Jester (Darkest Dungeon II)

Base = Upgraded =

"A murderous melody lingers long after the final chord has been struck."

- The Academic

The Jester is one of 12 Heroes in Darkest Dungeon II.

Class Description

 * ANY RANK
 * BLEED
 * STRESS HEAL
 * SUPPORT

Combat Skills
Jester will always start each run with: Razor's Wit, Fade to Black, Slice Off, Battle Ballad,  Inspiring Tune. All other skills must be unlocked through the Shrine of Reflection, after which they are permanently unlocked and available for subsequent playthroughs.

























Unique Trinkets
🔸Each Hero has their own 3 unique Trinkets, exclusive only to them.

Hero Paths
🔸 All Heroes Start The Game with No Hero Path. Each Hero has access to 3 unique Paths available only to them once they Invest into The Living City.

Strategy
🔸The Jester is a particularly mobile Hero, as most offensive skills of his skillset require him to change position around the team composition to unleash his full potential. Due to his rather erratic movements, the Jester may present risk when fit into a team who requires Rank consistency or lacks flexibility in movement. Notably, the Jester excels at applying Combo, possessing 4 skills that can inflict said Token in total, more than any other Heroes. Due to his highly flexible skillset with a good target reach, the Jester can reliably perform on any Rank, especially on middle Ranks. Jester has a more supporting role on Rank 3 where he can effectively Stress heal, buff his team or Pull targets, while on Rank 2 he can use  Finale to deal a strong blow on resilient targets.



🔸Offense: The Jester's skillset mainly revolves around movement, and as such, it it better to pair him with Heroes with high Rank flexibility to adapt to allies' movement (Highwayman,Grave Robber, etc.). While theLeper, who is severely lacking in terms of mobility, may seem like a bad companion for the Jester, he can use Bash to apply  Immobilize on himself to avoid being moved by Jester's said skills. At the same time, if used in a right way; Bash, as well as similar skills that apply  Immobilize (Hellion's  Toe to Toe orMan-at-Arms'  Hold the Line), can also lock the Jester in his place and give him extra chances to use certain movement skills. For example, if theLeper has Immobilize on Rank 1, the Jester can use  Razor's Wit on Rank 2 without losing access to it.


 * One of the Jester's primary offensive moves is the combination of Dd2 ability razorswit.png Razor's Wit and Dd2 ability fadetoblack.png Fade to Black, both of which move the Jester back and forth and reduce enemies' accuracy, potentially forcing them miss highly damaging attacks. Both skills can apply dd2 token combo.png Combo on enemies, which enable additional effects of allies' skills (Stun dd2.png Stun fromPortraits-manatarms.png-at-Arms or higher CRIT chance forPortraits-graverobber.png Robber).


 * Jester can utilize a combo of Dd2 ability solo.png Solo and Dd2 ability finale.png Finale to quickly take down tough enemies (especially large-sized ones). Dd2 ability solo.png Solo will be the prime move to inflict dd2 token combo.png Combo and apply Dd2 token dodgeplus.png Dodge+ on the Jester for defense, then followed by Dd2 ability finale.png Finale, which deals double damage to targets with dd2 token combo.png Combo . If Dd2 ability solo.png Solo is not available, use Dd2 ability razorswit.png Razor's Wit or upgraded Dd2 ability fadetoblack.png Fade to Black. To avoid spending a turn for Dd2 ability solo.png Solo, the player may want to bring Heroes with Combo -inflicting skills (Portraits-highwayman.pngayman,Portraits-manatarms.png-at-Arms, etc.). Notably,Portraits-highwayman.pngayman's Dd2 ability trackingshot.png Tracking Shot can both apply dd2 token combo.png Combo and remove all Dd2 token dodge.png Dodge and Dd2 token dodgeplus.png Dodge+ from Jester's targets, guaranteeing his destructive Dd2 ability finale.png Finale hit.


