From Divinity: Original Sin 2 to Baldur’s Gate 3: How Larian Refined Its RPG Formula

Baldur’s Gate 3 didn’t arrive in a vacuum. It stands on the shoulders of Divinity: Original Sin 2 (DOS2), the breakout CRPG that put Larian Studios firmly on the map. Playing Divinity: Original Sin 2 after experiencing Baldur’s Gate 3 makes that lineage especially obvious: every clever interaction, every chaotic fight, and every systems-driven surprise feels like the prototype for something that BG3 later polishes and reframes.

This article explores how Larian evolved its design between these two games, why Baldur’s Gate 3 feels more approachable without losing depth, and what their trajectory reveals about the future of computer role-playing games.

1. Two Pillars of Modern CRPGs

1.1 Divinity: Original Sin 2 in Context

Released in 2017, Divinity: Original Sin 2 arrived at a time when classic isometric RPGs were enjoying a revival but still felt niche. Funded in part through crowdfunding and developed independently, DOS2 leaned heavily into:

• Turn-based tactical combat with a strong emphasis on environmental effects.
• Co-op friendly design that let multiple players roam and break quests in different directions.
• Experimental quest structure where objectives could be solved in almost any order or method.

The game received widespread critical acclaim for its systems-driven gameplay and narrative flexibility, and it helped Larian secure the Baldur’s Gate license from Wizards of the Coast, the rights holder for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).¹

1.2 Baldur’s Gate 3 as an Evolution

Baldur’s Gate 3, fully released in 2023 after a lengthy early access period, applied Larian’s design style to the D&D 5th edition ruleset.² It kept the studio’s love of experimentation but added:

• Cinematic presentation with fully voiced, performance-captured scenes.
• A familiar tabletop framework based on D&D 5e mechanics and lore.
• Stronger narrative focus with clearer main story arcs and character-driven quests.

Put side by side, DOS2 feels like the wild proof of concept; BG3 is the polished, mass-audience version that retains the soul of its predecessor.

2. Combat Systems: Chaos Versus Clarity

2.1 Environmental Warfare in DOS2

Divinity: Original Sin 2’s combat is legendary for its elemental interactions. Fire, water, electricity, poison, oil, blood, and cursed surfaces can combine in dizzying ways. This design encourages creative problem-solving but also creates opacity:

• A single spark can turn a damp battlefield into an inferno.
• Combining surfaces can generate unexpected chain reactions.
• Armour systems (Physical vs. Magic) gate when crowd-control effects apply.

The result is thrilling but often overwhelming. New players regularly struggle to parse what will actually happen when they cast a spell, and armour mechanics can make early fights feel punishing until you internalize the system.

2.2 D&D Under the Hood in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 leans on D&D 5e to give combat clearer structure. The d20 roll, advantage/disadvantage, and action economy provide a straightforward backbone.² Larian then layers its usual creativity on top:

• Verticality: high-ground bonuses encourage smart positioning.
• Environmental effects: surfaces remain important but are less omnipresent.
• Contextual actions: shoving, jumping, and interacting with objects are easy to use.

The feeling of chaos is still there, but the rule framework gives players better predictive power. When something unexpected happens, it usually feels like a consequence of dice or a clear rule, not a confusing system edge case.

2.3 Comparing Combat at a Glance

Playing DOS2 after BG3 can make the older game feel slightly unruly. Larian clearly learned that keeping experimentation while making outcomes more readable leads to a more welcoming combat system.

3. Storytelling: From Sandboxes to Character-Driven Drama

3.1 Narrative Structure in Divinity: Original Sin 2

DOS2’s storytelling is robust but often diffused. The player can approach major island hubs in various orders, pick up quests organically, and ignore the main story for long stretches. This open structure supports role-playing but can:

• Make it hard to track which quests are critical versus optional.
• Cause pacing issues where major story beats arrive unexpectedly.
• Lead to players outlevelling content or stumbling into difficulty spikes.

Companions are interesting, but their arcs sometimes feel siloed from the main plot, occasionally resolved in side areas that can be missed or tackled at awkward times.

3.2 Baldur’s Gate 3’s Cinematic Focus

Baldur’s Gate 3 takes a more curated approach. While still highly non-linear, it organizes its narrative into clear Acts and hub zones. According to Wizards of the Coast, the Forgotten Realms setting was designed over decades to support interlocking stories and factions,³ which BG3 leverages heavily. The game offers:

• Strong companion integration, with personal quests tied closely to the main arc.
• Cinematic dialogue that underscores emotional stakes and character personalities.
• Structured progression that still allows for significant player agency.

