Top Early Game Strategies for Avowed

Choosing the right build in *Avowed* can significantly impact your early game experience, enabling you to tackle enemies more effectively while maintaining your survivability. Whether your style leans towards close-quarters combat, long-range sniping, or unleashing powerful spells, these builds offer a strong foundation for success in *Avowed*.

Two-Handed Brawler (War Hero Build)

The *Two-Handed Brawler* is the embodiment of brute force, ideal for players who thrive on dealing massive damage and bulldozing through enemies. This build focuses on wielding high-damage two-handed weapons, allowing you to hit hard while maintaining the toughness to withstand enemy attacks. It's a straightforward yet highly effective approach that excels in *Avowed's* early stages.

To optimize this build for maximum damage and durability, prioritize:

• **Might (3)** – Enhances melee damage output.
• **Constitution (3)** – Boosts health and overall tankiness.
• **Dexterity (2)** – Improves attack speed and dodging.
• **Resolve (2)** – Reduces the impact of enemy stuns and knockbacks.

Might enhances your melee damage, Constitution increases your health, and Dexterity aids in attack speed and evasion. Key abilities for this build include Charge, which allows you to rush into combat and smash enemies before they react, Bleeding Cuts for ongoing damage, and Toughness to boost your maximum health, turning you into an unstoppable force.

For weapons, consider the Horsecutter two-handed sword or the Drawn in Winter axe, both known for their devastating impact, making encounters quick and brutal. This build suits players who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward melee approach, aiming to eliminate foes swiftly before they can retaliate.

Stealth Ranger (Vanguard Scout Build)

The *Stealth Ranger* is perfect for those who prefer mobility and precision, striking enemies from a distance. This build emphasizes bows, firearms, and stealthy maneuvers, allowing you to avoid damage while landing significant critical hits. Unlike the Two-Handed Brawler, the Stealth Ranger thrives on patience and accuracy, keeping foes at bay.

To maximize effectiveness, focus on:

• **Perception (3)** – Increases ranged accuracy and critical hit chance.
• **Dexterity (3)** – Enhances movement and attack speed.
• **Might (2)** – Boosts ranged weapon power.
• **Resolve (2)** – Aids in resisting stuns and knockbacks.

Perception boosts your critical hit chances, Dexterity improves your speed and evasion, and Might enhances ranged weapon damage. Key abilities include Tanglefoot to root enemies, Marksmanship to increase bow and gun damage, and Shadowing Beyond for temporary invisibility, ensuring enemies rarely get close enough to strike.

Weapon choices should include a bow or arquebus for long-range engagements, with a pistol and a melee weapon as backups for close encounters. This build is ideal for players who enjoy sniping and disappearing into the shadows, with the best weapons scattered across *Avowed's* expansive world.

Frost Wizard (Arcane Scholar Build)

For those who wish to dominate the battlefield with magic, the *Frost Wizard* offers a formidable early-game build. This setup revolves around freezing enemies, delivering high burst damage, and maintaining control over combat. It requires strategic positioning and effective resource management but, when executed correctly, is among the most powerful configurations in *Avowed*.

Key attributes for this build include:

• **Intellect (3)** – Enhances spell effectiveness.
• **Perception (3)** – Improves accuracy and spell crit chance.
• **Dexterity (2)** – Speeds up spellcasting.
• **Resolve (2)** – Reduces interruptions while casting.

Intellect increases the potency of your spells, Perception aids in landing critical hits, and Dexterity accelerates your casting speed. Focus your abilities on applying Frost Accumulation to slow and freeze enemies, making them vulnerable. Essential spells include Chill Blades for close-range freezing, Blast of Frost, and Bristling Frost for area-of-effect frost damage. Utilize Charge from the Fighter tree to shatter frozen enemies, dealing bonus damage.

Carry a wand and a frost-based grimoire for weaponry. Wands allow you to attack without Essence, while grimoires grant access to powerful frost spells. This build is perfect for players who relish controlling the battlefield with devastating magic.

Melee Fighter (War Hero Build)

The *Melee Fighter* offers a balanced approach, blending offense and defense, suitable for players seeking versatility. This build, unlike the Two-Handed Brawler, emphasizes quick attacks, blocking, and endurance rather than sheer damage.

Focus on:

• **Might (3)** – Increases melee damage.
• **Perception (3)** – Improves accuracy and critical spell damage.
• **Dexterity (2)** – Enhances attack speed.
• **Resolve (2)** – Prevents interruptions during casting.

Might amplifies your melee damage, Dexterity boosts your attack speed, and Resolve enhances your resistance to stuns and knockbacks. Core abilities should include Charge to close gaps, Shield Bash to stagger foes, and Constant Recovery for passive health regeneration, ensuring you can control and survive battles.

Opt for a one-handed sword or axe paired with a shield for weapons, providing both offensive capability and defensive resilience. This build is excellent for players who prefer a balanced playstyle, capable of handling both attack and defense effectively.

Which Build Should You Choose in Avowed?

Selecting the right build depends on your preferred playstyle. If raw melee power is your goal, choose the Two-Handed Brawler. For stealth and ranged combat, opt for the Stealth Ranger. If you're drawn to magical control, the Frost Wizard is your path. And for a versatile mix of attack and defense, the Melee Fighter is your best choice.

Ultimately, the decision should hinge on what you find enjoyable. *Avowed* offers a dynamic and engaging combat system, so tailor your build to the elements you enjoy most.

*Avowed is available now on PC and Xbox.*