Jester

This article is about the hero in Darkest Dungeon. For other appearances, see Jester (disambiguation).

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Jester
Stats [Compare]
Armor	1	2	3	4	5
MAX HP	19	23	27	31	35
DODGE	15	20	25	30	35
Weapons	1	2	3	4	5
SPD	7	7	8	8	9
CRIT	4%	5%	6%	7%	8%
DMG	4-7	5-8	6-10	6-11	7-13
Base Resistances
Stun		20%	Move		20%
Blight		40%	Bleed		30%
Disease		20%	Debuff		40%
Death Blow		67%	Trap		30%
Other information
Movement		3 forwards, 3 backwards.
Crit Buff Bonus		+40% Stress Healing Skills
Religious		No
Provisions		Medicinal Herbs

“	He will be laughing still... at the end.	„
	~ The Ancestor

The Jester is one of the playable Character Classes in Darkest Dungeon.

Description

“

In the darkest depths of these twisted lands few things are as welcomed as a good laugh, a merry song, and razor sharp blade. The Jester brings all of these in spades. Armed with a sickle and lute, this maniacal minstrel is a versatile class that has several tricks up his sleeves. With his oddly shaped blade he can slice the 2nd and 3rd positions of the opposition to ribbons, causing them to bleed out. With his lute he can provide in-battle comfort for his companions, playing songs that inspire greatness or relieve tension. His merry tunes are best in the back row however if he gets shuffled to the front his blades can do serious damage. Regardless of his position in your party, he is able to dance elegantly around those pesky party shufflers and set up opportunities to single out an enemy and bring about its utter, almost laughable demise. As an entertainer, he can make a stressful night of camping turn into a night of merriment and wit. The melodious riffs of his lute will make any party member's mind quiet as he encourages them to strike quickly and precisely like a tiger. Beware though, not all find the Jester's antics amusing as mockery and cynicism is only funny until it happens to you. All who dare to confront the Darkest Dungeon know that it might mean their end, but with the Jester in tow he will make sure that it is at least a heroic end.

„

Combat Skills

“	Combat is a power ballad - a slow build up, and a grand finale! On the offense, the Jester leaps to and fro in a bloody cacophony, positioning himself for a glorious end in the front ranks! Alternatively, he can hang back, delivering chilling melodies and unsettling riffs that terrorize his foes, and give strength to his allies.	„
	~ Guild

Note: New Jesters will always come with the Harvest skill.

(All buffs and debuffs last for 3 rounds unless otherwise specified.)

Dirk Stab#
	Range	Rank	Target	Damage	Accuracy	Crit mod	Effect	Self
	Melee			+0%	85	5%		Forward 1 Bypass Guard Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 +0% 90 6% Forward 1 Bypass Guard Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 3 +0% 95 7% Forward 1 Bypass Guard Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 4 +0% 100 8% Forward 1 Bypass Guard Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 5 +0% 105 9% Forward 1 Bypass Guard Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Sound

Harvest#
	Range	Rank	Target	Damage	Accuracy	Crit mod	Effect	Self
	Melee			-50%	90	0%	Bleed (100% base) 2 pts/rd for 3 rds	Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 -50% 95 1% Bleed (110% base) 2 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 3 -50% 100 2% Bleed (120% base) 3 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 4 -50% 105 3% Bleed (130% base) 3 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 5 -50% 110 4% Bleed (140% base) 4 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Sound

Finale#
	Range	Rank	Target	Damage	Accuracy	Crit mod	Effect	Self
	Melee			+50%	140	5%		Back 3 -25 DODGE -3 SPD +100% Stress (1 Battle)
Further levels Level 2 +50% 145 6% Back 3 -25 DODGE -3 SPD +100% Stress (1 Battle) Level 3 +50% 150 7% Back 3 -25 DODGE -3 SPD +100% Stress (1 Battle) Level 4 +50% 155 8% Back 3 -25 DODGE -3 SPD +100% Stress (1 Battle) Level 5 +50% 160 9% Back 3 -25 DODGE -3 SPD +100% Stress (1 Battle) Sound
Limit:	1 Use per Battle

Solo#
	Range	Rank	Target	Damage	Accuracy	Crit mod	Effect	Self
	Ranged			-100%	125			Forward 3 Mark Self (3 rds) +20 DODGE (4 rds) Finale: +75% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 -100% 130 Forward 3 Mark Self (3 rds) +22 DODGE (4 rds) Finale: +75% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 3 -100% 135 Forward 3 Mark Self (3 rds) +25 DODGE (4 rds) Finale: +75% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 4 -100% 140 Forward 3 Mark Self (3 rds) +27 DODGE (4 rds) Finale: +75% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 5 -100% 145 Forward 3 Mark Self (3 rds) +30 DODGE (4 rds) Finale: +75% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Sound
Limit:	2 Uses per Battle

