Avowed beginner’s guide: rules and tips for a successful start

Just launched Avowed and already feeling the pull of the Living Lands world? This beginner’s guide to Avowed will help you understand the basics of this RPG, released on February 18, 2025. From fast-paced battles to the deep Eora lore familiar from Pillars of Eternity, Avowed has it all. Want to master the mechanics, choose the right play style and not get lost in the first quests? Then you’re in the right place! We’re sharing the key rules and tricks to make sure your start is smooth. And yes, no spoilers.

Avowed’s development history: from idea to release

Avowed is not just another RPG, but a project with a rich history, which was born in the walls of Obsidian Entertainment. Therefore, let’s start a beginner’s guide to Avowed with the origins of the game so that you understand its essence. First announced in July 2020 at the Xbox Games Showcase, Avowed was conceived as a spiritual successor to Pillars of Eternity. Initially, the team wanted to make a classic RPG with an overhead view, but the concept changed: in 2022 Obsidian decided to move the game to a first-person format, inspired by the success of Skyrim and Fallout: New Vegas.

Thus came this RPG from Obsidian Avowed, where the focus shifted to dynamic combat and deep immersion in the world of Eora. In addition, Avowed was initially conceived as a multiplayer game. In 2018, Obsidian began developing a Destiny-like project with open world and co-op, hoping to attract big publishers before selling the studio. Microsoft bought Obsidian in November of that year, but by January 2020, the team had abandoned multiplayer. Under the guidance of Carrie Patel, director of The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon, the game became single-player, with an emphasis on narrative and zones instead of a seamless world. This twist made a beginner’s guide to Avowed centered around a personal adventure in Eora.

Development has not been without its challenges. Following the announcement, the focus shifted to Avowed’s combat mechanics, which are covered in detail in IGN’s review. Rumors of optimization issues surfaced in 2023 on X, but Obsidian pulled through, releasing the game on February 18, 2025 on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Lore of Eora in Avowed remained core: The Living Lands became not just a backdrop, but a living world with a story.

Where and on what to play Avowed: platforms and costs

Avowed can be launched on Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam or Microsoft Store – no other platforms are available yet. As of March 2025, the standard edition costs $69.99 on the Microsoft Store and Steam, while the version with the “Echoes of Eora” DLC costs $89.99. Xbox Game Pass is another option: a $9.99 per month subscription includes the game from day one. PC requires a Ryzen 5 3600-level processor and a GTX 1660 Super graphics card – nothing fancy. Choose your platform by convenience: Xbox for gamers with a gamepad, PC for mouse precision. Our Avowed gameplay tips will help start without lags – most importantly, check the system requirements before buying.

Lore of Eora in Avowed: a brief history for newcomers

Avowed lives in the world of Eora, familiar from Pillars of Eternity. You are a Messenger investigating the Scourge of Dreams and hearing a mysterious Voice. The Lore of Eora is deep: The Living Lands, a wilderness where the Aedyr Empire struggles with the locals and Steel Garrote fanatics. Our beginner’s guide to Avowed advises reading the notes – they reveal the story and tell you where to find loot. For example, the quest “Ancient Soil” in Emerald Staircase is related to the animancers from Fior mes Iverno.

Locations and companions in Avowed: who and where to find you

The game is divided into four regions, each with its own face and challenges:

• Dawnshore is the first zone, a harbor land of flimsy shacks and rocky beaches, where you meet locals looking for a new life and Aedyran officials.
• Emerald Staircase – once fertile fields, now withering beneath the Beach of Dreams, with dense forests and ancient temples.
• Scattersharp is a desert region with sandstorms and the ruins of Naku Kubel, home to hordes of Dreamers.
• The last zone, Fangs of Galawain, is a rugged mountain with ice caves and secrets of the gods.

Your companions are not just helpers, but the key to success in the Living Lands of Avowed:

• Kai, an Aumaua warrior, is found on Dawnshore in the quest “Message from Afar”. A former mercenary with a pistol and saber, he distracts enemies while you strike.
• Marius, a mountain dwarf ranger, joins in Paradis during the “An Untimely End”. A hunter from the wild Solas, he is a master of the bow and scouting.
• Giatta, a female animancer, appears in Fior mes Iverno in “The Method of Animancy”. Her magical focus heals and protects.
• Yatzli, an orcish but diminutive sorceress, comes into play in Scattersharp in “The Face of Her Fears”. Her spells freeze and blast enemies.

When creating a character in Avowed, consider their skills: Kai as a tank, Giatta for support. Choose two in a party and develop their abilities – they grow with you.

How to get started in Avowed: basic rules of the game

Let’s continue our beginner’s guide to Avowed by describing the basics: the game divides the world into four regions, which we wrote about above – semi-open zones with cities, quests and dangers. Each region is a dense tangle of adventures.

After a short prologue in Northreach Fort, you are taken to Dawnshore. Here your first lessons are waiting for you: how to move, fight and interact with the locals. The controls are intuitive, but don’t miss the hints – it’s easy to accidentally close them. Your goal is to complete quests, explore and pump up your character through ability points.

Creating a character: first steps

At the beginning you choose a class – Warrior, Ranger or Mage. For example, Warrior is good for melee combat with sword and shield. There are no strict limits: later you can mix styles, adding spells or ranged attacks. Decide whether you’re more interested in chopping down enemies or striking from afar. Attributes like Intelligence or Strength also set the tone: the first five points give you the full effect, then less.

Equipment and camp: what’s important to know

Your inventory is divided into weapons, armor (with weight) and resources (without weight). The camps at the pillars of Adra are your resting points. Not only is it a place to heal, cook, and improve, but it’s also a center for socializing with your companions. After milestone events – for example, a choice in the quest “Message from Afar” – an exclamation mark appears above characters like Kai or Giatta.

