Obsidian Entertainment’s fantasy RPG Avowed is a complex game with a lot to catch players’ attention. For players who are new to this style of fantasy RPG, or who are more used to the Elder Scrolls games’ approach to the genre, figuring out what to do first in Avowed might feel overwhelming.
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To help new players understand what to prioritize and get the most out of the opening hours of the game, this guide explains what you should do first in Avowed – from the character creation screen to departing on your first side quest, there’s a lot you can do before ever entering the walls of Paradis.
Decide On A Background & Create Your Character
Character Creation Helps Guide Your Playstyle
After watching the initial cutscene that sets the stage for Avowed, you will be presented with the character creator. Most of your choices here are only visual, and you can customize your character’s race, face, and other features. But there is one section that you should pay special attention to: Backgrounds.
Your character’s Background determines two things: unique dialogue options, and your starting stats. Though starting stats can be altered manually, each Background offers a good balance of stats suited for each playstyle. Consider how you want to play Avowed, whether you want to focus on melee combat, ranged attacks, or spellcasting, and choose a Background that supports that.
Your stats and abilities can be changed at any time for a small fee, but this will help you establish a strong start with your preferred playstyle.
Finish The Tutorial Area To Learn The Basics
And Consider Saving Ilora From Prison
After creating your character, you will be presented with the tutorial island: Fort Northreach. On the way to the Living Lands your ship crashed here, and you have to figure out how to get back to the mainland.
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This section of the game introduces most of the major Avowed combat mechanics and gives plenty of opportunities to test out different weapons. Don’t rush this initial section of Avowed as it establishes the gameplay loop and teaches players about a variety of aspects of the game.
Plus, depending on the choices you make here, some characters may show up again to offer their aid. Freeing Ilora, for example, makes a certain faction much less hostile towards you later on in the game.
Meet Your First Companion & Find A Party Camp
Meet Kai, A Friendly Fish-Man, After Arriving In Clavinger’s Landing
After getting a boat to the mainland, to Clavinger’s Landing, you will soon meet Kai, a scaley Aumaua who greets the Envoy at the dock. He offers to join your party as your first Companion in Avowed, and will offer his advice during dialogues and offer his gun and blades in combat.
After meeting and recruiting Kai, and after exploring the town a bit, head north from Clavinger’s Landing and look for an Adra Stone in a field. Interacting with these, or Fast Traveling to these, will create a Party Camp.
While in a camp, you can talk to Companions and interact with a variety of camp-exclusive features, like equipment upgrades, access to your party stash, and more.
Learn How To Upgrade Items & Cook Food
To Keep Up, You Will Need Upgraded, Stronger Equipment
Two very important mechanics that can only be found in a party camp are the Equipment Upgrade system and the Cooking system.
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The Equipment Upgrade table lets you use crafting materials to increase the quality of weapons and armor, while Cooking lets you create Food, Drink, and even Grenades from various Ingredients that grant a variety of beneficial effects.
- To Upgrade Equipment, interact with the Workbench in camp, next to the Party Stash.
- To Cook, interact with the Cooking Pot above the campfire.
As you progress through the game, you will encounter stronger enemies that can only be defeated with stronger gear. Break Down gear you aren’t using to get upgrade materials, then use those materials to increase the effectiveness of the equipment you use most often.
Though you can use Potions to Heal and restore Essence, Prepared Foods will restore these resources over time and often grant temporary buffs as well.
Climb The Lighthouse For A Treasure Map
Just Don’t Look Down As You Climb To The Top
After entering Clavinger’s Landing for the first time, you will likely notice the towering Lighthouse that ominously looms over the rest of the port town. Aside from being an extremely distinct visual landmark, this is also home to the first Treasure Map that players can get.
Treasure Maps will briefly describe a location and provide a stylized map or painting of the area where players must go to dig up Treasure. This first Treasure Map leads you to a location on the main path heading north.
Climb the Lighthouse and pick up the Treasure Map at the top before heading northward for some easy Gold – there are lots of other items in the Lighthouse, too, and it’s a very fun introduction to the game’s platforming, parkour systems, and vertical level design.
Pick Up ‘Cabin Fever’, The First Side Quest In Avowed
Side Quests Grant Unique Items, Materials, XP, And Other Rewards
When you enter Clavinger’s Landing, keep an eye and an ear out for NPCs with interesting dialogue. In Avowed, Side Quests are not marked on the world map, but if you hear someone complaining about a problem, or see an NPC with an exclamation mark above their head, talk to them to hear their request.
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One of the first side quests in Avowed, and one of the most intriguing side stories in the game, is ‘Cabin Fever’. Look for a woman named Dehengen near the Clavinger’s Landing fast travel point, in the main square of the town. Talk to her to learn that her house has been taken over by Xaurips, and you’ll be on your way.
Avowed is absolutely packed with side content and interesting, dense areas, and you may very well encounter new quests, plenty of combat encounters, and unique locations on your way to her house to the north of town.
Feel free to explore as long as you want and pick up as much side content as your heart desires – the main quest will not progress until you are ready. You will not be able to enter the main city of Paradis until you have found the Clavinger and Ambassador in the Strangleroot – but there’s plenty of world to explore before worrying about all of that.
- Franchise
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Pillars of Eternity
- Released
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February 18, 2025
- Publisher(s)
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Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence