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Avowed combat is a flexible mix-and-match system rather than a fixed class choice. You can carry two weapon loadouts, combine swords, shields, guns, bows, wands, grimoires and spells, and build toward one of four broad skill directions: Fighter, Ranger, Wizard or Godlike. The most reliable approach is to make one loadout handle your preferred range, keep the other for a different range or damage type, and actively use companion abilities instead of leaving every decision to automation.
Party success comes from covering three jobs: someone controls the frontline, someone maintains damage pressure, and someone supplies recovery or utility. A durable character or Kai can draw attention, while Giatta can provide the healing that lets a group survive longer fights. Elemental effects become more valuable when they are chained with control—for example, placing fire on the ground and then pulling an enemy into it.
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How Avowed combat works
Avowed lets you fight at melee, mid-range or distance and change your approach as an encounter develops. Official descriptions emphasize mixing “swords, spells, guns, and shields,” while also highlighting bows, grimoires, freezing, burning and shield bashes. Those tools overlap: a fighter can carry a spell option, a ranger can keep a close-range backup, and a spell-focused character can still use a weapon when an enemy reaches them.
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There is no single damage ranking that applies to every player. Results change with difficulty, attributes, upgrades, enchantments, encounter design and game updates. Choose around the distance and tempo you enjoy, then use the second loadout to cover the situations your first setup handles poorly.
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- Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way
- Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.
The two-loadout foundation
The opening tutorial teaches you to hot-swap between two weapon builds. Think of the slots as complementary toolkits rather than two versions of the same weapon. A close-range setup paired with a bow, pistol or arquebus gives you an answer when approaching an enemy is unsafe. A physical setup paired with wands or a grimoire lets you switch to elemental damage and status effects when a group is vulnerable to them.
Keep each loadout internally coherent. Put the weapon, shield or spell tools you expect to use together in one slot, and make the other slot solve a known problem such as flying targets, a distant caster, a tightly packed group or an enemy that punishes melee. Swap before the problem becomes urgent; changing after you are surrounded is much less useful than entering the encounter with the right option ready.
Weapon choices by range and tempo
| Weapon identity | What it does well | Trade-offs to plan for | Useful second loadout |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-handed weapon and shield | Close control, blocking and a deliberate pace; shield bashes add another way to disrupt an opponent. | You must stay near the target and give up some reach or two-handed impact. | Bow, pistol, arquebus or a spell tool for targets that cannot be safely engaged. |
| Two-handed weapon | Committed melee hits and strong pressure when you can remain in striking distance. | Attacks demand commitment, so positioning and timing matter more when several enemies can interrupt you. | Shield-based defense, a ranged weapon or elemental spells. |
| Pistol or arquebus | Distance-based physical damage and a way to pressure enemies before they close. | Limited close-quarters comfort; you need space and a plan for enemies that rush you. | One-handed weapon and shield or a two-handed melee tool. |
| Bow | Ranged pressure with a flexible, mobile feel. | It is less suitable when enemies collapse on your position or deny clear lines of attack. | Melee control or a grimoire for area and status effects. |
| Wand or grimoire | Spell-driven damage, elemental effects and status-focused play. | Spell timing, resource management and enemy positioning matter; a purely magical setup can be uncomfortable when a target reaches you. | Shielded melee or a ranged physical weapon. |
The table describes roles supported by the published weapon system, not fixed performance tiers. A weapon that feels ideal on one difficulty or with one set of upgrades may not suit another encounter. Test whether you can maintain your preferred distance and still interrupt threats; those practical results matter more than an abstract ranking.
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Avowed presents four expansive skill trees. They are best treated as directions for a build, not as locked classes that forbid every other tool. Spend abilities that reinforce the weapons you actually use, then let the second loadout supply a complementary range, damage profile or control option.
Fighter
Fighter is the natural direction for a frontline character who wants to block, interrupt and hold attention while dealing physical damage. One-handed weapons and shields support a controlled approach; two-handed weapons suit players who prefer committed hits. A Fighter-oriented character still benefits from a ranged or spell backup, because some encounters punish standing directly beside the target.
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- Requires base game, Game Pass Ultimate, or PC Game Pass Membership (Sold Separately)
- Premium Upgrade includes: Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.
