Larian Studios Forums Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga / Flames of Vengeance (English) Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga Beginning of game character build(PLEASE HELP)

I just got this game fairly recently, and as i have started I am already having troubles defeating low leveled enemies which infuriates me. since I am not far in the game I have decided to restart, can anyone please help me build a new character.
i've started as archer/warrior, which is not working
i'm thinking about balance mage/warrior with maxed out ghost to summon.
and then, i'm having troubles understanding how much skill points you put into skills such as lockpicking, mindread, wisdom etc. for the beginning parts of the game. I hope someone can help me!! please as this is my first post, thanks

Where exactly are you having trouble?

I hope you are saving before each mind read, and taking XP as the reward to level up your character each time. I find lockpicking a waste of a skill point, and would rather put that on Summon Undead/magic/Bow skill, and eventually go for Fire Wall/Magic Blast once they become available.

With XP abilities... I built up my Vitality (Health) and Strength most of all at first, then started to put points into Intellect (For Magic Defense) and Dexterity (For better use of the Bow). I waited a good long while (Sentinel Island) until I put XP points towards Spirit (Mana)

Also, do the simple side quests at first, and look around for better upgrades to your armor/weapons... There are many hidden places.

Good Luck, and I know you'll love this game once you get it.

[EDIT] Oh, btw... I started off as a Warrior like I always do.

I put this one on game faqs board system for heads up:



If you really want to have a warrior build and don't want to use up health potions much, I'll suggest you go for a "hack-and-slash" build. 2 of my playthrough were hack and slash build. My skill allocation were only level 1 Whirlwind, all to life leech, all to bleed, all to regenerate, all to dual wield, level 1 mana leech, and put the rest to anything you want(lockpicks wisdom etc). For stat allocation, I advice you to always put 2 str/2 vit whenever you level up. Balance between them and check your equipment and do the math before you hit the 100 stat cap. If you do what I suggested, most of the battles you encounter will be a cakewalk even against the divine's army. That is if you also have considerable loots. If you want to click click click like I do just to get the story done with, I'll suggest this build.

IMO this game is designed so that it will be difficult for a first time player. You just have
to play through once in order to figure out what you're doing wrong (and right). It can be
painful (I know, my first time through I spent as much time running as fighting), but IMHO it's
more rewarding when you start figuring things out, and all of a sudden it becomes much easier.

Alright thanks guys!
i will try to combine those tips together.
which summon should I have, undead or ghost? because with warrior/magic base i think the ghost would help more to heal while i'm melee'n. but thats just what i'm thinking and i will probably end up using that, thanks a lot for the advice and answering quickly. i'll restart right now:)

As long as you are restarting, did you find the skill book in Farglow?

I started off with a ranger / unarmed warrior combo, but didn't end up using melee attacks much (or at all once I could put 3 or 4 points into Splitting Arrows).

Poison Arrows and Stun Arrows will be useful until you can learn Splitting Arrows and Explosive Arrows; the latter two should be maxed (along with Ranger Strength and Ranger Stealth), but you only need a point or two in the former (look out for jewellery bonuses for all).
I didn't bother trying Way of the Ranger until I got to level 40 and had it as a bonus on a piece of equipment. It would have helped earlier once I was a high enough level to put a few skill points in (I ignored earlier equipment with that bonus, since I don't usually bother with temporary boost spells, potions, etc).

One level of Evade, Death Blow, Regenerate and Healing should come in handy, when you can learn them. I maxed Lockpick as soon as I could, but the random loot in chests doesn't tend to be that great at the start of the game; you could simply keep a list of chests that you can not open, and go back for them later when you have the skill points to spare to boost Lockpick.

You don't need to put any skill points into Mindread or Wisdom. Keep any equipment you find with those bonuses, though, to use before mindreading or turning in quests, respectively.
I mindread pretty much everyone, without reloading, and had no trouble leveling (though I did get to level 2 before mindreading people in the Broken Valley village; trying to work off a large initial debt on level 1 might be fairly hard with combat; I wanted to delay turning in quests as much as I could).
On level 36 or 37 (before heading to the Hall of Echoes near the end of the D2:ED section of the game) I put 14 skill points into Mindread to max it (though in FoV opponents respawn in some areas, so it would have been easy to work off the debt).

Anyone help a newb with Warrior build ... ???

Summon skill bonuses sometimes show up on jewellery, which you only need to equip long enough to summon (and then you can switch back to your main equipment, if desired).


Welcome to the forum.

As for the Summon Ghost ... if you like it, go for it !
But it's good to upgrade this skill each time you can, so your Ghost is of a good level to face the enemies and can be your compagnon for a longer time (upgrading the skill) and he heals your more(upgradign the skill) ...

Sometimes it can be the case that enemies attack your Ghost and he must defence himself, so he has no the time to heal you!!
So try to stay by your Ghost and attack those enemies that threatens your Ghost!

