The world of Avowed is vast, treacherous, and brimming with secrets—a place where one wrong step can leave you bleeding out in the mud, and one clever trick can turn the tide of battle. As Obsidian’s long-awaited first-person RPG finally launches, players are stepping into the Living Lands, a wild frontier where empires clash, souls hold cosmic power, and every choice ripples through the narrative. But this isn’t just another fantasy romp. Avowed demands strategy, adaptability, and a keen eye for detail.
Whether you’re a hardened CRPG veteran from Pillars of Eternity or a newcomer drawn in by the promise of deep lore and reactive combat, this guide will arm you with the knowledge to survive—and thrive. From mastering the game’s flexible class system to uncovering hidden mechanics even seasoned players miss, here are the 10 essential tips to dominate Avowed from the very first hour.
1. Your Class Isn’t Locked
One of Avowed’s most liberating features is its classless system. Unlike traditional RPGs, you’re never stuck with a single playstyle. Instead, you allocate points across six attributes—Might, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intelligence, and Resolve—each shaping your capabilities in combat, dialogue, and exploration.
- Might boosts strength and carrying capacity, crucial for warriors lugging heavy armor.
- Perception sharpens your awareness, unlocking hidden dialogue options and spotting traps.
- Resolve fortifies your willpower, making you deadlier in prolonged fights.
Reddit user put it best: “I went in thinking I’d be a sword-and-board tank, but after finding a killer fire spellbook, I respecced into a battlemage. The freedom is insane.” . Don’t be afraid to pivot—Avowed rewards creativity.
2. Grimoires Are Your Swiss Army Knife
Magic in Avowed isn’t just about hurling fireballs—it’s a puzzle-solving tool, a crowd-control weapon, and a traversal aid. Always keep a basic Grimoire of Elements handy, even if you’re not a mage. Why? Because environmental puzzles demand it:
- Ice spells freeze water, creating platforms to cross gaps.
- Fire magic burns away obstructive brambles or spiderwebs.
- Lightning activates ancient panels to unlock doors.
As one Steam forum user noted, “I ignored grimoires at first, then got stuck for an hour before realizing I needed a fire spell to progress. Don’t be me.”
3. Cook Rotten Food
Scavenging is key, but not all loot is created equal. Rotten food seems useless at first glance, but here’s the twist: cooking it at camp transforms it into usable (and sometimes buff-granting) meals. That moldy apple? Toss it in the cauldron for a poison-curing stew.
This mechanic ties into Avowed’s deeper lore. The Living Lands are a resource-starved frontier, where waste is a luxury. As Senior Narrative Designer Kate Dollarhyde explained, “Survival here isn’t just about combat—it’s about making do with what you have.”
4. Break Down Gear for Upgrades
Loot floods your inventory fast, but mindlessly selling everything is a mistake. Breaking down weapons and armor yields upgrade materials, essential for enhancing your favorite gear. However, Unique Items (orange-tier) are exceptions—they require rare Adra to upgrade, so weigh whether you’ll actually use them before dismantling.
A Reddit debate erupted over this: “I scrapped a ‘Wind and Wave’ shield early on, not realizing how rare its movement buff was. Still kicking myself.”. Lesson learned: hoard Uniques until you’re sure.
5. Vertical Exploration Is Rewarded
The Living Lands aren’t just wide—they’re tall. Obsidian’s art director, Matt Hansen, emphasized how 3D lets them showcase the Pillars universe’s scale: “In isometric, Durgan’s Battery was just a background prop. Now, you can feel its height.”
This translates to gameplay:
- Climb rooftops in towns for hidden chests.
- Leap across ruins to find skeleton loot (marked by X on your mini-map).
- Listen for shimmering sounds—they signal nearby containers.
6. Stamina Management Wins Fights
Combat hinges on stamina, which fuels blocking, dodging, and parrying. The key? Specialize in one defense style early:
- Blocking (Warrior tree) suits shield users.
- Parrying (Ranger tree) rewards precise timing with one-handed weapons.
- Dodging (also Ranger) favors light, mobile builds.
As one frustrated player lamented on Steam: “I kept exhausting my stamina by mixing dodges and blocks. Picked one, and suddenly I wasn’t dying every fight.”.
7. Companions Cover Your Weaknesses
Your party’s composition matters. Early companion Kai excels at tanking with his Fire and Ire taunt, while Marius offers ranged support. Later recruits fill niche roles—like the bomb-hurling dwarf or the spell-slinging scholar.
Obsidian’s gameplay director, Gabe Paramo, hinted at deeper synergies: “We adapted Pillars’ ability system so companions combo with your playstyle.”
8. Weak Points Exist
Ranged combat isn’t just about DPS. Zooming in reveals enemy weak points, like a Xaurip’s exposed throat or a skeleton’s cracked spine. Targeting these speeds up kills dramatically.
9. The Living Lands Demand Patience
Avowed is a slow burn. As critic Rob Leane noted, “Rushing the main quest leaves you underpowered. The game wants you to explore.”. Side quests unveil the world’s political intrigue—like tensions between colonizers and natives—while companion missions add emotional depth.
Avowed isn’t just a game—it’s a reactive storytelling engine where every decision, from gear upgrades to dialogue choices, shapes your journey. As you step into the Living Lands, remember: the empire’s watching, the land’s resisting, and your soul… well, that’s another mystery entirely.
you can also check Top 5 Spells in Avowed.