The Red Prince is easily one of the most memorable cast members of Divinity: Original Sin 2, thanks to his innate charm and sheer charisma. After all, this Lizard Nobility is apparently an exiled prince that wishes to regain his power. And the players, his companions, and everyone around him are simply instruments he can use towards his ultimate prize.
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As a member of the Pre-Made Origins, players will soon realize that there's more to the Red Prince than his rather elitist and princely nature. Thankfully, Larian Studios allows players to capitalize on the Red Prince's talents to become a valuable asset to his comrades. However, just which abilities best fit this elegant warrior?
Updated on September 2, 2022 by Rhenn Taguiam: The Red Prince remains one of the more enjoyable original characters in Divinity Original Sin 2, particularly for his naturally-charming personality and the element of mystery he adds to the Lizardfolks of Rivellon.
However, for players who want to make him into their main character, they might want to consider using optimal builds to maximize his prowess. These include builds such as that of being a powerhouse spellcaster, a silent killer, a shifty mercenary, or a master of the dark arts.
Enchanter
Focus On: Aerotheurge, Hydrosophist
Specializing in using magic to manipulate the environments of their targets might be something fit for Fane, but, the Enchanter seems like a perfect build for the Red Prince who is also known for his particular charm and wit. Not only that, but his basic skillset when choosing this Starting Class seems extremely useful under the right circ*mstances. As an Enchanter, the Red Prince can make environments extra unfavorable to get what he wants.
His starting Talent is Far Out Man, immediately giving him the long-ranged edge with an extra 2-meters for his Skill and Scroll range. Among his starting Skills include Rain and Hail Strike (Hydrosophist 1) that can create Ice surfaces, and Electric Discharge (Aerotheurge 1) that can give enemies in Ice surfaces an extra shock.
Rogue
Focus On: Scoundrel
A charmer like the Red Prince is the perfect go-to person regarding subterfuge, and it only makes sense for him to become a great person to lurk in the shadows. As a Rogue, the Red Prince has the ability to become an edgy protagonist - a smooth talker who is versatile in the blade just as he is versatile with his mouth.
He begins with The Pawn Talent, bestowing him extra 1AP of movement every turn that he can use to get up close and personal. This synchronizes well with his starting Skills, especially Backlash (Scoundrel 1) that lets him deal double damage. At range, he can rely on Throwing Knives (Scoundrel 1), and dish out more attacks thanks to the extra AP of Adrenaline (Scoundrel 1).
Shadowblade
Focus On: Scoundrel, Polymorph
Players can use the rather foreign nature of the Red Prince’s lineage to their advantage as a Shadowblade. Considering the unique culture of Lizardfolk in Rivellon, it makes sense for the Red Prince to become a magical assassin, somehow trained in both the blade and the mystic arts that make it perfect for him to reacquire his throne.
Mechanically-speaking, this allows the Red Prince to attain the Guerilla Talent, boosting sneak-attack damage by 40-percent. Combined with starting Skill Backlash (Scoundrel 1), sneak attacks not only deal double damage because of auto-crit but also 40-percent more damage due to Guerilla. Not only that, Chameleon Cloak (Polymorph 1) turns the Red Prince invisible, practically guaranteeing sneak attacks. And most importantly, Chicken Claw (Polymorph 1) can actually transform anything into a Chicken if their Magic Defense is low enough. Yes, even bosses.
Witch
Focus On: Necromancy, Scoundrel
Pushing the Red Prince’s foreign culture to the maximum, players can choose to transform him into a Witch and create a headcanon that the Red Prince trained in the dark arts. This fits with the build of the Witch which focuses on Necromancy. The Red Prince in this regard obtains the Leech Talent, which allows him to absorb blood pools for Vitality.
This synergizes well with the rest of his Skills. Chloroform (Scoundrel 1) can force enemies to sleep, while Raise Bloated Corpse (Necromancy 1) can summon a minion that may explode into a puddle of blood in command. Lastly, Mosquito Swarm (Necromancy 1) can deal physical damage to opponents while healing the Red Prince, making for a neat early-game lifesteal.
Pure Fighter
Focus On: Warfare, Geomancer, Bartering
Upon recruiting the Red Prince, His Majesty would ask players to make him a Fighter first. And interestingly enough, going for a Pure Fighter can help players capitalize on the Red Prince's skillset. Not to mention, the Fighter is the most faithful Starting Class to his story.
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Thankfully, this Class almost immediately sets up the Red Prince to become an effective tank in the early game. With his Warfare specialization, he gains access to starting Skills such as Battle Stomp and Bouncing Shield, easily giving him the upper hand in mid-ranged combat. Likewise, he starts with the basic Geomancer Skill Fortify, enabling him to boost his defense.
