Races in Divinity Original Sin 2 Divinity Original Sin 2 Guide, walkthrough
Last update: 09 March 2020
This page of Divinity Original Sin 2 contains all essential data about the races found in the game. Our list shows, among others, unique traits of every race which can influence their usefulness and affect your playstyle.
Each of the races in Divinity Original Sin 2 is unique and has its own abilities that are unavailable for the rest of the races. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with benefits provided by a specific race.
Remember that the key to success lies in diversity. Apart from the fact that characters will complement each other with their abilities, diversity is also important for dialogues, because different races react differently to other races and it may turn out that some of the quests will be more difficult, or even unavailable, if your party consists of representatives of one race.
Elf
In the course of the game, you may get the feeling that it is elves that are the most prejudiced towards humans. It is much better an idea to talk as a representative of some other race, with elf as a leader.
Special skill
Name | Flesh Sacrifice | Dome of Protection |
Icon |  |  |
Description | 1 additional action point and a 25% bonus to damage at the expense of 1 vitality point. | Creates a protective barrier that regenerates lost physical and magic armor points per turn. It also increases resistance to all elements. |
Special | 100% chance of changing status for 2 turns | Regenerates X points of physical and magic armor per turn for 5 turns. Amount of regenerated points depends on character's level. |
Cost | 0 action points / 0 memory slots | 1 AP / 0 memory slots / 1 Source Point |
Cooldown | 5 turns | 6 turns |
Notes | A very strong ability that works best in combination with human special abilities. A big bonus to physical damage and an additional action point mean that as a long distance character you have the opportunity to hit your opponent hard and retreat safely. If you don't have a human in your team, then you must use the skill more carefully, but it will still give you a big advantage. The only drawback of this skill is the cooldown. The ability lasts only 2 turns and needs up to 5 for renewal, so most clashes will use it just once. It is advisable to choose the moment when you activate it. | One of unique starting abilities available only to the character created by player. This ability allows you to create a small protective barrier. All allies, that are inside of it, have increased resistance to all elements. They also regenerate their physical and magic armor point per each turn. An exact number depends on level of a character that casted this spell. One of the best support abilities in the game. Characters that are in its range are practically impossible to kill, excluding situations where a character receives damage from multiple enemies, one after another. Perfect for nullifying effects caused by abilities and area of effect attacks. However, you should remember that this ability works only when your characters are inside of the barrier - when they leave it, they lose all effects. This ability can only be used when your character doesn't have the Collar around their neck anymore and has access to Source Points. Ways of taking the Collar off and getting Source Points can be found in "How to take the Collar off?" and "How to get Source Points?" chapters. |
Talents
Name | Ancestral Knowledge | Corpse Eater |
Description | Passive +1 bonus to Loremaster. | Can devour the corpse of the enemy to gain access to memories of the enemy. |
Commentary | A very useful talent because Loremaster ability is used for both identifying items and enemies. A single point should be enough for the first few hours of the game, however, later you should invest a few additional points. | This one is a very interesting skill that speaks for the fact that you should have, at least, one elf on your party. With this skill, the character can reach to the memories of the deceased and learn about them. Additionally, eating the flesh heals 60 Health Points (HP). The most important thing is that this way, the elf can learn the skills that the owner of the corpse knew. Of course, it is beyond your control which of the skills you learn, but still, it's a bonus. |
Human
In the world of Divinity, humans are the dominant race that mastered the rest of the races. For that reason, the majority of non-humans are reluctant towards them, or simply they do not want to talk to them. In spite of this limited communication, it is a good idea to have at least one human on the party, because their skills are invaluable in combat.
