Avowed Attributes and Backgrounds explained

Choosing Avowed Attributes and a Background is one of the last things to do in character creation. Your Background is mainly for unique dialogue options so don't sweat that too much. While your Attributes might make a small difference in the opening hours, but you can level them how ever you want over time, and respec for a small fee whenever you want.

It's still useful to know about these systems in Avowed, particularly as Attributes affect many different stats and mechanics that you'll be benefit from almost all the time - mastering them is especially useful in combat. I've laid out everything you need to know about Attributes in Avowed and the Backgrounds you can pick during character creation.

All Avowed Attributes and what they do

There are six Attributes in Avowed – Might, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intellect, and Resolve. Each one affects the potency of certain statistics and mechanics, from health and essence to stamina and attack speed. Certain dialogue options during conversation will also be locked unless you meet a threshold for a particular Attribute, so you'll need to be sufficiently mighty, perceptive, or intellectual in some social situations.

Here are all six Avowed Attributes, the stats they affect, and the breakpoints for each of those stats:

• Might: Increases the damage you deal from all sources and increases carrying capacity.
  • 1: +3% damage, +10% carrying capacity
  • 5: +15% damage, +50% carrying capacity
  • 10: +25% damage, +83% carrying capacity
  • 15: +30% damage, +100% carrying capacity
• Constitution: Increases Maximum Health and resistance to Bleed and Poison effects.
  • 1: +5% maximum health, +6% poison and bleeding resistance
  • 5: +25% maximum health, +30% poison and bleeding resistance
  • 10: +40% maximum health, +50% poison and bleeding resistance
  • 15: +50% maximum health, +60% poison and bleeding resistance
• Dexterity: Improves Attack Speed (using weapons and abilities), Action Speed (drawing and stowing gear, consuming items, parkour), and Reload Speed.
  • 1: +4% attack speed, +7% action speed
  • 5: +18% attack speed, +33% action speed
  • 10: +28% attack speed, +55% action speed
  • 15: +34% attack speed, +67% action speed
• Perception: increases Critical Hit Chance and Maximum Range for weapons, making wands, guns, and bows more effective at longer ranges.
  • 1: +3% critical hit chance, 5% maximum range
  • 5: +15% critical hit chance, 25% maximum range
  • 10: +25% critical hit chance, 40% maximum range
  • 15: +30% critical hit chance, 50% maximum range
• Intellect: Increases Maximum Essence, which is used for casting spells and using abilities, and your Elemental Resistance, which includes the Ignited, Shocked, and Frozen effects.
  • 1: +5 maximum Essence, +6% elemental resistance
  • 5: +25 maximum Essence, +30% elemental resistance
  • 10: +41 maximum Essence, +50% elemental resistance
  • 15: +50 maximum Essence, +60% elemental resistance
• Resolve: Increases Maximum Stamina and improves Second Wind Efficiency, which reduces the cooldown of Second Wind and increases the amount of health you come back with.  
  • 1: +5 maximum stamina, +12% Second Wind efficiency
  • 5: +25 maximum stamina, +58% Second Wind efficiency
  • 10: +42 maximum stamina, +77% Second Wind efficiency
  • 15: +50 maximum stamina, +85% Second Wind efficiency

When you get out into the Living Lands, you'll earn one Attribute Point every time you level up from earning XP. Allocating a point to any of the six Attributes improving the stats it affects generously at first, but diminishing returns set in beyond Attribute level 5, then worsen after level 10, before capping out at level 15. If you're not happy with your choices you can spend currency at any point to refund your Attribute points and respec your build.

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There are also other ways to improve your Attributes besides spending points. Wearable items are the main method, where certain armor, gloves, boots, rings, and amulets will give you Attribute increases when you equip them. So, for example, a pair of gloves might grant +1 Dexterity.

Avowed companions can also give you lessons, providing permanent increases to certain Attributes. The totems you can assemble at camp, such as the Avowed Totem of Rightful Rulership, can also increase Attributes, but only when activated. So make sure you've got the right one for you.

