Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity Original Sin - Help/Tips/Tricks Newbie with questions...

Hey guys, newbie to this game, I just started playing the game, and I have a few questions... first, I am seeing broken vases all over the place. I learned quickly that if I go around bashing those broken vases, it does some wear and tear to my weapons. I bash them just to see what is inside them, but is there a better way to find out what it inside without bashing them to pieces? Do I get anything from bashing the broken vases?Also, I got the fishing pole but am not sure how to fish. Any suggestions? I found a scroll on the ground that teaches my rogue to disarm traps. But, they are one use only. As was picking locks. What discretion should I use with both disarm traps and picking locks on whether or not to open a chest or disarm a trap? Thanks so much, everyone!

You can left click vases to open them, without smashing them, and broken vases don't contain anything. There are some indestructible weapons, and ranged magical attacks can also damage most doors and containers.

You can equip a fishing rod to use as a weapon, but there is no way to use them to fish.

With traps try to find a way around or trigger it from a distance before using a trap disarm kit, and for chests search for a key before using a lockpick. Lockpicks can be crafted, as well, but often there is a key, switch/lever, or other means to open locked doors and chests.

I am actually playing this game on my PS4, but I see your point about opening objects rather than smashing them. What's the point to have broken vases everywhere? And are you saying that I should avoid traps and save the disarm kit for when there is no other option? I have played through most of the first dungeon, have found some doors and chests that - taking your advice - can be opened via a key or switch/lever. Thanks so much for the advice!

Also, when I am looking at a vase or chest or something, there is an option available where I can "toggle information" - I don't know what it does but it must do something or otherwise it wouldn't be in the game. What does the toggle information option do? I tried it a few times, when examining a chest or vase or what have you. A window opens, but every time I use this option, there is nothing listed. I know I am very early in the game, but I still would like to know about this. What does it do?

The broken vases are there mostly for atmosphere, though can be used for the first set of pressure plates. Later areas don't contain so many broken containers (the tutorial dungeon is an old tomb, that has been searched at least once already).

Yes, if there is an easy alternative, you should avoid using consumables (within reason).

When using the Active Search feature (on console, or using a controller on PC) or in the inventory, 'Toggle Info' gives information about the item. For a container, it will just show the AP cost to open it (if it contains any items) or will be blank (if opened and looted); for something like a shell, it will list the effect, if you've discovered that by eating one, the AP cost, duration of the effect and a description. Try it on scrolls and potions, etc, in your inventory.

A few more questions - first, are all class related items "single use only"? I know that my disarm trap and pick locks skills are usable only once. And later in the game can I make my own item such as these? Also, I am opting to play a fighter and a rogue - can characters such as these two use magic related items, scrolls, etc.? Do enemies respawn? Is saw that, on the character creation screen, each character class has three skills unique to their own. Is there a way to highlight those skills so I can have an accurate understanding of those skills? Am I correct in assuming that later in the game I will be able to have more characters join my party? Again, I am playing a fighter and a rogue - but I also want to play other classes, unfortunately I am only able to use two of them at this time.

I hate to ask this, but like I said before... I am playing a fighter and a rogue. I chose them because of the melee element, and the rogue-ish lock picking, trap disarming, pocket picking skills. I don't know much about this game, but I wanted to ask if my choice of character class was a good one?

It's my assertion that everything is viable in this game. Fighter is pretty fun in my opinion as is the rogue. They can work well together with the fighter supporting the rogue and playing the meatshield. You also have the ability to get followers in this game that will fill other roles such as mage, ranger, cleric, so on. You can either get them from talking to people in the first city or getting henchmen once you unlock the Hall of Heroes.

Ultimately, you'll really end up with 4 people in your party so you can really build out the group as you want. I have yet to do a full physical/no magic playthrough but it could be fun. Ultimately if you do get magicians, you'll occasionally have an issue with placings fields and spells in such a way that it doesn't harm your melee characters, but it's still viable.

I would say for you, that if you enjoy the melee playstyle, give some of the others a shot with henchmen/followers. I am usually a rogue player, but I found that I love the magic system in the game =)

The 'class' presets in character creation only determine your starting abilities/attributes/talents/skills (all of which can be modified) and initial equipment.

Lockpicks can be crafted (needle+needle, key+soap [though soap is relatively rare] or nine inch nails + hammer [nails are also useful for making footwear slip-proof]); trap disarm kits can not be. Many scrolls can be randomly crafted, or skillbooks created by a specific scroll and blank skillbook (with some exceptions).

Any character can use scrolls, etc, and (with an appropriate level of the respective ability) learn any skill/spell. A warrior with one point put into Geomancer, for example, can learn Midnight Oil (useful to slow opponents, or follow up with fire), Summon Spider and Boulder Bash (ranged attack that doesn't require line of sight); a level of aerotheurge would let them learn Teleportation (useful to damage and move out of or into range, and/or onto/into damaging/etc surfaces/clouds) and Thunder Jump, which is a decent way to get into the thick of combat (without boosting intelligence the stun effect will not be triggered as much on stronger opponents, but for a warrior that is just a bonus, anyway).
If you boost intelligence a bit on your rogue, you can mix in the touch range spells.

Opponents do not respawn.

You can hover over the skills on the hotbar at the bottom of the screen, or open the skill window (hotkey K, or the book icon under each character portrait on the left side of the screen).
For a full list, see here.

