This article will be covering the best standard trinkets for your heroes in Darkest Dungeon. This guide will help you equip your heroes so that they tip the scales of battle towards your favor.I want to make a strong note that this is a baseline guide for equipping your heroes. Every dungeon needs different resistances or stats. Feel free to change it up based on what you have or don’t have. Let’s get to it.

1.The Vestal 

Charlie never had an angel like this...

The Vestal is the most consistent healer in the game. Her trinkets are will increase her heal values.

Sacred Scroll

• -10% Stress
• +33% Healing Skills
• -10% Stun Skill Chance
• -33% DMG 

Why this is the best trinket for this class:

Increases your heal potential.

Damage reduction is negligible on a healer class.

Reduces Stress.

This item is also going to be a quest reward, a  drop, or in the nomad’s wagon.

Junia’s Head

• +30% Healing Skills
• +20% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class:

• Increases your heal potential.
• Combined with the sacred scroll, health will never be a real problem.
• Junia’s head is found in the secret rooms if you open the chest with a skeleton key or if you kill a collector.

2. The Jester

Jokes on you...

With the good team buff, heavy bleed attacks, a powerful single target stress heal, and a finishing blow, the jester is a core member of teams that move their positions frequently. The trinkets we will be choosing will buff his high dodge stat.

Ancestor’s Coat

• +15 DODGE
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Makes jester untouchable.
• Stacks with high dodge stat.

This item can be found in the darkest dungeon, a drop from fighting a shambler, or as a quest reward.

The Bright Tambourine

• +20% Stress Skills
• -25% Stress if Torch above 75
• +15% Stress if Torch below 51

Why is this the best trinket for this class

• Brings vestal level healing to stress meters.
• Rarely do you do dark runs so extra stress in the dark is negligible.
• Stress resist lets the jester worry about others before worrying about himself.

This item can be a drop from a fight, a quest reward or can be found in the nomad’s wagon.

3. The Houndmaster

Who let the dogs out?

The houndmaster is arguably the overall best hero in the game. His skill set is versatile, and he has good speed and dodge to boast. His trinkets will make him shine and untouchable.

Ancestor’s Coat

• +15 DODGE
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Makes him untouchable.
• Stacks with high dodge stat.

Ancestor trinkets can be found as shambler drops, stashes in the darkest dungeon, and quest rewards.

The Ancestor’s Candle

• 15% DMG if Torch above 50
• +2 SPD if Torch above 50
• +5 DODGE if Torch above 50
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Every stat is something the houndmaster wants.
• Makes him a good damage dealer.
• Makes him fast.

The ancestor’s candle can only be dropped by the shambler.

4. The Highwayman

Guns, Knives, and Steel

The best damage class in the game, the highwayman sports a mix of ranged and melee attacks that enables him to kill any enemy in any position. His riposte skill is deadly, and he has a high speed and dodge stat to boot.

Ancestor’s Coat

• +15 DODGE
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Makes his riposte even better since he dodges the initial attack.
• Stacks with high dodge.

You know how to get this by now.

Dismas’s Head

• +25% DMG
• -10% MAX HP
• +20% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Extra damage makes his attacks even deadlier.
• HP reduction balanced by a high dodge.

This item is found in secret rooms or as a drop from the collector.

5. Leper

The simple solution? Hit them really really hard. 

The two biggest drawbacks of the leper are his low accuracy and his inability to affect the backline. When he does connect, oh boy, the numbers are high.  We want to buff his accuracy and his damage.

The Focus Ring

• +10 ACC
• +5% CRIT
• -8 DODGE

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Helps him connect to enemies more.
• Extra crit makes him hit that much harder.
• He wasn’t going to dodge anything, so dodge reduction is negligible.

You can find this item as a quest reward, in the nomad wagon or as a drop.

Ancestor’s Signet Ring

• +10 ACC
• +10% PROT
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• His attacks will hit more.
• Makes him more durable against faster enemies.  

This item can be a quest reward, loot from a shambler, or in a secret stash in the darkest dungeon.

6. The Occultist

It only gets darker...

A versatile backliner. The occultist’s heal is sometimes the best single target heal in the game. His mark synergy and debuffs go a long away. His trinkets will be reinforcing his heals and his debuffs.

Demon’s Cauldron

• +40% Stun Skill Chance
• +40% Debuff Skill Chance
• +3% CRIT
• -10% Virtue Chance
• +15% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Stun becomes more consistent.
• Very few enemies will be able to resist debuffs.

This item can be a quest reward, a drop, or can be found in the nomad’s wagon.

Junia’s Head

• +30% Healing Skills
• +20% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Heals become more powerful.
• Self Stress Camping skills help mitigate extra stress from items.
• Heal becomes more consistently good.

This item can be found in a secret room or as a drop from a collector fight.

7. The Man-at-Arms

Age is just a number.

