Does Intelligence Affect Summoning in Divinity: Original Sin 2? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is no. In Divinity: Original Sin 2, intelligence does not directly affect the strength of your summons. The primary factors influencing your summons’ power are your character’s level and the number of points invested in the Summoning skill. While intelligence plays a crucial role in boosting magic damage and magic armor for your character, it has no bearing on the stats or abilities of your summoned creatures.

It’s a common misconception, especially for players new to the game or those coming from other RPGs where stat scaling is more prevalent across the board. Many assume that a higher intelligence stat would naturally enhance the magical prowess of summoned beings. However, Divinity: Original Sin 2 operates differently, focusing on Summoning skill level as the primary driver of summon power.

To illustrate this, imagine you have two characters: one with low intelligence and one with high intelligence. If both characters summon the same creature with the same level of Summoning skill, their summons will be virtually identical in terms of health, damage, and armor. This is because the game specifically ties summon scaling to these factors.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for optimizing your character build. Instead of pouring points into intelligence to boost your summons, you should focus on maximizing your Summoning skill level. This will ensure your summons remain powerful throughout the game, even as you progress to higher levels and face more challenging enemies.

Understanding Summon Scaling in Divinity: Original Sin 2

So, if intelligence doesn’t matter for summons, what does? Here’s a breakdown:

• Character Level: As your character levels up, your summons also gain increased stats, making them more effective in combat. This ensures that your summons remain relevant throughout the game.
• Summoning Skill Level: The higher your Summoning skill, the more powerful your summons become. Each point invested increases their stats and unlocks new abilities at certain thresholds (e.g., Summoning 10 allows you to summon a powerful Incarnate Champion).
• Surface Types: Some summons gain additional benefits based on the surface type they are summoned on. For example, summoning an Incarnate on a blood surface grants it the Blood Infusion skill.
• Specific Talents and Skills: While not directly intelligence-related, certain talents and skills can enhance your summons. For example, the “Pet Pal” talent allows you to communicate with animals, some of which can be summoned.
• Gear that boosts Summoning: There is specific armor and equipment in the game that offers bonuses to your Summoning skill. This is the only way to increase the power of your summons outside of leveling up and investing skill points.

Focusing on the Right Stats for a Summoner Build

When building a summoner character, prioritize the following:

• Memory: This is crucial for equipping your Summoning skills, as well as any other spells you want to use to support your summons.
• Wits: While not directly impacting summons, Wits increases your initiative, allowing you to act earlier in combat. This is essential for summoning your creatures quickly and controlling the battlefield.
• Constitution: Having enough health to survive enemy attacks is vital, especially for a summoner who might be relying on their summons to tank damage.

Intelligence, while important for mages specializing in other elements, can be largely ignored for a pure summoner.

Mastering the Art of Summoning: Tactics and Strategies

Beyond understanding the stat scaling, mastering the art of summoning involves tactical placement and strategic utilization of your summons’ abilities. Here are a few tips:

• Strategic Placement: Position your summons to take advantage of their strengths and exploit enemy weaknesses. For example, place a melee summon in front to protect your party, while positioning a ranged summon for maximum damage output.
• Surface Infusion: Utilize different surface types to grant your summons additional abilities.
• Control and Coordination: Use your character’s abilities to support your summons, such as providing buffs, healing, or crowd control.
• Adapt to the Situation: Be prepared to adapt your summoning strategy based on the enemy you are facing. Some enemies are more resistant to certain types of damage, so you may need to adjust your summons accordingly.

By focusing on these aspects, you can create a powerful and versatile summoner build that can conquer any challenge in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Remember, summoning isn’t just about having powerful creatures; it’s about strategically utilizing them to achieve victory. This is where understanding the mechanics of the game becomes crucial. Learning resources, such as those developed by the Games Learning Society, can provide insight into using games like Divinity: Original Sin 2 to develop strategic thinking skills. The GamesLearningSociety.org is an excellent starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Summoning in Divinity: Original Sin 2

1. What is the strongest summon in Divinity: Original Sin 2?

The Conjure Incarnate is widely considered the best overall summon due to its versatility and adaptability. It can be infused with different elemental surfaces to gain various abilities, making it useful in a wide range of situations. The Incarnate Champion form (reached at Summoning level 10) is especially potent.

2. Does intelligence affect healing in Divinity 2?

No, intelligence does not affect healing spells in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Healing spells primarily scale with your Hydrosophist skill level and, to a lesser extent, your character level.

3. What armor is best for a summoner in Divinity 2?

Armor that provides a bonus to your Summoning skill is ideal. Ruvola’s set is often mentioned as a good option due to its Summoning boost and other useful stats. Look for gear with bonuses to Memory and Wits as well.

4. What stats should I focus on for a summoner build?

Prioritize Memory (to equip your Summoning skills), Wits (for initiative), and Constitution (for survivability). Intelligence is less important for a pure summoner.

5. How do I make my summons stronger?

Increase your Summoning skill level and your character’s level. Utilize surface infusions to grant your summons additional abilities. Gear that boosts Summoning is also beneficial.

6. Does Necromancy work well with Summoning?

Yes, Necromancy can synergize well with Summoning, especially in a physical damage-focused party. Necromancy provides physical damage spells and healing through damage, complementing the physical damage output of many summons.

7. Which class is the best starting class for a summoner?

The Conjurer is the most overpowered starting class in Divinity: Original Sin II. Right off the bat, they get the ability to summon elementals and even totems that you can also control, essentially doubling your firepower.

8. What are the best talents for a summoner?

Some useful talents for a summoner include:

• Pet Pal: Allows you to communicate with animals, some of which can be summoned.
• Elemental Affinity: Reduces the cost of spells matching the surface you’re standing on, useful for surface infusions.
• Torturer: Applies status effects for longer durations.

9. Do wands scale with intelligence in Divinity 2?

Yes, wands do scale with intelligence, but the scaling is relatively minor compared to other magic weapons.

10. What is the strongest two-handed weapon in Divinity 2?

The Falone Scythe is regarded as the most potent two-handed weapon available in Divinity Original Sin 2. The base damage is further boosted by +3 Strength and +1 Two-Handed.

11. How do surface infusions work?

When you summon a creature on a specific surface (e.g., fire, water, blood), it gains additional abilities related to that element. Experiment with different surfaces to discover new combinations.

12. What are the best early game summons?

The Conjure Incarnate is available from the start and remains useful throughout the game. Elemental Totems are also a good early-game option.

13. Do summons benefit from critical hits?

It depends. Some summons are capable of inflicting critical hits, while others are not. Check the specific abilities of each summon to determine if they can crit.

14. Does gear that grants bonus magic armor also benefit my summons?

No, bonus magic armor granted by gear only applies to your character, not to your summons.

15. Where can I find more information about Divinity: Original Sin 2 builds and strategies?

Numerous online resources offer build guides and strategy tips for Divinity: Original Sin 2. Look for websites and forums dedicated to the game, and be sure to check out the official Larian Studios forums.

By understanding these key aspects of summoning, you can create a powerful and engaging character build in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Remember to experiment with different summons, surface infusions, and skill combinations to find the playstyle that best suits you.