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As one begins their journey in King's Bounty 2, the first major decision the player must make is who they will play as in this world of monsters and magic. There are 3 to choose from, Aivar, Katharine, and Elisa, all of whom specialize in different kinds of gameplay.
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Gamers should choose their character based on which of the 4 kinds of Ideals (Power, Order, Finesse, and Anarchy) they wish to specialize in, though, don't worry about needing a lot of background information, as each Ideal's name makes it quite obvious what kinds of tactics and troops it will entail using.
There are also other factors, such as traits, as well as what kinds of spells the player can use. Some are better for offensive magic while others are better suited for healing spells, so keep one's tactical preferences in mind. However, troop choice, and therefore Ideal focus, rules the mechanics of this game, so deciding on a character based on their Ideal potential is highly recommended.
Aivar, The Warrior
About Aivar
Aivar was once a knight from a diminished noble house but was exiled after a coup for refusing to participate at the last moment. After that, he made a living as a mercenary for a few years. Recently, he received a letter from Prince Adrian offering him a pardon as well as a position as a Royal Guard, which has him traveling to meet with the Universal Assembly.
Aivar's Traits
| Trait | Description |
| Mercenary | Master of warfare with average Leadership, but is incapable of using magic. Units under his command have the best combat characteristics. |
| Battle Preparations 1 | The hero gains +3 Warfare. |
| Practice 1 | Increases unit XP for winning battles by 10%. |
| Power Balance 1 | The Morale penalty for Power Ideal units is reduced by 1 when combined with units of other Ideals. |
| Retribution 1 | Allied units damage increased by 5% for each wounded member. |
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Analysis Of Aivar
A very straightforward character to play as, Aivar focuses solely on controlling, supporting, and improving his troops. This is fitting for his background as a knight as well as a mercenary captain. His battlefield knowledge leads him down the path for the Power Ideal the most, however, he also has decent potential for Anarchy and Order-related troops and tactics.
While Aivar excels at commanding his units, he cannot perform one of the core functions of a commander in King's Bounty 2: being able to cast spells. Spells are powerful ways to buff and heal allies as well as debuff and heavily damage enemy units, so forgoing them entirely may not be something the more magically inclined players should do.
Katharine, The Mage
About Katharine
From a long and prestigious line of counts, Katharine's family rules the northern mountains of Nostria. However, she has spent little time in Nostria over the last couple of decades as she has been preoccupied with exploring foreign and ancient ruins for arcane knowledge. Though, one day, she stopped receiving funds for her expeditions and learned that her nephew Maurice has taken control of her lands in Nostria, forcing her to seek out the Universal Assembly for aid.
Katharine's Traits
| Trait | Description |
| Sorceress | Mistress of the arcane, a powerful sorceress indifferent to warfare. She uses the most powerful spells in battle. |
| Magic of Air and Fire 1 | Allows learning of Air and Fire spells from scrolls. |
| Magic of Earth and Ice 1 | Allows the learning of Stone and Ice spells from scrolls. |
| Finesse Balance 1 | The Morale penalty for Finesse Ideal units is reduced by 1 when combined with units of other Ideals. |
| Insidious Maneuver 1 | When dealing damage to a target, allied units have a 25% chance to remove an enemy buff and apply it to themselves. |
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Analysis Of Katharine
Almost the inverse of Aivar, Katharine favors spells more than warfare, though she is still a capable commander, especially for Finesse Ideal troops, however, she also has some potential for making use of Anarchy and Order units. With that said, the main reason to select Katharine is if the player wants to unleash untold numbers of powerful spells over the course of King's Bounty 2.
She immediately has access to 4 kinds of elemental spells, so instead of having to spend trait points on unlocking magic, she can instead pump them toward increasing her proficiency in whatever areas she wants. Keep in mind that her somewhat lackluster unit commanding will likely result in troops more likely getting taken down, so be sure to try out some defensive spells to prevent them from falling too easily.
Elisa, The Paladin
About Elisa
Originally a peasant girl from rural Lorian, Elisa recently discovered that she possessed latent magical abilities, which helped her end the decade-long struggle between the farmers of her homeland and the possessive mercenaries. Under her guidance, all of southern Lorian was able to push their longtime civil war enemies off of their land. However, Elisa does not intend to stop there, but instead now seeks an audience with the Universal Assembly so that she can ask to become a legate and receive resources to help her bring order to Nostria.
Elisa's Traits
| Trait | Description |
| Protector | A natural leader with middling magical abilities and inexperienced in warfare, however, is able to acquire the greatest number of units in the shortest amount of time. |
| Magic of Life and Light 1 | Allows the learning of Life and Light spells from scrolls. |
| Order Balance 1 | The Morale penalty for Order Ideal units is reduced by 1 when combined with units of other Ideals. |
| Protection 1 | All allied units gain +5 Armor in the first round of combat. |
| Phantasmal Armor 1 | All allied units gain +5 Resistance in the first round of combat. |
Analysis of Elisa
Elisa is the middle ground between the two previous characters in that she is competent with both warfare and spells, though does not excel in either at the beginning of the game. While less effective in some regards, this gives players the most options when leveling up and deciding how to specialize. Those thinking about selecting Elisa should know that she heavily favors Order Ideal units, though can also accommodate a small number of Power or Finesse troops.
In regards to spell usage, she clearly favors defensive ones, such as those that heal and buff allied units. With the right build, players can use Elisa's skills and spells to dominate enemies with troops of immense resilience.
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