Choosing the right build in *Avowed* can significantly enhance your early game experience, allowing you to handle enemies effectively while maintaining your survivability. Whether you're drawn to the thrill of close combat, the precision of long-range attacks, or the strategic power of magic, these builds offer a solid foundation for your journey in *Avowed*.

Two-Handed Brawler (War Hero Build)

The *Two-Handed Brawler* is designed for players who revel in brute force and direct confrontation. If you aim to deliver massive damage and plow through adversaries, this is your go-to build. Focusing on high-damage two-handed weapons, you'll strike with devastating power while maintaining enough resilience to absorb incoming blows. This straightforward yet lethal approach is particularly effective in the early stages of *Avowed*.

To optimize damage and durability, this build emphasizes:

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

Might amplifies your melee damage, Constitution enhances your health pool, and Dexterity helps with quicker attacks and evasive maneuvers. Your primary abilities should revolve around charging into the fray, boosting your damage output, and sustaining health during combat. The Charge ability is crucial, enabling you to swiftly engage enemies and strike before they can respond. Complement this with Bleeding Cuts for ongoing damage and Toughness to increase your maximum health, turning you into an unstoppable juggernaut.

For weaponry, the Horsecutter two-handed sword or Drawn in Winter axe are top choices. These weapons pack a serious punch, ensuring battles are swift and decisive. This build suits players who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward melee style, focusing on eliminating foes before they can retaliate.

Stealth Ranger (Vanguard Scout Build)

The *Stealth Ranger* is perfect for those who prefer agility and precision over brute strength. This build centers on utilizing bows, firearms, and stealth tactics to deliver devastating critical hits while minimizing damage taken. It's an excellent choice for players who appreciate strategic positioning and patience in combat.

This build leverages accuracy, agility, and critical hits for maximum impact:

• **Perception (3)** – Enhances ranged accuracy and critical hit chance.
• **Dexterity (3)** – Improves movement speed and attack speed.
• **Might (2)** – Boosts ranged weapon power.
• **Resolve (2)** – Helps resist stuns and knockbacks.

Perception increases your chance of landing critical hits, Dexterity enhances your mobility and attack speed, and Might amplifies your ranged weapon damage. Key abilities should include Tanglefoot to immobilize foes, Marksmanship to enhance your bow and gun damage, and Shadowing Beyond for temporary invisibility. These skills ensure you remain elusive and deadly, rarely allowing enemies to close in.

Choose a bow or arquebus for long-range engagements, and carry a pistol with a melee weapon as a backup for close encounters. If you enjoy the thrill of eliminating enemies from a distance before melting into the shadows, the Stealth Ranger build is ideal. Explore *Avowed*'s world to uncover some of the best weapons hidden within numerous treasures.

Frost Wizard (Arcane Scholar Build)

For those who prefer to dominate the battlefield with magical prowess, the *Frost Wizard* offers a potent early-game build. This build focuses on freezing enemies, delivering high burst damage, and maintaining control over encounters. It demands strategic positioning and efficient resource management, but when executed well, it's one of the most powerful setups in the game.

The Frost Wizard harnesses intelligence, perception, and swift spellcasting:

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

Intellect enhances your spell's potency, Perception aids in achieving critical hits, and Dexterity speeds up your casting. Your abilities should focus on applying Frost Accumulation to slow and eventually freeze enemies, turning them into easy targets. Chill Blades is essential for close-range freezing, while Blast of Frost and Bristling Frost deliver massive area-of-effect frost damage. If an enemy is frozen, using Charge (borrowed from the Fighter tree) can shatter them instantly, dealing bonus damage.

Arm yourself with a wand and a frost-based grimoire. Wands allow you to attack when out of Essence, while a grimoire provides access to powerful frost spells. This build is ideal for players who enjoy the strategic depth of a spellcaster capable of controlling and annihilating groups of enemies.

Melee Fighter (War Hero Build)

The *Melee Fighter* offers a balanced approach, blending offense and defense for players seeking versatility. Unlike the Two-Handed Brawler, this build emphasizes quick strikes, effective blocking, and enduring through combat rather than sheer damage output.

The Melee Fighter Build focuses on enhancing attack damage and speed:

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

Might amplifies your melee strikes, Dexterity quickens your attacks, and Resolve bolsters your resilience against stuns and knockbacks. Core abilities should include Charge to close distances, Shield Bash to stagger foes, and Constant Recovery for passive health regeneration. This combination allows you to dictate the pace of battle while maintaining your health.

Opt for a one-handed sword or axe alongside a shield. The shield offers additional defense while enabling you to deal consistent damage. This build is perfect for players who desire a well-rounded playstyle capable of managing both offensive and defensive aspects of combat.

Which Build Should You Choose in Avowed?

If raw melee power is your goal, the Two-Handed Brawler is your best choice. For those who prefer stealth and ranged combat, the Stealth Ranger is ideal. If you're drawn to the strategic control of magic, the Frost Wizard is the way to go. And for a balanced mix of attack and defense, the Melee Fighter is your best option.

Ultimately, your choice should reflect what you find most enjoyable. *Avowed*'s combat system is engaging and dynamic, so tailor your build to the elements that resonate with you the most.

*Avowed is now available on PC and Xbox.*