Once you get to the Cyseal marketplace, 2 of the potential companions are nearby, and the other 2 not terribly far away, one of whom you'll come across just following the initial main quest (the other requires a bit more exploring).

So disarm traps kits are one time use only and then are gone for good? Wow, will there be any other items in game that serve the same purpose? I guess I will hold on to those kits when I get them. Concerning lock picks and disarm traps - can the rogue eventually learn to do these actions without a kit? Just curious. How do I play my characters so that I can cross-class them? ...meaning have a fighter learn rogue skills, or a rogue learning magical skills, etc...? Was it said that while in character creation, it is possible to swap the starting skills?

... and I guess there is no way to max out all of a characters skill points? For example, have a fighter that can cast the really complex magics, or learn the in-depth clerical skills? It was said that there are no respawning enemies in the game, so I guess there is no grinding too.

There are magical unlock scrolls, but being rarer (can be crafted but scroll results are random), they are not a replacement for lockpicks if lockpicks will work on the lock in question.
There is no way to disarm traps or pick locks without an item.

To learn skills in another 'class' you just have to invest one or more ability points in the appropriate skills ability. The main issue with hybrid builds is balancing attributes; this can be mitigated by selecting skills that don't scale with a secondary attribute (ie Teleportation always works, even with a low intelligence character). Later in the game you can also boost attributes with equipment bonuses.

I don't recall if there is a tooltip specifically about changing skills in character creation. If you hit the Customize button a couple times it gives more detail each time.


You can max a couple abilities. If you don't want 2 master level skills, you can stop at level 4 of an ability (assuming you want one), and in some cases level 1 or 2 may be enough to give you the desired skills.

Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition Character/Party Guide

Tactician/EE/Advanced Guide

Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition Character/Party Guide

Tactician/EE/Advanced Guide - If you aren't worried about min/maxing your characters, there are plenty of viable builds, but this gives a good overview to start with.

I am in the first city - and have an abundance of items in my character's backpack. But I don't know what to save and what to sell. Is there some sort of stash in this game for things I want to save but not to carry? If I sell something, can I buy it back? Is there a penalty for that (i.e. sell for gold, but buy back for more gold)?

Literally every container in the game can be your stash. Put whatever you want in a barrel and it'll stay there. Find a chest you like and drag it back to town and it'll stay there. That being said, once you do a bit more and unlock the homestead, there are places in there that you can store things I believe.

you can buy back things you have sold, but I do believe there is a markup.

You would loose less gold buying things back with a high reputation and/or barter.

The homestead chests (available the portal after the Hall of Heroes) can be moved to a more convenient location (near a handy waypoint). Once unlocked, there will be a 'send to homestead' option in the right click (or whatever the controller button is) context menu in the inventory.
For other chests, I'd probably avoid the evidence chests from the legion headquarters building, in case that causes issues if a character gets arrested as some point for stealing or vandalism.

Some AI can pick up items left directly on the ground (ie opponents picking up and using dropped potions), but I'm not sure if that is the case for any friendly NPCs around town.

Raze said: When using the Active Search feature (on console, or using a controller on PC) or in the inventory, 'Toggle Info' gives information about the item. For a container, it will just show the AP cost to open it (if it contains any items) or will be blank (if opened and looted); for something like a shell, it will list the effect, if you've discovered that by eating one, the AP cost, duration of the effect and a description. Try it on scrolls and potions, etc, in your inventory.

Lockpicks can be crafted (needle+needle

The whole time I played OS Classic I didn't know that. I took to saving then seeing what something did then reloading (unless it wasn't significant). Should have known there was a better way.

How does one do needle/needle etc? I never did figure that one out as they would just combine into two needles in a pack. Breaking one out of a group also escaped me. I'm betting a lot of folks new to this game would benefit from this info.

For crafting in D:OS Classic, see the topic Crafting Recipes & Guide topic (or pdf download).

To combine 2 of the same item, you (often) need to split up a stack first: drag a stack of items from one slot to an empty slot, holding Shift down before dropping, to bring up the split stack UI, with a slider to select to select how many to move (defaulting to half).

First, thanks for your help, guys! I now have a better understanding of Divinity as a whole. A thought - it was said that lockpicks can be crafted, but disarm trap kits cannot. That said, how abundant are the materials needed to craft lockpicks? I am exploring the city of Cyreal right now, and have had to use a couple lockpicks - one for a door and one for a chest. That, and I have had to resort to a previously saved game because my rogue was caught taking something he shouldn't have! Now, to prevent that from happening, do I need to increase my pickpocket skill? ... meaning do I have to increase my pickpocket skill to decrease the chance of getting caught?

The mortician (house behind the King Crab) sells nine inch nails, and merchant inventories reset every hour or when characters level. Soap and needles can be found or bought randomly.

Walk in Shadows can help with stealing.

Whether an NPC can be successfully Pickpocketing depends on the NPC, the character's level and dexterity, as well as the level of Pickpocket.

Raze, you said that merchant inventories replenish every hour or when a character raises in level. Did you mean an hour in real time or an hour in game time? Also, would the shopkeeper inventory replenish if I were to go shopping as I please, save my game next to the merchant, go to the title screen for Divinity, and load my game? Would there be replenished inventory at that point? Also, in some games that I have played recently, if there are more characters to choose from than can be played at one time, if I level up my currently used characters, do the characters that I can choose from but were not played then and there, do the unused characters level up as well?