Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Basic and Advanced Guide

This spoilerfree guide features tipps and tricks from a very basic to an advanced level. The guide is seperated in several chapters to avoid spoilers and to enable you to choose which kind of tipps you want to get.

Other DOS 2 Guides:

Basic Tips

All credit goes to Rct Kripkenstein!

This chapter features some very basic information and tipps about the game.
This chapter will introduce you into some basic features of the game.

Getting Started

Difficulty Modes

Divinity Original sin II (aka DOSII) features four difficulty modes before starting your campaign. These are:

Explorer Mode
Classic Mode
Tactician Mode
Hero Mode

The Explorer Mode is basically the easy version of the game and choosing it would mean to give up on it an make you unworthy of playing it. We will ignore that mode.

Classic Mode is how the game is meant to be played, challenging but fair. You should choose this one.

The tactician Mode is the hard mode of the game. If you are reading this chapter to seek help, do not choose that mode.

The Hero Mode is for the absolute pros. Its like Tactician Mode only that you can not save you game.Do not choose this mode unless you are a god or atleast son of a god.

I heavily suggest to dont abuse the save/quicksave feature. Believe me its much more fun to just live with some of your mistakes.

Characters and classes

DOSII now confronts you with an heck of an character creaton screen. You can choose from five species and several classes. The species you choose has an significant impact on the game as it also gives you the tag of the race and can determine whether some people like you or not. Also all species have unique advantages and disadvantages.

You can create your completly own character or choose one of the available presets, the so called Origin Characters meaning characters with a special tag, skills and an unique origin story.

Thes origin Characters are quite unique to DOS and I recommend taking one as they bring their own unique traits, options in conversations and story and really add to the game. Also you can still choose your class, talents and tags freely with a few restrictions.

Classes

Im not going to explain every class but I want to point out that these only affect you starting stats and are not fixed classes so you can still become everything you want later in the game. So just pick whatever suits your fancy.

Stats

Stats are stuff like stranght, constitution and intelligence which will mainly effect numbers (Health, damage and so forth). As the combat system focuses on stats and tactics and not on reflexes, your stats are very important. The stats intelligence, strenght, wits and constitution can also determine your success in conversations when trying to persuade someone.

You can respec them later on in the game if necessary.

Combat and Civic abilities

Combat abilities will enable you to use certain types of spells and attacks learned by books which have an requirement in specific combat abilities.

Civic abilities will unlock things like bartering, stealing etc.

Talents

Talents are abilities you can unlock. They are not only number effects but enable you to do additional stuff, for example talking with animals.

Stats can be leveled up and additonal traits can be choosen when leveling up.

Tags

Tags will unlock additional options in conversations and can determine your success with certain people and whether they like you. Additional (different) tags can be earned throughout the game, however they can not be changed or leveled so choose them carefully

Party System

Even when playing singleplayer you do not play this game alone, as you can take up to three companions with you. But choose them wisely as they all have their unique goals…

You should distribute the roles of your companions along the whole spectrum of possibilites. You should have:

One wizard
One tank
One with high damage output
One support (healer)

Combat System

DOS combat system is turn based and uses an action point system to determine your allowed actions. I will not explain it thoroughly as it is quite intuitive but here are some things you might want to know:

Turn order is determined by the stat initiative.
When you moved you will be able to move again without any action point (AP) costs if the go-to position could have been reached from the previous spot with the same amount of AP you spended to move.
Fights will play out even when you are not in fighting mode.
There are bonuses concerning high ground and disadvantages when attacking from low ground.
Party members who are about the die should definelty run away, as they can come back easily into the fight as soon as they are at full health and armor again as the fight will pause if one of you party members has his turn.

Also an incredible important thing is the difference between magic damage/effects and physical damage/effects. Both will affect a different part of your armor and the status effects of those skills can only happen if the associated armor is at 0. Keep that in mind and never ever forget how important armor is as it protects you from damage and status effects!

Sneaking

You can sneak by pressing c, you can climb ladder while sleeping.

