Larian Studios Forums Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga / Flames of Vengeance (English) Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga normal mode difficulty

I have a Warrior with a small amount of magic thrown in. I realize it is very early in the game, but I am playing in normal mode in the Broken Valley area. I absolutely steam roll everything. No challenge whatsoever. Is this normal, as in this is a very easy area? Maybe I should try Hard mode? Thanks

The difficulty levels are easier in DKS than the original release of D2:ED. That's why a nightmare difficulty mode was added; 'hard' wasn't particularly hard (at least for those with a decent character build, or who had played D2:ED).

I played a ranger in DKS on nightmare, with some unarmed combat early in the game. While playing the original release certainly gave an advantage knowing the best quest solutions, etc, there were also balancing and skill changes in DKS that made the game easier. I used a bow a bit with my warrior in D2:ED, but mostly just to draw opponents to me early in the game, and I never invested in any bow skills. That being said, I had an easier time playing a ranger in DKS (where I stopped distributing stat points after level 15) on nightmare than a warrior in D2:ED on normal. There were still places I had difficulty, of course, but particularly early in the game (where quest experience was increased in DKS, etc to make levelling faster), there were a few places my ranger did much better than my warrior.

Thanks Raze. Maybe I'll go right to Nightmare then. I didn't know if the area I was in was considered a training area or something like that. I have cleared a few quests like freeing the Bandit via the underground tunnel and such, though.

Things will probably start getting tougher around levels 10-14, even on Normal, once you start running into Black Ring enemies, they're much nastier than other enemies of the same level.

I usually find it challenging enough on Normal until about level 30, then I change it to Hard until level 40, then go to Nightmare.

I'll give it a go on a restart on Hard. Pretty stupid that I restarted rather than keep my old game and just switch difficulty, huh? DOH!!

Not stupid . I would do the same as you.

Maybe it's strange, but in some way it feels to me my current hero playing on normal or hard CAN'T change his/her "standard/level of challenge" like it is a peace of cake to do that out of nowhere ...
It's, for me, a part of a roleplay (role) that I prefer to start again a new hero rather than simply change the challenge mode of my current hero, especially from the hardest level to a lower level . Vice versa, my hero can live with that.

But of course it's no shame to change the difficulty in one playthrough .

And :
with specific enemies I always must be very carefully planning ... or I die ... like with Zagan !! Even on "casual level" I've problems with that son of a bitch ... so change the difficulty (lowering) for Zagan is out of the question for me . If I'm clever enough I beat Zagan, even on nightmare mode !

It may be easier, but the start of the game seems designed for a warrior with high lockpicking. Without lockpicking, prices are too high for weapons, armour and potions, etc., so looting chests is your only option. Then you cannot dodge AND use the number keys for spells and practically all enemies have ranged weapons.

Then, because of the linearity, you don't have enough quests to level up and raise skills. This means it all seems false.

So as a warrior, yes, it probably is easier, but for a priest or ranger the Casual setting can make some battles difficult!

So if you cannot buy weapons and armour because they are too expensive and with few initial quests, you are always "low level" because you do not have a chance to level up. Anything other than Warrior and not maxing lockpicking is a big no-no as far as I can see.

So much for "being able to change your character and not be fixed into one type". I would say Larian have locked players into playing Warrior or dying every few minutes!

I had no problem getting equipment or levelling at the start of D2:ED with a warrior on normal, and it was easier with a ranger in DKS on nightmare. I levelled Lockpick as required in both cases, so I can not compare to not looting locked chests. Some people have recommended not learning Lockpick right away, though, just making note of locked chest locations and coming back for them later (at a higher character level, you are more likely to get loot at the upper range of what is possible for the level of the chest).

Linearity? In D2:ED I skipped the starting town in Broken Valley and went exploring in a couple different directions, until I started hitting opponents or larger groups that were a couple levels higher. In DKS I went through the town first to mindread everyone before exploring, and both the town and exploring were done in a different order than in D2:ED.

I deliberately delayed completing many quests in the starting section of Broken Valley (combat gives more experience on lower levels, while quests give a fixed amount), and had no problems levelling or raising skills.

After level 15 I stopped distributing stat points in DKS. At the beginning of the game I used some unarmed combat with my ranger, but that eventually became unnecessary (especially after learning Splitting Arrows, which can make short work of most opponents within melee range). I could have switched to a warrior or mage build at pretty much any point, though early in the game it would have taken a few levels to start to build up a mana pool for a mage, so I'd likely need to keep a bow handy (equipment bonuses, Mana Efficiency and Increased Mana enchantments were enough to provide mana for my ranger skills, as well as level 1 of Healing and summoning the creature, so I did not boost intelligence or spirit).

Can't say I've too much problems playing a pure Priest or Ranger from the beginning to the end, even on nightmare difficulty ! A Priest build is (for me) the most satifying build I ever played in a rpg !!

I actually disagree with this. I do not know how this applies to the modern Nightmare mode as I've only played Hard mode on the first version, but I believe the entire game, from Broken Valley to the end, is easy if you are built as a dark mage (good summoning skills and good mage skills).

Being a warrior for me is the most challenging, but the most FUN!

I agree with you, indeed, a warrior build is also for me the most challeging build/class
and I strongly believe I came now to the finale(?) ultimate build for me that will bring me the most fun, satifaction & happy feelings I ever had playing a game :
A Warrior Priest !

Maybe strange, but truth, I've started "again" a New Game while my Ranger Priest Ronja and my Mage Priest ... ... hmmmm ... Ronja is possible now changed in a stone statue standing next to Rhode & my Mage Priest is almost in the Hall of Echoes !

My last build was a Warrior Priest too. In fact, I was such a master of mine that I even had my own walkthrough created for it (only up to where I got the Tower though). I got it all the way to Lucian's territory, but I got creamed big time. :P