Avowed is a new single player RPG in the mystical world of Eora. If you’re familiar with Pillars of Eternity, it is set in the same universe being developed by the legendary Obsidian Entertainment. So, you can imagine there is a lot of hype for this world shrouded in magic and mystery.
The game’s official launch is just around the corner – with early access available already. So, if you’ve already bought the game or are thinking of getting it, we’ve got you covered. We’ll go over everything you need to know about it before its launch! Let’s get into it!
Everything You NEED To Know Before Launch
It’s important to keep in mind that the information we go over in this guide comes from creator sources who’ve obtained early access or official videos. So, we do not have detailed information, just the basics that will help give you an overview of Avowed!
Of course, we have also obtained details from players who’ve managed to get access to the early access copies.
What is Avowed?
In Avowed, you will assume the role of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire. You’ll be given the task to figure out what’s going on in the land as it suffers from the ‘Dream Scourge’ Plague.
Avowed features a full fledged action combat system that is already receiving praise from players who’ve experienced it. You get to choose from a multitude of archetypes, skills, weapons and gear.
Additionally, you can influence the world around you with your decisions and ultimately, take down the Dream Scourge!
Launch Details
Platforms: PC, XBox X/S
Date: Feb 18, 2025
5 Day Early Access (Feb 13th)
The game will also be available as a Day 1 Game Pass Title. So, if you have the game pass, Avowed is certainly worth checking out!
Character Creation
When it comes to character creation, you have the ability to choose between two races: Elf and Human. This may seem quite limited compared to other RPGs but this choice is because of lore reasons.
However, you can add variety to your character creation with the background system. There isn’t much info about this available.
We have been able to surmise that you’ll be able to choose between 5 backgrounds:
- Arcane Scholar
- Court Augur
- Noble Scion
- Vanguard Scout
- War Hero.
As a result, most of the customization seems to come from your background choice. Background will also determine your starter skills and abilities.
For example, the Vanguard Scout will have strong wilderness, survival and stealth skills while the Arcane Scholar will have deep knowledge of Arcane Magic and Lore.
In essence, the background will impact both the lore and the gameplay of Avowed – since it will shape your early game experience.
You can check out our how backgrounds, attributes and abilities work guide for more details!
Combat
Combat is one of the most essential aspects of RPGs. Avowed offers both first person and third person perspectives for combat. You will be able to switch between both these perspectives depending on your preferences.
While in combat, you can swap between multiple loadouts which gives you the flexibility to adapt to different situations. This makes Avowed stand out compared to other RPGs since they do not have the choice to change your playstyle on the fly.
Avowed will have a variety of enemies so multiple loadouts will be integral to how combat works in the game.
Weapons
Speaking of combat, Avowed features a variety of weapons. Each weapon features their own category which are:
- Melee
- Swords, Axes, Maces, Spears, Greatswords and Shields
- Ranged
- Bows, Pistols and Arquebus
- Magical
- Wands and Grimoires.
From what we have been able to gather, you will be able to mix and match weapons freely. Of course, do not expect to be able to dual wield Greatswords!
Some interesting weapon combinations we’ve seen in gameplay footage include pistols and swords and dual wielded swords. So, the gameplay will offer you a lot of freedom when it comes to archetypes, backgrounds and weapons.
Spells And Skills
Alongside weapons, you will have access to skills and abilities (aka spells). Avowed features five skill trees to players:
- Fighter
- Ranger
- Wizard
- Godlike
- Companions.
Each of the skills in these skill trees have sub skills that you can invest in to tailor to your play style. For example, a Fighter could pick up a skill called Brawn that will increase their two handed melee weapon damage by 25%.
You can then continue to get this damage as you progress through your character and upgrade the perk. Similarly, a Battle Mage can combine Heavy Armor and Magic for a hybrid playstyle.
So, as with other aspects of the game, you can get a lot of character diversity and build varieties with this system.
Crafting And Enchanting
Any RPG player will know that feeling of trying to min max their build, i.e. making their build as efficient as possible. In Avowed, this can be done through the enchanting and upgrading system.
If you find a weapon that perfectly fits your playstyle, you can upgrade it to improve its base stats. You can also enchant them to add elemental effects.
Of course, there will be players who’ll want to experiment first to figure out their build. In such a case, you might be worried about making mistakes and investing too much in a build.
Luckily, Avowed features a Respec system so that you can undo your build and start from scratch. In this way, you will be able to experiment around with your build too. Developers have also said that respecing won’t be overly difficult so swapping should be fairly manageable.
The World
The World of Avowed features multiple regions, including evergreen forests with magical creatures, deserts, and intricate cave systems with handcrafted environments. It also features a dynamic weather system that can impact gameplay.
For example, Rain might affect enemy behavior and the environments themselves could also interact with your abilities.
Enemies And Bosses
Avowed follows a fixed level region system as opposed to an enemy scaling system. So, if you enter a high level area earlier in the game unprepared, you will very likely die.
In essence, each region is specifically designed and crafted for a certain level.
Each region will also have their own boss encounters. These bosses will be appropriately levelled according to the regions, so again you will need to be prepared!
Companions
Avowed features companions that will accompany on your journey throughout the world. Each companion will have their own combat specialities, unique personalities and even story arcs to explore. Your actions and decisions with them will also likely have an impact on the story.
The companions play a strong role in the game and are directly intertwined with the main story and party. There are a total of four companions that can join your party, with two able to accompany you at a time.
Unfortunately, there are no romance options if you were looking forward to them!
That’s everything you need to know about Avowed before its launch. Hopefully, things will become more clear as early access progresses and the game eventually has its full launch. Overall, it does seem like a straightforward RPG with some really strong combat potential and story decisions!