BG3’s presentation makes it easier for players to stay invested in specific storylines and understand the consequences of their choices. DOS2, by contrast, often trusts players to fill in gaps and accept a looser connection between their antics and the grand narrative.

4. Character Building and Party Identity

4.1 Customization in Divinity: Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 offers a broad skill system where characters can mix and match schools of magic and martial disciplines. This encourages highly unconventional builds, such as:

• Hybrid warriors who teleport enemies into fire.
• Support mages who manipulate surfaces and armour values.
• Summoners who rely on incarnates and totems for flexible damage types.

However, the armour system and surface dominance can make some builds feel less viable for new players. Specialization often becomes the safest route, and casual experimentation can lead to underpowered characters in tougher encounters.

4.2 D&D Classes in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 instead uses D&D’s class and subclass system. The 5e framework was intentionally designed to offer clear archetypes while still allowing customization via subclasses, feats, and spells.⁴ BG3 benefits from that structure by:

• Providing distinct party roles (tank, rogue, support caster, etc.).
• Making build identity easy to grasp even for newcomers.
• Allowing multiclassing for advanced players who want complexity.

As a result, players can engage with role-playing fantasies—like being a righteous paladin or chaotic trickster bard—without wrestling with a more abstract skill grid. DOS2’s freedom is powerful but less guided, whereas BG3’s system walks the line between expression and clarity.

5. Exploration, Choice, and Consequence

5.1 Open-Ended Mischief in DOS2

DOS2 showcases Larian’s commitment to player freedom. The game encourages you to:

• Break into locked buildings instead of talking to NPCs.
• Teleport NPCs off cliffs to avoid tough fights.
• Use polymorph, invisibility, or teleportation skills to bypass obstacles.

Quest logic is surprisingly resilient; many objectives can still resolve even after you’ve creatively sabotaged their intended paths. This design philosophy mirrors sandbox approaches seen in immersive sims, where the game reacts to your ingenuity rather than forcing specific solutions.

5.2 Structured Freedom in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 preserves that playful spirit but adds more guardrails. Many quests sport clear entry points and branching milestones, with major outcomes tracked by cinematic sequences and epilogues. This approach aligns with modern RPG trends that emphasize visible consequence.⁵

You can still:

• Kill key NPCs and watch the story adapt.
• Use stealth and environmental tricks to solve encounters non-traditionally.
• Make morally ambiguous choices that reshape factions and relationships.

However, the game more visibly telegraphs when you are making a significant decision, whether through companion reactions or explicit warnings. DOS2 allows similar freedom but is less explicit about the narrative weight of your actions.

6. Accessibility and Onboarding: Learning the Systems

6.1 DOS2’s Steep Learning Curve

Divinity: Original Sin 2 can be daunting for players unfamiliar with classic CRPG conventions. It offers limited tutorialization, and many key systems—respecs, armour interactions, action point management—are only gradually revealed through play. While this appeals to veterans who enjoy discovery, it can be a barrier to entry.

Examples of friction include:

• Unclear encounter difficulty scaling between areas.
• Quests that can be failed with little warning.
• Complex inventory management and crafting systems.

6.2 BG3’s Friendly On-Ramp

Baldur’s Gate 3, by contrast, foregrounds approachability. The game provides:

• Contextual tooltips that explain rolls, bonuses, and conditions.
• Difficulty options that let players tweak challenge and survivability.
• Clear UI feedback about hit chances, saving throws, and consequences.

D&D 5e’s design intentionally simplifies older editions’ complexity, with a unified proficiency bonus and bounded accuracy to keep numbers manageable.⁴ BG3 leverages that clarity while adding quality-of-life features expected in modern games.

Playing DOS2 after BG3 highlights how far Larian has come in teaching players without hand-holding. The newer game retains depth but is far more welcoming to people who have never touched a CRPG before.

7. Co-op, Single-Player, and the Spectator Factor

7.1 Co-op DNA in Divinity: Original Sin 2

DOS2 was designed from the ground up with co-op in mind. Up to four players can control their own characters, wander in different directions, and make conflicting decisions. The game even allows split-screen on consoles and PC.

