Latest Update: June 29, 2026 – Categories: Avowed
Avowed’s character creation defines your imperial Envoy before you set foot in the Living Lands. This guide covers everything new players need to know in 2026, from customizing your character’s appearance and godlike features to race, backgrounds, attributes, and starting equipment.
In Avowed, some character creation choices are purely cosmetic, while others like background and attributes affect combat, dialogue, and story outcomes. You can preview your character in first-person and third-person during creation, but only limited changes are possible after the prologue.
What this article covers:
- Appearance customization (face shape, skin tone, hair, body type)
- Godlike identity and divine features
- Race options and Race Stat differences
- Character backgrounds and their gameplay impact
- Attributes and character builds
- Starting weapons and early choices
- Tips for planning your Envoy
Avowed Character Creation Step-by-Step
The character creator follows a logical sequence: presets, body type and race, appearance customization, godlike features, background selection, and finally attribute distribution. Every player character is an imperial Envoy sent from the Aedyran Empire to investigate the Dreamscourge plague ravaging the Living Lands.
Most people won’t need to stress about perfect optimization – the game autosaves at key checkpoints, though major choices like background become locked once confirmed and do have some impact on story and NPC interactions. Plan ahead for attributes, background and even playable race, but feel free to experiment with appearance settings.
Appearance Customization
Appearance is where you create the visual identity of your godlike Envoy without affecting statistics. The character creator interface features a left-side menu with category tabs and a right-side preview with rotation and zoom controls.
Character Presets
Avowed offers around 24 character presets bundling faces, hairstyles, and godlike growths as starting templates. These serve as jumping-off points, but you can fully customize hair, facial features, and colors afterward if you want.
Race and Body Type
As of the Avowed Anniversary Update released in 2026, Avowed now offers 5 playable races for you to choose from during Character Creation. The Playable Races in Avowed character creation include:
- Human
- Elf
- Dwarf
- Orlan
- Aumaua
Your Race Choice is more than simply cosmetic. Each Race comes with some minor Stat Boosts as well as a specific height range which (mostly noticeable in First Person View). All different races are viable for Normal difficulty, but min-maxers tackling higher difficulties will feel these stat bonuses can impact early to mid-game progression. Stat bonuses and recommended builds for each race are outlined below:
Race | Stat Bonuses | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|
Dwarf | +1 Might, +1 Constitution | Durable damage dealer; forgiving for new players and higher difficulties |
Aumaua | +2 Might | Highest raw damage ceiling; dominates power attacks and spell nukes |
Human | +1 Might, +1 Resolve | Balanced frontline fighter who balances damage and survival |
Elf | +1 Perception, +1 Dexterity | Fast and accurate but slightly fragile; rewards high-skill play |
Orlan | +1 Perception, +1 Resolve | Crit-focused with mental defense; great for stealth builds |
Two body types are available for each race: with one traditionally masculine and one traditionally feminine body type. Body type selection is entirely cosmetic with no impact on health, damage, or movement speed. Some armor may drape differently depending on your choice, which matters for players who care about fashion and screenshots.
Skin Color, Tone, and Facial Structure
Players choose from approximately 24 preset skin colors, then fine-tune with Tone (light to dark) and Temperature (cool to warm). Around 14 face presets provide different bone structures, adjustable via sliders for nose, jawline, cheekbones, brow, and chin.
Reshaping your face can subtly affect how godlike growths sit on your head or shoulders, giving more personality to the same feature set. Focus on creating a distinct silhouette that feels like your character.
Hair, Facial Hair, and Extra Details
The game includes roughly 50 hairstyles with separate root and highlight colors. Facial hair options (about 18 styles) can match head hair automatically or be customized separately for stylized contrast.
Extra features include:
- Freckles and vitiligo options
- 22 facial scars styles
- 36 eyeliner options
- 45+ makeup and facial tattoo designs
A scarred War Hero with heavy eye shadow creates a completely different impression than a fresh-faced Arcane Scholar with light freckles.