Ranger
Ranger supports distance, mobility and pressure with bows, pistols or arquebuses. Keep a close-range weapon available for enemies that breach your firing lane. Ranger does not have to mean “never use magic”: a complementary spell tool can add elemental effects or control without changing your primary identity.
Wizard
Wizard is the clearest direction for a grimoire- or wand-centered setup. Use spells to apply damage and status effects, then use positioning and control to keep enemies in the affected area. A physical backup is important when a spell is on cooldown, a target resists the chosen effect or the fight becomes close and chaotic.
Godlike
Godlike is a distinct skill-tree direction that can be layered onto the weapon identity you enjoy. Treat it as another way to shape abilities and combat rhythm rather than a requirement to abandon weapons. Decide whether its options are improving your preferred range, adding control or solving a party weakness before committing heavily.
How to combine a tree with two loadouts
- Choose the range you want to use most often: melee, mid-range or distance.
- Select the skill direction that strengthens that identity.
- Put a complementary answer in the second loadout, such as melee plus ranged, physical plus elemental, or defense plus area control.
- Check whether your abilities create a sequence: an effect that places damage, followed by a pull, stun, freeze or interrupt that keeps enemies inside it.
Abilities, effects and control sequences
Weapons, player abilities, spells, weapon enchantments and companion environmental abilities are overlapping parts of the combat system. Do not treat an ability as merely a button that does damage. Ask what it changes about positioning, attention, movement or recovery, then connect it to the next action.
Place the threat, then control it
An official developer example describes casting a fireball area effect and then pulling an enemy into the fire. The general lesson is useful with other effects: place damage or control first, then use displacement, stun, freeze or an interrupt to keep the target in the dangerous area. This sequence is often stronger than using both actions independently because the second action extends the value of the first.
Rank #3
- Premium Edition includes: Avowed base game, Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for each of your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.
- Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.
Build around interruption windows
When an enemy begins a dangerous action, prioritize the tool that can interrupt or displace it rather than continuing a routine attack. A shield bash, freeze, pull or companion ability can buy the time needed to finish a spell, reload a ranged weapon or reposition. The correct response depends on the encounter, so keep both loadouts available instead of committing every upgrade to one narrow pattern.
Use elemental effects deliberately
Burning and freezing are more than visual variations on damage. They can shape where an enemy can safely stand and when it can act. Combine an area effect with a movement or control ability, and avoid placing the effect where your own frontline must remain unless your party can tolerate that space. A mixed physical-and-elemental setup gives you more ways to respond when one approach is inconvenient.
Companion abilities and party roles
Companions from different species fight beside you and have their own active abilities. Xbox’s survival guidance stresses that every active ability they learn can be accessed easily in combat. In practice, that means you should treat companions as controllable parts of the party, not background damage sources. Watch for the moment an ability can draw attention, interrupt a threat, heal an ally or interact with the environment, and trigger it intentionally.
Frontline control
The frontline job is to draw attention, interrupt dangerous enemies and create room for the rest of the group. You can fill it with a durable player build, a shield-oriented setup or a companion suited to holding aggro. The official developer discussion uses Kai as the example of a tanky companion who draws enemies toward himself. Bring Kai when the limiting problem is pressure on the player or ranged allies and you need opponents held in one place.
Damage and pressure
Damage pressure comes from your primary weapon identity plus a companion who adds burst, ranged attacks or elemental effects. A ranged player can focus on a priority target while a frontline ally occupies nearby enemies. A melee player can exploit openings created by a companion’s control ability. Do not measure pressure only by attack frequency; a well-timed pull that keeps a target in fire can create more useful damage time than another uncoordinated strike.
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- L'édition Premium SteelBook comprend: le jeu de base Avowed, jusqu'à 5 jours d'accès anticipé, le SteelBook Avowed, la carte des Terres Vivantes, deux packs de skins Premium et l'accès à l'Artbook numérique Avowed et à la bande-son originale
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- Explorez une île qui abrite de nombreux environnements et paysages différents, chacun avec son propre écosystème unique
- Mélangez et associez des épées, des sorts, des armes et des boucliers pour vous frayer un chemin
- The compagnons d'un large éventail d'espèces se battront à vos côtés, avec leurs propres capacités uniques
Recovery and utility
Recovery includes healing, buffs, environmental interactions and any ability that keeps the group functioning after mistakes. Giatta is the official example of a companion who keeps the party healed. Choose her when attrition, repeated chip damage or a long encounter is the problem. Healing does not replace positioning: you still need to interrupt threats and avoid allowing every enemy to attack the same target.
