Preset classes are the starting eleven archetypes that your characters can be assigned during Character Creation. However, these preset classes can be ignored entirely if you're confident that you can select a character's starting perks without conflict. See the Character Creation wiki page for more information.
Classes in Divinity: Original Sin form the basis of the two Source Hunters Abilities, Attributes, Skills and Talents. Additionally it determines the two Hunters weapons and armor. Contentsshow Overview In total there are eleven classes, which fall into one of three groups: Warrior, Mage.
Choosing a preset class can get you into the campaign faster, as well as avoid any problems from choosing incompatible or conflicting perks. Remember that even if you choose a preset class for a character, that only affects his or her starting perks. As they level up, you can add whatever perks you want (respecting their prerequisites of course).
There are 11 preset classes.
Battlemage[edit]
Battlemages can be known as “spell swords” in other universes: they attempt to straddle the line between a front-line fighter and a heavily damaging mage. They generally can attack in melee, but they have additional options if they cannot reach their target.
The real con of the Battlemage is that they're not particularly great at either skill. While Fighters can deal more direct damage and Wizards have more elemental options with which to melt faces, Battlemages don't have the late-game offense of either, nor the late-game defense of Fighters (though they have better late-game defense of Wizards and other magical classes).
Battlemages are great for advanced, quick-thinking players who want to be prepared for anything. When backed up by more specialized partners (such as a healing Cleric), a Battlemage has a high chance of surviving any fight, though it might take a bit longer than usual.
Attributes
[edit]
- Strength +2
- Intelligence +2
- Constitution +1
aBILITIES[edit]
- Man-At-Arms +1
- Single-Handed +1
- Shield Specialist +1
- Witchcraft +1
- Pryokinetic +1
Talents[edit]
- Opportunist
- What A Rush.
Starting Skills[edit]
- Oath of Destruction
- Burning Touch
- Crushing Fist
Starting Gear
[edit]
- Sword and Shield
- Robe
- Fireball Scroll
Cleric[edit]
Clerics are primarily healers. They have limited melee abilities, though not to the degree of Battlemages. Clerics are best used in a support role, and shouldn't be the first line of attack in any fight. In fact, a Cleric's melee weapon should be the last resort.
Clerics are generally pretty low on defense, and should stay protected. They're especially vulnerable when they have to cast rapid heals if the rest of the party is in trouble. Worse still, in order to maximize a Cleric's healing power, he or she will have to compromise melee power, or vice versa. That means as the game goes along, the Cleric will need to become more specialized in either combat or healing (if not augmented by other means), which means the other skill will slightly suffer.
Clerics are weak enough that you should not have two on your team. You can have two healers, but only one should be specialized purely in healing (i.e., a Cleric); the other should only have a healing Skill as a secondary.
attributes[edit]
- Strength +2
- Intelligence +1
- Constitution +1
- Speed +1
abilities[edit]
- Man-At-Arms +1
- Single-Handed +1
- Shield Specielist +1
- Armor Specielist +1
- Hydrosophist +1
Talents[edit]
- My Precious
- Anaconda
starting skills
[edit]
- Melee Power Stance
- Divin Light
- Regeneration
Starting Gear[edit]
- Mace and Shield
- Leather Armor
- Holy Hand Grenade
Enchanter[edit]
Enchanters are controllers who specialize in manipulating enemies. Alone, they are weak and generally do not inflict much damage. However, they can weaken enemies or temporarily turn them against each other, or buff their allies. They have some ranged magic, but pure offense is their second (or even third) option.
Enchanters are low on defense and have basically no weapon skills at all. Their weapons generally serve as methods to increase their power, rather than being their power. However, Enchanters can arguably become the most powerful class of all, just because they can manipulate stronger and stronger enemies. It doesn't matter if an Enchanter can't do direct damage: make two powerful enemies beat the crap out of each other, then send in the Enchanter's allies to clean up the mess!
Enchanters require intelligent players to control. The artificial intelligence in D:OS isn't bad, but Enchanters shine when carefully controlled by the player. They also need to be protected and not drawn into the battle. If the enemies are too powerful, the Enchanter may be useless in a specific skirmish, so they always need to be at the top of their game.
Attributes[edit]
- Intelligence +2
- Speed +2
- Perception +1
abilities[edit]
- Telekinesis +1
- Hydrosophist +1
- Aerotheurge +1
- Charisma +1
- Wand +1
Talents[edit]
- Escapist
- Elemental Affinity
starting skills[edit]
- Teleportation
- Slow Current
- Freezing Touch
starting gear[edit]
- Water Wand
- Robe
- Blitz Bolt Scroll
Fighter[edit]
Fighters are front-line damage dealers who specialize in melee weapons. They generally are weaker defensively but stronger offensively than Knights. Fighters will likely be your mules to help carry gear around.
Fighters are direct characters who can specialize in a variety of weapons. Depending on whether the Fighter takes one-handed weapons (and shields) or two-handed weapons, the Fighter can be slightly more defensively or offensively minded, respectively. Either way, the Fighter should be the first one in a fight and last one to leave (unless setting up a specific plan of attack).
Fighters generally have no additional skills other than weapons, making them one-dimensional. It means they may struggle with any highly armored enemies, or those who attack from a distance. However, it also means that when a Fighter does get within melee range, the target will be reduced to tiny chunks in a relatively short time. Consider that, as the player, you should generally be controlling the Fighter as you run around the world to make sure he or she is in the front line.
attributes[edit]
- Strength +2
- Constitution +1
- Speed +1
- Perception +1
abilities[edit]
- Man-At-Arms +1
- Single-Handed +1
- Shield Specialist +1
- Armor Specialist +1
- Bodybuilding +1
Talents[edit]
- Opportunist
- My Precious
starting skills[edit]
- Melee Power Stance
- Crushing Fist
- Battering Ram
Starting gear[edit]
- Sword and Shield
- Metal Armor
- Firestorm grenade
Knight[edit]
Knights are front-line damage dealers. They generally are better armored than Fighters and therefore somewhat more defensive, similar to a so-called tank in MMO games. However, Knights may also have limited magic, generally healing magic, making them more akin to a traditional paladin. Note that Knights default to carrying two-handed weapons, thus precluding them from using shields, though their heavy armor makes up the difference.
Knights and Fighters are tactically related and, depending on how they are equipped, may open battles with the exact same strategy. However, Knights generally need to be ready to adapt as the battle goes, as they may have additional tools (such as heals) to help out. However, a Knight is best used primarily as a melee attacker; weapon skills should always be their best skills.
Attributes[edit]
- Strength +2
- Constitution +1
- Speed +1
abilities[edit]
- Man-At-Arms +!
- Two-handed +1
- Armor Specialist +1
- Leadership +1
- Bodybuilding +1
talents[edit]
- Opportunist
- What A Rush
Starting skills[edit]
- Battering Ram
- Cure Wounds
- Encourage
Starting gear[edit]
- Two-Handed Sword
- Metal Armor
- Firestorm Grenade
Ranger[edit]
Rangers are mid-line damage dealers. They attack exclusively from a distance with bows and special arrows. They generally specialize in poisonous attacks, which are great for the majority of the enemies you will face. They can also use their special arrows to inflict other effects, including elemental effects.
Rangers are fairly one-dimensional. If you customize them, you could spend a few points in taking a melee weapon skill as well, allowing them to attack in close if absolutely necessary. However, because Rangers rely on the Dexterity Attribute instead of Strength, they will never be able to hold their own toe-to-toe with stronger enemies. Worse still, their low defense (compared to Fighters and Knights) means they can be taken down too quickly if struck quickly or if the front line breaks down. As such, Rangers are best used when they keep moving, keep shooting, and never stop.
As a concession to this, default Rangers start with Abilities in Blacksmithing, Loremaster, and Crafting. In other words, Rangers may be one-dimensional in combat, but they give the party as a whole a much wider variety of skills. A Ranger based off the default will be able to help the party in more ways than anyone else without sacrificing his combat expertise.
Attributes[edit]
- Dexterity +3
- Speed +1
- Perception +1
abilities[edit]
- Expert Marksman +1
- Bow +1
- Blacksmithing +1
- Loremaster +1
- Crafting +1
talents[edit]
- Bully
- Arrow Recovery
starting skills[edit]
- First Aid
- Ranged Power Stance
- Ricochet
Starting gear[edit]
- Bow
- Leather Armor
- 2 Fire Arrows
Rogue[edit]
Rogues are sneaky front-line fighters who use stealth and surprise to damage enemies. Depending on how they are equipped and used, a rogue may routinely out-damage even a Fighter. However, even in the best circumstances, a Rogue will not be as armored as a Fighter, and will be taken down quickly if surrounded. The Rogue must always be aware of his or her surroundings and escape if necessary.
