D:OS2 Starting questions

Divinity: Original Sin 2
I was slightly lost at the start, being a little overwhelmed and not knowing what quests to go for. But a few levels in it started to click and I'm having lots of fun with the combat. Made it into the marsh but had to go back as I had a lot of unresolved quests.

Regarding the combat, seems the initiative mechanic has changed (from DOS) where, at least at the start of the combat, the enemy has a least one turn after each of your characters. It seems initiative only matters within your party only.
 
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Yes, that has been a complaint about the new system. It affects who goes first. After that it always alternatives with the enemies.

It is a big game without a doubt. I am enjoying taking my time to explore every nook and cranny. :)
 
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Aaand finished it. Well, at least the first island. Larian has found a solid combat system. The fight in the abandoned camp was real fun. Difficult but not punishable hard, you always have the idea you can get through it.

Going to respect just once (and stick with it) in the ship now that I have some idea on the mechanics. Had some inspiration from http://divinityoriginalsin2.wiki.fextralife.com/Builds, but don't want to copy them one-on-one. Looking for fun builds that don't make things extra difficult. Thinking of:
- Warfare + necromancy for the red prince. Necromancy sounds *reaaal* fun.
- Pure hydro build for Lohse. Could I do without healing? A battlemage + pyro is appealing
- Huntsman + Summoning for Ifan. I want to avoid summoning as I played it in the original DOS but Ifan his special skill is a pet that benefits from it so... otherwise I could throw elemental stuff in.
- Unchanged dual dagger scoundrel + poly for my main, Fane

Caveat, I only have one melee in there (the red prince).

Tip: look out for vines :) I still missed several paths that could get me past difficult fights to level up first.
 
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That's what I did with respect to respec'ing. However, if you want to change yourself a lot (in a way where you need to get some skill books to make it work), it's best to wait until the ship gets to the next island.

Also, pure hydro will eventually max out. Lohse will need a little something else - like air with it's great teleport powers.
 
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Also, pure hydro will eventually max out. Lohse will need a little something else - like air with it's great teleport powers.
Hmm yes. Will keep that in mind.

I finished my respecing:
- Fane: dual wielding scoundrel. With some poly and necromancer on the side (only 1 point each atm)
- Lohse: pure hydro, dual wielding water wands (tidalist build as they call it), on level up I can add a point back in aero. Forgot teleport is in there. 2 points in huntsman for tactical retreat. Glass canon!
- Red prince: battlemage (two-handed staff + pyro). Demon talent -> I'm going to love this build
- Ifan: pure physical ranger (huntsman and warfare) + some geomancer on the side (summoning made things too easy in DOS) - Glass canon!

I lack a real tank but I'm determined to make it work. Btw, what do you guys think contain the best movement (teleport) spells: hydro, scoundrel or poly?

In the end I made bigger changes than I estimated. I already got my ass kicked twice in Driftwood so I hope I made the right choice :) I'm guessing I was a bit underleveled (level 9 vs enemy level 10) and more importantly using subpar gear (on average level 6/7 gear) and not being able to buy the right skillbooks for my respec yet. I hope that's the reason... :p I need money!
 
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I think huntsman's tactical retreat is the best defensive self-teleport, it hastes you as well.

The aero teleport is nice to use offensively to remove enemy threat (if only temporarily) but can't be applied to the caster to move themselves.
 
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There's also a swap spell in Air that lets you swap two things. I do remember it had some odd limits on what can be swapped but I've already forgotten what they are.

Don't expect to use dual wands long term. Sounds like a good idea to me at low levels because you won't have a lot of attack spells to use yet but, once you do, the appeal of having a shield crank both armor values up is just too good to miss. (I wonder if you can dual-wield shields? I never thought to try!)

Fighting enemies that are higher level is definitely rough going. In effect, they are an invisible wall. When you see enemies that are higher level than you, it's time to go back the other way and see what you missed. I think that might have been the most annoying part of the game for me: finding the even level area that I was supposed to be in. (I found a map somewhere that showed each island and the level you should be for each area in it that was pretty handy - I think it was on a Wikia site?)

I remember Glass Cannon scared me silly. Good luck with it!

Even one point in Poly gives you that chicken spell, doesn't it? I loved that spell. Which reminds me… KEEP THOSE MIND WORMS!!
 
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Even one point in Poly gives you that chicken spell, doesn't it? I loved that spell. Which reminds me… KEEP THOSE MIND WORMS!!
Yep, ashamedly I haven't used the chicken spell yet :) Mind worms. What, where?

I got butchered all over driftwood for a while (level 14 void Deer, whut), finally found wrecker's cave which is doable and got me back on track.

I know I said I won't change my characters again but... Geo would be so useful for my pyro battlemage. His warfare skills are not used until my rogue reduces the physical armor first. Otherwise his pyro skills are just awesome and ideal against melee who have very low magic armor. So I would add geo for the physical armor buffs and some points in strength so I can wear physical armor (and oil + fire of course).

I would remove geo on my huntsman then, anything else I can take with huntsman except for summoning? Ah yes, poly.

I'm probably reinventing all the stuff on the net, but it's more fun finding it out yourself.
 
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@ilm;, mind worms are in bottles found mostly in torture chambers. There were a few back in Fort Joy near that sick puppy's office and there's more to be found through the whole game.
 
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Never used them myself, at the end of the game I had sooooo many things I collected that 'maybe I'll use it later' and never did.
 
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btw if you find a way point; you can travel directly to it at any time from the map by clicking on it. You don't have to go to another way point.
 
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Also, if just one person the party can get to a way point (or door that goes to another zone), going through will suddenly bring the entire party through. Very handy if one character goes teleporting off by him/herself and finds something interesting. This only works if the characters are still linked!
 
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Another tip, don't forget spirit vision! You know it, I know it, but I still forget to turn it on in 95% of the cases. Made some quests much harder (even impossible) to solve.

I have a feeling I cheated my way through some battles. For Mordus I got in from the back, positioned myself on the ridge and sneak attacked Mordus but still got my ass kicked several times. Then I stayed completely in the back, on the boat itself, which made the fight trivial. Killed Mordus in like 2 rounds before any of his companions could reach me. After Mordus I got my third source point for free at blood island, that place is still well above my level.

Not sure if I can say this here but (more clear) quest markers are welcome :p. I can appreciate that you have to think for yourself more but then they should make the journal significantly clearer and put the most recent entry at the top (globally but certainly per quest item). Now I have always to scroll to the bottom each time I open the journal, which is extra tedious with a controller. I realized this made me lose track of many quests in driftwood itself, gonna clear those up first in my next play session.
 
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I'm liking the living on the edge skill on my scoundrel. Just teleport between all bad guys, do lots of damage (adrenaline), then set living on the edge to stay alive for 2 turns. Now that I think of it, death wish is nicely complementary there.

I have almost cleared out Act 2, only the advocate fight left to do. Not that hard at level 16, but I can't have anyone dying during the fight. The way to do it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izxQDOqa13g
 
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