“Deal physical damage to target character. Sets Decay, so the target will take physical damage from healing spells and potions.
„—Skill description
Decaying Touch is a starter necromancer skill in Divinity: Original Sin II.
Characteristics[]
Skill[]
Decaying Touch is a offensive necromancer skill that allows caster to deal physical damage to their enemy by touching them (range of the skill is roughly 1.9 meters). Characters without 
Physical Armour are afflicted with 
Decaying status effect that turns all healing, with the exception from Necromancy magic based healing, to physical damage for 2 turns.
Since Decaying Touch relies on Necromancy magic it cannot be cast if character is affected by 
Silenced status effect. Decaying Touch skill is not reflected back when the target is under Deflective Barrier skill (Definitive Edition only).
Scroll and Skillbook[]
Decaying Touch skillbook is a magical item that allows its reader to learn Decaying Touch skill, if they have at least 1 point into Necromancer ability, and use it indefinitely. In order to be able to cast the skill, character needs 1 free memory slot. Note that the book will disappear once read. The book weights 0.5 and its base value is 120 gold. A skillbook can be crafted if a Decaying Touch scroll is combined with a Blank Necromancy Skillbook. Since Decaying Touch is a starter Necromancer skill, it is available right from the start of the game. Traders selling Necromancer skillbooks will have this book for sale since the start of the game as well.
Decaying Touch scroll is a magical item that allows any character to cast Decaying Touch skill, regardless of skill prerequisites, but only once. The only limiting element in casting Decaying Touch this way is the amount of 
Action Points (AP) character has at their disposal in current turn. The scroll is craftable, weights 0.02 and has base value of 60 gold.
The cost of Action Points between Decaying Touch scroll and Decaying Touch skill themselves varies. The AP cost to cast the Decaying Touch as a skill is 2 AP and the cost to cast Decaying Touch as a scroll is 1 AP. Both the scroll and the skill itself are affected by other skills, attributes and talents that may provide additional bonuses.
Skill Modifiers[]
Damage of this skill is calculated with the following formula: (Base Damage) x (1 + Elemental Bonus%) x (1 + Attribute Bonus% + Weapon Skill Bonus %) x (1 + High Ground Bonus% + Crit Bonus%) x ( 1 + Misc Bonus %)
The damage of this skill is affected by the following attributes of the caster:
- Level
- Warfare ability
- Intelligence attribute
- Critical Damage Modifier
- Bonus: Necromancer Ability - affects restored Vitality caused by damage to target Vitality
Out of these the most effect on the damage have Level and then Warfare ability as the latter increases damage by 5 % per point. Level provides greatest boost to the damage done. Intelligence provides the lowest bonus out of the three (3 points in Intelligence are equal to 1 point of Warfare).
When it comes to enemies they may resist water damage if they have: Physical Immunity Status. There are no actual resistances that may lower physical damage done.
Since Decaying Touch is a skill requiring Necromancer ability to cast on its own, it will cause caster to heal from damage done directly to the Vitality of target enemy. The health received is affected by damage done to the Vitality and by points invested in Necromancer ability itself.
Decaying Touch properties can be affected by talents, consumable items (some of which may be affected by Five-Star Diner talent) and other skills.
| Consumable Items | Description | Skills | Description | Talents | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Green Tea |
Lowers AP cost by 2 points (Never below 1 AP). |  Encourage |
Increases Intelligence |  Elemental Affinity |
Decreases AP cost of Decaying Touch by 1 point if caster stands in any type of blood surface |
 Calocera |
Increases Intelligence by 1 point |  Flesh Sacrifice |
Increases damage done by 10 % (counts as Miscellaneous Bonus) |  Savage Sortilege |
Allows Decaying Touch to do critical damage by using casters critical chance |
 Intelligence Potion |
Increases Intelligence by 1/3/11 points |  Peace of Mind |
Increases Intelligence | — | — |
 Attar of the Blood Rose |
Increases all attributes by 1 point |  Death Wish |
Will grant bonus to damage equal to the percentage of missing health. | — | — |
 Enlightenment Herbmix |
Increases Intelligence by 8 points |  Skin Graft |
Resets skill cooldown | — | — |
 Draught of Intelligence Gift Bag: The Song of Nature |
Increases Intelligence by 7 points | — | — | — | — |
 Potion of Power Gift Bag: The Song of Nature |
Increases damage by 10 % | — | — | — | — |
Locations[]
Traders[]
Following table shows all NPCs who are guaranteed to sell necromancer spellbooks, with their location and coordinates in the right column, from them. The location shown in the table (and the coordinates) are only for the initial location the NPC is in. Note that some of these may have other spell/skillbooks and goods to sell. Out of these only Tarquin is guaranteed to follow the Godwoken as they travel with Lady Vengeance. Jahan may join the Godwoken on the ship as well if his demands are met.
| Trader | Location (x, y) | Trader | Location (x, y) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Mona |
Fort Joy (233, 134) |
 Kerban |
Sanctuary of Amadia (413, 23) |
 Tarquin |
Dallis' Stateroom (340, 493) |
 Bree |
Driftwood Square (340, 108) |
 Jahan |
Cloisterwood (291, 286) |
 Jawbone the Merchant |
Temple of Tir-Cendelius (262, 916) |
 Black Ring Alchemist |
Black Ring encampment (228, 771) |
 Victor Voss |
Arx (252, 314) |
Crafting[]
- Decaying Touch Scroll
- Decaying Touch skillbook
Video[]