Rogues start with a couple of useful abilities: Pickpocketing and Lockpicking. Other classes can take those of course, but Rogues specialize in them. Rogues may be able to procure gear or other items without inciting violence, thus scoring you free stuff at low or no risk.
However, that's the extent of what a Rogue can do, and are therefore among the least versatile classes. Rogues are very, very good at what they do... but not very good at anything else. As such, if you take a Rogue on your team, you'll definitely need to back him or her up with specialists to offset a Rogue's weakness. You will almost certainly need a Knight or a defensive-minded Fighter to help mitigate the attention of enemies in combat.
attributes[edit]
- Dexterity +3
- Speed +2
Abilities[edit]
- Scoundrel +1
- Sneaking +1
- Dual Wielding +2
talents[edit]
- Guerrilla
- Back-Stabber
Starting skills[edit]
- Walk in Shadows
- Lacerate
- Fast Track
starting Gear[edit]
- Two Knives
- Leather Armor
- Smoke Grenade
Shadowblade[edit]
Shadowblades straddle a line between Rogues and Witches, and in fact draw skills from both. Shadowblades generally don't have much physical offense, but they do have some. They are best used for hit-and-run tactics: they sneak in for a first strike (such as a backstab), but then retreat to use magic or otherwise support the party.
Shadowblades arguably are the riskiest class. They are at risk when they run forward for their initial strike, and they are at risk during retreat since they won't have too many options to attack while running away. Shadowblades need to be paired with defensive Fighters or Knights, and even then, the Fighter or Knight needs to hold the enemies' attention or risk getting taken out of the fight early.
That said, when used correctly, Shadowblades can do a lot of damage while remaining safe. As long as a Fighter or Knight holds the target's attention, the Shadowblade can do damage either in close or from a distance, making them more versatile than Rogues. This is offset by the Shadowblade not defaulting with Pickpocketing or Lockpicking; instead, Shadowblades are purely combative, and can't really contribute to the party outside of a fight.
attributes[edit]
- Dexterity +1
- Intelligence +2
- Speed +2
Abilities[edit]
- Scoundrel +1
- Witchcraft +1
- Aerotheurge +1
- Sneaking +1
- Dual Wielding +1
talents[edit]
- Guerrilla
- Leech
Starting skills[edit]
- Thunderjump
- Walk in Shadows
- Vamperic Touch
starting gear[edit]
- Knife and Sword
- Cloth Armor
- Toxic Grenade
Wayfarer[edit]
Wayfarers are ranged fighters with a little magic thrown in. They are mid- or back-line attackers that generally do a lot of damage, but cannot contribute to the party in the other ways that Rangers can. Also, Wayfarers generally do less direct damage since they need to spread their Attributes more thinly, but they gain versatility as a result.
Wayfarers default with being able to poison enemies, summon spiders, and heal party members. They can adapt to a wide variety of situations, though they are limited to the back line no matter what. Unlike Battlemages, who might be able to operate in close or at a distance if necessary, the Wayfarer will suffer if enemies close the distance. Use of a Wayfarer necessitates a front-line partner, even if that means extensive summons.
Assuming they're used correctly, a Wayfarer's benefits outweigh his or her downsides. They get all the benefits from ranged attacks like Rangers (just at a reduced damage output) while still being adaptable to enemies who might be able to defend against arrows.
Attributes[edit]
- Dexterity +2
- Intelligence +2
- Constitution +1
- Perception +1
Abilities[edit]
- Expert Marksman +1
- Crossbow +1
- Geomancer +1
- Crafting +1
- Lucky Charm +1
talents[edit]
- Pet Pal
- Scientist
starting skills[edit]
- First Aid
- Summon Spider
- Ricochet
starting gear[edit]
- Crossbow
- Leather Armor
- Oil Flask
Witch[edit]
Witches (who can be male as well) are back-line magical attackers. Witches generally don't do much direct damage, which in that regard makes them similar to Enchanters. However, while Enchanters seek to control enemies, Witches look to still damage enemies, just indirectly. They summon creatures, they set magical traps, and they can drain the life out of their enemies.
