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10 years after the CRPG's original launch, Obsidian is still bringing new updates to Pillars of Eternity. You can probably thank renewed interest in the series through Avowed for the timing of its latest update, but new RPG fans who've been introduced to the genre through Baldur's Gate 3 might want to stay tuned for something much bigger coming later in the year: a turn-based combat mode.
"We’ve been hard at work delving deep into the code grimoire and tuning the balance of blade and spell – and today, we’re excited to share the results of that effort with a brand new patch," the devs say in the announcement, where you can read the full patch notes. "This update addresses a wide range of fixes and improvements across visuals, combat, quests, and more. Whether you're journeying through the Eastern Reach for the first time or returning to tie up loose threads, your path should now be a little smoother."
These kinds of updates for Pillars haven't been unheard of in recent years, even if this patch seems to be a particularly meaty one in terms of bug fixes and quality of life upgrades. Still, this kind of support for a single-player RPG released back in 2015 is very nice to see, and there's something much more interesting on the horizon.
"Coming later this year, Watchers will be able to help us test a brand-new feature: Turn-Based Combat," the devs say. "We're excited to explore this new way to experience encounters in Pillars of Eternity, and your feedback will help shape its future. More details on how to participate will be shared in the near future, so keep an eye on our socials and in our discord."
Pillars of Eternity was billed as a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate (alongside other Infinity Engine classics like Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment) from the time of its original Kickstarter, and like that game, it features a "real-time with pause" combat system. That means that, while you can pause the game to issue strategic commands to your party, you'll spend much of your time controlling everything as you would in an RTS title.
There's some irony in the fact that Pillars of Eternity hewed more closely to the fundamental feel of Baldur's Gate than Baldur's Gate 3 did, and Obsidian is now offering the same turn-based approach that Larian proved the popularity of. Obsidian actually started bringing turn-based combat to Pillars well before Baldur's Gate 3 proved there was a massive audience for that type of CRPG, adding the feature to Pillars 2 in 2019.
The implementation of turn-based combat for Pillars 2 is broadly seen as, at best, a bit odd by series fans, since the game was originally designed around the real-time system with tons of combat encounters, and all those fights drag down the pace of the game when you're pausing to tactically complete each one. It's likely Pillars 1 will suffer a similar caveat, but this option could still be a great way to offer a way in for new RPG fans who've fallen in love with Avowed's world and Baldur's Gate 3's combat.
