Dragon Form

As a Dragon Knight, you have been gifted (some would say cursed) with the ability to shape-shift between human and Dragon forms. Although being ground based, your human avatar still packs a mighty punch, and allows you to explore many areas that would simply be inaccessible to a monstrous creature. But shift to Dragon form and the whole sky suddenly opens up to you. Take flight and you can view the world from high among the clouds, and travel quickly from place to place.

Some locations are difficult, if not impossible for humans to reach on foot, so switching between Dragon and human form allows you to explore both the highest peaks and the deepest dungeons of Rivellon.

The world of Divinity II has been designed to feel deep and alive, and full 3d movement in the air adds a whole new dimension to exploration. Want to go check out those mountain peaks? Fly up there as a Dragon, and shift back to human form to touch down and investigate on foot!

Dragon Combat

In the same way your human form will fight enemies on the ground, as a Dragon you will face deadly adversaries in the air. As such, you have to be much more aware of your surroundings as danger can come from any direction, including above and below. Your unique Dragon character will gain experience for taking down enemies, just like your human does, and multiple skills can be improved.

Dragon combat involves the tactical use of ranged attacks, most typically fire based abilities, but you will also have access to a wide range of other useful skills, such as healing and shield abilities.

Your methods of fighting will need to be adjusted as you play, as targets and enemies can include both mobile and static targets. Taking out enemy towers involves different evasive tactics to fighting other flying creatures, and you will have to learn how to react quickly to varying battle environments as the tide of combat turns, reinforcements arrive or the enemy deploys special powers. Defend yourself against a turret that is pumping out heavy firepower from one direction, as enemy Dragons circle around you, trying to find the chink in your armour...

Tactical Dragon combat will bring a fantastic gameplay experience for RPG fans, with full 3d combat action, and the ability to explore the world of Rivellon from a unique vantage point.

And after all, who hasn’t, at least one point in their lives, wanted to rain fiery Dragon death on their enemies?

Human Combat

The world of Rivellon is a treacherous place, and those that would tread in the footsteps of heroes should be well prepared in body and spirit, as the challenges that face them on their epic journey will test the strength of mind and sword arm alike.

Your human avatar shares its spirit with the mighty Dragon form that you can shape-shift into, but this by no means implies that your ground based form is any weaker by comparison. On the contrary, the human race in Rivellon has often proved itself to be the most adaptable and resilient life form on the planet.

As you progress through the game, you will find you grow in experience, and that certain characteristics of your human form will gain in strength and power. Each of these will enhance other abilities, and allow you to fine-tune the disciplines that suit your playing style.

Your main attributes are Vitality, Spirit, Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence. These define the core of your character and in turn benefit other modifiers such as Heightened Reflexes. But more about these later.

You also have a customisable skill set that helps you to further expand and refine your game experience, the tactical use which will turn the tide of many a skirmish. What follows here is a first look at a series of skills that will be available to you as a player. We will reveal many more as we approach the launch of Divinity II, so consider this to be a welcome first taste.

For example, let’s say you are an up close and personal style of player – you would get a lot of use out of this skill:

Battle Rage

The Battle Rage skill does exactly what it describes: like a mad barbarian would seize upon a poorly protected convent, you launch yourself into the fray, heeding not the danger it leaves you in. Most likely any clear and present danger will soon be eliminated, but do remember that this rage detracts from your defensive prowess for its duration.

Or perhaps you prefer to unleash some suppressive fire on your foes before laying the smack down?

Explosive Arrows

The rarest of arrows are perhaps also the most powerful ones. Extremely dangerous in the hands of some bowstring-happy pyromaniac – and absolutely frightening in the hands of a skilled archer – these arrows explode upon impact: not only turning the original recipient into a bloody jigsaw puzzle, but also tearing apart any one caught near the blast.

Fiery vengeance not enough for you? How about adding a little humiliation to your arsenal?

Polymorph

Imagine, if you will, two fierce undead warriors sporting claws and jagged swords with your name on them. Facing two such savage adversaries at the same time might just be more than you can handle. Luckily, you have the polymorph spell at your disposal, which will briefly transform those on its receiving end into a harmless ladybird. This is sure to make your life easier and theirs briefer.

Need back up? Bring it on with a spectral henchman that will devastate your opponents while you pelt them from afar…

Summon Ghost

Ghosts are restless beings. Terrible in appearance they haunt us, instil us with numbing fear. So why, some Mage must once have thought, should we not call them to our aid in combat? And a wise thought it was, because ever since then many a wizard has treated his foes to one final nightmare from which they never woke.

Even more fun than taking your opponents apart with your bare hands, is getting them to do your dirty work for you!

Charm

Much like the polymorph spell, charming your opponents is aimed at lessening the number of hostiles that seek to plant their pointy ends into your skull. But the Charm spell does not merely immobilise them by turning them into ladybirds: it turns them against each other, so wounding or even killing your opposition before the effect wears off.

Tactics not going the way they should? Perhaps it would be wise to back up a little to lick your wounds and use the always handy healing spell…

Healing

When in combat, you will get hurt. But not to worry, for this simple healing spell will douse any wound like water would fire – leaving your dazed opponents wondering why their blades don’t seem to have had much effect!

But why sully your hands with combat at all if you have the ability to sneak past your bigger enemies and avoid any unpleasantness altogether…

Hide in Shadows

Swinging broad axes, donning heavy armour, casting sorceries as the arrows whiz around your head, trying to make that precision shot as a howling troll with murder in its eyes stampedes towards you … doing battle can be a gruelling business. Which is why some prefer to give it a miss once in a while, as they become unified with the shadows, invisible to the naked eye. Because why would you go through the trouble of fighting, when you can simply bypass your oblivious opponents?

So even with this handful of skills – chosen from among the dozens Divinity II boasts – you can readily see how your character can be carefully moulded into becoming the avatar you want it to be, how your choice of abilities will directly govern your gameplay experience, and how you will decide what direction your individual story will take. Shall it be an epic tale of mighty sword swinging brutes, of devilishly devious masters of magic twisting the world to suit their own insidious ends… or could it even be a mix of these and many, many more…?