Every Avowed Background and What They Do

Avowed boasts a deep character creator, letting you shape your hero's appearance and choose a Background that provides a rich backstory and narrative context before the game even begins. Here's a breakdown of each Avowed Background and its impact.

Every Avowed Background, Listed

Avowed offers five distinct Backgrounds, each influencing dialogue options and granting a unique starting weapon. However, all equipment and abilities remain accessible regardless of your chosen Background. Let's explore each one:

Arcane Scholar: This Background paints your character as an academic, providing scholarly dialogue choices. A graduate of Bragganhyl Academy, your character's treatise on soul lineages threatened a local lord, leading to arrest, but ultimately earning a position in the imperial court archives. Expect dialogue reflecting knowledge of the occult, legal precedent, history, and poetry.

Court Augur: This Background presents a tragic tale, leading to the character being viewed as a witch. Visions of villagers turning against them after a crop failure, coupled with unusual insights, forced them to flee to Highcrown, where the emperor embraced their mystical abilities. Court Augurs offer dialogue options reflecting spiritual insight and connection to the Gods. This Background is ideal for players envisioning a wizard-like character and will likely resonate most with the Giatta companion.

Noble Scion: A classic tale of fallen nobility, the Noble Scion hails from a wealthy, influential, yet morally bankrupt family. Scandal and infighting led to their seeking the emperor's protection. This Background offers a path of loyalty to the empire, perfect for players who wish to serve the emperor's interests throughout the Living Lands.

Vanguard Scout: This Background depicts a character spared from execution, possessing a humble past and a preference for the wilderness over city life and politics. Their tracking and espionage skills make them a valuable asset to the empire. This is a strong choice for players who enjoy a hunter-style play and may find themselves relating more to the Marius companion.

War Hero: This Background highlights a character who suppressed a violent Skaenite uprising, earning a place among the emperor's elite warriors. Loyalty and resilience define this character, making them a valuable asset to the empire. This Background suits players who prefer a warrior archetype and might find a strong connection with the Kai companion.

Every Background’s Starting Weapon in Avowed

Each Background provides a starting weapon of Common quality; all are one-handed melee weapons. These weapons will likely require upgrading or replacement relatively early in the game. Therefore, prioritize choosing the Background that best suits your roleplaying preferences, as similar weapons are readily available in the Living Lands soon after the tutorial.

Here's the breakdown of starting weapons:

• Arcane Scholar – Common Dagger (One-Handed)
• Court Augur – Common Mace (One-Handed)
• Noble Scion – Common Sword (One-Handed)
• Vanguard Scout – Common Axe (One-Handed)
• War Hero – Common Spear (One-Handed)

These starting weapons are located near some crates by the shipwreck during the "On Strange Shores" quest.

This covers every Background in Avowed and their impact on gameplay.

Avowed is available now on PC and Xbox.