It's no surprise that Divinity: Original Sin 2 has become one of the most popular games of the last three years. Where many medieval fantasy RPGs fail to deliver, the game brings in pleasant surprises in both customization and sheer content. With the amount of lore, gameplay, and challenge that Divinity can provide, it's a dream come true for any RPG lover.
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Still, beginning a new journey in Rivellon is no easy task. There's a lot to learn, and the game definitely doesn't hold your hand as it throws you into the thick of things. To help players out on their adventure as a Sourcerer, it's good to know some basics before heading into the world of Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Updated October 15, 2021 by Erik Petrovich: Divinity: Original Sin 2 continues to prove that it's one of the best RPGs ever made more than four years after its original release. Expanding on many of the gameplay and story elements of the first game, Divinity 2 pushes the envelope in terms of customization and a player-driven narrative. It's important for players new to the game to take things slow and experience it as Divinity 2 was originally intended: that means no enabling Gift Bags for a while. Additionally, being effective in combat is not just limited to characters currently in the fight, as there are a lot of things players can do to give themselves the advantage before an encounter even starts.
12 Don't Use Gift Bag Items, Even If It's Tempting
Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers something quite unique to its players that no other RPG can boast. The game itself receives updates, of course, but alongside many of these updates are optional Gift Bags. Enabling these options at the start of a playthrough can massively change how it's played – from granting characters the ability to talk to animals all the time to being able to switch items between party members no matter the distance, a lot of these Gift Bags make the game easier.
However, if it's a player's first time experiencing the complex world of Rivellon, it's best to keep these options disabled. Not only do most Gift Bags disable achievements, but new players won't get the full experience or be able to fully appreciate the major overhauls each Gift Bag provides. Keep it off until you've made it a significant way through the game, get some achievements, and then you can think about enabling these official "cheats" for the next playthrough.
11 Plan Ahead For Combat By Setting Up Traps
One of the most satisfying things about Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the interactivity. Elements all interact with the environment; for example, Fire sets wood ablaze and Lightning will shock enemies who are in water. Not all of the best combat maneuvers are done in the midst of a fight, though. With the right use of stealth and proper timing with invisibility spells, players can set up elaborate traps that give them the upper edge once combat actually begins.
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For example, a character with lots of carry capacity can sneak up close to an enemy, drop a bunch of explosive barrels all around them while invisible, then teleport away to a safe place before the other characters initiate combat. Additionally, if a character is sneaking when combat begins, and enemies can't see them, they will remain out of combat until they are sighted. This means they aren't restricted to turn-based attacks like the other party members and can use the extra time to help out the party without technically being part of combat.
10 Use A Variety Of Skills
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a game with a lot of customization available. Some very imaginative character classes have been introduced in the game, including the Polymorph. While these might seem like gimmicky classes, each class actually has a ton of utility in the game.
In fact, it will be difficult to achieve certain things later on in the game if the player doesn’t have a character of a certain skillset, background, or class. So, get a full party of four with a wide range of skills to cover yourself during your adventures – it's important to utilize the game's many elemental interactions and variety of spells to one's maximum benefit in this way.
9 Don't Mix Too Many Classes
The nice thing about this game is that it lets people make an original character if none of the main heroes appeal to them. There are countless options to choose from in terms of abilities and classes, and it might be super tempting to mix and match a bunch of cool skills from different classes.
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However, like in most games, Divinity: Original Sin 2 also rewards players for specializing in a specific category. It’s generally better not to mix and match more than two different class types for the original character so that attribute points are not stretched out very thinly when leveling up.
8 Always Check For Loot
What makes Divinity: Original Sin 2 special is its general aesthetic. Each area is full of beautiful details, which look even better when the game is run on high-end computers on the best settings. That being said, it might be really difficult to spot certain items in dimly lit rooms or on various shelves and other furniture.
For this, there’s a great hotkey similar to the one in Diablo 3. Just press Left Alt to check a room for loot and the names of the collectible items will pop up on the screen. Keep in mind that not everything is necessarily important. Just like in Skyrim, Divinity: Original Sin 2 lets players pick up useless items, too.
7 Use Hotbars
The first thing to notice in the game is the hotbar located at the bottom of the screen. While in combat, players can always access their inventory; it really makes things much easier if you have everything placed on the hotbar and ready to go when entering combat mode.
Even the most meaningless things can be surprisingly useful and therefore worth putting into the hotbar, including drinks like orange juice or even a loaf of bread which provide small boosts during combat. One of the best items in the game is a simple bedroll, which can be used after a fight to heal without wasting consumable items.
6 Don't Skip Dialogue
Like with most RPGs, it’s always better to go slow and focus on the actual story. Skipping dialogues and making random choices can be extremely detrimental to gameplay. Divinity: Original Sin 2 has an amazing backstory that shouldn't be missed, and every character has their own motivations and desires that can be learned through dialogue.
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Not only can saying the wrong thing at the wrong time inspire a character to attack, but it can also be a missed opportunity to find an important hint or piece of information that will push the story forward. Due to this, it’s best to go into Divinity: Original Sin 2 with an open mind and with the willingness to experience a story.
5 Pick Your Battles
Each Act in the game introduces the player to a new area, which has several sub-areas that need to be completed. These sub-areas have different levels as well, which means there’s usually an order to follow when completing a specific area.
If the enemy happens to be several levels above the player, that usually means the sub-area is meant to be tackled after another area has been completed or some secondary quest has been finished. This is important to understand because combat in the game is very challenging and lengthy, so engaging in an unwinnable fight is a waste of time.
4 Use Free Camera
Typically, the camera in Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be centered on the main character or whoever the player happens to be controlling at the present time. It is possible to switch control between characters freely and appoint new leads and new followers whenever, outside of combat.
However, players can also move the camera around freely. The utility in this is to check areas before your character gets too close to them. This allows players to take note of possible enemies long before facing them or any traps that might be ahead on a lower level of an area, so make use of the free camera whenever entering a new area.
3 Examine Your Enemies
Combat in Divinity: Original Sin 2 can be pretty unforgiving when going in unprepared and without a strategic mindset. Elements are a central part of the game’s combat, so knowing which one counters what is absolutely vital. Moreover, each enemy will have unique weaknesses and resistances.
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Some elemental attacks might even heal them, such as using poison on undead. To find out more about an enemy, the best way is to right click on them, which brings up a small panel with some information about them. The better a character’s Loremaster skill is, the more information you’ll be able to receive on this panel and the better you can counter them in combat.
2 Go Solo At Times
Divinity: Original Sin 2 lets players experience the campaign either as a party or as a lone wolf. While the latter provides a great challenge, going in with a party is always nicer since it brings in versatility. However, dragging four people around might get a bit tedious after a while. Luckily, the party doesn’t actually have to always be together.
In some scenarios, it’s better to send off someone on a solo mission if they have specific skills and attributes for it. To do this, drag their icon away from the party leader to detach them as a follower and then double click on their icon to control them. Once the Teleportation Pyramid is acquired, things get even easier and more interesting, and there are tons of puzzles that make use of having multiple people in the party.
1 Think Simple But Outside The Box
One of the hardest parts of Divinity: Original Sin 2 is its wide array of puzzles and riddles. There will be very strange things going on in the game, which might seem impossible for a player to solve at first glance. However, a bit of creativity and thinking outside of the box will get you a long way.
Levers are often hidden nearby, as are key items. Moving boxes and barrels around might sometimes be a solution, or even checking torches and paintings for secrets. Sometimes, the answer lies in the lore, which is why reading everything and listening to every NPC is crucial if one wants to successfully beat this game.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is available on PC/Mac, the Apple App Store, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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