The best tank in the game. His slow speed is made up by his strong set of skills. He does decent damage, buffs your team, and protects those that are low health. We want to make sure he goes first, so he can slow the enemies down or protect someone low on health.

Quick Draw Charm

• +8 SPD on First Round
• +12% CRIT on First Round
• -3 SPD after First Round

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Confirms getting the first turn.
• Can open with slow debuff to let your team go first.
• Can also open up with protecting a low HP hero or riposte.
• Open up with a team buff as well.

You can find this trinket as a quest reward, a drop, or the nomad wagon.

Barristan’s Head

• +25% PROT
• +20% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• PROT is a broken stat that can stack with his guard skill.
• Makes him soak heavy boss damage.
• High HP with high PROT makes him super tanky.

You can find this item as a drop from the collector or a secret room.

8. The Hellion

If they can bleed, they can die. 

Arguably the best position one frontliner in the game, the hellion can hit everyone if she is in said position. With good crit stats and a versatile attack kit, her only drawback is that she is not as tanky as other frontliners and doesn’t have a high dodge stat. Her best trinkets are:

Ancestor’s Pen

• +10% DMG Melee Skills
• +8% CRIT Melee Skills
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• High base crit with this will make her attacks critical strike more often.
• Extra damage compliments an already good base damage.

This item will be found as a quest reward or be in a darkest dungeon stash room.

Surgical Gloves

• +8% CRIT Melee Skills
• +5 ACC Melee Skills
• -20% Move Resist
• -10% Debuff Resist

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Helps you hit evasive backliners.
• Combined with the pen, makes your attacks critical strike very often.
• Has skills that ensure she can attack even if moved out of position. 

This item can be a quest reward, a drop, or be bought from the nomad’s wagon.

9. The Graverobber

She'll hustle you in the grave. 

A good ranged attacker, the graverobber really depends on her dodge stat because of her low HP. Other than that, she is a solid attacker. Her trinkets will boost her dodge stat as well as add some crit rate to her

Lucky Talisman

• +12 DODGE
• +10 ACC Ranged Skills
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Dodge stacks with an already high dodge stat.
• Ranged attacks hit more against evasive backliners.
• Can be replaced by the Ancestor’s Coat.

This can be found as a drop, the nomad wagon, or as a quest reward.

Raider’s Talisman

• +5% CRIT
• +30% Trap Disarm Chance
• +2 SPD
• +15% Scouting Chance
• -10% MAX HP

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Every stat is something the graverobber wants.
• One of the best class specific trinkets in the game.
• Traps are negligible and scouting is a powerful effect.

This can be a quest reward, a drop, or an item in the nomad’s shop.

10. The Crusader

Deus Vult 

The core of any excursion into the ruins, the crusader is a tanky damage dealer when it comes to the undead. His holy lance from the backline makes him viable in movement heavy parties and his health and stress heals are nothing to ignore. His best trinkets are:

The Tough Ring

• +10% PROT
• +15% MAX HP
• -15% DMG
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Tanking stats compliment his high HP
• Damage reduction is negated by his damage bonuses against the undead.

This item will be a quest reward, drop or found in the nomad wagon.

The Unholy Slayer’s Ring

• +25% DMG vs Unholy
• -8 DODGE

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Turns him into a  frontline devastator against the undead.
• The dodge reduction is negligible, because he wasn’t dodging anything anyway.

This item will be a quest reward, drop or found in nomad wagon.

11. The Bounty Hunter

Marked for death. 

The bounty hunter is core for any mark lineup. His high crit chance and hatred towards humans makes him a fine damage dealer. If his enemies aren’t marked, he can fall back on good stuns and movement attacks. His best trinkets are:

Ancestor’s Pen

• +10% DMG Melee Skills
• +8% CRIT Melee Skills
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• High crit chance compliments the pen.
• More damage ensures high damage on crits.

This item can be found in the darkest dungeon, as a quest reward or as a drop against the shambler.

Vvulf’s Tassle

• +20% DMG vs Marked
• +10 ACC vs Marked
• +5% CRIT vs size 2

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Makes him downright deadly against boss monsters.
• Marked targets are sure to die.
• Humans beware. His damage output will be insane.  

This item is only found as a reward for the “Wolves at the Door” quest.

12. Arbalest (Musketeer)

Point and Shoot.

The arbalest’s toolkit is versatile with a mix of movement attacks and mark synergies. Her biggest drawbacks are that she is slow. Her trinkets are going to help her make up for that. I recommend the same items for the same reasons for the musketeer.

Ancestor’s Musket Ball

• +10% DMG Ranged Skills
• +8% CRIT Ranged Skills
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class?

• All her attacks are ranged, so all these stats will boost her damage output.
• She has a good crit rate and this will buff that even more.

This item is a shambler drop, a quest reward, or can be found in the darkest dungeon.

