Highwayman (Darkest Dungeon II)

"Violently versatile, ruthlessly pragmatic."

The Highwayman is a Hero in Darkest Dungeon II.

Class Description

 * Any Rank
 * High Dmg
 * Versatile
 * Riposte

Combat Skills
Note: The Highwayman will always start each run equipped with Wicked Slice, Pistol Shot, Duelist's Advance, Tracking Shot, and Take Aim. All other skills must be unlocked through the Shrine of Reflection before they may be equipped.

Strategy
- Offense: The Highwayman is a highly versatile attacker thanks to his ability to target the front Ranks (with Wicked Slice or  Open Vein) as well as the back Ranks (with  Pistol Shot).


 * Dd2 ability highwayman wickedslice.png Wicked Slice and Dd2 ability openvein.png Open Vein are suitable for finishing off enemies with Deathsdoor dd2.png Death Blow resistance. An upgraded Dd2 ability highwayman wickedslice.png Wicked Slice can ignore much of the said resistance of certain enemies (Lord, Evangelist, etc.), while Dd2 ability openvein.png Open Vein applies a Bleed dd2.png Bleed effect for extra chance of killing enemies on Death's Door.


 * Dd2 ability duelistsadvance.png Duelist's Advance is a recommended skill for Highwayman. With this ability, he can perform an effective offensive combo by moving forward to Rank 1, where he can fire a devastating Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot to instantly kill weak enemies or decimate dangerous large-sized foes at Rank 1 (Deacon, Pit Fighter, Knight, etc.), adapt to situations when he is pushed back to Rank 4 where he can not use melee skills, as well as gain Dd2 token riposte.png Riposte to deliver extra attacks. It also helps Highwayman adapt to combat tactics of Heroes whose skillsets revolve around constantly changing positions, such as Portraits-jester.pngr or Portraits-graverobber.pngrobber.


 * For increased chance of instant kill, Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot's high damage output can be raised even further with a Dd2 token strength.png Strength Token from Portraits-plaguedoctor.pnge Doctor's Dd2 ability emboldeningvapours.png Emboldening Vapours, or Portraits-jester.pngr's Dd2 ability battleballad.png Battle Ballad, and Dd2 token crit.png Crit Token from Highwayman's Dd2 ability takeaim.png Take Aim for a guaranteed critical attack. These Tokens are multiplicative with each other, allowing for Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot to devastate the target, which can be quite effective against Rank 1 enemies or bosses. It is worth noting that Portraits-jester.pngr's Dd2 ability battleballad.png Battle Ballad can push Highwayman to Rank 1 to use Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot, and when upgraded, also has 15% chance to grant a Dd2 token crit.png Crit Token to the Highwayman for a quick kill shot. For this combo to work quickly and effectively, the Highwayman needs to be on Rank 2, where Dd2 ability battleballad.png Battle Ballad can target him, and his Icon speed dd2.png is at least 2 points lower than that of Jester (this can be done via SPD trinkets).


 * If Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot does not score a kill, it will apply a dd2 token combo.png Combo Token to the target and enable more powerful follow-up attacks, such as the Dd2 token stun.png Stun effect from Portraits-manatarms.png-at-Arms' Dd2 ability rampart.png Rampart or Dd2 ability holdtheline.png Hold the Line.


 * Dd2 ability doubletap.png Double Tap deals a considerable amount of damage to low-HP targets and ignores some Deathsdoor dd2.png Death Blow resist, ideal for taking out middle-Rank enemies, especially after they take a hit from Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot and get pushed back to Rank 2.


 * Dd2 ability grapeshotblast.png Grapeshot Blast is preferably used to remove defensive Tokens from multiple front-Rank enemies.

- Survivability: The Highwayman is somewhat lacking in terms of defense, especially when he does not have access to all of his skills.


