The Scoundrel tree is one of the most tempting to use in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Scoundrels focus on hiding in the shadows. They sneak across the battlefield undetected and assault their enemies with lethal backstabs. Some players may have always been interested in what a Scoundrel can do and some players may be new to the game.

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The Scoundrel tree is filled with deadly abilities that can bring enemies to their knees. The most important part of using this tree is to focus on getting backstabs and moving far across the battlefield.

10 Backlash

backlash launches the player behind the enemy and backstabs them in divinity 2

Backlash is one of the most essential skills for any Scoundrel build.  It can be chosen when creating a new character or when the player reaches Fort Joy. This skill teleports the player who uses it behind the enemy and backstabs them at the same time. One of the best parts about this perk is the low action point cost. This skill only costs one action point. The downside is that it has a 3 turn cooldown, so players will have to rely on other means to get behind other enemies. That's where the other skills come in.

9 Cloak And Dagger

Cloak and dagger allows players to jump to new locations in divinity 2

Cloak and Dagger is another skill that can be retrieved pretty early in the game. To get this skill, players will need to wait until they reach level four. After reaching level four, players will be able to buy this skill from Hilde in Fort Joy. The Cloak and Dagger skill allows the player to teleport a far distance. The most important part about this skill is that it doesn't break a player's stealth or invisibility. This skill is great to use when sneaking around enemies or trying to break into areas outside of battle.

8 Chloroform

Chloroform causes damage to enemy magic armor and can cause sleep in divinity 2

The Scoundrel tree has some great abilities that can be retrieved early in the game. Chloroform is another one of these great abilities that can be retrieved as soon as a player reaches Fort Joy. Chloroform is extremely useful for a Scoundrel player to have throughout the game. It deals direct damage to an enemy's magic armor. If the enemy doesn't have any magic armor left, Chloroform puts them to sleep. The sleeping status effect only lasts for one turn, but it is useful if a player is in a bind.

7 Throwing Knife

Throwing knives are great for distance attacks that can also backstab in divinity 2

One of the greatest things about running the Scoundrel tree is that every attack skill can backstab. The Throwing Knife skill is one of the many skills capable of backstabbing an enemy despite it being able to be used from a distance. Scoundrel players tend to not run out of movement easily, but in the case that they do, this skill has a good distance and costs two action points.

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This is yet another skill that can be bought early in the game. Traditionally, this skill costs three hundred gold from Hilde in Fort Joy, but players can always get it for less if they have points in their bartering.

6 Rupture Tendons

rupture tendons causes enemies to bleed and get damaged whenever they move in divinity 2

Rupture Tendons is a great skill for players to obtain as soon as they can. It is a great skill to use against boss enemies to take them down a peg. This skill is great for two reasons. One, it deals one hundred percent damage to the enemy and can backstab. Two, it causes the enemy to take damage whenever they decide to move. Setting up a situation where the enemy will have to move after using this skill will cause them to receive piercing damage with each step. Ruptured Tendons only lasts for two turns, but it is worth it.

5 Sawtooth Knife

sawtooth knife hits the enemies health directly in divinity 2

Even better than Rupture Tendons is the Sawtooth Knife skill. This skill can be grabbed after a player reaches level four from Hilde in Fort Joy. What makes this skill great is that it deals direct damage to the enemy's health bar without needing to go through physical armor. If the enemy happens to not have physical armor, this skill causes them to bleed for three turns. Like many of the other skills, this one can backstab.

4 Gag Order

gag order hurts enemy magic armor and causes silence in divinity 2

Like Chloroform, the Gag Order skill is useful against enemies with magic armor. This skill destroys the enemy's magic armor and also sets the silenced status effect for one turn. Silenced is great to use against enemies that use magic. It removed their capability to use any magical abilities and forces them to attack with physical attacks. This skill can be obtained randomly, but players can also purchase the skill from Papa Thrash in the Driftwood Tavern.

3 Sleeping Arms

Sleeping arms gives enemies atrophy in divinity 2

Sleeping Arms is a perfect skill to use against enemies that use a lot of physical attacks. This skill deals one hundred percent damage, can backstab, and also applies the atrophy status effect.

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The atrophy status effect makes the enemy rely on magical ability because it takes away their ability to use their weapon and any physical attack abilities. Atrophy is set for two turns. This skill is another that can be bought from Papa Thrash in Driftwood.

2 Fan Of Knives

fan of knives hits all enemies within range with throwing knives in divinity 2

Fan of Knives is one of the source abilities that Scoundrel players get access to and possibly the best of them. Like many other skills, Fan of Knives can backstab, but the best thing about it is that it can backstab multiple enemies at once. This skill flings a throwing knife at each target within the area of effect. Each of these knives deals one hundred and twenty-five percent damage to the enemy they hit. This skill is perfect when caught in a situation where there are a lot of enemies. It is also another skill that can be bought in act two from Papa Thrash in Driftwood.

1 Terrifying Cruelty

terrifying cruelty hurts enemies and terrifies them in divinity 2

Possibly the best skill to use on a single enemy from the Scoundrel tree is Terrifying Cruelty. This skill can inflict two different status effects on the enemy hit by it, Terrified and Bleeding. Bleeding will cause damage over time for two turns and Terrified will cause the enemy to run away in fear. On top of that, this skill deals one hundred and ten percent damage to the enemy and can backstab. The only downside to this skill is that it costs three action points to use and has a four turn cooldown.

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