Following an upcoming project, Larian Studios remains largely secretive about its next Divinity title, despite fielding questions during a recent AMA session. While it's confirmed to be the studio’s “biggest game ever,” returning to their own world after the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and its bloody reveal trailer at The Game Awards, details remain scarce.
Addressing a Core Design Flaw
However, one crucial piece of information has emerged: Larian is discarding the armor system from Divinity: Original Sin 2. Head of design Nick Pechenin confirmed in a Reddit AMA that the new game “will not keep the magic armor system from DOS2.” This change addresses what many players considered a significant limitation on gameplay and build variety.
Understanding the Problem with DOS2's Armor
In Divinity: Original Sin 2, enemy protection was divided into physical and magical categories. Each type acted as an additional health bar, requiring specific damage types to deplete. The core issue arose from the fact that players often found it more efficient to focus solely on one damage type (physical or magical) to quickly break through the armor of a single enemy rather than employing a balanced party composition. This discouraged diverse team builds and frequently led players to save their most powerful abilities until after an enemy’s armor was broken, hindering immediate combat engagement.
A Promise of Better Balance
Pechenin's statement suggests that the new Divinity game will offer ways to protect characters without the restrictive armor mechanic. He emphasized that players “will not have to wait before you can use your fun skills on enemies,” indicating a more fluid and engaging combat experience.
Action Economy: A Lingering Question
Beyond the armor system, another key question surrounding the new Divinity game is its action economy. Will it retain the Action Point (AP) system from Original Sin 2, or will it adopt a similar approach to Baldur’s Gate 3's Action/Bonus Action setup? Larian addressed this query on Reddit, offering only a vague response about “a new action economy and character progression system” that they hope fans of both BG3 and DOS2 will find “intuitive but deep.”
While the wording suggests a possible blend of both systems – perhaps a modified AP system with elements of freedom seen in Baldur’s Gate 3 – it doesn't provide definitive clarity. The community eagerly awaits further details regarding this crucial aspect of gameplay.