Additionally, making a pure Fighter via a Warfare and Geomancer focus can make the Red Prince an indomitable melee force in the endgame. For instance, his later Warfare moves involve an all-around attack (Whirlwind), a high-speed burst (Onslaught) and varied buffs. Meanwhile, Geomancer allows the Red Prince to fight long-ranged with Impalement, Earthquake, and Worm Tremor.
The Scholarly Wizard
Focus On: Pyrokinetic, Geomancer, Loremaster
Thanks to his Scholar (Tag), the Red Prince can keep up in conversations pertaining to history, culture, and the mystic arts. If the Red Prince charms himself with the right people, his Loremaster can help him gather more information, better recipes, and even more powerful spells.
In that regard, a Wizard Starting Class might be the Red Prince's best representation of his Scholar (Tag). Roleplaying players will appreciate the Red Prince as a Wizard, given the stereotype towards Wizards as devastatingly powerful Spellcasters with a knack for superiority.
Interestingly enough, focusing on a Wizard build won't make the Red Prince a pushover either. For instance, the Far Out Man Talent can help him hurl spells much farther than other mages. Likewise, his starting Skills already have devastating consequences - Pyrokinetic's Searing Daggers and Ignition can ignite oil surfaces created by Geomancer's Fossil Strike. Thanks to the synergy of the two schools, almost all advanced Skills from Pyrokinetic can make anything from Geomancer explode.
The Outcast Wayfarer
Focus On: Huntsman, Geomancer, Bartering
Despite his Noble (Tag), the Red Prince remains an exile from his Empire. And as players would know early on, many forces would still want the Red Prince out of the picture. In that context, it makes sense for a roleplayer to build the Red Prince with the Wayfarer Starting Class. As such, the Red Prince may have picked up practical survival skills here and there and tried to balance his noble living with his new survivalist knowledge.
As a Wayfarer, the Red Prince can talk to animals via the Pet Pal Talent. The Red Prince begins with Pin Down and Elemental Arrowheads from Huntsman, letting him shoot various arrow types from a distance. Likewise, Fossil Strike from Geomancer can help the Red Prince create oil surfaces for ignition.
Interestingly enough, going for a straight Wayfarer build banks on the Huntsman's variance in long-ranged attacks and the Geomancer's balance of attacks and buffs. In turn, the Red Prince can remain a deadly long-ranged DPS with no shortage of protective spells.
Focus On: Polymorph, Two-Handed, Persuasion
In Rivellon's lore, the Red Prince's Lizard race apparently descended from dragons. In turn, wouldn't it make sense for the Red Prince to have that kind of exotic appeal, too? Thankfully, the Metamorph Starting Class can help roleplayers achieve this kind of unique build. Through the Metamorph Class, the Red Prince can take down foes in melee on his own terms - no matter how weird these terms are.
With this Class, the Red Prince obtains the Opportunist Talent that lets him make Opportunity Attacks to adjacent foes that try to leave him. Likewise, his Polymorph specialization adds him a unique set of melee attacks to complement his Two-Handed prowess. For instance, he begins with Bull Horns that can give him horns to close the gap between enemies and Tentacle Lash that can help him attack mid-range with a giant tentacle. Lastly, his Chicken Claw can transform even bosses into chickens.
Interestingly enough, even focusing on Metamorph will give the Red Prince interesting perks via Polymorph. For instance, the Red Prince can gain more "transformations" such as wings for mobility (Spread Your Wings), spider legs and webbing (Spider Legs), and even swap terrain outright (Terrain Transmutation).
The Princely Knight
Focus On: Warfare, Two-Handed, Bartering
The Red Prince being both a noble and a warrior would fit the stereotype of the Prince Charming, and the Knight Starting Class personifies this the best. And interestingly enough, the straightforwardness of the Knight Class reflects on its abilities. Its straight focus on Warfare and Two-Handed will give the Red Prince the best edge in melee combat.
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As the Knight, the Red Prince can give Opportunity Attacks to opponents who try to leave his adjacent space via the Opportunist Talent. This works well with his starting Warfare Skills. The Red Prince can use Battering Ram to close gaps between him and enemies, but he can also use Battle Stomp to knock them down from afar. Likewise, he can use Crippling Blow to stop them on their tracks completely.
If players continue the straight Warfare route, just going toe to toe against the Red Prince would end up badly for anyone. Some of the best Warfare Skills are buffs the Red Prince could use to his advantage. For instance, Guardian Angel forces attacks to hit him instead of allies, and he can get empowered the more people are around him with Thick Of The Fight.
The Changed Cleric
Focus On: Hydrosophist, Necromancer, Bartering
Due to the Red Prince's charisma filling the air with his arrogance, players might want to see him change throughout the game. Thankfully, they can at least try to roleplay this situation with the Cleric Starting Class. Quite not in-line with the Red Prince's original "proud" persona, the Cleric is definitely in-line with any ideas of the Red Prince to be more humble and deserving of a throne. It comes perfectly with the Hothead Talent that boosts accuracy and critical chance at maximum health. And who else would be a prouder Hothead than the Red Prince?