The Ancestor’s Pistol    

• +15 ACC Ranged Skills
• +3 SPD
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Will help her hit more evasive targets.
• Buffs her very low speed.

This item is a shambler drop, a quest reward, or a stash in the darkest dungeon.

13.  The Abomination

Why face your inner demons when you can just partner with it?

Back in the beta days, the abomination was straight busted. You ran two in the frontline and they could solo entire dungeons by themselves. Nowadays, abominations are not as powerful, but the right trinkets will help your party not stress out about having a mutant on their team.

The Restraining Padlock

• Transform: -40% Stress Inflicted on Party
• -40% Transformation Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class?

• Helps your entire party not become afflicted due to transformation.
• Prevents the abomination from stressing too quickly. 
• Makes stress much more manageable.

This item can be found as a quest reward, a drop, or in the nomad wagon.

Padlock of Tranference

• +20% Stun Skill Chance
• +20% Blight Skill Chance

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Makes his human side more consistent and powerful.
• Unique blight placement becomes more powerful.
• Stun is more consistent.
• No drawbacks on this item.

This item can be found as a quest reward, a drop, or in the nomad wagon.

14. The Antiquarian

How far will you go for a pretty penny? 

The antiquarian is a big risk to your party because she doesn't contribute to healing or damage. However, her “protect me” skill and “invigorating vapors” are good skills. This combined with the bonus loot you get from having her presents players with a question. How far are you willing to go for extra gold?

Fleet Florin

• +4 SPD
• +20% Debuff Skill Chance

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Extra speed helps set up team buffs before the enemy takes a turn.
• Debuffs more likely to hit.
• No drawbacks.

Carapace Idol

• +25% PROT

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• PROT preserves the Antiquarian’s low HP
• No drawbacks.
• Allows for the antiquarian to survive longer dungeons.

15. The Plague Doctor

Did somebody call the doctor? 

The Plague Doctor is the most powerful backliner in the game. Able to heal DOTs, buff attackers, stun the backline, and inflict her own DOTs as well, it’s no secret that her toolkit and high base speed makes her a good hero. Her best trinkets are:

Blasphemous Vial

• +10 ACC Ranged Skills
• +20% Stun Skill Chance
• +20% Blight Skill Chance
• +25% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Every stat is relevant to the skill set of the Plague Doctor.
• Helps crowd control, blight and hit evasive backliners.
• Extra set is negated if stress attackers are stunned before they attack.

This trinket will be a quest reward for a boss or a hard dungeon. It can also be a drop.

Quick Draw Charm

• +8 SPD on First Round
• +12% CRIT on First Round
• -3 SPD after First Round

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Ensures the first turn.
• Stuns backliners so that your team can kill them before taking your turn.
• Reduction in speed is balanced by a high base speed.

You can find this trinket as a quest reward, a drop, or the nomad wagon.

16. The Flagellant

Blood for the..wait. Wrong game. 

The flagellant is a DLC character that comes from the crimson court. This guy is awesome. A frontline tank that heals companions and bleeds enemies like no other. Sure, he can only become rapturous. It is a small price to pay for the versatility he brings to the front line.

The Tough Ring

• +10% PROT
• +15% MAX HP
• -15% DMG
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Compliments high base HP with PROT.
• Damage reduction is negligible due to most damage coming from bleeds.
• He likes stress so the stress increase is negligible.

This item can be found as a quest reward, a drop, or in the nomad wagon.

Bleed Amulet

• +20% Bleed Skill Chance
• +20% Bleed Resist
• -20% Blight Resist

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Bleeds even more resistant targets.
• Can absorb bleed attacks more readily.
• Best to bring in the Crimson Court.  

This item can be found as a quest reward, a drop, or in the nomad wagon.

17. The Shieldbreaker

The point of a spear, the sting of a snake. 

The shieldbreaker, the last official DLC character released by Red Hook, is interesting to say the least. She can strike all positions and sports a blight and movement skill set. She is very fragile compared to other heroes, but her ability to ignore stealth and pierce armor makes her a fine addition to any lineup. Her best trinkets are:

Ancestor’s Coat

• +15 DODGE
• +10% Stress

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Compliments a good base dodge stat.
• Avoids hits to her low HP pool.

You know where to find this by now.

Feather Crystal

• +2 SPD
• +8 DODGE
• -20% Stun Resist
• -20% Move Resist

Why this is the best trinket for this class

• Speed boost helps her attack before others.
• More dodge, the better.
• The resistance reductions are negated by having a high dodge stat.

You can find this item in the nomad shop, as a drop, or as a quest reward.

That wraps up this article. I hope this helps in sending your heroes to the Darkest Dungeon. As of note, I didn’t include the crystalline trinkets or the crimson court sets. Not that they are not good, but it can be so hard to pick the best with those on the table.

Best of luck and dungeon on!

All artwork featured in this article is credited to the Darkest Dungeon crew and their artists Chris Bourassa and Trudy Castle.

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