 * Sometimes, maintaining the Jester's position to avoid disrupting party compositions can be a better option. In such cases, use either Dd2 ability sliceoff.png Slice Off or Dd2 ability harvest.png Harvest to assault mid-Rank targets and apply Bleed dd2.png Bleed to them. While Dd2 ability sliceoff.png Slice Off does not apply dd2 token combo.png Combo like Dd2 ability razorswit.png Razor's Wit and Dd2 ability fadetoblack.png Fade to Black, it applies a Dd2 token vulnerable.png Vulnerable Token for a harder subsequent hit. Dd2 ability harvest.png Harvest can simultaneously apply dd2 token combo.png Combo on multiple targets, albeit with a significantly lower chance (25 - 33%).

🔸Survivability: As the Jester has a particularly low HP, he mainly depends on his Dodge and  Dodge+ Tokens gained from  Razor's Wit and  Solo to avoid taking too much damage. Fade to Black is equally useful as well, applying Blind on enemies to make them miss their attacks.



🔸Support: The Jester can be considered to be among the most effective Stress healers. Inspiring Tune can be used on Jester himself and his teammates alike, healing up to 3 Stress and removing  Horror. However, the Stress heal only applies if allies have at least 5  Stress, a typical drawback of most Stress -healing skills.


 * Beside Dd2 token stress.png Stress heals, the Jester's arsenal offers skills that either move teammates forward or backward if they are displaced by enemies. Dd2 ability playout.png Play Out is primarily used to protect back-Rank Heroes, providing them with Dd2 token block.png Block or Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+, while also pushing them back if they are pulled to the front. Dd2 ability playout.png Play Out will have more use if the Heroes' party encounters enemies that tend to target back-Rank Heroes and deal a huge amount of damage to them, such as Arbalist. In contrast to Dd2 ability playout.png Play Out, Dd2 ability battleballad.png Battle Ballad pushes a Hero the front and applies a Dd2 token strength.png Strength Token for a stronger attack. It is preferably used on front-liners with limited mobility (Portraits-leper.png) or with skills that have strict Rank requirement but deals great damage (Portraits-highwayman.pngayman,Portraits-manatarms.png-at-Arms, and Portraits-hellion.pngon).


 * Dd2 ability echoingmarch.png Echoing March, unlike other similar skills, does not only pull enemies to the front, but also applies on them an additional Pull effect that triggers every time they begin their turns. As such, Dd2 ability echoingmarch.png Echoing March is highly effective against troublesome back-Rank enemies that always attempts to move away from the front if given the chance, particularly Cherubs. Furthermore, the constant Pull effect from the skill may disrupt enemy Ranks, preventing them from using certain effective skills.


 * Dd2 ability encore.png Encore is a quite unique skill among Heroes, being the only one that can grant extra actions. Dd2 ability encore.png Encore allows teammates to perform demanding skill combos within just a single turn. For example, thePortraits-leper.png can use Dd2 ability ruin.png Ruin and Dd2 ability withstand.png Withstand (or Dd2 ability intimidate.png Intimidate) to prepare a lethal hit. Similarly, the Portraits-hellion.pngon can use Dd2 ability bleedout.png Bleed Out and Dd2 ability bloodlust.png Bloodlust for extra damage onBleed dd2.png Bleed targets in the next turn. ThePortraits-manatarms.png-at-Arms can gain Dd2 token block.png Block and Dd2 token blockplus.png Block+ through various skills (Dd2 ability standfast.png Stand Fast, Dd2 ability holdtheline.png Hold the Line, Dd2 ability defender.png Defender, etc.) and immediately use Dd2 ability courageousabandon.png Courageous Abandon for massive damage against Rank 1.

Shrine of Reflection
🔸The Jester gains access to 6 skills over 5 Chapters through accessing memories in the Shrine of Reflection.

Barks
Combat =

Landing a CRIT

 * TBA'

Stalling

 * TBA

Bleed

 * TBA

Blight

 * TBA

Burn

 * TBA

Horror

 * What's that? Slice off the rest of my fingers?