Slice Off#
	Range	Rank	Target	Damage	Accuracy	Crit mod	Effect	Self
	Melee			-33%	95	8%	Bleed (100% base) 3 pts/rd for 3 rds	Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 -33% 100 9% Bleed (110% base) 3 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 3 -33% 105 10% Bleed (120% base) 4 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 4 -33% 110 11% Bleed (130% base) 4 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Level 5 -33% 115 12% Bleed (140% base) 5 pts/rd for 3 rds Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Sound

Battle Ballad#
	Rank	Target	Effect	Self
			+5 ACC +2% CRIT +2 SPD (4 rds)	Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 +6 ACC +3% CRIT +2 SPD (4 rds) Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 3 +7 ACC +4% CRIT +3 SPD (4 rds) Finale: +30% DMG Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 4 +8 ACC +5% CRIT +3 SPD (4 rds) Finale: +30% DMG Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 5 +10 ACC +6% CRIT +4 SPD (4 rds) Finale: +30% DMG Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Sound

Inspiring Tune#
	Rank	Target	Effect	Self
			Stress -8 -10% Stress	Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds)
Further levels Level 2 Stress -9 -12.5% Stress Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 3 Stress -10 -15% Stress Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 4 Stress -11 -17.5% Stress Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Level 5 Stress -12 -20% Stress Finale: +30% DMG (8 rds) Finale: +8% CRIT (8 rds) Sound

Camping Skills

“	The Jester shines in the flickering light of the campfire, bringing his lute and unerring wit to bear against the fears and stress his companions suffer. He can inspire greater combat prowess, or raise the group's spirits at the cost of singling out a target for his acrimonious scandalizing.	„
	~ Survivalist

Camping skills are special skills heroes can use while they are camping. They take a certain number of "respite" points to use, and can only be used once per camp (unless the skill says otherwise). Most heroes have three shared camping skills and all heroes have 4 unique camping skills (with the Flagellant being the exception, having only unique camping skills). Only 4 of these can be equipped at one time. Any Buffs or lasting effects given from a camping skill lasts for 4 battles.

The Jester is all fun and games at camp, singing songs and making jokes to keep everyone's stress levels down. However, sometimes he can go too far with a joke.

Unique SkillsShared Skills

Turn Back Time
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	3	One Companion	-30 Stress -15 Stress if Afflicted
	Bark	"Pride's like a knife, it can cut deep inside... Words are like weapons, they wound sometimes."
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	3	All Companions	-15 Stress -15% Stress (4 Battles)
	Bark	"Listen here - Every night has its dawn..."
Tiger's Eye
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	3	One Companion	+10 ACC (4 Battles) +8% CRIT (4 Battles)
	Bark	"Lose not your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive!"
Mockery
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	2	One Companion All Companions	One Companion: +20 Stress All Companions: -20 Stress
	Bark	"Look at this fool, this imbecile! Playing the hero, are you?! Ha-HAA."

Encourage
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	2	One Companion	-15 Stress
	Bark	"(sigh) Your whining bothers me. Just... smile!" "(sigh) Shall I do a little dance to amuse you? Yes?" "If all else fails... laugh. It blinds the mind."
Wound Care
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	2	One Companion	Heal 15% HP Removes Bleeding Removes Blight
	Bark	"Nasty ugly thing, this wound. It suits you." "There. Now you will die much more slowly." "Good. That should delay your death."
Pep Talk
	Time Cost	Target	Description
	2	One Companion	-15% Stress (4 Battles)
	Bark	"If we are going to die, let's at least enjoy it." "What's the deal with pinapple... I am right?" "Here's what I think of our enemies: HA HAA HAAAA!"

Equipment

“	Clad only in mildewed cloth, the Jester makes a mockery of battle. Only a fool would underestimate the vicious bloodletting power of his sharpened sickle, or the discordant throng of his lute.	„
	~ Blacksmith

Unlike other games, equipment upgrades in Darkest Dungeon are linear, all bought at the Blacksmith.

