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There is no single required escape route in Divinity: Original Sin 2: you can lower the drawbridge, descend a broken ladder, reach the docks with teleportation, leave by Han’s boat, or slip through a sewer grate. Choose the exit closest to where you are and suited to your party’s skills. These routes get you out of the prison fort into the surrounding area; they do not, by themselves, mean you have left Fort Joy island.
Which Fort Joy escape route should you take?
Use this comparison to match an exit to your current position. The guides do not establish a universally easiest route: access, quest progress, party abilities, and willingness to fight all matter.
| Exit | Where to start | What you need or should expect |
|---|---|---|
| Broken ladder | Second floor, east of the Hall of Penitence | Move the blocking barrels to reach the catwalk, then descend. No named quest or special item is stated as necessary. |
| Sewer grate | Main floor, near Kniles’ torture area | Find the unlocked gate around the side of the room. Sneaking can avoid fighting Kniles and the Silent Monks who join that fight. |
| Han’s boat | The docks | Deal with the Magisters harassing Han; he can then take the party away by boat. |
| Drawbridge | Fort’s northern battlements | Reach the lever at the back of the fort and lower the bridge. Magisters may be on the north wall, but the guides describe a way to sneak through a back door and lower it unnoticed. |
| Docks by teleportation | Cliffs on Gawin’s route | Use the Teleportation Gloves to cross. At the docks, fight the Magisters or use stealth and teleportation to get party members down to the beach. |
How to use each exit
Descend the broken ladder
Go to the fort’s second floor, east of the Hall of Penitence. Move the barrels blocking access to a wooden catwalk, then climb down the broken ladder. This is a direct option if you are already exploring the upper floor.
Slip through the sewer grate
From the main floor, work toward Kniles’ torture area and look for the gate around the side of the room. The gate leads to a sewer drainage pipe. Fighting Kniles draws the Silent Monks into the battle; the guides also describe sneaking around the room to reach the gate instead.
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- Go anywhere, talk to anyone, and interact with everything! Kill any NPC without sacrificing your progress, and speak to every animal. Even ghosts might be hiding a secret or two!
- Blast your opponents with elemental combinations. Use height to your advantage. Master over 200 skills in 12 skill schools.
- Play with your friends online (up to 4 players) or in local split-screen with drop-in/drop-out multiplayer. PvP hot-seat mode: Battle your friends in round-robin, hero to hero!
- Story mode: A new difficulty setting for players who wish to enjoy the lauded narrative, but still want to enjoy the combat.
- An entirely re-written journal to catalogue your journey and reflect on your quests. Character romance, disagreements, and unique quest-lines pushing the boundaries between fellowship and feud!
Lower the drawbridge
Make your way to the back of the fort’s northern battlements and use the nearby lever. The approach can put you near Magisters on the north wall. A stealth approach through a back door is also described, letting you lower the bridge without being noticed.
Reach the docks with Gawin’s teleportation route
Gawin offers to help one person escape if you obtain Teleportation Gloves from crocodiles on the beach. He leaves after you teleport across, but the party can pass the gloves between members to bring everyone over. At the docks, you can fight the Magisters or sneak behind the dock area and teleport party members down to the beach.
Rank #2
- Choose your race and origin. Choose from 6 unique origin characters with their own backgrounds and quests, or create your own as a Human, Lizard, Elf, Dwarf, or Undead. All choices have consequences.
- Unlimited freedom to explore and experiment. Go anywhere, talk to anyone, and interact with everything! Kill any NPC without sacrificing your progress and speak to every animal. Even ghosts might be hiding a secret or two.
- The next generation of turn-based combat. Blast your opponents with elemental combinations. Use height to your advantage. Master over 200 skills in 12 skill schools.
- Up to 4 player online and dynamic split-screen multiplayer. Play with your friends online or in local split-screen with drop-in, drop-out multiplayer.
- PVP Hot-seat mode: battle your friends in round-robin, hero to hero.