Godlike Identity and Divine Features
Your character is a godlike – a kith blessed by a patron deity before birth in the world of Eora. In Avowed, godlike features lean heavily into nature-themed manifestations tied to the Living Lands’ fungal blight: bark-like growths, mushrooms, antlers, and mossy patterns.
Players can toggle the visibility of certain godlike features for aesthetics without changing how NPCs react. There are 14 distinct godlike feature profiles plus specialized godlike hair features. These divine markers affect dialogue and NPC reactions but don’t alter attributes directly.
Lore Background: Godlikes in Eora
Godlike characters are rare, visibly divine-touched individuals in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Different cultures react with reverence, fear, or political interest. In the Living Lands, your godlike status draws comment from villagers and imperial officers alike – expect NPCs to reference your divine markings in an unsettling manner or with strange insights about your nature.
Backgrounds and Their Gameplay Impact
Avowed’s Five Backgrounds represent the most important narrative choice during character creation, defining who your Envoy was in the imperial court before arriving in the Living Lands. Each background influences starting weapon loadout, initial attribute distribution, and dialogue options without permanently locking you out of skill trees.
Arcane Scholar
An academic from Bragganhyl Academy whose research into soul lineages drew the ire of a local lord. This background suits spellcasting-focused play with strong Intellect and Perception. Dialogue references legal precedent, historical observation, and occult knowledge.
Starting Weapon: Common Dagger
Starting Attributes:
- Might 2
- Constitution 0
- Dexterity 2
- Perception 2
- Intellect 3
- Resolve 1
Throughout the game, Arcane Scholar frequently unlocks extra dialogue lines in conversations involving legal matters, arcane theory, historical events, and occult phenomena. When NPCs discuss ancient ruins, magical artifacts, or scholarly disputes, your background gives you informed responses that other origins lack.
Court Augur
A personal mystic whose prophetic insights earned a place close to the emperor in the throne room. Emphasizes Resolve for socially manipulative playstyles. Dialogue involves reading motives and leveraging political secrets – your unsettling manner earned the emperor’s trust.
Starting Weapon: Common Mace
Starting Attributes:
- Might 0
- Constitution 0
- Dexterity 2
- Perception 3
- Intellect 3
- Resolve 2
The Court Augur background often unlocks dialogue tied to divination, prophecy, omens, and subtle court intrigue. When conversations turn to matters of fate, hidden meanings, or political manipulation from the shadows, your character speaks with unique authority that shapes how certain NPCs perceive you. Given the low health pool, consider pairing Court Augur with ranged weapons like bows or wands.
Noble Scion
Born into a noble house of middling wealth plagued by succession disputes and questionable morals. When scandals and succession disputes saw your family cast down, you threw yourself on the Emperor’s mercy. The emperor spared you from the executioner’s block, and now the emperor values your knowledge of imperial factions.
Starting Weapon: Common Sword
Starting Attributes:
- Might 2
- Constitution 1
- Dexterity 2
- Perception 2
- Intellect 2
- Resolve 1
This background opens extra dialogue options involving status, lineage, court politics, and noble privilege. Officials, other aristocrats, and certain mercantile NPCs react differently to someone of noble birth, even one from a fallen house. Your silver tongue and knowledge of courtly manners create role-play opportunities unavailable to other backgrounds.
Vanguard Scout
A survivor whose village’s crops failed during famine. You became invaluable tracking prey along the Empire’s borders until the emperor recognized your observant nature. Bonuses in Dexterity and Perception suit agile explorers. Starting equipment includes bow and light armor.
Starting Weapon: Common Axe
Starting Attributes:
- Might 1
- Constitution 2
- Dexterity 2
- Perception 3
- Intellect 1
- Resolve 1
Vanguard Scout backgrounds frequently unlock dialogue reflecting wilderness experience, tracking ability, ambush tactics, and practical battlefield knowledge. Where other backgrounds rely on book learning or social status, you speak from direct experience surviving in dangerous places. This is the safest “best overall” background for players unsure of their build direction, offering a balanced approach for a Ranger, Figher or Wizard focus.