Sickle & Lute
Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Level 4			Level 5
	Worn Sickle, Untuned Lute			Reclaimed Sickle and Lute			Sharpened Sickle, Restrung Lute			Masterwork Sickle, Fine Lute			Slash and Solo
	DMG base:	4-7		DMG base:	5-8		DMG base:	6-10		DMG base:	6-11		DMG base:	7-13
	CRT base:	4.0%		CRT base:	5.0%		CRT base:	6.0%		CRT base:	7.0%		CRT base:	8.0%
	SPD base:	7		SPD base:	7		SPD base:	8		SPD base:	8		SPD base:	9
Garb
Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Level 4			Level 5
	Motley Garb			Mocking Garb			Padded Garb			Armored Garb			The Cruelest Crown
	DODGE base:	15		DODGE base:	20		DODGE base:	25		DODGE base:	30		DODGE base:	35
	HP base:	19		HP base:	23		HP base:	27		HP base:	31		HP base:	35

Each Hero has Trinkets unique to them that only they can equip. The Jester has seven; 2 common, 2 Crimson Court and 1 uncommon, rare and very rare. In the base game, his lower level trinkets are dice and his high level trinkets are tambourines. The Crimson Court DLC adds a necklace made from a finger bone and poisoned goblet, while the Color of Madness DLC adds a crystal filled lute.

Trinket Image	Trinket Name	Rarity	Class Restriction	Origin Dungeon	Effect	Additional Notes
	Bloody Dice	Common	Jester		+30% Bleed Skill Chance -10% Bleed Resist
	Lucky Dice	Common	Jester		+4 ACC +4 DODGE
	Critical Dice	Uncommon	Jester		+7% CRIT
	Bright Tambourine	Rare	Jester		+20% Stress Skills -25% Stress if Torch above 75 +15% Stress if Torch below 51
	Dark Tambourine	Very Rare	Jester		+12% Death Blow Resist -25% Stress if Torch below 26 +10% Virtue Chance if Torch below 26

The Crimson Court DLC added special Trinket Sets, two for each hero. They confer powerful bonuses to the hero equipped with them, and having both equipped at once yields an additional bonus, which is shown greyed out at the bottom. The origin dungeon for all Trinket Sets is the Courtyard and they all have the rarity Crimson Court. The Shieldbreaker Trinket Set, however, is only obtainable through her final 6th and 7th nightmare encounters and won't be dropped or given as a reward in the Courtyard. Trinkets you already have will stop dropping, so there's value in not selling the ones you don't like until you get the ones you want.

Trinket Image	Trinket Name	Class Restriction	Effect	Set Effect	Quote	Additional Notes
	Tyrant's Tasting Cup	Jester	+33% Stress Skills +25% Stress	+33% Stress Skills while Camping	"Heh. The last laugh is mine!"
	Tyrant's Fingerbone		+3 SPD if in position 1 +20 DODGE if in position 1

The Color of Madness DLC added trinkets with a new rarity, Crystalline. Each hero has their own unique crystalline trinket which can be bought from Jeweler inside the Nomad Wagon with Crystal Shards found within the Farmstead.

Trinket Image	Trinket Name	Rarity	Class Restriction	Shard Cost	Effect	Additional Notes
	Dirge For The Devoured	Crystalline	Jester	60 Shards	+25% Stress Skills +25% DMG if Laudanum in inventory +10% Stress

District Bonus

The Crimson Court DLC adds Districts to the Hamlet, some of which confer passive benefits to heroes.

The table below lists all of the currently available buildings that can be constructed within Hamlet's Districts, the cost of doing so, and the benefits of each individual project.

The gold cost of most Districts in Radiant mode is significantly reduced. The price in Radiant mode is shown in parentheses.

Districts
Name	Image	Effect	Cost
Performance Hall		Jester receives: -10% Stress +2 SPD Finale: +20% DMG	2500 (500)
			75
			1

Trivia

• Jester's unique camping skills, Tiger's Eye, Turn Back Time, and Every Rose Has Its Thorn are references to famous songs of the same names by music artists Survivor, Cher, and Poison respectively. He also quotes a verse from a song when he activates one of them.
• Jester's final weapon upgrade, Slash and Solo, is also a reference to Slash, the guitarist of Guns and Roses and his revered solos.
• The predetermined name of the Jester is Sarmenti (formerly Jingles), a reference to Sarmentus, a jester mentioned in the Satires by the Roman poet Horace.
• The Crimson Court trinkets "Tyrant's Tasting Cup" and "Tyrant's Fingerbone" are references to his lore comic. The Jester was employed in the court of an abusive tyrant, eventually coming to murder him and his entire court.
• The Jester's lore may be a reference to the song "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" by Chick Corea.
• The Jester's Irrational barks consist almost entirely of laughter and random noises, the only exceptions being, "Off with his head! Ha-haaa!" and "HAAAAA! Not for me!".
• The lick that the Jester plays on his lute in Battle Ballad is similar to a lick from "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" by Charlie Daniels.
• When the Jester walks, faint jingling can be heard from his outfit's bells, making him the only character to have a unique walking sound.