Mastering Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Essential Beginner Tips for a Legendary Adventure – Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a masterpiece of the RPG genre, offering an incredible amount of depth, flexibility, and immersion. For beginners, however, stepping into Rivellon can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, these beginner tips will help you start strong and make the most of your journey.

1. Choose the Right Difficulty Mode

Before diving into the game, select a difficulty mode that matches your experience and playstyle:

• Explorer Mode: Perfect for those new to RPGs or who prefer a relaxed experience.
• Classic Mode: Offers a balanced challenge for players familiar with RPG mechanics.
• Tactician Mode: For experienced players seeking a tough, strategic challenge.
• Honor Mode: The ultimate test—one save file and permadeath await.

If you’re a beginner, starting with Explorer or Classic Mode is recommended to learn the ropes.

2. Understand the Origins and Custom Characters

You can play as one of the predefined Origin characters or create your own custom hero. Origin characters, such as Lohse, Fane, and Sebille, come with unique backstories and personal quests that add depth to the narrative.

While custom characters allow for more creativity, playing an Origin character on your first playthrough ensures you’ll experience unique dialogue options and interactions tied to their storylines.

3. Party Composition is Key

Building a balanced party is critical for success. Consider these roles when assembling your team:

• Tank: Absorbs damage and protects squishier allies. (e.g., a fighter with high Constitution and warfare skills.)
• Damage Dealer: Deals high amounts of physical or magical damage. (e.g., rogues or mages.)
• Healer/Support: Keeps your party alive and buffs your team. (e.g., clerics or enchanters.)
• Crowd Control: Disables enemies or controls the battlefield. (e.g., a geomancer or hydrosophist.)

Try to have a mix of physical and magical damage dealers to adapt to enemy resistances.

4. Learn the Basics of Combat

Combat in Divinity: Original Sin 2 is turn-based and highly strategic. Here are some tips to dominate the battlefield:

• Use the Environment: Surfaces like fire, water, and poison can be manipulated to damage or debilitate enemies.
• Positioning Matters: High ground offers increased damage and better range, while flanking enemies reduces their ability to dodge.
• Conserve Action Points (AP): Plan your moves wisely. Unused AP carries over to the next turn, giving you more flexibility.
• Focus Fire: Concentrate attacks on one enemy at a time to eliminate threats quickly.

5. Experiment with Skills and Abilities

The game’s skill system allows for endless customization. Each character can learn abilities from different schools, such as:

• Pyrokinetic: Fire-based damage and area-of-effect spells.
• Geomancer: Earth magic and poison-based skills.
• Hydrosophist: Healing and water spells.
• Scoundrel: High-damage attacks and mobility skills.

Don’t hesitate to mix and match abilities to create versatile characters. For example, combining Warfare and Pyrokinetic can lead to devastating melee fire attacks.

6. Invest in Civil Abilities

Civil abilities enhance your non-combat capabilities. Some useful ones for beginners include:

• Persuasion: Helps you avoid fights or gain additional information during dialogue.
• Thievery: Allows you to pick locks and steal items, opening up new opportunities.
• Bartering: Reduces the cost of items from vendors.
• Loremaster: Identifies items and provides information about enemy weaknesses.

Spread these abilities across your party to maximize utility.

7. Manage Your Inventory Wisely

Inventory management is crucial in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Keep these tips in mind:

• Organize Items: Use bags to separate consumables, crafting materials, and quest items.
• Sell Unneeded Gear: Vendors refresh their inventory frequently, so sell outdated items to make room.
• Stock Up on Essentials: Keep plenty of health potions, resurrection scrolls, and repair hammers.
• Weight Limits: Pay attention to character carry limits. Overburdened characters will move slowly and lose AP.

8. Explore Thoroughly

Rivellon is packed with secrets, hidden treasures, and side quests. Make sure to:

• Search Every Corner: Loot barrels, crates, and dead bodies for valuable items.
• Talk to NPCs: Many offer quests, hints, or unique items.
• Use the “Alt” Key: Highlight interactable objects to avoid missing anything.
• Invest in Teleportation: The Teleportation spell or gloves are invaluable for reaching inaccessible areas.

9. Crafting and Recipes

Crafting can give you an edge, especially in the early game. Some useful recipes include:

• Healing Potions: Combine empty bottles with herbs.
• Lockpicks: Use nails and repair hammers.
• Poison Bottles: Combine poison sources with empty bottles.
• Grenades and Scrolls: Create powerful tools to aid in combat.

Experiment with different materials to discover new recipes and enhance your gear.

10. Respect Stat and Skill Choices

If you’re unhappy with your build, Divinity: Original Sin 2 allows you to respec your characters after Act 1. Visit the Mirror of Transformation aboard the Lady Vengeance to reset stats, abilities, and talents.

11. Save Often and Strategically

The game’s difficulty can spike unexpectedly, so save your progress frequently. Use multiple save slots to backtrack if needed. Quick saves before battles or major decisions can save you from frustration.

12. Plan for Long-Term Progression

Keep in mind the following tips as your characters grow:

• Balance Attributes: Invest in key attributes like Strength, Intelligence, or Finesse based on your class.
• Choose Talents Wisely: Talents like “Elemental Affinity” and “Executioner” can significantly boost your effectiveness.
• Upgrade Gear: Regularly replace old equipment to stay competitive in combat.
• Skill Books: Purchase or craft new skill books to expand your abilities.

13. Pay Attention to Dialogue

The story is rich and filled with moral dilemmas. Choices you make in dialogue can have lasting consequences. Use Persuasion or Insight to uncover hidden options, and don’t be afraid to role-play your character.

14. Take Advantage of Multiplayer

If you’re playing with friends, coordinate roles and strategies to make combat and exploration smoother. Communication is key in dividing tasks like bartering, thieving, or managing inventories.

15. Don’t Rush—Enjoy the Journey

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Take time to:

• Absorb the Lore: Read books, notes, and inscriptions to enrich your understanding of Rivellon.
• Experiment with Mechanics: Try different approaches to combat and quests.
• Replay the Game: Different choices, characters, and builds offer immense replayability.

Final Thoughts

Starting your journey in Divinity: Original Sin 2 can be challenging, but with these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle its intricacies. Embrace the freedom to experiment, explore, and engage with the game’s world—and above all, have fun crafting your legendary adventure!