Divinity: Original Sin 2 launched its Kickstarter yesterday with a goal of $500k. It has already been funded. They don't have stretch goals on the page yet, but we should expect them soon. Also included on the Kickstarter page is a good amount of gameplay information.
First, it is worth reiterating that Divinity: Original Sin 2 was funded before the Kickstarter began. The Kickstarter was created to allow them to stretch the budget further, creating a game with more depth. Check this out for more information on why Larian Studios returned to Kickstarter.
The Kickstarter page says Divinity: Original Sin 2 is going to focus on "how your origins affect who you are and what chances you get in life." You'll create your character (choosing from imperial dwarf, wood elf, and human) and choose your origin story. That will be the central focus of the writing around Divinity: Original Sin 2.
You'll be able to recruit three companions, which will have an equally robust and detailed story attached to them as well. This is important in both singleplayer and multiplayer. In multiplayer, up to four people can play together, each of which will be pursuing different plotlines that will conflict with the party. This competitive questing will create dilemmas on what choice the party should take for different quests. Of course, players can cooperate if they wish.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 will also feature a new dialogue system. There will be many more options to persuade your companions and the NPCs you interact with. What is most interesting is that the Kickstarter page says that all dialogue in the game is different depending on who is talking. In other words, this should play into that competitive questing mentioned above. Certain characters will have other motivations to talk about other things or make a different deal.
A new crafting system will be implemented too, but as of yet there are no details. However, there are some details on Skill Crafting. Skill crafting will let you combine skills and spells into more powerful ones. They provide a few examples:
With skill crafting, you can mix a “silence" spell with a “summon spider” spell to make a “summon stealth spider” spell. A “rain" spell combined with a “grease" spell yields a “grease rain” spell. (By the way, wet grease explodes if it comes in contact with fire. Just another elemental bang to ruin your enemy's day.) And you can mix bleeding spells like "lacerate" with a "rain" spell to summon a tempest of blood.If you're wondering why you'd want to do that, trying taking the "leech" talent (which heals you while standing in pools of blood), and you'll be singing "It's Raining Blood" in no time.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 will of course build on the combat system as well. There will be new forms of elemental interactions, push and pull mechanics (allowing you to push someone onto a surface you created), a cover system for rangers and mages, and other mechanics like Source Skills.
Source Skills are powerful skills that take Source Points to use, which can be recharged in several ways. The Kickstarter gives an example of the Dark Sorcerer, which recharges its Source Points by absorbing dead bodies or "sucking the astral energy of the spirits around them.
And of course there will be more skill schools, talents, abilities, and spells adding up to hundreds of skills and spells to pick from.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is looking to be a more "grounded and serious narrative" too, but won't forget the lighthearted moments. They have a bigger narrative team devoted to making sure there are plenty of interesting choices to make. Their aim is to have a world that reacts to the player's character and where your character feels "unique, alive, and important to you."
It is set generations after Divinity: Original Sin, where Sorcerers are now criminals, and those suspected of having Source powers are hunted and purged of their powers. You play as one of four Sorcerers from around the realm that are victim to the Divine Order's hunt led by Bishop Alexandar the Innocent. Venturing the world and using all at your disposal, like negotiating the politics of a world tearing itself a part, you have to look for a way to defeat Alexander.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 still has 33 days left in its Kickstarter campaign and seems to be shooting for a release of December 2016, according to the estimated delivery to their patrons.