The Abilities.

Characters in Hexen II have 2 special abilities each, and those give you some kind of benefit to help you on the journey through the lands of Thyrion. Each ability is unlocked when your character reaches a certain level. First ability is unlocked at level 2, and the second - at level 6. These abilities, how soon you get them and how often their effects are triggered, - greatly depends on the difficulty level: the higher the difficulty = level up faster = unlock abilities faster, you get to see those special skills in action way sooner.

A lot of abilities are triggered by monster kills (or successful hits), and that is the most critical factor. Higher difficulty = more monsters, more monsters = more kills, more kills = more ability effects.

As you play on the highest difficulty - the abilities (or a lack thereof)
will be an important factor for your survival and will add an additional
"random chance effect" to your game for good or bad, kinda like dice in a board game. Since you can't predict when they do happen, but you will need them and depend on them - so this part will indeed thrill you with its
surprises and anticipation.

So, let's go over the characters' skills and see what they can do, and how  useful it is to the gameplay. Surprisingly, but the official Hexen II manual can be rather vague in its explanation of what certain skills and items do. I guess they kinda went overboard with obfuscating facts with fantasy...well, let's  make it all clear: here we go.
 


 

     

PALADIN's Abilities:

- Free Action.
Nor the name of this skill, neither the description in the game manual will help you understand what the Hell is that. I actually had to look it up on the internet when that became available. Well, the bottom line is that when this ability is unlocked the Paladin becomes impervious to drowning.
Now, there are 2 problems with this skill: one, Hexen II has extremely few areas which require underwater prowess (just 1, to be exact), and even when water segments do appear - they are very short. Moreover, even when you think you are about to show off your water skills - it really won't matter: because near such areas you will always find the Ring of Water Breathing, having which, makes absolutely no difference if you are susceptible to drowning or not. True, the ring is not of unlimited use, but 10 to 1 chances you will be way out of water long before its power runs out.

Verdict: USELESS


- Divine Intervention
Now this ability may only be triggered when you die. If it happens -
then instead of dying you get a free activation of Tome of Power, Invulnerability (Icon of the Defender), and it also heals you.

The chances of this effect happening, however, are rather low, mathematically i would rate it approximately about 20%, and in the time of need it is more likely to NOT save you, rather than the opposite. Besides, as i would say today, - if you die, that means you did something strategically wrong.


Verdict: USELESS

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CRUSADER's Abilities:


- Holy Strength
A frag-related skill. Once this becomes unlocked, Crusader's kills start to have additional meaning: sometimes an energy orb will appear over a slain enemy. Grabbing this orb will give the Crusader a strength boost, allowing for your next kill (or two, or even three) to be much
easier. The strength boost only lasts a short time, and it is not overwhelmingly powerful, but it is very useful and will help you by all means.

Verdict : APPROVED


- Revivification
Another frag-related skill. When available, this ability allows the Crusader to restore his health completely as his weapons claim victories. This is extremely helpful, even though the occasions on which such a boon would happen are rather rare. But playing on the hardest difficulty setting - your resources will be limited and even an occasional random full health will be very well appreciated.

Verdict : APPROVED

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ASSASSIN's Abilities

- Invisibility
Assassin can make herself undetectable by enemies when standing still. Alas, it is not helpful at all, and at best - you will find an extremely rare situation when this will let you sneak in a first cheap shot, otherwise it is completely unusable, since movement breaks the stealth effect, hence stealth attacks are pretty much impossible. Besides, certain enemies will ignore the effect and see you anyway. Hexen II simply isn't a stealth game, and good that this is so.

Verdict : USELESS


- Backstab
Deal double damage when attacking from behind with the Katar. Again, it sounds sweet, but in reality it is a rather useless skill. Granted, there will be a couple of times when this ability will have something to offer, such as in a fight VS the First Horseman, in the Blackmarsh Hub; but doing so puts the fragile Assassin at great risk, - since she will get killed just in a few counter hits. Close quarters battle really isn't the place where she can thrive.

Verdict : BEST AVOIDED

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NECROMANCER's Abilities


- Soul Stealing
Almost like the Crusader's Holy Strength, only better! Frag-related skill. When acquired, a fallen enemy may sometimes release an orb of energy, collecting which will reward you with
health and mana - of both colors! The sphere won't stay there forever, so make sure to grab it as soon as it appears. Same holds true for the Crusader. This is the best ability in the game, and since the Necromancer is extremely dependent on mana resources, it will be invaluable
as you play. Occasionally, it will auto heal you completely, - but without the mana boost.

Verdict : APPROVED


- Vampiric Drain
Another useful ability. Once you have attained it, the Necromancer will be occasionally able to get minor healing effects (4 hp per hit) as he lands hits with his Sickle. Remotely similar to what the Cleric could do with Serpent Staff in Hexen-1. Beware though, the Sickle is a very weak weapon, and should only be used in a specific way and situations. Rushing into face-to-face encounter with monsters, hoping to score healing hits - will guarantee your death, almost instantly and every time. But if you know exactly when and how to use it, - then it will become a reliable backup-maintenance tool in the Necromancer's arsenal.

Verdict : APPROVED

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DEMONESS' Abilities

- Demon Glide
The ability to land slowly and safely as you fall or jump from a great height. Exactly like Kain did in Blood Omen II. Again, there are no such scenarios in the game of Hexen II where such an ability would prove beneficial. Demoness is an engaging character, and in numerous playthroughs not once have i found that this skill has any application. This is Hexen II, not Blood Omen II. Maybe the devs have mistaken?!


- Masochistic Mana
A strange skill. Getting hit and thus losing health at a deadly rate - may provide you with a few mana points. Not that many mana points, mind you. May theoretically have something to it, but the amount of mana that you earn from it, - is a measly nothing, compared to how much health you will lose in return. Do not forget, we are playing at the hardest difficulty level. And the Demoness is just as physically weak as the Assassin (if not weaker) : 2-3 hits, and it's over.

Demoness has the best free weapon, so mana problems should be the least of your concerns.  If you come to such a dire straits, then it means you are doing something wrong.

Verdict : BEST AVOIDED

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