Divinity: Original Sin 2 beginner tips to survive Fort Joy and beyond

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is Larian’s big, messy, wonderful RPG—your band of Sourcerers stumbling through a world where the divine rubs shoulders with regular folk. Trouble is, Sourcerers also get blamed for drawing in the Voidwoken, those otherworldly nightmares that tend to flatten anything that moves.

The journey’s enchanting and long, and the game doesn’t mind letting you figure things out the hard way. To keep early stumbles from turning into brick walls, here are eight beginner tips to smooth your first steps from the tutorial ship through your early hours in Fort Joy.

If you’re brand-new, don’t sleep on Explorer difficulty

Yes, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a story-first RPG—but its turn-based fights bite, especially early on. Classic is a solid default if you want the typical challenge. If you’d rather learn systems without getting pummeled every other encounter, Explorer dials back the punishment while keeping the same set-piece battles (and still asks more of you than Story mode). It’s a smart place to start if you’re testing the waters.

Memory matters more than you think

If you’re used to pumping Strength, Finesse, or Intelligence and calling it a day, don’t forget Memory. It controls how many skill slots you have, and many abilities eat multiple slots. Sprinkle points into Memory as you level so your characters can actually equip the spells and skills you’re unlocking. A bigger toolkit beats a slightly harder hit more often than not.

Learn the two defenses to land real damage

Every character—ally or enemy—has Physical Armor and Magic Armor. You only start hurting their Vitality after one of those pools is gone, and only with the matching damage type. Physical Armor blocks physical effects and damage; Magic Armor soaks magical effects and damage. Build your party with that in mind: either specialize everyone in one damage type to shred a single defense quickly, or split roles and position well so each hero targets what they’re best at.

Movement costs AP, so use gap closers

Action Points govern everything: attacks, drinking potions, even walking. Nothing stings like being two AP short because you had to jog into range. Abilities that move and strike in one go—think “Backstabbing” setups or charges like “Bull Rush”—save AP and flip the script. Close distance, hit hard, and keep momentum instead of wasting turns on footwork.

Grab the most important “item” at the very start

No legendary sword beats a bedroll—seriously. You can’t swing it, but outside of combat it heals your entire party for free and never runs out. That means fewer potions wasted and faster resets between scraps. You can snag more than one on the tutorial ship, so pick them up before you step into Fort Joy and you’re set for the long haul.

Trade with everyone

Once you reach Fort Joy, your pockets are empty—but they won’t stay that way if you talk to people. Most NPCs can trade, and the game doesn’t exactly spell that out. When you start a conversation, look for the little purse icon in the top-left of the dialogue window to open the trade screen. Some characters offer it through dialogue, but you don’t need a special prompt; just open the menu and start bartering for gold, gear, and skill books.

Playing an elf? Eating body parts is actually useful

Elves in Divinity: Original Sin 2 read memories by consuming flesh. It’s gruesome, but it’s also a powerful way to uncover lore, pick up clues for quests, and sometimes even learn skills. This only works for elves, so recruiting Sebille or rolling an elf yourself adds a unique problem-solving tool to your party.

While you’re in Fort Joy, pick up Gawin’s quest

You can beeline the main objective, but it’s worth taking Gawin’s side quest before you leave. He’ll approach you near the west side of the Square and talk about a teleporter that could help you escape—if you can pry it from some unfriendly creatures. The fight is tough if you’re undergeared, but winnable with preparation, and the reward is huge. With the teleporter, you can reposition in combat or hop to otherwise unreachable spots during exploration. It’s one of the earliest tools that opens the game up in a big way.