Mostly, when see enemies, I turn 180�, summon my Ghost (so you stay in the middle, BETWEEN enemy and Ghost), turn again 180� facing the enemies and start to attack ...
Especially in small room/dungeons this strategy is worth the effort !


I don't bother about XP ... I take mostly the extra gold or an item and not the extra XP, don't invesst in Wisdom, Mindreading ... do all mindreadings ... and at the end of Ego Draconis part (before FoV) I was L 34, almost 35. And I Keara's FF I don't spending time to do the trick with the Door that respawn enemies.
But that's ME, of course.

It's up to everyone to find the Skills etc you love most !

I agree with Raze about Lockpicking... usually chests that you open with keys have the better gear; where as the lockpick stuff just has generic loot...
and Evade- you only need 1 pt to that, as the 10% dodge chance is all you need-- and the +1% each level just isn't worth it.

though, to go against what i just said about lockpick, the skill book in Farglow i use for Lockpick to unlock the chest next to the mage (hoping for a couple of good recipes), then once i reach Broken Valley village, another point to lockpick to start the Bookhunt in the Black Boar Tavern for that one Skill Book in the fireplace (as one of hte books is hidden behind a r.2 Lockpick door). from there, i just go wherever i like with my skill points...
as i usually level up twice after talking around town and reporting back to Rhodes.

i forget if the guy stranded in the tower you mindread for a skill point or a stat point.

Once you leave the village and pass Rhode's little test, you can get an accessory with atleast a +2 Wisdom... definitely handy for reporting quests and raking in the XP (and offsetting your XP Mindreading Debt). so before you return to claim the bountyheads, get that, and turn them in all at once- unless you're desperate for gold/xp...

Damn... So many ways to play this game = So great!

I have to ask... If you wait to open up chests at a later time, does the loot level up with you, or does it stay around the level you were when you first entered that area?

Sigs Minock;

Oops... I'll have to edit my spoiler above, as I mixed up the 2 chests in Farglow.

Mindreading Quincy in the initial conversation gives you a stat point.


Mikewarrior;

The range of available loot is determined by the level of the chest, but where in that range loot gets generated is influenced by your character level. A low level chest is always going to give crappy loot; a higher level chest that gives poor loot on character level 5 may give better loot if you wait until level 10, but waiting until level 20 may not result in anything better than what you would have gotten on level 10, etc.

Random loot in unlocked chests is determined when you get close enough and run the crosshairs over them (same with merchant inventories the first time you approach each character level). The contents of locked chests are determined when the chest is opened, regardless of whether you previously got close enough to examine / select them.

Great to know Raze... Thanks!

Btw, is there a weapon/armor/Jewelry guide that gives pics, and details of all the items with the various levels/charms/enhancements?

I would love to know what are the top 20 for each category.

Lancet's DKS FAQ/Guide gives details on set and unique equipment. I don't know of any that include the pictures.

DAMN... That is crazy long. Looks like it would take me a year�to understand all of it. lol

Thanks

most of the accessories are quickly outclassed as you progress through the game. if it's just a standard amulet or ring, strip it (via the local enchanter) and sell it...

i'm still trying to figure out how to get the amulet in the Lost Cavern...

Have you read all the books you can find in the dungeons?
And have you already find 3 amulets (Amulet of the South, East and West) ?

If you wish you can do a search on this forum, type in "Amulet of the North" and I'm sure you find more info

Not that Amulet... the amulet in the Lost Cave near the Burned Chapel...

For that Amulet (named: the "Amulet of Slantwig"), you need at least 1 of the other Amulets(East, South, West or North) to let appear the Amulet of Slantwig while standing by a chair (some kind of throne?) - in the Lost Cave(rn) near the Burned Chapel - in the room where you find the book named "ELVISH TALES".

Standing there and select an Amulet in your Inventory ... then wait a little bit, otherwise nothing will appear I believe. (I'm always slow, so it wan't a case for me "to be too fast" )


Hope you'll find it

Note :
I always did this (let appear the Amulet of Slantwig) BEFORE I let the Amulet of the North appear, so I'm not totally sure you can do it vice versa, but I hope for you and everyone, it can !
If someone experienced it can or not, please let me know.

You can get the Amulet of Slantwig after the Amulet of the North. I stood in front of the throne when I first went through the cave, but not for long enough (I'm pretty sure you don't need any of the 3 amulets from the derelict tunnels, you just need to wait a few seconds with your weapons on your back). Later I returned after Joram mentioned it in a post, which I'm pretty sure was after I completed the derelict tunnels (in D2:ED I got the amulet myself; in DKS I vaguely recalled there being something special about the throne, but was too impatient to figure it out again, so left intending to try again later, then promptly forgot about it, until reminded).