War Hero
A veteran of a violent Skaenite uprising, honored by induction into the elite Tall Grass spearmen. The emperor honored your martial prowess and made you one of his trusted operatives. This background suits battle fighting with bonuses to Might. Starting loadout features heavier melee weapons demonstrating your ability to wield power as a formidable force.
Starting Weapon: Common Spear
Starting Attributes:
- Might 3
- Constitution 2
- Dexterity 1
- Perception 1
- Intellect 0
- Resolve 3
The default attribute emphasis falls heavily on Might 3 and Resolve 3, with solid Constitution backing up the frontline fantasy. This creates a character who hits hard, maintains stamina for extended combat through blocking and power attacks, and survives heavy damage.
The War Hero dialogue options frequently reference battlefield experience, military loyalty, sacrifice, and command authority. When quests involve soldiers, conflicts, or matters of duty and honor, your character speaks as someone who has lived through war rather than merely studied it.
Attributes and Character Builds
Players distribute points (approximately 10 total) across six core attributes, capped at 3 per attribute during creation:
- Might – Increases damage output
- Constitution – Increases Health pool
- Dexterity – Affects speed and precision
- Perception – Affects awareness and accuracy
- Intellect – Increases Essence for abilities
- Resolve – Increases Stamina
Backgrounds provide automatic distribution, BUT players can override these stats however they see fit. Attribute choices form your baseline but can be enhanced through leveling and gear, so don’t stress over perfect optimization.
Starting Weapons, Equipment, and Early Choices
Starting weapons match your background’s imperial history, but all weapon categories become available as you progress. The Tutorial area for Avowed also unlocks multiple additional weapons for players to use including melee, ranged and spell options, so don’t sweat the starting weapon choice.
For beginners: pair a War Hero with shield for durability, or try a hybrid Vanguard Scout with bow and melee backup.
Tips for Planning Your Avowed Character
Focus on the fantasy you want to play first – scholar, spy, noble, ranger, or warrior – then select background and attributes reinforcing that identity. The game supports many strong build options, so don’t over-optimize your first playthrough.
Quick-start combinations:
- War Hero + high Might/Constitution for action-oriented play
- Arcane Scholar + high Intellect for lore enthusiasts who laugh at the depth of a bottomless well of knowledge
- Vanguard Scout + high Dexterity/Perception for explorers
Remember that Appearance and godlike features don’t create any gameplay penalties, so feel free to Experiment across multiple playthroughs to see how backgrounds and dialogue change. Your Envoy’s story awaits in the Living Lands.
Avowed Character Creation FAQ
1. Can you change your appearance after character creation?
Yes. The Magic Mirror, added at your Party Camp in the Anniversary Update, lets you change your appearance, godlike features, and even your race at any time, so you’re no longer locked into your original look.
2. Can you change your background after starting the game?
No. Background is the one major choice that locks in permanently once you confirm it, so think about your dialogue and roleplay direction before finishing character creation.
3. Does your background lock you into a specific class?
No. Your background only sets your starting weapon and initial attribute spread. You’re free to invest ability points into Fighter, Ranger, or Wizard regardless of which background you picked.
4. Do godlike features affect your stats?
No. Godlike features are purely cosmetic and dialogue-flavored. NPCs may comment on your divine markings, but they don’t change your attributes or combat performance.
5. Is body type purely cosmetic too?
Yes. Your body type choice has no effect on health, damage, or movement speed, though some armor pieces will visually fit differently depending on which one you pick.
6. Can you override the attribute points your background gives you?
Yes. Backgrounds provide a starting distribution as a suggestion, but you can freely redistribute those points however you want before you ever set foot in the Living Lands.
7. Does your starting weapon choice limit what you can use later?
No. Every weapon category opens up once you reach the tutorial area, so your background’s starting weapon is just flavor, not a long-term restriction.
More Avowed Builds
Looking for the best Avowed Builds? We’ve got you covered! Check out our best Avowed Builds below, with detailed skill explanations, gear loadouts, and leveling guides.