Stress

 * TBA

Torch Decrease

 * TBA

Entering Death's Door

 * TBA

Ally On Death's Door

 * TBA

Surviving Hit on Death's Door

 * TBA

Ally Surviving Hit on Death's Door

 * TBA

Hit by CRIT

 * TBA

Ally Hit by CRIT

 * TBA

Pushed by Enemy

 * TBA

Meltdown (Phased out)

 * TBA

Fog Appears (Shroud)

 * TBA

Fog Fades (Shroud)
Positive Act Outs=
 * TBA

Stress Healing Partner - General

 * TBA

Buffing Partner - General

 * TBA

Healing Partner - General

 * TBA

Combo Attack - General

 * TBA

Retaliation - General

 * TBA

Protection - General

 * TBA

Attacking Ally - General

 * TBA

Praise for Support Skill - General

 * TBA

Praise for Attack - General

 * TBA

Stress Heal in Coach - General

 * TBA

Stress Self in Coach - General

 * TBA

Stress Healing Partner - Hopeful

 * TBA

Buffing Partner - Hopeful

 * I'll conspire with you any day, heh heh.

Praise for Support Skill - Hopeful

 * TBA

Praise for Attack - Hopeful

 * TBA

Stress Heal in Coach - Hopeful

 * TBA

Stress Healing Partner - Amorous

 * TBA

Healing Partner - Amorous

 * TBA

Protection - Amorous

 * TBA

Praise for Support Skill - Amorous

 * TBA

Praise for Attack - Amorous

 * TBA

Stress Heal in Coach - Amorous

 * TBA

Stress Healing Partner - Respectful

 * TBA

Retaliation After Partner is Attacked - Respectful

 * TBA

Combo Attack with Partner - Respectful

 * That move always got a laugh at court

Praise for Support Skill - Respectful

 * TBA

Praise for Attack - Respectful

 * TBA

Stress Heal in Coach - Respectful
Negative Act Outs=
 * ''TBA'

Dealing Stress Partner - General

 * TBA

Insult for Support Skill - General

 * TBA

Insult for Attack - General

 * TBA

Attacking Ally - Hateful

 * ''TBA'

Stress Damage on Ally - Hateful

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Support Skill - Hateful

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Attack - Hateful

 * ''TBA'

Stress Damage on Ally - Suspicious

 * ''TBA'

Stress Damage on Ally on Road - Suspicious

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Support Skill - Suspicious

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Attack - Suspicious

 * ''TBA'

Stress Damage on Ally - Resentful

 * ''TBA'

Stress Damage on Ally on Road - Resentful

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Support Skill - Resentful

 * ''TBA'

Insult for Attack - Resentful
Affinity=
 * ''TBA'

Adding Buff

 * ''TBA'

Guarding Ally

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Adding Token

 * ''TBA'

Follow Up Attack

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Follow Up on Debuffed Enemy

 * ''TBA'

Healing Ally

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Revenge Attack on Enemy

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Moving Positions - Positive

 * ''TBA'

Removing DoTs

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Stress Healing

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Jealous of Buff

 * ''TBA'

Jealous of Guarded Ally

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Jealous of Token

 * ''TBA'

Jealous of Food (Unused)

 * ''TBA'

Jealous of Healing

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Moving Positions - Negative

 * ''TBA'

Jealous of DoT Removal

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Positive Road Banter

 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Negative Road Banter
Inn Items=
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'
 * ''TBA'

Armor Repair Kit

 * TBA

Blasphemous Idol

 * I am desperate for inspiration.

Book of Bawdy Tales

 * Finally, one I haven't read yet.

BOOK: My time in the Desert

 * Endless wastes. Could distract me from these endless wastes.

Book of Creative Insults

 * It's a little insulting I have to read this.

Poetry

 * I only borrow, never steal.

Boxing Gloves

 * This'll be fun. Step right up.

Calming Incense

 * Had a patron named Neroli once. *sniff*

Candles and Chocolate

 * TBA

Ceremonial Drum

 * Most nights I have to play it all myself.