At the campfire they will discuss what happened: start a conversation and the topic will start from the event. If there were several important moments during the day (say, the fate of an artifact or a meeting with animancers), talk until the signs disappear – this opens bonuses like +1 to Strength. Miss it and you lose the chance. At camp, cook food (like sporling chowder), upgrade your gear with collected herbs, and sort your loot. Every visit is the key to success in the Living Lands of Avowed.

Avowed gameplay tips

A beginner’s guide to Avowed is, of course, not without practical advice. Here’s what will help you survive at the start:

• Eat food outside of combat – it restores health and essence gradually, saving potions for urgent moments. You cannot craft potions in the game: herbs like Magran’s Fury are needed to upgrade weapons and grimoires.
• Keep an eye on your stamina – you can’t attack or dodge without it. Take items with a bonus to it.
• Look for keys before breaking in – they are often near doors and lock picks are rare.
• Listen for the sound of loot – a high-pitched squeak indicates chests or loot.
• Talk to NPCs – dialogs unlock quests and bonuses.
• Break regular gear – unique gear is better, and parts are needed for improvements.
• Collect everything – resources are useful for crafting and trading.

Try these strategies for getting started in Avowed and the first few hours will go easier.

Table of starting classes

Exploring the Living Lands: How not to miss the important and not to perish

Living Lands are not just a backdrop, but a living part of the game. Our beginner’s guide to Avowed advises: don’t run in a straight line. Each zone – Dawnshore, Emerald Staircase, Scattersharp and others – is full of secrets. The red dots on the mini-map are enemies with loot, and X’s are corpses with treasure. Use them as reference points.

Enable totem tags in the UI settings (UI → Compass God Shrine Totems). Six totems on each map give passive bonuses – look for them in the ruins. For example, in Dawnshore, don’t leave without collecting all six – it will strengthen you before the next zones.

How to find hidden paths in the Living Lands

The Living Lands are full of secret paths that are easy to miss. Look for destructible walls – throw an ice grenade from the Eye of Rimgrand plant to open passageways to rare chests. In Scattersharp, pay attention to the purple glowing stones: use Giatta’s Acceleration ability (L1) to activate them and enter ancient ruins like Naku Kubel with artifacts.

According to Obsidian, a third of players miss these secrets without hints. Check the map: Unpainted areas often hide quest items. Finds like the Star Steel dagger in the Emerald Staircase will speed up your progress. A large map shows exactly what you’ve explored: gaps in Scattersharp are a hint of secrets.

Avowed combat mechanics: how to stand your ground

Combat in Avowed is all about speed and choice. You have two sets of weapons: switch between them (e.g. sword and grimoire) for flexibility. Our beginner’s guide to Avowed recommends focusing on one type of defense: block, dodge, or parry. Time-delayed dodge (set in the menu) is the top one for beginners.

Companions like Kai (tank) or Marius (gunner) save the day in combat. Kai with his Fire and Fury distracts enemies, giving you a chance to strike. Listen to their clues – they shout out enemy positions. Aim for weak points marked with a diamond (like the head) and fill up the stun scale for critical hits. For speed, use abilities like the Ranger’s Shadowing Beyond, which doubles your pace in combat and on the map.

Choosing equipment: what to take at the start

Purchase weapons with the “fine” quality level on Dawnshore to increase the chance of rare items. Unique items give bonuses, but require Adra to improve. Scrap your regular gear for parts, and sell your armor – you’ll save up for upgrades faster that way. Collect herbs like sporlings – you need them not for potions, which can’t be brewed here, but to improve weapons and armor. Don’t miss the opportunity to replenish your stock.

What makes Avowed unique: player impressions

At this point, I’ve been playing Avowed almost every night. At first I didn’t have any expectations for this game, and I thought it was strange that it was labeled something like Skyrim. But after many hours of playing it, I can definitely say that it has its own personality that is addicting. I’ll list the moments that pleasantly surprised me specifically:

1. The unconventionality and brightness of Eora. Everyone is used to fantasy games mostly taking place in a quasi-Nordic world. Or at least similar to something like England. Eora is some kind of tropical-psychedelic riot of color. At the same time it does not cut the eye, but on the contrary becomes a chip.
2. The game is very beautiful. Shimmering mushrooms, characters with brightly colored scaly skin or pink fur, weathered rocks of the Dead Sea, reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. The game reminded me of Avatar in the best way possible.
3. The idea of interacting with companions at base camp is an interesting one. Almost every plot twist and character choice results in companions wanting to discuss them with you. It gives the impression of a really strong team made up of like-minded people, not just fellow travelers.

Conclusion: why Avowed is worthy of your attention

Avowed is an RPG from Obsidian Avowed that emphasizes freedom of choice and exploration. Compared to Skyrim, the world here is not as vast, but the lore is deeper and the events are more intense. This beginner’s guide to Avowed is just an introduction: each zone, be it the Emerald Staircase or Scattersharp, offers unique challenges. The game is addictive in its dynamics and openness. Try character creation in Avowed to define your style, and enjoy the world as it opens up.

We hope our beginner’s guide to Avowed will be your guide to the Living Lands of Avowed. Fight, explore, pave the way – the possibilities are endless. Do you prefer sword, bow or magic? The decision is yours. Dawnshore sets the tone for the adventure, followed by more discoveries. Immerse yourself in Eora, find totems, upgrade your equipment, and appreciate the story. These Avowed gameplay tips will help you choose: Warrior, Ranger, or Mage?

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