This flexibility can lead to uniquely chaotic sessions:

• One player is negotiating with a quest giver while another steals from them.
• Party members may disagree on morally charged choices, leading to internal conflict.
• Multiple players can talk to different NPCs simultaneously, creating a hectic but memorable storytelling cadence.

It is, in many ways, a digital approximation of a tabletop group that continually goes off-script.

7.2 Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Streaming Era

Baldur’s Gate 3 supports co-op as well, but it also clearly aims to be entertaining to watch. Full performance capture, elaborate cutscenes, and strong character writing make BG3 well-suited to livestreaming and recorded playthroughs. Major outlets have noted its mainstream appeal, with BG3 winning multiple Game of the Year awards and generating widespread cultural conversation.⁶

This spectator-friendly design reinforces certain choices:

• Dialogue scenes are visually rich, rewarding viewers as much as players.
• Consequences are rendered in cinematic detail, making choices feel impactful.
• Companions behave like fully realized protagonists, not just stat blocks.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is fun to watch, but it’s BG3 that turns CRPG sessions into shareable drama. That shift hints at how Larian has tuned its design philosophy for a world where games are also shows.

8. Larian’s Design Trajectory and the Future of CRPGs

8.1 Iteration, Not Reinvention

Tracing the path from DOS2 to BG3 reveals a studio committed to iteration. Rather than abandoning its sandbox roots, Larian:

• Kept systemic freedom but added clearer rules and UI feedback.
• Maintained multiple-solution quest design while tightening narrative pacing.
• Preserved co-op chaos yet made single-player storytelling more cinematic.

Playing DOS2 after BG3 doesn’t just show an older game; it shows the early draft of a design philosophy that would later capture a much wider audience.

8.2 What DOS2 Still Does Better

Despite BG3’s refinements, DOS2 retains unique strengths:

• More anarchic systems that sometimes allow tricks BG3’s D&D framework cannot replicate.
• Sharper focus on experimentation over adherence to a licensed ruleset.
• Distinct tone and setting that separate it from the more traditional high fantasy of the Forgotten Realms.

For players enchanted by BG3, returning to DOS2 can feel like discovering an earlier, more experimental album from a band you love—rougher in places, but full of bold ideas.

9. Practical Tips if You’re Playing DOS2 After BG3

If Baldur’s Gate 3 was your gateway into Larian’s style and you’re now picking up Divinity: Original Sin 2, a few mindset shifts will help you enjoy it on its own terms.

• Expect less guidance. Waypoints and quest markers are looser; read journal entries and pay attention to dialogue.
• Lean into surfaces. Build at least one character who can reliably create or manipulate elemental terrain.
• Don’t fear respecs. You’re likely to make suboptimal choices early; respect is part of learning.
• Accept failure as content. Missed quests or dead NPCs often lead to interesting new paths rather than hard locks.
• Play with others if you can. Co-op is where DOS2’s chaos truly shines.

10. FAQs

Is Divinity: Original Sin 2 harder than Baldur’s Gate 3?

Divinity: Original Sin 2 often feels tougher, especially early on, because its systems are less transparent and its difficulty spikes can be sharp. Baldur’s Gate 3 tends to communicate danger more clearly and offers more granular difficulty options, making it easier to tune to your comfort level.

Do I need to know Dungeons & Dragons to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3?

No. BG3 uses D&D mechanics, but it teaches core concepts like advantage, saving throws, and spell slots in-game. Knowledge of D&D 5e can enhance your understanding, but it’s not required to follow the story or enjoy the combat.

Which game should I play first: DOS2 or BG3?

If you prefer a more cinematic, guided experience, start with Baldur’s Gate 3. If you relish pure systemic chaos and don’t mind a steeper learning curve, you might enjoy tackling Divinity: Original Sin 2 first. Either order works; each game stands on its own.

Is Divinity: Original Sin 2 outdated after Baldur’s Gate 3?

No. While BG3 refines many ideas, DOS2 remains one of the most inventive CRPGs available. Its experimental systems, co-op focus, and distinctive world make it worthwhile even after you’ve completed BG3.

Will Larian make another Baldur’s Gate or Divinity game?

As of the latest public information, Larian has indicated it is moving on from Baldur’s Gate 3 to focus on new projects rather than direct sequels. The studio has historically returned to its Divinity universe, but no specific future titles have been confirmed at the time of writing.⁶