Clarifying Poultice

 * For dancin' long into the wee hours.

Clotting Poultice

 * Prefer not to get nicked, choosy beggar that I am.

Dartboard

 * No sleights of no hands, I swear.

Slime Mold

 * Sure this wasn't growing on the real food?
 * (If full) - Had my fill of that slimy stuff.

Stale Bread

 * Which will grow older - this old bread or us?
 * (If full) - I know I appear starved, but no.

Apples & Cheese

 * A satisfying snack... Got more?
 * (If full) - A full belly! Luxorious.

Steak and Spuds

 * I prefer mine a little bloodier... heheh.
 * (If full) - Would that I could...

Flapjacks

 * Shall we sell these by the roadside next?
 * (If full) - Fed and fit for whatever awaits.

Holy Beads

 * Prayer - or poetry for desperate souls.

Impermeable Poultice

 * Snakes, spiders - a humiliating way to die.

Leeches

 * TBA

Meditative Totem

 * What a weird little trinket! Who made you?

Mop and Bucket

 * The soft swish is most relaxing.

Nightshade Concoction

 * TBA

Pipeweed

 * Sweet muse!

Playing cards

 * Why d'you lot always assume I'm a cheat?

Restorative Herbs

 * I did not actually wish to smell more of this place.

Roast Pig

 * Without the pageantry of a banquet? Even better.
 * (If full) - My stomach rumbles no more!

Songbook of Amorous Ballads

 * Careful - might write a new one for you.

Songbook of Touching Dirges

 * *gentle, melanchony strumming*

Songbook of Rousing Tunes

 * *fierce strumming* I can hardly keep up!

Soothing Poultice

 * I do fear I'm dreadfully flammable.

Speed Bag

 * TBA

Invigorating Stew

 * And here I was going to make my stomach do the singing.
 * (If full) - A second bowl? Where would I put it?

Stimulating Poultice

 * Who you callin' slow?

Stitching Kit

 * My skin is a patchwork of scars by now...

The Wine

 * A rare treat, pilfered from some louche estate.

Tinned Delicacies

 * TBA
 * (If full) - TBA

Knotted Tug Rope

 * I'm stronger than I look.

Wax Inoculant

 * Whatever keeps the voice box clean.

Whetstone

 * This is going to take a while.

Whiskey Barrel

 * Let's gather round for... A round...

Whiskey Bottle

 * You won't regret splittin' this with me...

Whiskey Flask

 * A nip to loosen our over-tight strings.

Whittling Tools

 * A pipe, perhaps. Could always use another.

Wild Tea

 * They say symphonies are written on this stuff.

Morbid Joke

 * TBA

Improvised Strategy

 * TBA

The Very Best

 * TBA

Experimental Remedy

 * TBA

War Paint

 * TBA

Tar-Filled Colambre

 * ''TBA'

Oddly-Tuned Lute

 * TBA

Precious Collection

 * Shiny.

Guided Meditation
Hero Shrines=
 * TBA

Shrine 1

 * TBA

Shrine 2

 * TBA

Shrine 3

 * TBA

Shrine 4

 * TBA

Shrine 5

 * TBA

Shrine 6
Locations=
 * TBA

Oasis

 * TBA

Creature Den

 * Cull these mongrels lest they come for us by night! (Fight)

Resistance Encounter

 * They won't notice if we slip away now. (Retreat)

Resistance Encounter Success

 * TBA

Resistance Encounter Retreat

 * TBA

Assistance Encounter

 * Relics. Gold. Silver. Give it here. (Steal)

Exiting Assistance Encounter

 * TBA

Valley Assistance Encounter

 * TBA

Region Gate

 * TBA

Exiting Crossroads

 * TBA

Exiting Hospital

 * TBA

Exiting Hoarder

 * TBA

Exiting Valley Hoarder

 * TBA

Exiting Watchtower

 * TBA

Exiting Hoarder

 * TBA

Exiting Academic's Study

 * TBA

Cultist Encounter

 * Ah, bloodshed, my muse. (Fight)

Cultist Encounter Success

 * TBA

Cultist Encounter Retreat

 * TBA

Tangle Lair Success

 * TBA

Tangle Lair Retreat

 * TBA

Foetor Lair Success

 * TBA

Foetor Lair Retreat

 * TBA

Sprawl Lair Success

 * Talk about a pyrrhic victory. Heheh.