Character Stats, Abilities, Talents and Item Tips

Some generally very important tipps concerning stats, abilities, talents and items:

Stats / Abilities:

The stat initiative is incredible useful even though it does not give you any boosts in damagge or health however it does determine the turn order in a fight which can be incredible useful.
The stat wits can help you to find secrets and traps so it makes very much sense to have atleast one character with a high wits stat in your party.
The stats intelligence, strenght, wits and constitution are not only viable in fights, but also help to persuade others in discussions.
Persuasion is very useful if you want to avoid fights.
Lore Master is a skill atleast one of your party members should posess as it allows you to use some high quality gear much faster.
You should have one character with atleast Thievery level 2.
Try to have two party members who are able to cast teleportation to be able to create an chain (also works with one if you can switch out the skill between characters).
All your characters should have atleast strenght 11 or 12 to allow them to carry more heavy armor.

Talents:

The talent pet pal is incredible useful as animals can give you vital information about the world.
The talent Opportunist is very good as you hinder enemies from moving away damaging them.
The talent Glass Cannon is very useful for your damage dealer.

Items:

Be sure to never run out of resurrection scrolls and stock them. They are expensive but absolutely worth it.
Spend you money for better gear as soon as you can.
Items that grant you teleportaton or resurection are incredible useful.
Armor is the most important thing in the game. Always try to get a better one.

Quests

Dont worry I wont spoil anything.

In DOSII quests can be solved in several ways and the best way is not always the obvious one. Dont always rely on your sword but use your different skills to try and solve a quest in a more peaceful way. You will be rewarded for doing so.

Note: Civic abilites are very useful to solve quests without violence

Pickpocketing for professionals

Ever came into the situation when you desperatly wanted to pickpocket someone but one guy just wont turn his eyes from him so you cant sneak up?

Seperate one member of your party from your party and with him/her start a conversation with that obnoxious guy so he needs to turn around. If you dont choose an conversation option this conversation will last forever.. enough time to steal some stuff..Works with up to three obnoxious guys.

Combat Tips

This Chapter features some basic combat tipps. There will be a summary at the end of the chapter.

Positioning and Stats

Quite obvously: Your tank (high armor and constitution) should be at the front, support (healer, buffer) and wizard (intelligence, arcane damage dealer) in the back. The damage dealer (Backstabber), physical damage dealer) should be flexible being both at front and able to draw back. The trait glass cannon is very useful for him. He should have the highest initiative stat, then the tank, then the wizard and at last the support. Support and Wizard should be at high ground if possible. Tank should have an shield, the support should be able to teleport. It makes sense for all characters to have a strenght of 11-12 in order to enable them to carry better armor.

Surfaces

In DOSII you can create specific ground surfaces like fire, water, poison and blood by casting certain spells and using certain attacks. Those surfaces will remain for some time on the terrain and can be used again, for example:

Poison+fire= even bigger fire
Water+air/electricity= electrocuted water (science wise, this is nonsense)
Oil+fire= even bigger fire
Water+frost= even more frost

There is a chance you get knocked out while moving on ice.
Blood and water destroys fire.

Tactics

Party members who are about the die should definelty run away, as they can come back easily into the fight as soon as they are at full health and armor again as the fight will pause if one of you party members has his turn.
Only use abilities who will cast an effect on the enemy if the associated armor is zero/near zero.
Fights will continue to happen even if you are not there so if you are in a fight with more then one rival faction, who will also attack each other just run away or stand back and then kill the survivor/-s afterwards.
Use the terrain to your advantage: let barrels explode and use the different surfaces.

Summary

Your party should contain: 1 tank, 1 damage dealer (physical damage), 1 wizard (magical damage), 1 support.
Make sure the turn order of your party makes sense.
Take advantage of high ground.
Use the flee option to your advantage.
Let the ememies kill themselves.
Abilities with status effects are only useful if the associated armor is near zero!
Use the terrain to your advantage.

Advanced General Tips

This chapter features some a little bit more advanced tipps and tricks. It needs to be said that a part of the fun of the game comes from finding and discovering some of these tricks aswell so be warned. However there wont be any spoilers considering characters, locations, special items, story, events and so forth. There will be a summary at the end of this chapter.

Play fair

I heavily suggest to dont abuse the save/quicksave feature. Believe me its much more fun to just live with some of your mistakes.

Not really an advanced tipp but I just want everybody to know.

Pickpockets for the win

There is a suprising number of very hard fights which can be made severly easier or avoided alltogether by pickpocketing someone. Bear that in mind, you should always have a pickpocket in yout party. Early game he should be atleast at thievery lvl2.

