Choosing the right background in The Outer Worlds 2 can shape your entire adventure-unlocking unique skills, dialogue, and story paths that make every playthrough unforgettable. Dive into our guide to discover which origin best fits your playstyle and sets you on a course for cosmic success.
Would you like the lead to be more dramatic or casual?
The best backgrounds in The Outer Worlds 2
Choosing the best backgrounds in The Outer Worlds 2 can significantly enhance your gameplay experience by complementing your preferred playstyle and narrative choices. Whether you favor combat, diplomacy, or exploration, selecting a background that boosts relevant skills and abilities will help you overcome challenges more efficiently. Tailoring your character’s history not only shapes dialogue options but also impacts how factions and companions react, making your journey through the Halcyon system more immersive and personalized.
Let’s start by saying there’s no such thing as a “good” or a “bad” background in The Outer Worlds 2. Character backgrounds are predominantly a role-playing feature to give your character special dialogue options; they won’t impact the gameplay in any major way (unlike skills and perks, for example). There are a few background-related checks, but these are very rare and won’t be essential to reach important loot or quest outcomes.
That said, some character backgrounds might be a better fit for the type of character you wish to play than others. Here’s an overview of every background in The Outer Worlds 2 and the type of dialogue to expect from them:
- Ex-convict: Don’t care about the law? The ex-convict is always willing to go rogue, steal things, and threaten a few people. If your character lacks a moral compass, the ex-convict is the best background to match your villainy.
- Gambler: If you laugh in the face of danger, perhaps the Gambler is the best background for you. The Gambler is prone to risk-taking and may sound a bit opportunistic at times.
- Lawbringer: Want to be an extraterrestrial police officer? The Lawbringer is all about justice and rules. It’s the best choice for “good” characters and Earth Directorate fans who just love telling others how to behave.
- Professor: If you’d like to sound smart and scholarly, bordering on being a know-it-all, this background is for you. You may uncover some extra lore here and there, and you’ll fit right in with the academic faction.
- Renegade: A bit similar to the ex-convict, but more aggressive. Act like the toughest agent in space, brag about kills, casually mention your desire to blow stuff up. You get the idea.
- Roustabout: Arguably the funniest character background in The Outer Worlds 2. The Roustabout doesn’t know what they’re doing or why, so you won’t uncover any obscure lore or intimidate an NPC anytime soon, but do consider this background for the most ridiculous dialogue lines.
Keep in mind that you’re never forced to pick a dialogue option linked to your chosen background. If you’ve chosen Renegade, for example, but decide to change your ways mid-game, you can avoid every Renegade dialogue line from that moment onward.
Which background gives the most dialogue options later in the game
The background in The Outer Worlds 2 that gives the most dialogue options later in the game is the Professor background. It is considered the most versatile and frequently offers unique dialogue options throughout the game, especially early on, allowing the player to have a stronger influence in conversations and outcomes. The Professor background also provides opportunities to interact with items and characters in ways that unlock additional dialogue and solutions.
Other backgrounds, such as Lawbringer, also provide unique dialogue options but tend to cater to specific role-play styles and have fewer dialogue opportunities overall. Backgrounds largely affect role-playing elements and dialogue flavor rather than combat or gameplay mechanics.
Therefore, if your goal is to maximize dialogue options and variety throughout your playthrough, the Professor background is the best choice.
Which backgrounds unlock unique environmental interactions
In The Outer Worlds 2, specific character backgrounds unlock unique environmental interactions:
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The Ex-Convict background allows bypassing certain unique locks and gaining access to locked areas that others cannot.
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The Gambler background grants the ability to bypass certain special interactions that require luck or gambling-related skills.
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The Professor background provides additional scientific and technological interaction options with the environment.
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The Lucky trait (not a background but a selectable trait) lets some environmental interactions succeed without needing the usual skill requirements.
Overall, backgrounds like Ex-Convict, Gambler, and Professor unlock unique ways to interact with the game environment by granting access or options not available to other backgrounds, enhancing exploration and problem-solving through specific dialogue or skill checks tied to these backgrounds.
Therefore, if unlocking unique environmental interactions is important to you, choosing Ex-Convict, Gambler, or Professor as backgrounds will provide the most such opportunities.
