the Hero’s Stress by two or decrease Stress by three. Be cautious as you play Darkest Dungeon 2 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.