Special ability
Name | Encourage | Dome of Protection |
Icon |  |  |
Description | All members of the team within the radius of 15 meters get +1 to strength, finesse, intelligence and vitality. | Creates a protective barrier that regenerates lost physical and magic armor points per turn. It also increases resistance to all elements. |
Special | 100% chaces for changing the status for 3 turns | Regenerates X points of physical and magic armor per turn for 5 turns. Amount of regenerated points depends on character's level. |
Cost | 1 action point / 0 memory slots | 1 AP / 0 memory slots / 1 Source Point |
Cooldown | 6 turns | 6 turns |
Notes | Simply put: there's no wrong time to use this ability. After all, a bonus to the most basic attributes is always welcome. Use this skill with caution - the cooldown is pretty long, which may be problematic in combat. If you only have one human in your team, so you have to consider the number of turns left to each hero, their HPs and their supply of health potions and spells. You may want to use it before the fight, when all your allies are nearby, which ensures they will all be affected. Using Encourage the right way, may help your team members survive or give them a chance for an additional turn, which may help you win the fight, or at least allow your characters to replenish some health. If you're able to use this spell twice (because of your team's mages) then try to wait at least 2 turns before casting the spell again. This will let you reduce the time without the bonus to just a singe round, which may be very significant for the amount of damage you deal (which is also pretty important). | One of unique starting abilities available only to the character created by player. This ability allows you to create a small protective barrier. All allies, that are inside of it, have increased resistance to all elements. They also regenerate their physical and magic armor point per each turn. An exact number depends on level of a character that casted this spell. One of the best support abilities in the game. Characters that are in its range are practically impossible to kill, excluding situations where a character receives damage from multiple enemies, one after another. Perfect for nullifying effects caused by abilities and area of effect attacks. However, you should remember that this ability works only when your characters are inside of the barrier - when they leave it, they lose all effects. This ability can only be used when your character doesn't have the Collar around their neck anymore and has access to Source Points. Ways of taking the Collar off and getting Source Points can be found in "How to take the Collar off?" and "How to get Source Points?" chapters. |
Talents
Name | Ingenious | Thrifty |
Description | +2 Wits bonus and +3% critical hit chance (both passive). | +1 Bartering skill bonus. |
Notes | This Talent is useful for almost anyone. Increasing this parameter adds 2 innitiative points, which allows the character to move before the others. The Talent also increases the chances for critical hit by 5%. This gives you the perfect groundwork for characters that need a good chance of critical - such as assassins and archers. | This Talent means that the character that should use Bartering (either with skill points or items) is right here. Every point in this skilltree decreases the price of items by 10% and increases the prices you sell your goods for. |
Dwarf
Halflings seem to be generous and conciliatory in nature, usually they remain a little alienated, but you can often receive necessary help from them. At the same time, they are a bit eccentric, whoch you should keep in mind while having a conversation with them.
Special ability
Name | Petrifying Touch | Dome of Protection |
Icon |  |  |
Description | Deals earth damage and turns a target into stone (Petrify effect). Removes Bleeding, Burning, Poisoned and Crippled effects from a target. | Creates a protective barrier that regenerates lost physical and magic armor points per turn. It also increases resistance to all elements. |
Special | 100% chance for status change for 1 turn | Amount of regenerated points depends on character's level. |
Cost | 2 AP / 0 memory slots | 1 AP / 0 memory slots / 1 Source Point |
Cooldown | 4 turns | 6 turns |
Notes | A very tactical skill - long cooldown and short duration. You should consider the advantages and disadvantages well, though. You have to pay attention to the same things as in the case of Encourage, but mind you that this time, the skill is more expensive, lasts shorter and overpowers the enemy. It works like a charm during the final stages of a fight, when the allied unit is weakened and still gets elemental damage. Using this skill allows you to clear that character of these effects, protect them and give them a few more turns of life. On the other hand, your enemies will sure not be disappointed with you temporarily losing one team member. All damage will now be focused on the remaining characters, so you better think this through - are the remaining characters ready to sustain the damage? | One of unique starting abilities available only to the character created by player. This ability allows you to create a small protective barrier. All