Larian Studios Forums Divinity: Original Sin 2 Divinity - Original Sin 2 - General The State of the Cover System?

I recall in the pre-alpha videos and playthroughs that there was some kind of cover mechanic where you could hide behind boxes and stuff for some kind of bonus. They talk about it in the kickstarter, too. Any confirmation (like on Twitter) that this still being implemented?

I think it would add even more tactical depth than there already is, though I must say few existing fights have all that much cover available. Obviously a few boxes and walls here and there and a couple skills that create things to hide behind is all that is needed. Looking forward to playing with that new mechanic.

The game is about splash magic skills. There is even no physical defence skill. How would you apply cover ?

Not all attacks have splash. Cover could simply increase your elemental resist and dodge chance on direct projectile attacks coming from directions your covered against. They could easily reimplement physical resistance as well.

Splash attacks like fireball and grenades could be a way to get around cover, of course. Could be one of the advantages of magic.

Of course it's a big addition, requiring lots of rebalancing and changes to AI, so I wouldn't be surprised if it got scrapped. But I think it would be a unique addition to a fantasy RPG. I can't think of a pure fantasy RPG with cover. I don't think it should define the game like with shadowrun, but it's another tool for designing fights that encourages tactical maneuvering for flanking.

One can argue that cover is merely a reduction in average damage over time. While a more complex implementation might be more aesthetically appealing the end amount of damage is the same. Personally I would rather see the focus elsewhere given that a choice has to be made. Naturally if Larian has infinite time and infinite resource having a graphically elaborate cover system (graphic here refers to showing the effect of cover during combat) doesn't hurt. However, I rather have more quests, larger areas, solid balance mechanics across all classes et all. On the bright side if they are behind in quest/text/area development and have idle coders then ....

That's a strange way to think about cover, just as a reduction in average damage. Sure, if both opponents were just fighting it out from cover to cover in the same way they do without cover, it'd be the same but slower. But cover opens up a more meaningful definition of flanking, and the strategies that come from that.

I think the most important thing to make cover dynamic is to make lots of cover movable or creatable through skills, rather than there only being static cover through map design. If all cover is static and it's mandatory to survive, that's how you get to cover mostly as a simple reduction in the damage.

I think I remember cover appearing in some pre-alpha footage somewhere. Can't remember if they had animations or anything for them already. Obviously every decision in game design involves sacrificing something else. I only bring up cover since they promised it in the kickstarter and I remember seeing it, and it does sound like it'd be fun to play with, but it's not a huge deal to me if they've scrapped it either.

Right, one or two.
This game is not about positioning or flanking. Its about spectacular explosions and Wow skills effects. There are 7 >>SEVEN<< schools of magic. Only 2 >>TWO<< schools of "physical" face to face combat. Those 2 schools have most skills AOE splashes or range attacks. This game has evolved. There is not longer a warrior class. Most badass warrior casts 8 of 10 action he does.

There is cover already there. If you are behind barrels and they use straight shooting range attacks or skills, they can't hit you and you can't hit them. Same goes if you hide behind a huge rock or something. But stuff like barrels are here not indestructible, some are even highly explosive if they get shot with fire. If you are on a higher position you also can retreat from the edge, so they can't shoot you directly.

But with all those displacement skills, more than that would hardly help, because you can just jump/teleport behind your enemie.