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Divinity Original Sin 2 is a tactical, turn-based RPG that hands you a Source collar, a shipwreck and a prison island, and then trusts you to work out the rest. Our coverage is built around that first act: the character you make, the party you assemble on Fort Joy, the systems that decide fights, and the side quests and puzzles the island hides. Everything below links to a full guide.
Make a character
Start with the beginners guide, which walks the creation screen from origin story to tags and then explains the two-layer armor system, elemental surfaces and Source skills that every fight turns on. From there the classes guide compares all ten presets we cover, from the Fighter and Battlemage at the front to the Wizard and Witch at the back, with the best race for each. When you want exact stat targets, the character builds guide lays out a Black Knight, a Furtive Rogue, an Enchanting Mage and a Polytropic Ranger level by level.
Fill the party
Six companions wait on Fort Joy, each with their own story and talents, and our companion locations page pins every one of them down.
| Companion | Where to find them | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| The Red Prince | On the beach south of the shipwreck, standing on a rock over the sea | A crimson-skinned lizard |
| Beast | West of Fort Joy toward the beach, at the wreck of an old ship | A dwarf, busy trying to repair the wreck |
| Sebille | Beyond the southern gate, near Stingtail’s camp by the boat debris | Distrusts lizards; a lizard character or a party with the Red Prince needs Persuasion to recruit her |
| Lohse | Behind the Camp Kitchen, near the Divine’s shrine statue | Human |
| Ifan Ben-Mezd | Close to the front entrance, with a small group of humans and elves | Easy to reach early |
| Fane | The Hidden Alcove to the north | Undead; the alcove only opens once The Teleporter quest is under way and Gawin hears that the Gloves of Teleportation are in your hands |
Learn the systems
The mechanics guide is the overview: attributes, the armor rules, weapon loadout bonuses, and how crafting and theft fit in. Its six children go deeper. The abilities guide gives the bonus per point for every combat and civil ability, the best talents page ranks seven picks with their drawbacks, and the skill combos page pairs schools into seven builds. For the economy, the crafting guide explains the system and its hidden combinations, the recipes list is the full reference for weapons, potions, grenades, arrows, food, runes and scrolls, and the stealing guide teaches the drop-and-recover pickpocket routine along with the weight and value caps.
Fort Joy side content
- Black Cat: the stray that follows you off the beach has to reach The Hollow Marshes alive. Keep it away from Magisters, fire and poison, and if it vanishes after a fight, take the exit the cat took and talk to it there. Delivering it unlocks the Black Cat summon, whose tricks include swapping places with a party member and Feline Leap.
- Crumbling Skulls: the Gargoyle’s Maze in the east of the Hollow Marshes rewards you for using all six skulls to open its gates rather than hoarding them or flying over. Leave the Band of Braccus Rex behind before you speak to the gargoyle at the entrance.
- Puzzle Solutions: act by act, from the Braccus word puzzle (CUR, then CURE) and the tower’s well, barrier, Historian and cursed lever, through the Lady Vengeance, Johanna’s tomb and Mordus’ house in Act 2, to Lucian’s coffin in Act 3.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first after the shipwreck?
Pick up the companions above, keep the cat alive, and use the stealing guide to fund your first skill books; our beginners guide adds Pet Pal, frequent quicksaves and bags for inventory space to that list.
Which class page should I read?
The classes guide’s comparison table narrows it down in a minute; the Fighter is our most flexible preset and the Cleric has the strongest early game, while the Shadowblade page is our fullest single build.
Is any of this platform specific?
No. Every guide here applies to PC and console alike, including the F5 quicksave habit, which maps to the equivalent menu option on a controller.