Leave with Han
Find Han near the docks and deal with the Magisters harassing him; he can then take the party away by boat. One route outline also describes using a password learned from Delorus as part of reaching or helping Han. The exact approach depends on your progress and circumstances.
What the Fort Joy quests unlock
Several quests provide access to parts of the fort or help you reach an exit, but completing one is not the same as completing an escape. In particular, the Migo and Yarrow, Withermore, Amyro, and Arena quests can affect access or where the game sends you.
Rank #3
- Choose your race and origin. Choose from 6 unique origin characters with their own backgrounds and quests, or create your own as a Human, Lizard, Elf, Dwarf, or Undead. All choices have consequences.
- Unlimited freedom to explore and experiment. Go anywhere, talk to anyone, and interact with everything! Kill any NPC without sacrificing your progress and speak to every animal. Even ghosts might be hiding a secret or two.
- The next generation of turn-based combat. Blast your opponents with elemental combinations. Use height to your advantage. Master over 200 skills in 12 skill schools.
- Up to 4 player online and dynamic split-screen multiplayer. Play with your friends online or in local split-screen with drop-in, drop-out multiplayer.
- PVP Hot-seat mode: battle your friends in round-robin, hero to hero.
Migo and Magister Yarrow
A Yarrow Flower can help you avoid a fight with Migo. He gives you his ring; returning it to Magister Yarrow leads to a key. That key opens a door on a catwalk that is otherwise difficult to reach, so Teleportation Gloves are useful for getting there. This is a way into the fort, not a guaranteed final exit.
Lord Withermore and the hidden hatch
Look for the hidden hatch in the Strange Cave. Children playing hide-and-seek can help reveal it, or sufficient Wits can uncover it; you also need a shovel to open it. Completing Lord Withermore’s request reveals a route into the dungeons. From there, you may have to pick a lock or fight. For one dungeon door, the key is on a stool rather than carried by a Magister.
Rank #4
- Choose your race and origin. Choose from 6 unique origin characters with their own backgrounds and quests, or create your own as a Human, Lizard, Elf, Dwarf, or Undead. All choices have consequences
- Unlimited freedom to explore and experiment. Go anywhere, talk to anyone, and interact with everything! Kill any NPC without sacrificing your progress and speak to every animal. Even ghosts might be hiding a secret or two
- The next generation of turn-based combat. Blast your opponents with elemental combinations. Use height to your advantage. Master over 200 skills in 12 skill schools
- Up to 4 player online and dynamic split-screen multiplayer. Play with your friends online or in local split-screen with drop-in, drop-out multiplayer. PVP Hot-seat mode: battle your friends in round-robin, hero to hero
- Story Mode: a new difficulty setting for players who wish to enjoy the lauded narrative, but still want to enjoy the combat. An entirely re-written journal to catalogue your journey and reflect on your quests
Amyro, Griff, and the stolen oranges
Griff’s stolen shipment of oranges leads to Stingtail, whom the guides identify as the culprit. Returning the oranges can secure Amyro’s release, and Amyro points toward a hidden route into the dungeons. If the Red Prince is in your party, have him speak to Stingtail before Sebille kills him to account for their companion-quest interaction.
Winning the Fort Joy Arena
Winning the Arena removes your character’s collar, after which Magisters send the party to the dungeons. PC Gamer’s walkthrough recommends beginning other quests first if you want to take care of more Fort Joy business before being routed there.
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PC Gamer’s guide introduction observes that some routes avoid a fight during the escape, but that combat must be handled “one way or another, to get in.” That is the guide’s assessment, not official developer guidance or a guarantee for every party. The GamesRadar route outline says the Magisters become permanently aggressive after the first escape from the fort, so consider whether you have other fort business to finish before leaving.
Keep the distinction between leaving the fort and leaving the island in mind: the five exits here take you out of the prison fort into the surrounding area. The route descriptions come from editorial guides published in 2017 and a GamesRadar guide captured in 2026, rather than an official Larian walkthrough or version-by-version testing. The core set of routes is consistent, but the guides do not establish that every route works identically on every platform or game build.
Quick Recap
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