Witches are not quite the face-melters that Wizards are, and thus need to be a bit more intelligently used. They need to examine the situation before just launching spells; a summon doesn't do any good if the creature can't inflict the necessary damage to the targets. Still, if you customize the Witch, you can add some nominal enchanting skills, giving the Witch more versatility at the cost of indirect damage.
attributes[edit]
- Intelligence +3
- Speed +1
- Perception +1
Abilities[edit]
- Witchcraft +1
- Willpower +1
- Geomancer +1
- Loremaster +1
- Charisma +1
talents[edit]
- Pet Pal
- Walk it Off
starting skills[edit]
- Summon Spider
- Oath of Destruction
- Vamperic Touch
starting gear[edit]
- Earth Staff
- Robe
- Summon Undead Warrior Scroll
Wizard[edit]
Wizards may be the strongest damage-dealer in any given battle, but will also be the absolute weakest defensively. Wizards require partners who can hold the enemies' attention, whether that means Fighters, Knights, summoned creatures, or non-traditional customized characters. Whatever it takes, Wizards need to avoid receiving direct combat, because they won't survive for long.
A Wizard's greatest strength is his or her access to elements, which the other classes may not have. Wizards could specialize in a particular element, thus significantly increasing his or her power (and options) with that element. However, over-specializing can mean the Wizard becomes useless in particular skirmishes. Wizards should have at least two elements at the ready, though you can make a go of it with just a single element as long as the Wizard is backed up by others who can fill the vacancy if the Wizard is rendered ineffective.
Wizards can also use others to help set up traps. For example, an Enchanter can coat the ground with oil, which the Wizard can then set on fire. In fact, a Wizard defaults to Pyrokinetic (i.e., fire-based) skills to give a little extra damage to his attacks. Still, feel free to customize the Wizard to take a different (or an additional) element to change his loadout.
attributes[edit]
- Intelligence +2
- Constitution +1
- Speed +1
- Perception +1
abilities[edit]
- Willpower +1
- Pyrokinetic +1
- Geomancer +1
- Loremaster +1
- Charisma +1
talents[edit]
- Know-It-All
- Far Out Man
starting skills[edit]
- Midnight Oil
- Flare
- Boulder Ball
starting gear[edit]
- Fire Staff
- Robe
- Fireball Scroll
Comments
The level of customization possible in Divinity: Original Sin 2 is staggering, whether you want to focus on a smooth-talking teleporter with a ton of skills, an undead soldier who knocks down all enemies, an archer who summons corpses, or nearly anything else you can imagine.
In this guide, we're going to go over four epic Original Sin 2 builds with vastly different focuses, from a stealth assassin to a masochistic necromancer who revels in taking damage. With any of these builds, you could either co-op or even potentially solo your way through the game.
Rogue Assassin Build
With this build, you always want to be positioned behind an enemy for backstabbing and generally avoiding detection. On the attribute side, Finesse is probably a better idea than Strength. Don't discount Wits though, as you get a bonus to initiative and critical chance. For your ability points, you want to put your points into Scoundrel for the critical bonus, and of course Stealth for the sneaking.
On the skills, Adrenaline is a must for getting enough action points to kill with a backstab in one turn. Throwing Knife and Backlash also lets you deal backstab damage, while Chloroform can knock out an enemy at the end of your turn without breaking stealth.
If you go for a secondary ability beyond Scoundrel, oddly enough Polymorphing can be helpful, since it lets you fly around and avoid terrain or remove all negative status effects quickly. The Polymorphing skill Chamelon Cloak gives you two turns of pure invisibility without breaking stealth. Warfare isn't nearly as useful as you'd think, since many of the associated attacks aren't helpful for backstabbing and Scoundrel already gives you a bonus to Finesse-based attacks.
Pros
So long as you pick skills that don't break stealth and you have a weapon that benefits from the high Finesse, you can essentially cheese your way through any combat by staying hidden and then quickly backstabbing or knocking an enemy unconscious before they react. Getting items early that provide teleportation abilities will be a must so you have maximum mobility.
Cons
You will generally have lower armour ratings, since you are focused on staying hidden, meaning that status effects will hit you more often. The game is also a good deal slower and more tense if you are always sneaking and having to pay attention to line-of-sight cones.
Rogue Assassin Build
Solo Masochist Necromancer Build
Put either two points into the Necromancer skill, or one in Necromancer and one in Warfare for the bonus damage. When you level up, place your combat points into Retribution. For your weapon, you probably want a big two-handed weapon that does the most base damage possible with devastating criticals.
