Before you set foot in the vibrant world of Avowed, one choice will shape your journey more than any other: your character’s background. Will you be a cunning Arcane Scholar, a battle-hardened War Hero, or a Noble Scion navigating courtly intrigue? Each background unlocks unique dialogue options and starts you with different weapons and stat distributions-but don’t stress too much, because Avowed lets you tweak your attributes and wield any weapon as you see fit. The real question isn’t just which background is best, but which story you want to tell.
In this Avowed guide, we’ll explain what background to pick and break down exactly what each background starts with.
What is the best background for you in Avowed?
Choosing the best background in Avowed depends primarily on how you want to role-play your character, as backgrounds mainly influence your starting dialogue options, initial weapon, and the suggested distribution of your first attribute points. Importantly, you can freely redistribute these attribute points during character creation, so you’re not locked into any particular playstyle based on your background choice. The starting weapon you receive is only relevant for the brief tutorial section, after which you can equip any weapon or armor you prefer. Ultimately, the best background is the one that fits the story or personality you want for your character, since all gameplay options remain open regardless of your choice. If you’re unsure, backgrounds like Arcane Scholar offer balanced stats and versatile dialogue, making them a safe and flexible pick.
When creating a character in Avowed, you choose from one of five backgrounds:
- Arcane Scholar
- Court Augur
- Noble Scion
- Vanguard Scout
- War Hero.
It’s presented as if you’re selecting a class as you would in a typical RPG, but for the most part, what background you pick is mostly just a role-playing choice, affecting dialogue options on a superficial level. In other words, the best background for you is the one you identify with most on a role-playing level.
Primarily, the background you choose determines some of your dialogue options, but in our testing, these dialogue options have no bearing on the game. You similarly won’t be locked into committing to specific stats, abilities, or weapons depending on the background you pick. So, for instance, if you choose Arcane Scholar, you might get to fire off a quip when talking about magical stuff with an NPC – but you’ll still be able to wield a broadsword and use traditionally “thief”-class abilities.
One of the only things that does change with your background selection is the starting weapon you’ll find in the tutorial. While all backgrounds can wield all weapons, it’s the primary weapon you’ll use for the first part of the game before soon getting access to the full kit. (Everyone gets a shield during the tutorial as well.) Avowed features two-handed melee weapons, but every melee weapon at the start is one-handed.
Finally, your background allocates a baseline of ten attribute points across six stats: Might, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intellect, and Resolve. But the distributions per background are mere suggestions. You can reset and assign these attribute points as you see fit before starting the game.
With all of this in mind, we’d suggest choosing a background based on the weapon you want first.
All weapons and stats per background in Avowed
Each background in Avowed determines your starting weapon and provides a unique distribution of attribute points, though you can freely reassign these stats before beginning your adventure. Here’s a concise breakdown of all five backgrounds, their initial weapons, and base stat allocations:
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Arcane Scholar
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Starting Weapon: Dagger
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Stats: Might 2, Constitution 0, Dexterity 2, Perception 2, Intellect 3, Resolve 1.
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Court Augur
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Starting Weapon: Mace
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Stats: Might 0, Constitution 0, Dexterity 2, Perception 3, Intellect 3, Resolve 2.
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Noble Scion
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Starting Weapon: Sword
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Stats: Might 2, Constitution 1, Dexterity 2, Perception 2, Intellect 2, Resolve 1.
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Vanguard Scout
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Starting Weapon: Axe
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Stats: Might 1, Constitution 2, Dexterity 2, Perception 3, Intellect 1, Resolve 1.
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War Hero
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Starting Weapon: Spear
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Stats: Might 3, Constitution 2, Dexterity 1, Perception 1, Intellect 0, Resolve 3.
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While your background sets the tone for your character’s early playstyle and dialogue options, you are not locked into any particular build-every weapon and skill remains accessible as you progress. The only fixed elements are your starting weapon and the unique dialogue choices tied to your background.
As mentioned, each of the five backgrounds in Avowed come with their own starting weapon (which can’t be changed) and starting attribute allocations (which can be changed). Below, we’ll give you a brief breakdown of each.
Arcane Scholar
- Summary: As an Arcane Scholar, you’re a magic nerd – but, like, a cool magic nerd who got in trouble for how radical your research was. Now you’re in with the emperor, but everyone you meet still sees you as a nerd.
- Starting Weapon: Dagger
- Base Attributes: 2 Might, 2 Dexterity, 2 Perception, 3 Intellect, 1 Resolve
Court Augur
- Summary: A clairvoyant mystic who came from humble beginnings, you’re now in the employ of the emperor. Use your silver tongue to persuade (or lie) your way to success.
- Starting Weapon: Mace
- Base Attributes: 2 Dexterity, 3 Perception, 3 Intellect, 2 Resolve
Noble Scion
- Summary: Born a noble, your family fell into scandal and you were personally granted mercy by the emperor. You’re now a close ally of his at court.
- Starting Weapon: Sword
- Base Attributes: 2 Might, 1 Constitution, 2 Dexterity, 2 Perception, 2 Intellect, 1 Resolve
Vanguard Scout
- Summary: Born to roam the wilderness but low on funds, the emperor saved you from a life of crime. Now you act as one of the emperor’s agents out in the wild, tracking, spying, and hunting your way through the world.
- Starting Weapon: Axe
- Base Attributes: 1 Might, 2 Constitution, 2 Dexterity, 3 Perception, 1 Intellect, 1 Resolve
War Hero
- Summary: A hero from a recent conflict, you’ve been honored by the emperor and added to an elite squadron of spearmen. You serve as one of his important military assets.
- Starting Weapon: Spear
- Base Attributes: Might 3, Constitution 2, Dexterity 1, Perception 1, Resolve 3
How does choosing a background in Avowed shape my early gameplay experience
Choosing a background in Avowed shapes your early gameplay experience in several key ways:
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Starting Stats and Weapon: Your background determines your initial attribute distribution and the weapon you begin the game with. For example, an Arcane Scholar starts with higher Intellect and a dagger, while other backgrounds offer different stat boosts and weapons.
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Early Combat and Playstyle: The starting stats and weapon gently nudge you toward a particular playstyle in the opening hour. For instance, backgrounds with high Intellect favor spellcasting, while those with more Might or Dexterity may encourage melee or ranged combat.
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Dialogue and Role-Playing: Backgrounds unlock unique dialogue options throughout the game, letting you respond in ways that reflect your character’s history. This can provide alternative solutions or insights in conversations, making your interactions feel more personal and tailored.
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World Perception: NPCs may react differently based on your background, subtly influencing how the story unfolds and how you are perceived in the Living Lands.
However, these effects are most pronounced in the early stages. As you progress, you can fully customize your stats and use any weapon or skill, so your background mainly continues to influence dialogue and role-playing flavor rather than restricting your build or combat options.
How much do role-playing bonuses from backgrounds affect my character’s development in Avowed
Role-playing bonuses from backgrounds in Avowed primarily affect your character’s development through unique dialogue options and how NPCs perceive and interact with you. Each background unlocks special lines in conversations, allowing you to respond in ways that reflect your character’s history, and can influence alliances, conflicts, and opportunities as you explore the Living Lands. However, these bonuses do not significantly impact your combat abilities, skill progression, or access to weapons and abilities, since you can fully customize your stats and gear regardless of your background choice.
In summary, background-based role-playing bonuses in Avowed are mostly about shaping your narrative experience and personalizing interactions, rather than providing mechanical advantages or restricting your character’s build as you progress.