Interestingly, Hothead synergizes with the Cleric's blend of Hydrosophist and Necromancer Skills. With Hydrosophist's Restoration, the Red Prince can easily become a healer within the team. However, Necromancer's Decaying Touch and Blood Sucker give him ample lifesteal to maintain the melee position. And interestingly enough, enough lifesteal would get the Red Prince back to full health, triggering Hothead's benefits.
In higher-levels, the Red Prince can deal devastating damage with a melee lifesteal oriented build with the Cleric. With this, the Red Prince will prove that Clerics don't always need to stay behind to provide heals.
The Opposite Ranger
Focus On: Huntsman, Pyrokinetic, Lucky Charm
If the Red Prince asks to be a Fighter upon recruitment, why not transform him into the opposite with the Ranger Starting Class? This is an interesting take on the Red Prince's potential as a tank, as the Ranger Class will help him become an elite ranged warrior. With the Arrow Recovery Talent, he can also retain his special arrows once used.
Perhaps the Ranger's shining glory is within its combined skillset of Huntsman and Pyrokinetic. As with the Wayfarer, the Huntsman Skills give the Ranger multiple ways of approaching a fight. Ricochet lets them hit multiple opponents, while Elemental Arrowheads add the impact of a surface into arrows. With the Pyrokinetic training, Rangers start with Peace Of Mind, a powerful buff that can increase their damage on the onset of battle and even clear some debuffs.
Interestingly enough, leveling up Huntsman alongside Pyrokinetic can transform a Ranger into a force to reckon with. Huntsman alone will help the Red Prince hit most long-ranged targets in a variety of ways. However, more powerful Pyrokinetic Skills can outright devastate the battlefield - with Skills that force enemies to combust (Spontaneous Combustion), unleash a laser (Laser Ray) or even explode in a fiery blast (Supernova).
The Conjurer Employer
Focus On: Summoning, Loremaster, Leadership
As the Red Prince so often clarifies, it's not his job to do what peasants should be doing for him. And despite his exile, who says he can't order people to fight for him? With the Conjurer Starting Class, the Red Prince can sit back and enjoy as his minions fight his own battles. With the Pet Pal Talent, the Red Prince can even talk to animals while the battle is currently happening.
In terms of Skills, the Conjurer specializes in Loremaster and Leadership, giving them the ability to identify various rare items and boost the performance of their teammates and minions. And as a Conjurer, they rely heavily on minions from Summoning.
Conjurers begin with a straightforward set of spells. They have a long-ranged attack with Summoning's Dimensional Bolt if necessary. However, their main crux is by summoning and empowering Incarnates and Elemental Totems, both of which have special abilities designed to take opponents down.
The Holy Inquisitor
Focus On: Warfare, Necromancer, Telekinesis
Funnily enough, those who know the Red Prince enough know the Inquisitor Starting Class might be the last thing he wants. He's no lover of the Magisters, and he's no hunter of Sourcerers, either. Moreover, the Red Prince may hate the irony within the Inquisitor Class, too: they use death in their "holy" crusade.
As an Inquisitor, the Red Prince gains access to the Executioner Talent that gives him 2AP when landing a killing blow. Likewise, he begins with Skills from both Necromancer and Warfare. Thanks to Necromancer's Blood Sucker and Mosquito Swarm, the Inquisitor has a handy self-healing tool. Likewise, Warfare's Battering Ram will help them keep up in melee.
Interestingly enough, this reliance on Necromancer works for the Inquisitor's "holy" mission along the endgame. Higher-level Warfare Skills secure their advantage in combat, while advanced Necromancer Skill maxes out their lifesteal potential.
The Trained Battlemage
Focus On: Aerotheurge, Warfare, Persuasion
Fans would easily love the Red Prince for his air of mystery - he's been exiled, yet he possesses a unique skillset. While he can easily become a melee warrior, a Battlemage Starting Class can reflect the Red Prince's "special" training back in the Empire. As a Battlemage, the Red Prince has the Comeback Kid Talent that enables him to come back to life from a killing blow instead of dying outright.
Unfortunately for enemies, a Battlemage's second life is signing a death wish. Their focus on Warfare and Aerotheurge give them the means to unleash combat from whichever vantage point in the field. They begin with Warfare's Battering Ram, enabling them to fight faraway enemies should they wish. And if they get bored, Aerotheurge's Shocking Touch and Blinding Radiance can inconvenience enemies enough for allies to finish them.
When leveled up, both Warfare and Aerotheurge spell trouble for a Battlemage's enemies. For instance, maxed out Warfare can help the Battlemage fight multiple foes at once without a care in the world. And Aerotheurge gives the Battlemage a plethora of mobility, buffing, and even damaging spells.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 was released for the PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
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