Larian Studios Forums Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga / Flames of Vengeance (English) Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga My own review of DKS :)

So, after playing D2:ED for a while, than buying DKS, I thought I may come back on what changes I found, what I thought about it and all, me being the best and only reliable critic in the world (and my ego is like a dragon one)

First things first, I was actually surprised at how quickly I reach level4, which I believe is a good thing, as in my first game of D2:ED, I got a huge XP debt, and it was very painfull to get to level2 (Arben's ghost handed my haeed back to me quite a few times before I decided to come back later). So a much better start.

Didn't find many differences later on, until I reached the flying fortresses. In broken valley, Sergents are a bit too powerfull compared to other mobs, their whirlwind attack dealt loads of damage, quite unbalanced compared to damage from anything else. Reaching the flying fortresses, I had a blast.
"Redesigned", huh ? More like trashed and remade from scratch. And I loved them. It was hard (I'll go back over this), but it was fully enjoyable, needing to hide behind walls to dodge missiles and arrows, and opposite to the first version, I never got bored (but I got killed many times).

Some talk about balance. The damage charms for weapons are powerfull (too powerfull), and in nightmare mode, needed to succeed, at least in close combat (I deal all damage in close combat).

Stun, I realised, is too powerfull. Damage should end stun, as I realised that in nightmare mode, ennemies can deal you more than 1000 damage in 2 seconds (or even in 1 second). Especially if you play as close combat fighter. If you are stunned, you can't dodge, you can't drink potions or anything (and if you are not stunned, it's already hard enough). I had to try the fight with the Divine and Zandalor quite a few times, because being stunned meant waiting for my character to die.

I also found there ware too many sets, that made other pieces of equipment just placeholders until you can get your full set, whereas in D2:EG, I got slightly more powerfull without using sets.

Now I'm just starting FoV part, loved the Terminator start, and ready to have fun once I finish this post (the demon being called "Berlin" is a joke or not ?).

One of the things I will say about DKS was the fact that the For A Pound of Flesh stopped yopu getting EXP if you sided with Keane. I did'nt like that because I always side with him because I just don't like Locke.

I loved the new look of the Flying fortress' they were amazing I agree the Sergents are overpowered but they made the fight challanging & I do love a challange.

The loss of some of the Music in parts of the Fjords upset me a hell of a lot I loved the Fly Dragon Fly music & the Dragon Terror Patrol music, also the music in High hall i forget it's name.

The fact that there were fewer enemys to fight was a little disapointing but the fact that they were higher lvl than before made it a little less upseting. It would have been nice to have had respawning enemys in caves in the Fjords so that we could have had more things to kill & lvl up higher for the final setion of the game.

I liked the SHINEY effect of DKS, but on the Xbox version the new camra angle made it difficalt to admire my equiped armour.

I loved the FOV part of the game but I just wish that there was more to do it just seemed to be over too quick. I would have liked more quests or more places to explore, or even having the places you go to fight & lvl up being a little bigger.

I did'nt mind not being able to take Dragon Form it made the last part were you took Dragon Form all the more Epic. I just wish I could have had the time to wipe out all the defences because I don't like leaving a job half done lol.

Oh, another detail. You need Dragon claw to make health potions, and also for the potions that increase defense (once you max out Master Herbalist). But that is one of the few herb your helper can't get.
It's kinda anoying, having two potions that need the same plant, and one you can't get many supplies.

Dragon Nail should be the second item on Harry's list of plant ingredients. It isn't needed for level 9/10 healing or armour potions.

Might be a difference in translation (I play the French version). But I'm absolutely sure that the thing needed for health and armor potions can't be given by Harry (maybe on random ?).


But more interesting, I finished DKS yesterday. And I had a blast again. Quests were fun (some reminded me of Divine Divinity, which was an unexpected bonus flavor ), well written as usual, and I liked that I had sometimes a choice on how to solve quests, which NPC to "help", at the expense of another. I'm sad I didn't get to meet Antenumbra again, I helped her in broken valley to see what she could give me in Aleroth.

Fighting was easy, didn't get into much trouble (but having 100 Vitality + some bonuses to a total of 1006HP might have helped :D).
There are way too many skillbooks, but I guess it's because not anyone played the ED part, so they might be a bit behind. In the end, I spent points just to spend points, not because I needed them.

The zeppelin quest was fun, and actually a cakewalk once I realized that patriarch roar (or rage ?) was AOE, and the normal attack useless compared to the fireball (which came back quickly). I didn't like that I needed to requip my dragon armor again. I feel story lacked a small thing, explaining how you get to the other dimension once Ygerna is killed at the end.

A small question about the zeppelin escort. Does it have to run and explode in the fortress ? Mine still had 3/4 of it's health when I received the message it would crash, it made me think I failed.

Conditionning, Reflexes and the last one (not sure what the English name is) are usefull, but apparently can't get higher than 75%. It would be nice if the color was different when you reach the maximum (in diablo, your stat was highlighted in gold once you reached it). Is that the same with stats ? I didn't try to get over 100 Vitality, is it possible ?

So, now I think I'll play on nightmare again, an archer with only passive skills (beside summoning the undead beast), but I'll take my time, as I want to play Risen again.

Thanks again larian for that awesome game.

There may be a problem with the French localization, then. There shouldn't be any plants that Harry can not get, though the success rate may not be as good with Fanny Blossom.

At the end of my game, playing a ranger, I had 87 unused skill points. Reskilling before the escort quest, I didn't re-learn Lockpick; there were a couple other skills I could have boosted, but not another 80 points worth. Mages and mixed class builds, etc, can need more skill points, though.

After Ygerna is defeated the Divine is freed, so I assume he returns you to Rivellon.

It doesn't matter what the health of the zeppelin is, as long as it gets to the final cutscene. Presumably even at full health the gas creature blowing up by the rudder, etc, would be enough to cause the crash. Earlier the captain seemed intent on kamikaze, anyway.

Indomitable Will is the other secondary stat. Primary stats are capped at 100.



From the DKS FAQ/Guide (not counting the effects of Master Herbalist or platform upgrades):

I just checked, Harry indeed can get the Dragon Nail needed for Health potions (I got level 8, not 9 or 9).

Is that a change once you reach FoV part of the game ?
I'm pretty sure I couldn't get those in ED part (I don't have a game in ED where I already have the tower, so i can't check right now).

By once Ygerna is killed, I meant once she is burnt, so just before we get to duel her (to destroy her soul, I guess). It's the how we get back to the prison world. The other times Bellegar teleports you right in, but this time there is no cutscene or anything like that.

Harry should be able to get Dragon Nail in the D2:ED section of the game, as well.

If Ygerna opened a portal to escape to the Plane of Hypnerotomachia, or a portal was created when the explosion hit as she was teleporting, you could have just followed her in. Zandalor or Bellegar could have teleported you there, though Zandalor probably would have came with you if he had recovered enough, and Bellegar isn't usually inclined to offer help.
It is strange there was no cutscene or even a reference in the opening conversation explaining how you got there.