Fans of tactical RPGs appreciate Divinity: Original Sin 2 for its remarkable depth in character customization. After all, with learnable Skills, players can tailor their party's skillset to accommodate any challenge they face. Thing is, RPG fans might resort to the basics - why settle for all-rounders when roles exist to maximize character strengths? And what better role to prioritize first than the straightforward Tank, right?
Interestingly, characters easily become frontline fighters thanks to the Larian Studios RPG's straightforward Skills system. However, certain tweaks can help melee warriors become behemoths in both defense and damage mitigation. How can Tanks achieve this kind of mastery?
Updated on October 3, 2021, by Rhenn Taguiam: Divinity: Original Sin 2 raises the bar in tactical RPGs thanks to its heavily interactive environment and freeform take on character progression. Since the game allows players to switch up builds for characters at any time, a newcomer can feel overwhelmed with the number of available options in the game.
To those planning on creating Tanks, players need to remember that their frontline defenders need to look beyond the scope of being a meat shield for effective tanking in Original Sin 2. However, just how should players build effective tanks for the Larian Studios title?
15 Consider Becoming A Mini-Spellcaster
Given the combat role of the tank, it makes sense for players to trade off heavy-hitting AOE Skills and settle for more melee-oriented strategies. Thanks to the Warfare Skill School, tanks can optimize their presence in short-range with deadly strikes or mobility attacks.
However, players can further optimize their tanks by giving them a bit of a Spellcasting edge. For instance, Geomancer can help tanks become more protective and generate oil to boost the damage of other Pyrokinetics in the party. Likewise, the Pyrokinetic Skill School can help tanks dish out explosive bursts in mid-range.
14 Optimize Skill Choices To Maximize AP
As with most characters, tanks don’t have much access to AP in any combat situation. Either they make use of measly 4AP every turn or withhold using them to carry over. As such, tanks shouldn’t necessarily waste their APs dishing out cooldown-heavy Skills when they can optimize their Skill layout. For instance, a tank could opt away from Battle Stomp (2AP, 4CD) when they can access Skills like Bouncing Shield (2AP, 2CD) and Blitz Attack (2AP, 3CD) faster.
While the Glass Cannon Talent does give maximum AP to a character every turn, its caveat involves removing status resistances from Physical Armour and Magical Armour. Considering the defensive role of the tank, the unnecessarily vulnerability for maximum AP usage is unideal.
13 Spend As Little Movement As Possible
Since tanks don’t always have the highest AP in the group, it’s always expected for them to move a bit slower in combat. While tanks do have the ability to catch up in these situations, they can cost as much as 1AP per few meters. With the wrong positioning, a tank won’t be able to defend their teammates.
To avoid this caveat, tanks should be in a position to spend as little AP as possible. In order to make this work, it can help tanks to scout a possible combat area and use mobility Skills such as Phoenix Dive (Warfare) to head straight to the battlefield. That way, they can reach enemies much faster.
12 Become Proactive To Party Threats
While it can help for tanks to head to combat straight away, it does help to position themselves in such a way that they can reach threats and help allies at the same time. Ideally, such a position means heading deep enough into the battlefield but still close enough to an entrance or exit.
With this in mind, tanks can now assess which threats they need to pay attention to. Since the tanks are likely the closest to the enemies, they can deal with attackers who focus their attention on them. With these enemies distracted, allies can take out unsuspecting foes with backstabs (for stealthy rogues) and distant bursts (for Spellcasters).
11 Delay Enemy Movement When Necessary
Given their protective nature, tanks in the heat of combat need to delay enemy movement whenever necessary. That way, they can give allies enough space to retreat or even reposition for a counter-offensive. Tanks can best do this by blocking off pathways that lead closest to their allies. This can take the form of an entrance or an exit, as well as narrow passageways.
When positioned this way, a tank can pay attention to allies going in these entrances and protect them from unnecessary encounters. Thanks to Opportunity Attacks, tanks can also try and hit enemies who have to pass the tank in order to get closer to an ally.
10 Consider Picking Knight, Fighter
Players may as well pick a Starting Class to use as a template for the Tank they're perfecting for much later in the game. Both these Class suggestions come with the Opportunist Talent, letting them perform Attacks of Opportunity to nearby opponents that try to move away from melee range.
In this regard, the Knight easily becomes the ideal Starting Class. It comes with three Warfare Skills that immediately let Tanks tackle short to mid-range incursions more aggressively: Battering Ram (rush), Crippling Blow (stun), and Battle Stomp (mid-range stun).
Meanwhile, the Fighter fits a more defensive Tank build. They come with mid-ranged attacks and a defensive buff that enable the Tank to prepare for battles before engaging. These include Battle Stomp (mid-range stun), Bouncing Shield (long-range AOE), and Fortify (buff).
9 Strength And Constitution Are Key
When building the perfect Tank, players need to tackle the right Attributes. Regardless of the combat approach, Tanks need to have high Strength and Constitution to boost their survivability as much as possible. In the case of Constitution, each increase gives players a 7-percent Vitality boost and leads to stronger Shields. This can help accommodate more defensive builds while also letting aggressive builds sponge more damage.
Likewise, each Strength increase gives a 5-percent damage boost to Swords, Maces, and Axes. Higher Strength also gives access to Heavy armor capable of boosting Physical Armour. Since the Warfare School utilizes Strength by default, aiming for high Strength can make for a straightforward yet relatively safe Tank build. Pure attacking power alone can help Tanks take on foes without relying on complicated Source abilities and other Skills.
8 Single-Handed Is A Safe Choice
Tanks might want to invest in Single-Handed for a more optimized and balanced build. After all, each point in Single-Handed boosts Damage and Accuracy by 5-percent, making this Combat Ability perfect for landing more hits to opponents especially when outnumbered.
Granted, Two-Handed also boosts Damage and Critical Multiplier by the same amount. Unlike Single-Handed, Two-Handed's perks guarantee more "punch" whenever Critical Hits connect. However, Tanks might find it riskier to bank on high-hitting Criticals instead of just ensuring a guaranteed hit with middling DPS. As such, Single-Handed is easily the safer choice for Tanks who want to maximize their turn in every round.
7 Defense Can Have More Use Than Skills
Unlike Skills that give characters an advantage in terms of spells and combat techniques, Defence Abilities diversify the way Tanks can soak damage on the battlefield. For instance, every point in Leadership benefits nearby allies with 2-percent Dodging and 3-percent added Resistances. This allows Tanks to complement melee DPS builds.
Meanwhile, each point in Perseverance restores 5-percent Armour when recovering from Frozen or Stunned (Magic), or after being Petrified or Knocked Down (Physical). Lastly, each point in Retribution reflects 5-percent damage to attackers, easily punishing foes for even trying to engage the Tank in combat.
6 Shields Up Can Become A Godsend
Players who equip Shields alongside their favorite weapons might notice two things: they get a boost in Armour, and they also get Shields Up (Special Skill). This Skill consumes 2AP for restoring the Physical and Magical Armour of the caster's Shield. This might seem too much for a 2AP-Skill, but it can become a life-saver in emergencies.
Essentially, Defensive Tanks can use Shields Up to immediately restore Armour lost in the middle of combat. This fits clutch situations where a fully Armoured Tank can soak damage while the rest of their allies heal or reposition. Given the defensive advantage of Shields, this immediately complements the Single-Handed Ability.
5 Geomancer Can Help With Defense
Of the elemental Skill Schools in Original Sin 2, it's Geomancer that has the biggest ties to defensive strategies. Much of its Skills either set defensive buffs or manipulate the battlefield to the advantage of the Geomancer's allies. In its most basic sense, Defensive Tanks can boost their defenses with Fortify (add Physical Armour) and Mend Metal (nearby allies regain Physical Armor).
However, Geomancer gives Tanks other tactical opportunities as well. For instance, Corrosive Touch (Geomancer 1) destroys Physical Armour upon touch, while Reactive Armour (Geomancer 2) and Poison Wave (Geomancer 2) damage surrounding foes.
4 Tap Into The Custom Origin
While a Pre-Made Origin gives players access to one of six dedicated narratives for the game, technical players may want to use a Custom Origin for their Tanks. Like all Origins, a Custom Origin has a Special Skill exclusive to them. For Custom Origins, this Skill is called Dome of Protection, something perfect for defensive builds.
At its core, the Dome of Protection summons a magical field that boosts elemental resistances and restores the Armor of allies in that area. This is perfect for Tanks who need to give melee allies nearby a quick buff against more powerful opponents. As a plus, this Skill works for up to 13-meters, perfect for Tanks who want to buff allies from afar. When paired with a Class like a Knight or Fighter, the Dome of Protection can easily enable Tanks to become both damage soakers and emergency buffers.
3 Capitalize On Warfare For Mobility
Range is an important aspect of Original Sin 2's combat, meaning a lot of tactical decisions hinge on how fast a character can move somewhere. While Warfare doesn't offer a ton of mobility options, it does offer some of the most diverse movement Skills out there. Tanks should capitalize on this limited mobility to their advantage.
For instance, even leaping with a Phoenix Dive (Warfare 1) creates a fire surface on the destination, damaging everything near it. Additionally, Battering Ram (Warfare 1) can Knockdown all enemies while traveling in a straight line. Meanwhile, Blitz Attack (Warfare 2) attacks up to two targets towards a destination. To those who don't want to move, even Bouncing Shield (Warfare 1) can reach targets in mid-range. These Skills also explain why Starting Classes like Knights and Fighters also become easily versatile despite being melee powerhouses.
2 Become The Setup
Thanks to the Warfare School, a Tank can capitalize on a lot of stun-like statuses to stop enemies from moving. Theoretically, the right Warfare Skill can help Tanks set up enemies for Mages and Rogues to kill with brutal combos. In terms of stuns, Tanks can inflict debuffs in both close range (Battering Ram, Empower, Crippling Blow) and long-range (Battle Stomp). The awesome part here is that Tanks can use these Skills as early as Warfare 2, with Empower only requiring Warfare 5.
Tanks themselves can finish fights after they stun their opponents. With the right Warfare investment, they can deal devastating damage with Whirlwind (Warfare 2) and Onslaught (Warfare 3). This is even better when buffed with Enrage (Warfare 2) or Thick of the Fight (Warfare 3).
1 Never Rely On Healers
MMO players know that Healers are expected to heal Tanks first before other party members. However, given the flexibility of Original Sin 2, Tanks should try to avoid needing the heal in the first place. Remember, characters rely on limited Action Points in battle. Therefore, if a Healer can contribute to DPS, the faster the battle ends - which is intuitively more important.
In that regard, Tanks should invest in both Consumables and reliable healing Skill to boost their survivability. Outside the abundance of potions in the game, good ol' First Aid (Huntsman 1) is always a reliable tool. This emergency heal won't just give some Vitality but also cures most status effects.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 was released on September 14, 2017, and is available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and iPad.