Finally, certain consumables can grant temporary boosts to certain Attributes – for example, Fine Aedyran Mean boosts your Perception by 2 and you maximum Essence by 10% for five minutes.

All the Attributes are very combat focused, helping you be more effective with certain kinds of weaponry and survive whatever enemies can throw at you. Getting the right balance of these is essential to coming up with some of the best Avowed builds. Your background can certainly help you start on the right path, but it isn't set in stone if you fancy changing.

All Avowed Backgrounds and what they do

Your Avowed Background is effectively your character's origin story, detailing what they were up to in life prior to becoming the Aedyran Emperor's envoy. In terms of gameplay, your background provides unique dialogue options during conversations, determines your starting weapon (though you will very quickly start picking up other weapons), and determines your starting Attributes, although these can be easily altered later.

You can't change your background after character creation but, overall, it isn't that important aside from the roleplay opportunities afforded by the unique dialogue – all equipment and skills are available to all backgrounds, so you're not locked into a particular build based on your choice, so there isn't really a "best background" in Avowed either.

Whichever background you choose auto-allocates 10 Attribute Points. However, you are free to reallocate them, with the only restriction being that you can't put more than three points into any one Attribute during character creation. You could be an Arcane Scholar with zero points in Intellect if you really wanted.

Here are all five backgrounds in Avowed and what benefits they provide:

Avowed Arcane Scholar Background

The Avowed Arcane Scholar is geared towards magic, making it a good choice if you want a spellcasting build. Although you will be a bit of a glass cannon initially. You are a Bragganhyl Academy graduate who was arrested for publishing a controversial treatise on soul lineages but was saved by the emperor. Since then, you have worked in the archives of imperial court, poring over occult knowledge, law, history, and art.

• Starting weapon: Dagger
• Might: 2
• Constitution: 0
• Dexterity: 2
• Perception: 2
• Intellect: 3
• Resolve: 1

Avowed Court Augur Background

The Court Augur background in Avowed is an odd one, helping with fast magic and ranged attacks but lacks damage and robustness. You fled to Highcrown after your visions of the future led you to believe you would be hunted by your neighbors for your unsettling nature and insights. Here the emperor elevated you to his personal mystic, letting you use your power from the shadows.

• Starting weapon: Mace
• Might: 0
• Constitution: 0
• Dexterity: 2
• Perception: 3
• Intellect: 3
• Resolve: 2

Avowed Noble Scion Background

As a Noble Scion, you're a kind of all-rounder, not excelling in any particular Attribute but you have at least one point in everything. Born into a noble house later brought down by scandal, you were shown mercy by the emperor and now act as a loyal ally and serve in his court.

• Starting weapon: Sword
• Might: 2
• Constitution: 1
• Dexterity: 2
• Perception: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Resolve: 1

Avowed Vanguard Scout Background

With a focus on Dexterity, Constitution, and Perception, the Vanguard Scout Avowed background is meant for ranged combat, rapid strikes, and survival. You were a desperate wilderness survivor saved from execution by the emperor. While you long for the outdoors, you're still a trusted operative of the emperor in court and are an effective spy and tracker.

• Starting weapon: Axe
• Might: 1
• Constitution: 2
• Dexterity: 2
• Perception: 3
• Intellect: 1
• Resolve: 1

Avowed War Hero Background

The Avowed War Hero background sets you up to be a classic tanky fighter, with a focus on health, stamina, and damage. Your distinguished service in battle against a Skaenite uprising was recognized by the emperor, earning you a promotion to the elite Tall Grass spearmen. You are brave, loyal, and highly skilled when it comes to fighting.

• Starting weapon: Spear
• Might: 3
• Constitution: 2
• Dexterity: 1
• Perception: 1
• Intellect: 0
• Resolve: 3

Just remember, there's no pressure to get your Attributes right when starting Avowed because you can always respec them later. That means your background isn't especially important, aside from roleplay dialogue, as all the other benefits they provide can be changed. What's more important is knowing how to upgrade your items in Avowed, as this is a major factor in determining how effective you'll be in combat.

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