Choosing faction | Choosing Faction Risen 2 Guide
Last update: 11 May 2016
There are two factions in Risen 2 - the Natives and the Inquisition. The former deal with voodoo magic, the latter prefer firearms. When the player decides upon one of them, there's no turning back - this is a one-time and irreversible choice. It affects many elements in the game - not only the way certain quests are resolved, but also the availability of skills you can learn from trainers and items you can buy from traders. Even though, choosing a faction is not so important - most quests are exactly the same, regardless of the chosen side. The same goes for other elements in the game - most items for trade will stay the same, but not every trader will want to do business with you (concerns mostly mages).
The fundamental difference between the factions is that the Natives have access to the arcanes of magic, while the Inquisitors don't. Keep in mind, though, that the spells are fairly weak (see chapter: Battle System: Voodoo and other) - they serve mostly as an accent to spice up the game. They don't work well on the battlefield, which is the playground for the Inquisition.
After joining the savages in the quest Chani, Daughter of the Chieftain, the Nameless Hero will learn how to make voodoo dolls, which will allow him to possess a certain number of characters in the game (it's required for the completion of some quests). If you keep raising Voodoo, he'll learn new techniques of this art, such as creating sceptres, amulets and potions (see: Skills). Unfortunately, they can as well be bought or found, so raising magic skills isn't too profitable.
What about the Inquisitors? After joining them in the quest Support from the Inquisition, the Nameless Hero will gain access to the highest row of firearms skills: Blazing Barrels, Muskets III, Shotguns III, Pistols III. The only character who can teach them is Godin, who lives in Caldera.
There is one last, final difference: the Native supporters can reach the Isle of the Dead right after leaving the shores of the Sword Coast (and not after collecting all the Titan artifacts, as the Inquisitors). It's not recommended, though - the beasts that live on the island are really powerful, and they will rip the hero apart before he even manages to deal them any damage. The options is neither significant nor tempting.
The list of all traders and trainer, together with their availability and requirements, can be found in the appropriate chapter of the guide. If they're available only to a certain faction, it's been noted. Similar thing applies to quests - those that can be completed in two ways (by magic or by the "regular" way), have been described from both points of view. This way, regardless of the chosen side, every player can benefit from the blessings of this guide.