Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Battlemage Class Guide (Tips & Tricks)

With so much freedom and options, Divinity Original Sin 2 can be daunting at first. There is an array of starter classes with different skills, abilities, and talents. And even after making an initial choice, you’ll need to think about future levels and fights. This guide will provide tips for playing and improving the default Battlemage.

Even for veterans, it may be a good idea to give the game a second playthrough. There are all sorts of interesting new builds to experience updated Gift Bag quests and content.

Battlemage Creation in Divinity Original Sin 2

Custom made Battlemage in Divinity Oirginal Sin 2

The base Battlemage during character creation (or if you recruit a companion) is 1 Strength, 1 Intelligence, 1 Constitution, 1 Warfare, 1 Aerotheurge, 1 Persuasion; Battering Ram, Shocking Touch, Blinding Radiance skills and the Comeback Kid Talent. While Air damage is serviceable, you can cause much more destruction by beginning with Fire damage and adding in other elements later.

As a Battlemage, you will be dealing with some mix between Physical and Magic damage. It would be better to just prioritize one: either heavily invest in two-handed Strength weapons and Warfare or Intelligence staves and Pyrokinetic. Either way, being on the frontlines means that it would be good to wear Strength-based armor. Consider starting with 1 Strength (mostly for future gear requirements), 2 Intelligence, 1 Warfare, 1 Pyrokinetic, and Civil Ability matching your character (Barter for Ifan, Loremaster for Sebille, etc.).

For your first three skills consider Battle Stomp for area damage (it will deal elemental damage if you wield a staff, but will not Knock Down if the target has Physical armor). Take two of the three: Ignition to light enemies aflame, Searing Daggers to create Fire surfaces, and Haste to improve your AP regeneration. You will also have All In if you wield a two-handed weapon, or Staff of Magus ranged attack with an elemental staff. For the first Talent, Torturer will let you inflict Burn status even if enemies have Magical armor, or Opportunist to get free attacks on moving targets.

Advancing as a Battlemage in Divinity Original Sin 2

Sebille uses Battle Stomp with a staff in Divinity Original Sin 2

On most level ups you should raise your primary selected attribute, Strength or Intelligence based on weapon. Every few levels also put a point into Wits for critical hit rate, Memory for skill slots, and Strength for heavy armor (if you are wielding a staff). Warfare will give a multiplicative damage boost to your Physical damage, while Pyrokinetic will do the same for Fire damage. Also consider Two-Handed, which will give an additive bonus to all damage types (even better if you are dealing other elements, like Poison or Air) and increase your critical damage multiplier. Also take combat abilities for skill requirements, like Geomancer or Necromancer.

For new Talents aim for Executioner to regain AP, Hothead for critical hit rate, and Elemental Affinity to reduce AP costs; if you are using more spells than pure melee also get Savage Sortilege to gain magic criticals. With Gift Bags, Sadist will deal Fire damage on Burning targets.

Primary Warfare and Pyrokinetic Skills

Sparking Swings (1 Pyrokinetic, 1 Warfare): your melee attacks produce a flame that bounces to another target. A great start to Fire and Burning mayhem.
Throw Explosive Trap (1 Pyrokinetic, 1 Huntsman): lay down a trap take can easily be triggered by other magical spells.
Bleed Fire (1 Pyrokinetic, 1 Polymorph): causes enemies to bleed out and make Fire surfaces. Also reduces their Fire resistances.
Fireball (2 Pyrokinetic): sends out a burst of Fire that does heavy damage and leaves a surface.
Spontaneous Combustion (2 Pyrokinetic): either cause Burning on a target or removes Burning and causes high bonuses damage. Really good on bosses and other strong single targets.
Supernova (2 Pyrokinetic): ignite a small area around you in Fire. Warning, this can hurt close by allies and NPCs.
Fire Whip (2 Pyrokinetic): hit a single target for heavy Fire damage, and may cause Blind and Burning.
Firebrand (3 Pyrokinetic) grants you and close by allies extra Fire damage to their melee and ranged attacks.
Master of Sparks (2 Pyrokinetic, 2 Warfare): a supped up version of Sparking Swings. Both you and allies can trigger Fire damage sparks, and they bounce to even more targets.
Epidemic of Fire (3 Pyrokinetic): a flame jets between up to five targets for massive Fire damage, and creates Cursed Fire surfaces. Mainly reserve this when Master of Sparks in on cooldown, or you need a ranged attack.
Crippling Blow (1 Warfare): attack in a cleaving motion and deal extra damage. Can inflict Cripple if the enemy has no Physical armor.
Blitz Attack (2 Warfare): hit and jumps between two targets. Good for both damage and movement.
Phoenix Dive (2 Warfare): jump to a location and create more Fire surfaces.
Whirlwind (2 Warfare): hit everyone around you. Really powerful if you have proccing attacks, like Master of Sparks or Firebrand.
Onslaught (3 Warfare): Hit the enemy multiple times for reduced damage. Also, once again a great skill more for procs than raw damage.

