Divinity II: Progression and Customisation, Part I

In Divinity II, character creation is but the tip of the iceberg. It is on the road that true progression is made. Free to upgrade your stats as you see fit and to choose the skills that suit your style, you can create the very Dragon Knight you would want to be. The liberating beauty of this classless system is that you can customise your character so that it can tackle every situation the enemy throws ast you.

Do you find that you, armed with your trusty bow, can approach every creature with impunity out in the woods, but that you are having trouble surviving down in deep fiend-filled caverns? Simply invest some points in strength, whip out a whirlwind attack and you’re set! But you have an acute aversion of melee weapons you say? No problem: assign a skill point to one of the various summoning spells available and let an undead abomination take care of the messy bits. The possibilities are quite endless.

This process of progression and customisation is not limited to combat alone, but is equally important during Divinity II’s many stories and quests, because you decide how you want to approach any given situation… if you’re prepared to live with the consequences. It is entirely up to you to regard the peoples of Rivellon as honest citizens in need of a hero, or naïve simpletons that obliviously line up ready to be exploited. Every path has its own rewards and you will reap just what you sow.

Divinity II: Progression and Customisation, Part II

A very important part of the progression and customisation process in Divinity II, is your Battle Tower – at least if you want it to be. Because after having conquered it, you can pretty much move on with the story and never look back, but those who want to get the most out of their gear, skills, potions and personal Creature had better not neglect the many benefits this mighty citadel offers.

The Battle Tower section on this website already explains what services may be enjoyed in your personal fortress, but only when you play the game do you fully experience how closely these may be tailored to the character you are developing; do you fully appreciate just how much time you may end up spending on its wind-swept platforms and experience the joy of triumphantly returning to your smith with the exact right gems and ores needed for that one enchantment you have been dying to infuse you trusty battle axe with. Reap the limbs of defeated creatures to build the ally you want by your side: one that will buff you, blast your enemy with magic or doesn’t look back and jumps into the fray: your wish is its command. Supply your alchemist with new and stronger formulas that will enable him to brew the potions that will mean life or dead when backed up in a corner. And then there is the skills trainer.

Perhaps the skill trainer is the platform operator who can influence your gameplay experience the most: he or she can most certainly do so if you want to specialise your hero in one or more specific skills beyond their normal limit. You can invest five ranks in a skill by default, but if you just love that Magic Missile, can’t get enough of those Poisoned Arrows, believe a strong Life Leech is the key to victory, than spend some gold right here and feel your powers grow.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Divinity II if we left it at that. In fact, you will have to make story decisions that determine who shall serve you in your Battle Tower. Do so very carefully, because one alchemist is not the other and not every smith specialises in the same enchantments another does. You will have to find out where their strengths lie and whether they fit your style. Not to mention that different platform operators open different quests which you need to finish in order to upgrade the efficiency of the Battle Tower services.

There is a lot of progression and customisation to be found in your citadel, and soon you may discover all of this for yourself!

Jan Van Dosselaer, Writer – Designer, Larian Studios