Pickpocketing for professionals

Ever came into the situation when you desperatly wanted to pickpocket someone but one guy just wont turn his eyes from him so you cant sneak up?

Well here is the solution: Seperate one member of your party from your party and with him/her start a conversation with that obnoxious guy so he needs to turn around. If you dont choose an conversation option this conversation will last forever…. enough time to steal some stuff….. Works with up to three obnoxious guys.

Flying for people who dont have time

Teleportation is one of the if not the most useful ability. You should have atleast one (when you are able to switch out the ability) teleporter in your party. Perfect are two so you can teleport yourself around everything. If you only have one teleporter without being able to switch it out on the fly the ability is only half as useful.

Looting from far far away

As I said multiple times, teleportation is an incredible useful ability. Not only to teleport around yourselft, enemies and barrels filled with unspeakable horrors, but also to teleport loot around. Now, you may be asking in what case of scenario that might be useful:

Picture yourself infront of an group of enemies you cant possibly defeat however they are near some lootable corpses and crates you desperately crave for. Sadly those are in constant vision of those vicious enemies so sneaking is not an option….

Coming in: Teleportion

With the ability to teleport you can simply teleport the corpses/crates to you, to then loot them safely. Amazing.

Be social

All characters in your party should focus on atleast one civic ability as they allow to solve quests in a much better less messy way for which you will get rewarded additionally.

Summary

Pickpocketing is great. Have one lvl2 pickpocket in your party.
You can distract people by talking to them.
Teleports are great, be sure to be able to cast them.
You can teleport corpses and crates around!

Guide to Some Hard Early Game Fights

This chapter contains mild spoilers of two specific early game fights in the game. Before you read it, be sure to have completed Fort Joy to the point where you are about to leave, and for the second part be sure to have already set sails.

Fight out of Fort Joy

The fight against you know who, a Gheist and several Magister soldiers is a tough one. However there is one event which will occur in the fight which will either kill you in an instant if you play stupid or which will win you the fight if you play smart. If you dont know what I am talking about just yet, stop reading and play until you know.

I am obviously talking about that big worm coming out of the ground who is insanely powerful adding one additional enemy to the fight making you life even harder. But like the old saying goes; “If lifes gives you lemons let the giant worm kill your enemies” as he will also attack ypou know who and his fellow man. All you have to do is make sure you are not in the way. So move out of the dangerzone, maybe even flee the fight, and come back to kill the remaining enemies. Easy-peasy lemon squezzy.

Ship fight

This is a fight you cant win. Luckily you dont have to, if the sourceress survives ….. turns you will be fine. Sadly thats not so easy to achieve either. Here are some tipps you might want to know:

The magical armor of the sourceress will always withhold all magic attacks, your main worries are physical damage dealers. That means ignore the enemy mages and also dont worry about causing some friendly magical damage, the armor will be sufficient.

Focus on one enemy at a time and try not to spread damage among many of them. As the fight only lasts a few turns and it is mandatory to completly disable enemies in order for them to stop attacking her, you should focus short term kills.

At one point it is quite likely that an enemy mage will climb on the mast next to the sourceress, the mage himself is no problem as I mentioned Gareth however sees this otherwise and he will phoenix dive on him. That is not something you want to be happening as you will focus on several enemies and not one as I would recommend and additionaly it is pointless to attack an mage, for reasons mentioned above, and he will not kill him anyway. Gareth is much more useful on the ground causing damage or distracting more dangerous enemies. Try to hinder the mage from climbing the mast or teleport him back.

Do not worry about your health, it is not very likely the enemies will attack you as their main focus is the sourceress so cast all support abilities on her to protect her. Revives are also recommended as the low health does not matter that much.

Hinder the Gheists from getting to her by eithet teleporting them back or distracting them otherwise. They will absolutely obligerate her if you let them.

There are ballistas around the ship which can be used for a lot of damage. All credits due to Splatgore for this great tipp I totally missed.

So summed up:

Do not worry about magical damage
Focus on one enemy at the time
Ignore mages
Try to keep Gareth in the fight
Cast all support abilities on her
Try to distract the Gheists as long as you can
Use the ballistas (thanks to Splatgore)

Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Basic and Advanced Guide