 * If he faces enemies with powerful attacks, it is advised to use Dd2 ability takeaim.png Take Aim for a Dd2 token dodge.png Dodge Token or Dd2 ability doublecross.png Double Cross for a Dd2 token block.png Block Token. These skills can also help set up solid combos for Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot (Dd2 ability takeaim.png Take Aim grants Dd2 token crit.png Crit, while Dd2 ability doublecross.png Double Cross inflicts Dd2 token vulnerable.png Vulnerable ). Furthermore, the large number of Tokens given by Dd2 ability takeaim.png Take Aim (4 Tokens if upgraded) can yield a very generous heal (up to 50% of Icon HP dd2.png) for the Highwayman when the Portraits-plaguedoctor.pnge Doctor heals him with Dd2 ability indiscriminatescience.png Indiscriminate Science.


 * Dd2 ability duelistsadvance.png Duelist's Advance, which goes well with Dd2 ability pointblankshot.png Point Blank Shot, grants a Dd2 token dodge.png Dodge Token, if upgraded.

- Utility: Highway Robbery is extremely useful against enemies that can apply positive Tokens on themselves or allies, as it can remove these Tokens and destroy enemies' advantages to alleviate combat risks. With the skill upgraded, the Highwayman can also steal powerful Tokens to increase his damage and defense, such as Dodge (Evangelist, Cherub),  Crit (Evangelist),  Block+ (Sacrificial), etc. Keep in mind that this skill will neither destroy nor steal  Riposte Tokens.


 * If the Highwayman does not yet have access to Dd2 ability highwayrobbery.png Highway Robbery, Dd2 ability trackingshot.png Tracking Shot can be used against enemies that typically have Dd2 token dodge.png Dodge (Evangelist, Cherub, etc.). Dd2 ability trackingshot.png Tracking Shot will also apply Dd2 token combo.png Combo and remove Dd2 token stealth.png Stealth, if upgraded.

Shrine of Reflection
The Highwayman gains access to 6 abilities over 5 chapters through accessing memories in the Shrine of Reflection.

Chapter One: Freedom
"Walls will never again hold me."
 * Objective: Defeat The Guards to Escape
 * Unlocks Point Blank Shot

- The Highwayman

"A prison riot! A fleeting chance to escape incarceration!"

- The Academic

"He would be a fugitive, a hunted man, but a free one nonetheless..."

- The Academic

Chapter Two: Laying Low
"Freedom was nothing like what I'd hoped for."
 * Unlocks Open Vein

- The Highwayman

"Harried by a pursuing garrison, he took refuge in the foetid canals of the city. Concealment took its toll, and soon he began to see himself in the furtive, scurrying pests that formed an unfortunate portion of his meager diet. Freedom, once so fondly imagined, had become a vortex of degradation."

- The Academic

Chapter Three: One Last Job
"Can't teach an old dog new tricks."
 * Unlocks Highway Robbery

- The Highwayman

"He was sick and starving. And in desperation, offered his expertise to an unscrupulous malefactor. Shackled once more to an unsavory task by an advance of gold, he lined his belly, girded himself, and prepared for One. Final. Heist."

- The Academic

Chapter Four: Highway Robbery
"Was I desperate? Yes. Was I greedy...?"
 * Objective: Rob The Coach
 * Unlocks Grapeshot Blast

- The Highwayman

"The stagecoach arrived, and he set himself to the business of bloodshed and robbery!"

- The Academic

"He fulfilled his obligations with exceptional lethality, but his grim satisfaction would prove short-lived..."

- The Academic

Chapter Five: Shackled
"Regret binds fiercer than any manacles."
 * Unlocks Double Cross and Double Tap

- The Highwayman

"The lifeless bodies of a woman and child, horribly mutilated by errant gunfire, stared spectrally through the remnants of the coach door. Arrested by the ghoulish sight, he felt the cold chains of remorse tighten around his heart. Guilt was a pursuer he could never outrun, a prison he would never escape."

- The Academic

Trivia

 * The Highwayman is one of eight Heroes returning from Darkest Dungeon, and one of the first nine Heroes to be available in the sequel.
 * The Highwayman's default name - Dismas - is named after the penitent thief crucified next to Jesus of Nazareth.