From the Necromancer side, you absolutely want the Bloodsucker ability, which lets you heal from the ever-present pools of blood on the ground. You may also want to invest in the Leech talent to automatically heal from blood sources if you aren't going the solo route. Mosquito Swarm is another one that both deals damage and heals. If you are mixing Necromancer and Warfare instead of straight necro, either Crippling Blow or Battle Stomp is the way to go.
Pros
Your idea here is to always be healing yourself while reflecting damage back to the enemy. Every point in Necromancer means you automatically heal damage when you deal it, and each point in Reflection increases the amount of damage you automatically deal back to anyone who hits you. In other words, just walking around getting damaged in combat lets you both kill and heal.
Cons
With the Necromancer skill, your vitality only heals when dealing damage directly to enemy vitality, so any enemy with high physical / magical armour will prevent you from healing.
It also takes several levels for the bonuses from Necromancer and Retribution to actually hit useful levels (starting at a measly 10% and 5% with only one point each at first level). However, this can be overcome by taking the Lone Wolf talent instead of Leech.
With Lone Wolf, each skill point is effectively doubled, which halves the amount of time for those skills to reach useful levels. Despite the name, Lone Wolf actually lets you bring along one companion in addition to your main character while still retaining all the benefits of the talent.
Necromancer Skills
Paladin Build
Your archetypal holy knight, this build revolves around battlefield control. You should be dealing out decent damage, knocking down opponents for control frequently, and then healing your party when necessary.
Hydrosophist and Warfare should be your ability picks, giving access to healing and armor boosting spells, in addition to the bonus to straight damage. For skills, your starting picks should be Restoration and Armour Of Frost (which removes negative status effects) -- and your Warfare pick should probably be Battle Stomp, since it gives battlefield control and doesn't affect allies like most area effect spells.
On the weapon front, either sword and shield combo or a two handed weapon focus compliment the build.
Pros
The Paladin build is excellent for your main character because it overcomes a lot of the weaknesses of the five other origin companions. While you won't be flinging fireballs and creating poison clouds, you can gain easy battlefield control and ensure the rest of the party doesn't go down in flames. There are a lot of combos you can do with other party members as well by first creating wet conditions using your Hydrosophist abilities and then creating electrified areas.
Cons
Outside of combat the build isn't nearly as useful, since a simple bedroll you can grab directly at the beginning of game in the ship prevents the need for healing items outside of battle. You also won't be the stealthiest.
Building a Custom Paladin
Elemental Mage / Summoner
Taking the Lizard class for this fire build is a decent idea, since you get the Dragon's Blaze bonus ability to breathe fire. However, you may want to go with Undead instead, since they heal damage from poison, and you will frequently be creating poison clouds.
Your attributes should be focused on Intelligence for bonus spell damage and Memory so you have a broad range of spells to use and are never in a situation with all your skills in cool down. For abilities, of course you want Pyrokinetic and Geomancer.
On the skills, Ignition is less useful than you'd think because it does damage around you, which can hit allies and of course set off oil puddles and end up hurting yourself or other friendlies. Fossil Strike pairs well with Searing Daggers to create a fiery battlefield -- and for maximum map controlling damage, don't forget Poison Dart creates a poison cloud.
For a twist, instead of Pyrokinetic, switch over to Summoning but keep Geomancer. Now pick Conjure Incarnate instead of Searing Daggers. If you summon your Incarnate in a poison cloud, he will deal tons of poison damage to your enemies for you, essentially acting as a bonus free companion.
Pros
AoE is the name of the game here, as you set large swathes of the battlefield on fire or fill it with poisonous vapors. Dual-wielding elemental wands is a great idea so you can deal bonus damage to fleeing enemies who are on fire or poisoned. Even when you aren't hitting, you will still be dealing damage due to everything being on fire.
Cons
It's incredibly easy to end up damaging your own team here with all the area fire and poison effects, and you don't have much of anything in the way of healing or physical armour.
Undead Wizard
These are the four best Divinity: Original Sin 2 builds we've had the most luck with playing through the campaign and dominating in combat. What's your favorite build, and what combos would you recommend for getting through different acts of the game?
If you're looking for more tips on this huge fantasy game, be sure to checl out our full list of Divinity: Original Sin 2 guides to get the most out of your roleplay.