Divinity Original Sin 2 advanced guide: strategies and tactics
Take on the Tactician and Honor difficulties of Divinity Original Sin 2 with this advanced overview. Master the Action Point economy, mobility, pre-buffs and unconventional tactics to get through every fight.
Don't just follow the main story
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is at its best away from the main quest. Rush straight to the end and you miss the best parts, so talk to everyone and take every quest you find. There's a practical reason too: side quest experience keeps you at the right level for fights, meaning the same as the enemies or at most one below. Any lower and combat becomes a wall.
Split social skills across your characters
Not everyone needs to do everything. It's better for each party member to specialize in a single skill: persuasion for dialogue, bartering for merchant discounts, thievery for picking locks and emptying pockets, loremaster for uncovering secrets and identifying items. Then send the right character forward depending on the situation.
How do you change a character's build?
If a build isn't working for you, you don't have to restart: in the chapters you'll find mirrors that let you redistribute points and redesign your character. Feel free to experiment early on, mistakes can be fixed.
Shields are extremely strong
Shields give huge armor bonuses, unlock a skill that regenerates physical and magic armor in one go, and a long-range shield throw. A front-line character with a shield holds out much longer than it looks on paper.
Use the terrain: oil, fire, water and electricity
Oil on the ground ignites with fire and becomes a dangerous zone for enemies. Water puts out flames but also conducts electricity, and that's where you need to be careful: a lightning bolt on a puddle where your companions are standing will fry them along with the enemies. Always check what's under everyone's feet before casting a spell.
Talking to animals pays off
The talent that lets you talk to animals looks like a curiosity, but it makes life easier: it unlocks secrets, dialogue and shortcuts. Rats in dungeons and sewers, for example, warn you about traps and ambushes hidden in the dark.
If combat is blocking you, lower the difficulty
If fights keep you from enjoying the world and the story, switch to Explorer mode: it puts exploration and dialogue front and center. No shame in it, the game is designed for that too.
