Choosing the optimal build in *Avowed* significantly impacts your early game experience, enhancing your ability to tackle enemies effectively while maintaining your survivability. Whether you lean towards close-quarters combat, long-range sniping, or powerful magical spells, these builds are designed to set you up for success from the start in *Avowed*.
Two-Handed Brawler (War Hero Build)
The *Two-Handed Brawler* is tailored for players who relish in brute force. This build is perfect if you're aiming to unleash massive damage and plow through opponents. With an emphasis on high-damage two-handed weapons, you'll deliver powerful blows while maintaining the resilience to endure enemy attacks. It's a straightforward yet lethal strategy that excels in the early stages of *Avowed*.
To optimize damage and durability, prioritize:
- **Might (3)** – Boosts melee damage output.
- **Constitution (3)** – Enhances health and overall tankiness.
- **Dexterity (2)** – Improves attack speed and dodging.
- **Resolve (2)** – Reduces the impact of enemy stuns and knockbacks.
Might increases your melee damage, Constitution bolsters your health, and Dexterity aids in faster attacks and evasion. Focus your abilities on charging into battles, amplifying your damage, and recovering health during fights. The Charge ability is crucial, allowing you to swiftly engage enemies and crush them before they can react. Complement this with Bleeding Cuts for continuous damage and Toughness to boost your maximum health, turning you into an unstoppable juggernaut.
For weapons, the Horsecutter two-handed sword or Drawn in Winter axe are top choices. Both deliver devastating blows, ensuring quick and brutal encounters. This build is ideal for players seeking a high-risk, high-reward melee style focused on rapid enemy elimination before they can retaliate.
Stealth Ranger (Vanguard Scout Build)
The *Stealth Ranger* is perfect for those who prefer agility and striking from a distance. This build emphasizes bows, firearms, and stealthy movement, making it excellent for minimizing damage while landing significant critical hits. Unlike the Two-Handed Brawler, the Stealth Ranger focuses on precision, patience, and keeping foes at bay.
To maximize effectiveness, focus on:
- **Perception (3)** – Enhances ranged accuracy and critical hit chance.
- **Dexterity (3)** – Boosts movement speed and attack speed.
- **Might (2)** – Increases ranged weapon power.
- **Resolve (2)** – Aids in resisting stuns and knockbacks.
Perception increases your critical hit chances, Dexterity enhances your speed and evasion, and Might amplifies your ranged weapon damage. Key abilities should include Tanglefoot to immobilize enemies, Marksmanship to enhance bow and gun damage, and Shadowing Beyond for temporary invisibility, ensuring enemies rarely get close enough to harm you.
Opt for a bow or arquebus for long-range engagements, and carry a pistol with a melee weapon as a backup for close encounters. This build suits players who enjoy sniping enemies undetected and then disappearing into the shadows. You can discover some of the best weapons hidden in various treasures throughout *Avowed*.
Frost Wizard (Arcane Scholar Build)
For those who wish to dominate the battlefield with potent magic, the *Frost Wizard* is the premier early-game build. It centers on freezing enemies, delivering high burst damage, and maintaining control over combat. This build demands strategic positioning and efficient resource management, but when executed correctly, it's among the most powerful setups in *Avowed*.
The Frost Wizard focuses on:
- **Intellect (3)** – Enhances spell effectiveness.
- **Perception (3)** – Improves accuracy and spell crit chance.
- **Dexterity (2)** – Speeds up spellcasting.
- **Resolve (2)** – Reduces interruptions while casting.
Intellect boosts your spell power, Perception aids in critical hits, and Dexterity accelerates your casting. Your abilities should revolve around applying Frost Accumulation to slow and eventually freeze enemies, making them vulnerable targets. Chill Blades are essential for close-range freezing, while Blast of Frost and Bristling Frost unleash massive area-of-effect frost damage. If an enemy is frozen, using Charge (from the Fighter tree) will shatter them, inflicting bonus damage.
Arm yourself with a wand and a frost-based grimoire. Wands allow you to attack even when out of Essence, and a potent grimoire grants access to powerful frost spells. This build is ideal for players who enjoy controlling the battlefield and dealing substantial damage through magical prowess.
Melee Fighter (War Hero Build)
The Melee Fighter offers a balanced approach, blending offense and defense, making it suitable for players seeking versatility. Unlike the Two-Handed Brawler, this build emphasizes quick attacks, blocking, and outlasting opponents rather than sheer damage output.
The Melee Fighter Build focuses on:
- **Might (3)** – Increases melee damage.
- **Perception (3)** – Improves accuracy and critical spell damage.
- **Dexterity (2)** – Enhances attack speed.
- **Resolve (2)** – Prevents interruptions while casting.
Might amplifies your melee damage, Dexterity boosts your speed, and Resolve makes you more resistant to stuns and knockbacks. Core abilities should include Charge to close gaps, Shield Bash to stagger enemies, and Constant Recovery for passive health regeneration, ensuring you can control fights while staying alive.
Choose a one-handed sword or axe paired with a shield for optimal performance. The shield provides additional defense while allowing you to maintain steady damage output. This build is perfect for players who desire a well-rounded playstyle capable of handling both offensive and defensive scenarios.
Which Build Should You Choose in Avowed?
If you crave pure melee destruction, opt for the Two-Handed Brawler. For those who prefer stealth and ranged combat, the Stealth Ranger is the way to go. If you're drawn to magic and battlefield control, the Frost Wizard is your best choice. And for a balanced mix of attack and defense, the Melee Fighter is your ideal build.
Ultimately, your choice should reflect what you find enjoyable. *Avowed*'s combat system is engaging and diverse, so tailor your build to the elements you enjoy most.
*Avowed is available now on PC and Xbox.*