Other Recommended Skills

Venom Coating (1 Geomancer, 1 Scoundrel): Grants extra poison damage to your attacks. Great for adding in another damage type.
Poison Wave (2 Geomancer): creates Poison damage clouds. Also gives immunity to Poison and Earth damage.
Siphon Poison (3 Geomancer): absorb Poison clouds and surfaces and boost your Poison based weapon damage. Really good when paired with Poison Wave and other surfaces made by your allies.
Worm Tremor (3 Geomancer): Deals Earth damage in an area. If you have Torturer this will deal extra Poison damage and Entangle, even if the enemy has Magic armor left.
Blinding Radiance (1 Aerotheurge): Deals a moderate amount of Air damage, but also grands a Blind aura.
Vacuum Touch (1 Aerotheurge, 1 Necromancer): cause melee range Air damage, and cause Suffocate, which deals direct damage to Magic Armor (but not Health) each turn.
Breathing Bubble (1 Aerotheurge, 1 Warfare): makes you immune to Silence, Suffocate, and ignore cloud effects.
Uncanny Evasion (2 Aerotheurge): Greatly increases your evasion and movement. Use this to get out of (or into) trouble areas.
Medusa Head (2 Polymorph): deal Earth damage around you based on Strength score. Will Petrify enemies that lack Magical armor.
Silencing Stare (3 Necromancer): Deals damage to Magic armor (not Health) and can cause Silence.

Unique Gear for a Battlemage in Divinity Original Sin 2

Sebille casting Haste on Fane in Divinity Original Sin 2

While most gear will be found in random chests and bought from merchants, there is some unique equipment to search for:

Hildur’s Plate (Body): bought (or stolen) from Hilde in Fort Joy. Decent armor with Fire resist and will reflect back Fire damage when hit.
Antique Armor (Body): found inside a chest at Reaper’s Coast X: 630, Y: 410. Lowers movement, but prevents being teleported by the enemy.
Emarch (Body): sold by Basatan the Wishmaster in the Advocate’s encampment on Bloodmoon Island. Gives bonuses to Two-Handed and extra movement.
Flashing Footsteps (Boots): inside a chest in Reaper’s Coast X: 650, Y: 200. Standard boots that also give a bonus to Pyrokinetic.
Reaver’s Axe (Two-Handed Axe): looted from a body on Bloodmoon Island at X: 375, Y: 415. Decent damage and will hit in a cleave motion.
Xhaxh’s Staff of Parasitic Decay (Poison Staff): a possible reward for slaying Xhaxh during the quest A Taste of Freedom, started inside Mordus’ basement in Reaper’s Coast. Boosts Memory and Necromancer.
Divine Reckoning (Air Staff): looted from killing Bishop Alexander while at Nameless Isle. Boosts both Two-Handed and Aerotheurge.
Knight of Amadia’s Gloves (Gloves): Enter Amadia’s Shrine at Nameless Isle and solve the entire puzzle inside for this reward. An Intelligence based armor that gives bonuses to Pyrokinetic and Aerotheurge.
Divine Spark (Two-Handed Axe): sold by the Unarmed Elf in Arx at X: 330, Y: 373. Deals pure Fire damage and causes Sparks on hit, making it extremely powerful if you focuses Strength.
Three Sisters (Air Staff): also sold by the Unarmed Elf. This will enable Firebrand for free. The weapon also grants boosts to Memory, Two-Handed, and gives Thick of the Fight.
Ave Layal (Gloves): in a chest behind Lord Kemm’s estate in Arx at X: 135, Y: 255. Gives a boost to Intelligence, Wits, Initiative, and immunity to Silence. Also gives Silencing Stare for free.
Circle of Suns (Ring): decide to kill Sadha inside the Arx Lizard Consulate (this may cause Red Prince to go hostile if he isn’t a main character). Gives a nice boost to Pyrokinetic and the Flaming Skin skill for free.
Kvyn’s Hands (Gloves): possible loot inside the Doctor’s basement. However, getting these may lockout Lord Ruaney unique items. Has a Wits penalty, but will give Medusa Head for free.
Fiery Infero (Fire Staff): sold by Lord Omyt in the top level of Lord Kemm’s house. A strong staff with Memory bonus and can cause Flaming Crescendo on hit.
Tailsman of the Faithful (Amulet): looted from a container in Arx at X: 270, Y: 444. Boosts Geomancer and Aerotheurge.