The Brine: what deep water does
The Brine prevents swimming through deep water. It returns the Arisen to a safe position, forfeits pawns, and consumes most enemies and NPCs that enter its reach.
What happens in deep water?
| Who falls in | Result | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Arisen | Returned to the previous safe position; not an ordinary death. | Move away from the edge before continuing. |
| Main pawn | Forfeited rather than left on shore for a normal revive. | Summon the main pawn again at a Riftstone. |
| Hired pawn | Forfeited and removed from the active party. | Hire a replacement or find the pawn again through the Rift. |
| Most enemies and NPCs | Consumed by the Brine. | Avoid pushing quest NPCs into water; enemy drops may be unreachable. |
Game8 documents these results. Some aquatic creatures are exceptions; shallow water does not automatically trigger the Brine.
Does the Brine kill the Arisen?
No. Game8 explicitly says the Arisen is returned to the last safe spot without reducing the green health pool or increasing the loss gauge. Damage from a separate attack or fall is a different event.
Walking into deeper water gives a short warning as the water turns red. Jumping directly into deep water can trigger the return immediately. Fight away from cliffs and river edges when your party needs room to move.
Recovering the party
- Check the party roster after returning to shore; forfeited pawns do not necessarily return with the player.
- Use a Riftstone to summon the main pawn and rebuild the hired part of the party.
- Keep escort targets on safe paths. The player returning safely is not evidence that an NPC will survive the same fall.
- Do not use an Eternal Wakestone to recover a forfeited pawn. That item revives NPCs; pawn recovery uses the Rift.
- When hunting for monster materials, keep the enemy on land rather than relying on loot after a Brine kill.
Mechanic versus ending spoilers
This page describes the ordinary exploration hazard. The ending guide covers late-game story context separately. The Brine is not a normal boss that can be defeated to unlock swimming.
Questions
Can you swim in Dragon's Dogma 2?
No. Shallows can be crossed where terrain allows, but the Brine prevents travel through deep water.
Do I need a Wakestone after the Brine takes the Arisen?
The ordinary Brine return is not a player death. Recover forfeited pawns at a Riftstone instead.