The cast of Divinity: Original Sin II consists of six extremely well-written playable characters who can be recruited by the player or even made the main character. They are all unique and have their own personal quests to undertake, histories to learn about and motivations that may cause conflicts with other characters. Where would an RPG be without its strong personalities?
Choosing who to take along for the ride can be a tricky choice to make. Luckily, players have quite a few hours to make this choice as they are tasked with breaking out of Fort Joy at the beginning of the game. Each character makes an impression upon their first meeting, and players will grasp quickly who their favorites are likely to be. That said, DOS2 is a long game and it's never a bad idea to be informed on what one can expect when making this crucial choice.
Beast
Beast is an interesting character, with many accolades to his name and a history fraught with danger. The problem with this is that by the start of the game, much of his story is already played out -- and off-screen at that. The rebellion that he incited is mentioned only in passing, and his personal quest is probably the least entertaining of the six available. That being said, having Beast along unlocks conversation options with Dwarves that wouldn't otherwise be seen.
Beast's default class is the Battlemage which suits him really well. As a Dwarf, he gets a nice +10% Vitality and his personal spell Blinding Squall scales with Aerotheurge, which the Battlemage specializes in. A Battlemage Beast would be very useful in controlling the battlefield and mopping up weakened enemies.
Ifan Ben-Mezd
Ifan is a very compelling character thanks to his dark past and grisly personal goal -- to kill Bishop Alexander. His backstory and motivations line up really nicely with the game's events, and it makes sense to bring him along as a result, though the actual payoffs are few and far between. Just like Beast, Ifan is quite infamous throughout the world of Divinity and having him around unlocks unique interactions, too, so that's a nice bonus for bringing him along.
Ifan starts as a Wayfarer, specializing in ranged combat and survival in the wilderness. This is really good in DOS2, and as a bonus, Ifan begins with the Pet Pal skill for free. This allows him to talk to animals, of which there are quite a few in the game. He also gets the ability to summon a Soul Wolf in combat, which can be used as an excellent distraction.
Sebille
As far as character motivations go, Sebille has a pretty uncomplicated one. She is an Elf who has freed herself from slavery and now seeks revenge on the man who enslaved her. Overall, Sebille is a cool and brusque character with a past that players can empathize with -- she has gone through a really traumatic experience and seeing her quest through to the end is a satisfying highlight of the game. It's also important to note that as an Elf, Sebille has the ability to eat body parts and learn about the deceased's life. If the player does not take Sebille along and has not created a custom Elf character, they will miss out on this aspect entirely.
As a Rogue, Sebille focuses on Scoundrel abilities and high physical damage. This skill set has many fantastic abilities, such as Adrenaline, which really improves Sebille's damage output. This is compounded by Flesh Sacrifice and Break the Shackles, Sebille's personal abilities that really make sure she can dish out damage when it's needed.
The Red Prince
The Red Prince is an interesting character to have around. As a member of the arrogant Lizard race and a royal one at that, it would have been very easy to make The Red Prince an unlikeable, over-the-top braggart. Instead, the Red Prince comes off as a friendly realist with a complicated personal history marked by slavery and war crimes that he seeks redemption for.
Defaulting to the Fighter class, Red Prince wields both Warfare and Geomancy skills, making him a tough warrior. This is improved by the Lizard racial skill Dragon's Blaze. This skill is useful for setting enemies on fire and spreading flames across a battlefield. Red Prince also gets the unique Demonic Stare which drains an enemy's Magic Armor to replenish his own, which only makes him even better at survival in the fray.
Lohse
While not reaching the popularity heights of other RPG companions, Lohse is quite the fan-favorite and for good reasons. Firstly, she has an absolutely charming personality and is brimming with kindness and whimsy, and secondly, she harbors a demon inside her trying to control her mind. This is a fantastic hook for her personal quest, one of the most engaging and well-written quests in the game. The journey that Lohse must go on to rid herself of the demon inside her has a satisfying arc that explores tough themes such as loneliness and abusive relationships.
In battle, Lohse defaults to the Enchanter class. This is a spellcaster class that utilizes Aerotheurge and Hydrosophist abilities which synergize really well together, locking down entire battlefields with just a few skills. No matter how the player builds Lohse, though, she will start with the Human's Encourage skill, which is a decent buff, and her unique Maddening Song. This skill can make enemies fight amongst themselves, which is great in frustrating, chaotic battles where the player is outnumbered.
Fane
As the only undead companion, Fane already stands out. Add to that his critical importance to DOS2's plot and Fane becomes one of the most compelling characters in the game. He plays an important role in the game's backstory and main questline, and the revelations come thick and fast with Fane. While he is somewhat a collection of insufferable genius tropes, he is still a joy to have around and not having him in the party will lead the player to miss out on some important plot points.
As an undead, Fane takes damage from healing abilities and items. This makes some party builds tricky to use, but a healthy stock of poison will keep Fane alive (undead?) long enough to make an impression. His default class is Wizard, wielding fire and earth in tandem to wreak havoc. With this build, he's great at burst damage and can even be a great support unit with his Time Warp ability. This skill lets the target act immediately after ending their turn, which is a great tool for strategists.