A practical balanced party
A broadly useful arrangement is one frontline controller, one source of sustained damage and one recovery or utility specialist, with your own character filling whichever job the party lacks. For example, a shielded player can pair with a ranged damage companion and Giatta; a spell-focused player can use Kai to hold enemies while another companion adds pressure. These are role examples, not a universal ranking of companions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Build recipes for common playstyles
Tank and control player
- Primary loadout: one-handed weapon and shield for blocking, close control and shield bashes.
- Secondary loadout: bow, pistol, arquebus or a spell tool for enemies that cannot be safely approached.
- Skill direction: Fighter, with abilities chosen for staying power and interruption.
- Party: Kai is a logical addition when drawing aggro is the priority; add damage or recovery to cover what your build does not provide.
- Combat loop: engage the most dangerous target, interrupt its action, hold attention and swap to the second loadout when distance makes blocking irrelevant.
Healer-supported attrition party
- Player identity: choose melee or ranged damage rather than trying to duplicate the healer’s role.
- Companion: Giatta supplies the documented healing role.
- Second companion or loadout: add frontline control or a physical backup so healing is not the only answer to pressure.
- Combat loop: prevent burst damage with interrupts, then let healing restore the party through longer engagements.
Ranged pressure build
- Primary loadout: bow, pistol or arquebus.
- Secondary loadout: shielded melee for close threats, or a grimoire for elemental control.
- Skill direction: Ranger, while selecting abilities that help you maintain distance and exploit openings.
- Party: use a frontline companion to keep enemies away from your firing position; add utility if the encounter frequently breaks your line of sight.
Spell-focused control build
- Primary loadout: wand or grimoire for spell damage and status effects.
- Secondary loadout: melee defense or a ranged physical weapon for cooldown gaps and resistant targets.
- Skill direction: Wizard, with Godlike options considered when they improve your chosen control pattern.
- Party: Kai can create space by drawing aggro; Giatta is preferable when surviving the spell setup time is the main concern.
- Combat loop: place an area effect, then pull, stun or freeze targets so they remain inside it.
Choosing between builds: four questions
When two setups look appealing, compare them on four axes:
- Preferred range: Do you want to stand in melee, work from mid-range or remain at distance?
- Damage profile: Are you relying mainly on physical attacks, elemental effects or a mixture?
- Control: Can the setup stun, pull, freeze or interrupt the enemies that threaten it?
- Party dependence: Does it survive and create space by itself, or does it require a companion to defend or heal it?
A build with high damage but no answer to a rushed caster may feel weaker than a mixed build that loses some specialization but controls the encounter. Use the second loadout to address the weakest axis rather than simply duplicating your favorite attack.
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Combat behavior and settings can change between updates. Obsidian’s Patch 2.1 notes include a combat-toggle setting and a fix for loadout switching that could affect grimoire cooldown reduction. Before relying on an old button prompt or a balance claim, check the current in-game controls and the latest official patch notes for your platform and edition. If a grimoire appears to retain an unexpected cooldown after switching, verify that the game is updated and test the behavior again with the current setting.
Because no authoritative source establishes universal damage percentages, companion win rates or permanent weapon tiers, avoid building around those numbers. Re-evaluate a loadout after a patch, a major equipment upgrade or a change in difficulty, and keep the complementary slot available while you learn how the new setup behaves.
Quick Recap
A quick decision checklist before an encounter
- Is the next fight likely to force melee, distance or frequent movement?
- Which loadout handles that range without wasting its strongest tools?
- Who is drawing enemy attention, and who can interrupt a dangerous action?
- Do you have a recovery plan if the fight lasts longer than expected?
- Can you place an elemental effect and then keep enemies inside it with a pull, stun, freeze or other control?
- Are companion active abilities assigned to a deliberate moment rather than left unused?
- If a control, grimoire or loadout interaction behaves differently than expected, have you checked the current patch notes and combat settings?
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