Pillars of Eternity is a brilliant RPG created by Obsidian Entertainment. Set in the magical world of Eora, you play out the epic adventure of an Awakened Watcher. As an Awakened Watcher, you use your newfound powers to gain access to other people's memories. But, this isn't the only trick up your sleeve. You can become quite the talented adventurer.
RELATED: The Best CRPGs And Why You Need To Play Them
As with many in-depth RPGs, the Pillars Of Eternity character creation stage can be a little overwhelming. There are so many decisions for you to make that allow you to create unique characters. You get to decide on your background, your specific class and have almost as many options as an actual game of Dungeons and Dragons. With so many decisions to choose from, here are some helpful tips to get you started.
6 Pick A Class That Suits Your Playstyle
The Pillars of Eternity games have a wide range of classes and subclasses to pick from. You could be a formidable Barbarian or a powerful Wizard. In the first game, there are 11 classes available:
- Barbarian
- Chanter
- Cipher
- Druid
- Fighter
- Monk
- Paladin
- Priest
- Ranger
- Rogue
- Wizard
It's important to decide on what type of gameplay you are seeking out in this particular playthrough. If you want to be more of a support role for your party, perhaps pick a Chanter, Priest, or a Druid. If you are keen to take hits in the heat of the battle, go with a Barbarian, a Fighter, a monk, or a Paladin. Want to cause chaos from a distance? Perhaps go with a Ranger. Want to focus on controlling the crowd with magic, pick a Cipher or a Wizard. For sneaky tactics, the Rogue is your best bet.
Take your time during this stage of the character creation. There is no rush. Read through the various perks listed for each role, consider their class-specific powers and go for something that you believe you'll get the most fun out of, based on how you usually like to play.
5 The Traits You Pick Will Help Certain Character Builds
After deciding what class you want to specialize in, it is a good idea to adapt your other choices to complement it. For example, your character's race will offer certain benefits that can be useful for specific roles. If you chose to be the Moon Godlike race, you would be a great fit as a support healer as their Silver Tide power will generate waves of healing moonlight for your party.
The culture section will also offer starting stats for you to consider. Choosing to have grown up in The Living Lands, for example, will give you a plus one bonus to your might - great for those picking melee-based classes. By selecting a race, culture, and background that links to your class, you can give yourself quite a head start on your adventure. So pick bonuses to skills you feel you will use a lot.
The bonuses from your character's Race, Culture, and Background are handy but not too influential. So, feel free to pick anything that you find the most exciting, allowing you to create a character as captivating as some of the exciting people you'll meet during your quest.
4 Your Appearance And Gender Do Not Influence The Game Dramatically
There are a lot of options to chose from in terms of customizing your character's appearance. You get to choose the colors of your attire and your hair and alter your features in various ways. Don't worry too much about deciding on a specific look right away, as you will be able to change your attire colors during the adventure as well. You can also choose your lovely portrait from a wide selection of options and what voice you want to have. You can even be a classic silent protagonist if desired.
RELATED: Pillars Of Eternity: The Best Weapons, Ranked
It is important to note that these choices will not influence your game very much at all. Your Sex and Race might offer subtle differences within your interactions with the various characters in the game, but your gender and desired look will not affect your stats and story. So, design a look that suits you the best.
3 Take Note Of The Recommended Attributes
Your attributes are a critical part of character creation. There are six attributes to play around with:
- Might (Your strength both physically and spiritually)
- Constitution (Your health and endurance)
- Dexterity (Your speed and coordination)
- Perception (Your ability to spot subtle details)
- Intellect (Your logic and will)
- Resolve (Your determination and concentration)
It is essential to consider what kind of character build you are crafting when deciding on your attributes. The character creation screen is actually beneficial with this. It will highlight around three of the six stats that it recommends you pick based on your class. It is an excellent idea to take note of these recommendations. You can even take away points to relocate elsewhere if you feel there is a stat you will have little use for with your particular class and build.
No matter what you specialize in, though, you should always make sure not to neglect your Constitution. Each and every class needs a good constitution to make sure you can survive the dangerous challenges you are about to face.
2 Consider Your Party Setup
There are 11 wonderful companions to choose from during your adventure, and you'll be able to have a party of six joining you. Each one of them has their own unique story, skills, and abilities. These companions can be found out in the world or hired through the adventurer's hall.
You'll want to make sure you have an excellent composition for your party. For example, if you're likely to want to have Eder - the human fighter - on your team, it might be a little redundant to also play as a fighter yourself. There are a variety of challenges you'll be facing during the game, so you want to make sure you are prepared for them all. Make sure you have someone suited for healing and another suited for taking the brunt of the damage.
RELATED:
Magic users are always vital too. Consider the group you would like to have, similar to a D&D party, and keep that in mind when crafting your initial role. This way, you can make sure your future companions will complement your playstyle well.
An additional character creation tip is to make sure each party member's primary colors are pretty distinct. This allows you to make sure your characters stand out during battle and that you can keep track of them all more easily.
1 Experiment And Have Fun
Although you might be in for a more leisurely adventure by carefully considering the character you are creating, it can be just as fun to mess around with the options. The game offers a fun challenge, but it is balanced enough to ensure that you will always have a chance of succeeding no matter what character you create.
So don't sweat the character creation too much. Go against tropes. Make a silly or an unconventional character if you like. Or, simply stick to the style of character you've enjoyed in the past. RPGs are all about personal expression and getting lost in the character and story, after all.
Pillars of Eternity is a fantastic Isometric RPG and worth replaying time and time again, trying out new classes and playstyles. See what works best for you, then play through the game again with a completely different creation.
NEXT: The Best Mods For Pillars Of Eternity 2: Dead Fire, Ranked
