Understanding Avowed’s Attributes and Backgrounds

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

Want to add more newsletters?

Get ready for your weekly dose of everything you need to know about the games you adore, upcoming titles we think you’ll fall in love with, and stories from the vibrant communities that support them.

Our dedicated GTA 6 newsletter brings you the latest news, insider insights, and rumor breakdowns from seasoned experts.

From the minds behind Edge comes a weekly newsletter focused on the gaming industry, featuring in-depth analysis from skilled writers, professional guidance, and a glimpse into what’s on the horizon.

Tech enthusiasts, unite! Sign up for our free tech newsletter to receive a weekly roundup of the hottest new gadgets, the latest hardware tests, and much more.

Join our new Switch 2 newsletter for weekly updates on Nintendo’s upcoming console, including news highlights and game recommendations.

Subscribe for a weekly roundup of the most important movie and TV news delivered straight to your inbox. From first-look trailers to interviews and reviews, we’ve got you covered.

Get exclusive previews, competitions, and details about special events each month!

Choosing your Attributes and Background in Avowed is one of the final steps in character creation. Your Background mainly unlocks unique dialogue options, so don’t stress too much about it. While your Attributes may have a slight impact in the early game, you can level them up however you like over time and respec for a small fee whenever you want. Understanding these systems in Avowed is crucial, especially since Attributes influence various stats and mechanics that will benefit you throughout the game—mastering them is particularly advantageous in combat. Here’s everything you need to know about Attributes and the Backgrounds available during character creation.

Avowed features six Attributes: Might, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Intellect, and Resolve. Each Attribute affects specific stats and mechanics, such as health, essence, stamina, and attack speed. Certain dialogue options will also be locked unless you meet the required threshold for a specific Attribute, so you’ll need to be sufficiently mighty, perceptive, or intellectual in various social situations. Here’s a breakdown of all six Attributes, the stats they influence, and the thresholds for each:

As you explore the Living Lands, you’ll earn one Attribute Point each time you level up by gaining XP. Allocating a point to any of the six Attributes will significantly enhance the stats it affects at first, but diminishing returns will kick in after reaching Attribute level 5, worsen after level 10, and cap out at level 15. If you’re not satisfied with your choices, you can spend currency at any time to refund your Attribute points and respec your build.

There are additional ways to boost your Attributes beyond spending points. Wearable items are the primary method, as certain armor, gloves, boots, rings, and amulets will grant Attribute increases when equipped. For instance, a pair of gloves might provide +1 Dexterity.

Your companions in Avowed can also offer lessons, resulting in permanent increases to specific Attributes. The totems you can assemble at camp, like the Avowed Totem of Rightful Rulership, can enhance Attributes but only when activated, so ensure you have the right one for your needs.

Lastly, certain consumables can provide temporary boosts to specific Attributes—for example, Fine Aedyran Mean increases your Perception by 2 and your maximum Essence by 10% for five minutes.

All Attributes are heavily combat-oriented, enhancing your effectiveness with various weapons and helping you survive against enemies. Striking the right balance among them is key to crafting some of the best builds in Avowed. Your Background can certainly set you on the right path, but it’s not a permanent choice if you decide to change things up.

Your Avowed Background serves as your character’s origin story, detailing their life before becoming the Aedyran Emperor’s envoy. In gameplay terms, your Background provides unique dialogue options during conversations, determines your starting weapon (though you’ll quickly acquire others), and sets your initial Attributes, which can be adjusted later.

While you can’t change your Background after character creation, it’s not overly critical aside from the roleplay opportunities it offers through unique dialogue—all equipment and skills are accessible to all backgrounds, so you’re not locked into a specific build based on your choice, meaning there’s no definitive “best background” in Avowed.

Choosing a Background automatically allocates 10 Attribute Points, but you can redistribute them, with the only limitation being that you can’t assign more than three points to any single Attribute during character creation. You could even create an Arcane Scholar with zero points in Intellect if you wanted.

Here are the five Backgrounds in Avowed and their benefits:

The Avowed Arcane Scholar is tailored for magic users, making it ideal for a spellcasting build, though you may start off a bit fragile. You’re a graduate of Bragganhyl Academy who was imprisoned for publishing a controversial treatise on soul lineages but was rescued by the emperor. Since then, you’ve worked in the imperial court’s archives, delving into occult knowledge, law, history, and art.

The Court Augur background is unique, enhancing fast magic and ranged attacks but lacking in damage and durability. You fled to Highcrown after your prophetic visions led you to believe you’d be hunted for your unsettling insights. The emperor then appointed you as his personal mystic, allowing you to wield your power from the shadows.

As a Noble Scion, you’re a versatile character, with at least one point in every Attribute but not excelling in any particular one. Born into a noble family that fell from grace, you were spared by the emperor and now serve as a loyal ally in his court.

The Vanguard Scout background focuses on Dexterity, Constitution, and Perception, making it suited for ranged combat, quick strikes, and survival. You were a desperate survivor saved from execution by the emperor. While you yearn for the wilderness, you’re also a trusted operative in court, excelling as a spy and tracker.

The Avowed War Hero background sets you up as a classic tanky fighter, emphasizing health, stamina, and damage. Your distinguished service during a Skaenite uprising earned you recognition from the emperor, promoting you to the elite Tall Grass spearmen. You are brave, loyal, and highly skilled in combat.

Remember, there’s no pressure to nail your Attributes right at the start of Avowed since you can always respec later. This means your Background isn’t particularly crucial, aside from the roleplay dialogue, as all other benefits can be adjusted. What’s more important is knowing how to upgrade your items in Avowed, as this significantly impacts your combat effectiveness.