Blackguards 2 , a turn-based tactical role-playing game, takes place three years after the original. Cassia of Tenos was the consort of Marwan, the First Kyrios of Mengbilla, until one day she was snatched from her bed and thrown to rot in the catacombs beneath the capital's arena. Frightened and clueless as to why she is deprived of her freedom, she soon finds out that the underground is a dangerous place, inhabited by venomous spiders and who knows what other manner of creatures. Her only companion is "The Good Ruler", a book on governing, which after countless reads has triggered a spark inside Cassia--she decided that she wants to rule, to see everyone bow before her, even if it's just for one day.
The game is based on the pen-and-paper role-playing game The Dark Eye , and borrows a lot of mechanics and the setting from it. The player joins Cassia as she escapes from her prison and tries to conquer the Emirate of Mengbilla. The gameplay is almost identical to the original Blackguards in terms of graphics. However, there are significant changes to the skill tree and level progression since the base values can't be upgraded, instead the focus turns to a wide array of special abilities, and a four-tier system for weapon talents, talents and spells. While weapon talents can be increased point by point from 0 to 100, the effects improve only when a certain threshold is reached (the next tier). On the other hand, simple talents and spells can be upgraded only four times, from tier 1 to tier 4. Travelling on the world map is now less about exploration and solving quests, and more about conquering different towns and points of interest.
The battles that take place on hex maps remain the core of the game. They are usually triggered via the world map, however there are some tied directly to the story as well. In all hex battles the player can employ different tactics using the heroes' individual abilities, spells and the surroundings, including traps, difficult terrain and wildlife. When defending a territory there is an initial phase where different traps, obstacles and barrels of oil can be placed around in strategic places in order to slow down the enemy's advance. The player has the option of using a couple of mercenaries to fight alongside Cassia and her three companions in most battles. Between fights the party can travel to any of the towns under their control or set up camp in the wild. The towns are a good source of information and rare items. Basic equipment can be found in the camp as well, along with Garalor and Galderan, whose knowledge only allows the player to learn specific maneuvers or abilities. During these digressions, Cassia can talk to other characters to learn something about their past or improve the bond between them. To the back of the camp there's an area with cages where prisoners are held and can be interrogated using multiple dialogue options.
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