Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity Original Sin - Help/Tips/Tricks How to use sneaking effectively

Hi,

I created a character that is supposed to make use of sneaking. However, I just don't find a way to use sneaking for anything but stealing stuff in town when people are nearby. Out of combat, there never seems to be any point in sneaking. In combat, I had hoped that the "Guerrilla" perk would prove useful, but it seems to be almost impossible to sneak once a fight has started. Typically, my party is one one side of the screen and the opponents on the other. With both parties staring at each other, there just doesn't seem to be a way to sneak, let alone sneak and approach an enemy.

I had some limited success by separating the sneaking character from the others and then have him approach from the other direction before combat starts. However, this fails as soon as there's no way to get behind an enemy which is often the case especially in boss battles. And even if I succeed with this, I've never been able to attack more than once, because as soon as I attack I become visible.

What am I doing wrong? Is sneaking really that useless?

First, Sneaking for combat is almost useless before you reach Sneaking 5. Keep in mind that at best, you only need Sneaking 3 - items can provide the last 2 points ("saving" you 9 Ability Points).

Every point of Sneaking makes the cone, the field of vision of enemies, smaller. You will be able to get closer without getting detected, both from the front but especially from the sides.

At Sneak 5, it will only cost 1 Action Point to Stealth, allowing you to spend 1 AP for double damage (with Guerilla).

Speed is king for you. Mobility is key, because you have to reposition (almost) every time you miss, which makes the enemy turn around and face you. You also need to be able to reliably get in and out of combat situations.

If you sneak at the end of your turn, unless the enemy sees you, they will (most likely) not engage you. So remember that sneaking at the end of your turn is definitely an option.

I would also recommend a 1-point dip into Expert Marksman. It's unintuative, but both Scoundrel and Expert Marksman scales from Dexterity. Even a single point will allow you to pick up Tactical Retreat, First Aid, and Mute. Tactical Retreat gives you another Teleport in addition to Cloak & Dagger. Assuming low levels, Tactical Retreat is objectively better than Cloak & Dagger.

Sneaking 5 and high mobility, get behind the targets, pow pow pow.

Interestingly, if you forego stabby-stabby with the Back-Stabber Talent, you can still do good with Guerilla and Sneaking 5. Makes me want to try making a Blackguard build...

Edit: But yes, at lower levels, sneaking is practically useless for combat. Generally speaking, I wouldn't think of getting Guerilla on creation, maybe at level 3 or 7, assuming you are attempting to pump Sneaking to at least 4, preferably 5.

It is possible to get your sneaking to 5 (with the help of gear) by level 4, assuming you took sneak at character creation.

I'm back playing the game from a long absence and opted to go with a stealthy archer with Guerilla and Bully. Given the fact that an archer attacks from a distance, dropping in and out of sneak is fairly easily obtained.

As a rogue I would think that this would be much more difficult (i.e. attacking from sneak and going back into steath mode) given your close proximity to your target?

Candew, do you know any good tricks for stacking up your Sneaking early? I realize that it's possible if you find the right items, but do you have any good ideas beyond being lucky?

I forgot to mention traits, as in, the Cautious trait. This will grant you 1 sneak as well.

Early on, if you opt not to join the Fabulous Five, I believe this grants you the cautious trait. Thus, you can have fairly early 2 in sneak (1 at creation and 1 for the Cautious trait). At level 3 (or 4..I think), spend 2 points on sneak to get you to 3 sneak. Then it is the luck of the draw with repspect to equipment. When you turn 3 (or 4), quick save your game and head over to the Captian on the ship in the harbour. If you are lucky, he will have a pair of boots and a hood with sneak +1 on them.

Voila! You now have 5 sneak. I was able to find a couple of +sneak items without save scumming, I don't know how lucky I was though.

I knew about the Cautious Trait, and I guess getting to Sneaking 2 is a fair point; at that point all you need is really +2 Sneaking from Items, and that's actually not that hard, after all.

Thanks a lot.