Getting Started with Divinity: Original Sin 2 Modding

Divinity: Original Sin 2 modding has two paths: Steam Workshop (built-in, simple) and Divinity Mod Manager + Script Extender (for Nexus-hosted mods and scripted content). Most players start with Workshop and only graduate to the community tools when they hit a mod that isn't on Workshop.

This guide covers both paths on the Definitive Edition (which is what Steam ships by default and what every modern mod targets).

Step 1 — Make sure you're on Definitive Edition

Steam ships DOS2 Definitive Edition by default. If you have an older Classic Edition install (rare in 2026), upgrade — Classic-targeted mods are abandoned and won't transfer.

Check by launching DOS2: the title screen says "Definitive Edition".

Path A — Workshop mods

The simple path. From DOS2's main menu → Mods → Workshop opens a browser inside the game.

Subscribe to any mod. The game downloads it on next launch. Activate via the same Mods menu's Manage Mods tab.

That's it. Solo play with Workshop mods needs nothing else.

Multiplayer note: every player must subscribe to the same mods at the same versions. Coordinate via Discord or shared subscription list.

Path B — Nexus mods + Divinity Mod Manager

When you want a mod that's Nexus-only:

Step 1 — Install Divinity Mod Manager

Divinity Mod Manager (DMM) is the community-built mod manager — written by the same author who later built BG3 Mod Manager. Same UI patterns, same file format awareness.

Configure DMM to point at your DOS2 install and to %LocalAppData%/Larian Studios/Divinity Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition/Mods/.

Step 2 — Install mods

Drop downloaded .pak files onto DMM. They appear in the left pane as inactive. Drag to the right pane to activate.

Save and export load order. DMM writes the active mod list to the game's profile.

Step 3 — Launch the game

Through Steam normally. DOS2 reads the active mod list DMM wrote.

Step 2 — Install Script Extender (only if a mod needs it)

DOS2 Script Extender (DOS2SE) is required for any mod that uses extended Lua scripting beyond what the Divinity Engine 2 toolkit alone exposes.

Most casual mods don't need it. Total-conversion mods (Epic Encounters, larger overhauls) often do. Install per the README — typically a DLL drop into the binaries folder.

Common gotchas

• Saves break when a mod is removed. DOS2 saves embed active mod state. Removing a content mod can corrupt or downgrade a save. Back up before disabling.
• Multiplayer disconnects on join. Mod set mismatch between host and joiner. Match exactly.
• Mod loaded but doesn't appear in-game. Most often load-order: a higher-priority mod is overriding the one you expected to see. Reorder in DMM.
• Mods that depend on each other (like Epic Encounters + its addons). Read the dependency list; install all required components.
• Definitive Edition vs Classic. Old Classic-Edition mods don't work. Confirm a mod's "Definitive Edition" tag before downloading.

DOS2's modding scene is mature and stable. Most popular Workshop mods have been working for years with minimal maintenance. If you're a Baldur's Gate 3 modder, the DOS2 toolchain is the lineage of your tools — many of the patterns (.pak files, Larian's archive format, Norbyte's Script Extender architecture) carried directly to BG3.

For BG3, see the BG3 guide.