Sprawl Lair Retreat

 * TBA

Shroud Lair Success

 * TBA

Shroud Lair Retreat

 * TBA

Exiting Oblivion's Ingress

 * TBA

Exiting Academic's Cache
Quirks/Diseases= TBA Travelling Stress=
 * TBA

Travelling Stress Heal

 * Perhaps there is hope for us yet...
 * We are not so dissimilar...
 * I accept you. We all do.
 * Chin up, shoulders back. We can do this.
 * The road is tough but we're going to make it.
 * Let us share tales of merrier times.
 * Come what may, we are united!
 * Hang in there. 
 * Can I get you anything?
 * It's a long road, but we've got each other.
 * Want to share? I've got extra...
 * You're even tougher than you look.
 * I'm glad you're here, for what it's worth.
 * You're going to live. I won't hear otherwise.
 * At least we aren't facing this alone.
 * Maybe all hope is not lost...
 * There are times I almost feel hopeful.
 * I had a pleasant dream, for once...
 * Whatever comes, we are united.
 * Perhaps we'll find glory after all...
 * This world is worth saving.
 * We are making a difference out there.
 * Hope is seductive, isn't it?
 * We're making good time.
 * If this is my fate, I'm content.
 * All is not lost.
 * We will best these fiends!

Travelling Stress Damage

 * 'Buffoon!
 * 'We're not going to make it, are we?
 * 'Everywhere, the world comes undone...
 * 'Stuck in a coach with the likes of you - feh.
 * 'I'm hungry and tired!
 * 'This cursed coach is a bouncing racket!
 * 'Let me out of this blasted coach!
 * 'Here we are, four corpses in a rolling coffin...
 * 'I can't bear to look out the window...
 * 'It's like a nightmare out there.
 * 'Like rats in a trap...
 * 'What if it's all for nothing...?
 * 'Can I really trust you to have my back...?
 * 'Can't sleep. Awful food. Worse company.
 * 'A waking nightmare...
 * 'We never seem to make any progress...
 * 'Just leave me by the roadside.
 * 'This was all a mistake...!
 * 'We're driving in circles...
 * 'Are we lost?
 * 'This is not the life I dreamt for myself...
 * 'Everywhere we pass - ruin, destruction...
 * 'Fools, fools we are...
 * 'We were damned before we set off.
 * 'Why us? Why me?
 * 'I'm not crying...! Look away!
 * 'I grow so weary of this fight.
 * 'Would it be so bad to give in...?
 * Won't let YOU of all people crash my pity party.

Travelling path type reaction=

Safe path

 * TBA
 * TBA

Rough path

 * TBA
 * TBA

Hazardous path

 * TBA
 * TBA

Oblivion tear

 * N-not that song! NO!
 * TBA
 * TBA

Trivia

 * The Jester is one of the eleven Heroes returning from Darkest Dungeon, and one of the first nine Heroes to be available in the sequel.
 * The musician that the Jester encountered in his Chapter 2 memory bears some resemblances to the Squiffy Ghast in the first Darkest Dungeon. The musician's appearance in a cemetery suggests that he is a spectral entity of some sort. He sits on an object in the same manner as the Squiffy Ghast and also carries a violin. Interestingly enough, the Squiffy Ghast will always attempt to target Jester if he is present in a Hero party. It is highly unlikely that the musician from the Jester's memory and the Squiffy Ghast are the same entity however.
 * Jester's final Shrine of Reflection describes him cutting off his own finger, which is accurately depicted in his character model. He is missing the tip of his left pinky finger.
 * His predetermined name is Sarmenti.