allies, that are inside of it, have increased resistance to all elements. They also regenerate their physical and magic armor point per each turn. An exact number depends on level of a character that casted this spell. One of the best support abilities in the game. Characters that are in its range are practically impossible to kill, excluding situations where a character receives damage from multiple enemies, one after another. Perfect for nullifying effects caused by abilities and area of effect attacks. However, you should remember that this ability works only when your characters are inside of the barrier - when they leave it, they lose all effects. This ability can only be used when your character doesn't have the Collar around their neck anymore and has access to Source Points. Ways of taking the Collar off and getting Source Points can be found in "How to take the Collar off?" and "How to get Source Points?" chapters. |
Talents
Name | Strudy | Dwarven Guile |
Description | Passive bonus that increases Vitality by 10% and Dodge by 5%. | +1 Sneaking bonus (passive). |
Commentary | A very useful talent for both ranged characters and warriors that focus attention of nearby enemies on them. | The above increases the ability of the dwarf to sneak. It won't make him a good assassin or archer - the +2 Strength bonus doesn't improve the damage of these characters. It's less a useful thing and more just an interesting addition. |
Lizard
Lizards are quite unique race that remains quite neutral towards the rest of the races and does not object to cooperating with them. Things get more complicated when you have to act against another lizard. If this is the class that you have picked for your character, you should have no problems finding a common ground with the rest of the lizards. If you accept this character into your party, try to keep him away from the rest of the representatives of his race.
Special ability
Name | Dragon's Blaze | Dome of Protection |
Icon |  |  |
Description | Creates a stream of fire that deals X-Y damage to all targets within the area of effect and leaves a cloud of fire. | Creates a protective barrier that regenerates lost physical and magic armor points per turn. It also increases resistance to all elements. |
Special | 100% chances for applying inceneration for 2 turns The damage scales with the Intelligence of the character, as well as the level it's on. | Regenerates X points of physical and magic armor per turn for 5 turns. Amount of regenerated points depends on character's level. |
Cost | 1 action point / 0 memory slots | 1 AP / 0 memory slots / 1 Source Point |
Cooldown | 3 turns | 6 turns |
Notes | It may not be the greatest entry-level skill, but it will come in handy more than once, especially during the game's initial hours, when you don't have access to better skills/spells. A great issue with this skill is the inaccurate range marker - Sometimes the enemies, who were supposedly within the area, are not affected with the actual attack; at other times, those who weren't inside will be damaged. You just have to learn to do it by heart. A great advantage of this skill is its low cost. This ability is pretty useful for mages (enabling them to poison/cover the target in oil and then ignite it), as well as for a melee warrior. It's totally useless in case of archers and assassins - you won't be able to reach anyone, or to fully utilize the backstab bonus of the assassin. | One of unique starting abilities available only to the character created by player. This ability allows you to create a small protective barrier. All allies, that are inside of it, have increased resistance to all elements. They also regenerate their physical and magic armor point per each turn. An exact number depends on level of a character that casted this spell. One of the best support abilities in the game. Characters that are in its range are practically impossible to kill, excluding situations where a character receives damage from multiple enemies, one after another. Perfect for nullifying effects caused by abilities and area of effect attacks. However, you should remember that this ability works only when your characters are inside of the barrier - when they leave it, they lose all effects. This ability can only be used when your character doesn't have the Collar around their neck anymore and has access to Source Points. Ways of taking the Collar off and getting Source Points can be found in "How to take the Collar off?" and "How to get Source Points?" chapters. |
Talents
Name | Sophisticated | Spellsong |
Description | Passive +2 bonus to Fire Resistance and 10% to Poison Resistance. | Passive bonus +1 to Persuasion. |
Commentary | A very useful talent that offers a rather large bonus to fire an poison resistance. Useful mainly for warriors and characters that fight at a close range because they are the ones that are the most exposed to those two elements. However, additional resistance is always good. | A single persuasion point increases your ability to influence the characters that you are talking to. It is a good idea to talk as characters with high Persuasion, because this way you can easily obtain key information or have an NPC perform actions that you will benefit from. |