Avowed’s classless RPG system is designed to allow players to experiment, and it’s been obvious from early on that just about anything goes. Showcases ofAvowed’s combat, for example, have shown how players could dual-wield wands, use a gun and a wand, and possibly any imaginable combination. Grimoires can also be wielded in combat, combined with a wand, a sword, or whatever the player wants.
Grimoires have been shown forAvowedbefore, but many may be curious about how they work compared to a wand. When Game Rant sat down withAvoweddirector Carrie Patel and art director Matt Hansen at the Xbox Games Showcase, we asked about these Grimoires, and it’s clear they could go a long way in helping a player define their playstyle.
Avowed’s Grimoires Give Players New Powerful Spells
In many ways,Avowed’s Grimoires work the way anyPillars of Eternityplayer would expect them to. The key difference is that Grimoires were locked toWizards inPillars of Eternity, while anyAvowedplayer could presumably use one thanks to its classless system. Grimoires grant players access to magic they couldn’t utilize otherwise because there are a lot of powerful spells inAvowed, such as the returning Fan of Flames. As Hansen explained, the Wizard skill tree does have some spells in it, but many may only be found in Grimoires. This goes a long way because players could invest in the Wizard tree and invest in the Grimoire for tons of spells. At the same time, someone could adopt a Battlemage playstyle by using a sword in one hand and the Grimoire in another. In Hansen’s own words,
“There’s this Wizard tree that you have, and that comes with some spells baked into it. There are a lot of spells, like in Pillars, where you may’t acquire them unless you have a grimoire. And once you have a grimoire, it expands your options. If you want to be more of a battlemage, you don’t want to focus too much on the Wizard tree, but you still want to be able to cast Fan of Flames or whatever, you can have your sword in one hand and the Grimoire in the other. You can use those interchangeably.”
It remains to be seen howAvowedadopts the “pen is mightier than the sword” mantra, but it’s clear Grimoires add a lot of power to a player’s build. The spell Hansen references, Fan of Flames, is an incredibly powerful AOE spell inPillars of Eternity, with its drawback being how tricky it can be to use. How that translates toAvowedexactly remains to be seen, but it seems powerful spells will be found throughout theLiving Lands.
No matter what,Avowed’s classless leveling system ensures players can invest in their character however they wish. If Grimoires are not their speed, then guns might just be, and of course, there’s nothing wrong with a classic sword and shield character either. What matters is players can express themselves however they wish, and that’ll go a long way comeAvowed’s Fall 2024 release date.
Avowed
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Avowed is a first-person RPG being developed by Obsidian Entertainment. Taking place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, players explore the world of Eora using both rune-based magic and sword combat.
