Divinity: Original Sin – Getting Started

Larian Studios' epic RPG can be a little overwhelming at the start. Divinity: Original Sin is huge, and it throws you right into the action. If you need a little help figuring out what to do and where to go, we've compiled a short getting started guide to help you out. Use it to get the gist of the game and you'll be slaying the biggest monsters in no time. Take your time, be patient, and most importantly, have fun!

Be a Pet Pal

Spend a talent point in "Pet Pal" so that you will be able to talk to animals. Animals in the game will give you helpful info and some will even give you unique quests! It's a very useful talent to have. Talking to rats can be especially helpful, as they often give you hints on solving puzzles and finding secrets. 

Complete Everything Before Moving On

If you try to rush through an area, chances are you won't be ready. You'll get annihilated when you try to battle the next enemies. Instead, take your time in each area. Talk to each and every NPC and be sure to do all their quests. This will ensure by the time you are ready to move on, you're the right level. 

Don't be a Hoarder

Like in any RPG, you don't want to hoard your items and scrolls. Use your consumables! It can come in really handy if you find yourself in a pinch. You can even craft some really useful items, so use them!

Environmental Boosts

There are huge environmental advantages in this game. Use them! Set enemies on fire with barrels, freeze your foes, or even knock them flat. Using these advantages can make or break a fight, so always look for them. 

Experience

If party members die during a battle, they won't get experience. This can be a problem. If your other party members don't get experience, they can get super squishy and start being useless. Try your best to avoid letting this happen.

Henchmen

The two first companions you come across are a warrior and a mage, but don't feel like you need to pick your own class based on these characters. Pretty early on in the game, you'll be able to find plenty of other henchmen who you can choose to follow you around instead of these guys. Pretty much every class you can imagine is available for you to choose from. Find henchmen at the Hall of Heroes. You can have a party of up to four people.

Keys

Could you have sworn you picked up the right key for this door? You probably did. Chances are, one of your henchmen is holding it. Make sure you are controlling the character you actually has the key, then go ahead and open that door!

Quicksave

You can quicksave at any point in Divinity. This is very useful. You can even quicksave when in combat. To quicksave, just hit F5, it's that easy! Always quicksave before something tricky or possibly dangerous – that way you won't lose anything. 

Press ALT

Pressing the ALT button on your keyboard will highlight everything you can pick up. This is super useful after defeating enemies. It will show you all the loot, which is especially great for small items you can't normally see well. Use it often.

Rest

Resting on a bed is the best way to heal your party back up. You can use any unoccupied or unowned bed to rest. There are plenty of empty houses around for you to borrow, so don't be shy. Take a nap.

Run Away!

Bit off more than you can chew? There's no shame in running away from a battle. You can always run away, gain a level or two, and come back to try again later. 

Shovels

Make sure you always a shovel. Seriously. You can find one in the beginning of the game for free, but after that, make sure you always buy some from vendors. Otherwise, you won't be able to dig up that sweet loot!

Stealing

Yes, we all know stealing is bad. But in Divinity, stealing can make you a lot of cash. Steal everything. Then you can sell it or trade it to vendors for money. If you need to, use your other party members to distract NPCs. Make them face the other way so you can grab everything! To look for the small stuff, hold down the ALT key on your keyboard. 

Treasure Maps

You can buy treasure maps from the artist in the Cyseal market, and it's actually really worth it. The maps will lead you to buried treasure that is worth a lot more than the map costs. Go ahead and give it a try!

Tutorial Dungeon

Don't be that guy. Take the time to do the tutorial dungeon in the starting area. It's found in the cave where you will encounter some guys who run away with a magic stone. This tutorial will teach you some useful tips that you might not discover otherwise, so seriously, just take the time to do it. It will help you tactically.