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Discover how to create the best Dagger build in Avowed, with recommendations for skills, attributes, weapons, companions, and leveling progression!
Avowed is a first-person RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, the game takes place in the Living Lands, where you uncover a secret mystery. A Dagger Build focuses on speed, critical hits, and agility, using Daggers for melee attacks. Dexterity and Perception are highly preferred for this build to increase attack speed and critical damage. This build is ideal for players who prefer a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. Use specific skills, invest in Perception, and equip weapons and gear that boost crit damage. In this guide, we’ll cover the best Avowed Critical build along with some useful gameplay tips and the gear to choose from.
Everything You Need To Know About Dagger Build Guide in Avowed
Dagger build in Avowed offers a unique combat experience with high agility and precision. Daggers are lightweight, allowing for quick attacks and high critical damage. Our Dagger build uses weapons like Survivor’s Guilt and Umbral Needle. Survivor’s Guilt is your primary weapon and Umbral Needle acts as an off-hand weapon, allowing you to deal high crit damage. Dexterity, Might, and Perception are the main attributes of the Dagger build.
Invest the attribute points wisely as your gameplay highly depends on it. Marius and Giatta are the best companions in this build, aiding you in tough battles. We also include skills like Charge, Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, and Parry to complement your playstyle. For a ranged combat, you can use a bow to initiate the fight and then switch to the Dagger in melee combat. However, this build offers lower base damage and minimal stun capability.
| Dagger Build Pros | Dagger Build Cons |
|---|---|
| High Critical Hit | Limited Range |
| Fast Attack Speed | Lower Base Damage |
| High Mobility | Lower Stun Capability |
Dagger Build Features & Mechanics
Below are the essential best Dagger build features and mechanics for Avowed:
- Background: Vanguard Scout
- Attribute Points: Dexterity, Might, Perception
- Weapon Choices: Survivor’s Guilt. Umbral Needle, The Long Touch
- Best Skills: Charge, Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Clear Out, Parry, Piercing Thrusts
- Recommended Companions: Marius and Giatta
- Best Consumables: Darkest Rauataian Chocolate Cookie, Magran’s Blessing, Strangebrew
Related:
Background
Vanguard Scout is the best background for the Dagger build in Avowed. It offers a role-playing foundation that complements a scout-themed build. This background is ideal for players seeking a stealthy experience. You start with a common axe, such as a Vanguard Scout, and attribute points distributed to enhance critical hit chance, attack speed, and health. Stealth allows you to take down enemies without even letting them react. Vanguard Scout also unlocks unique dialogue options. This background focuses on dexterity and perception, which aligns well with the quick and precise strikes in melee combat.
Background plays a pivotal role in shaping your role-playing experience. It affects your dialogue options and determines your starting weapon during the tutorial. Your initial allocation of attribute points across six stats is also influenced. However, they do not restrict your access to any equipment or abilities as the game progresses. Regardless of your background, you can use any equipment and abilities. Avowed enriches your character’s backstory and provides initial attribute distributions and dialogue options by selecting the background.
Attribute Points
Dexterity, Might, and Perception are the main attributes in Avowed Dagger build to focus on. Dexterity increases your attack speed and action speed. This allows you for swift strikes and combat flexibility. Invest in Dexterity to boost the effectiveness of Daggers. Investing attribute points in Might allows you to enhance overall damage output and carrying capacity. Allocating more points in Might affects all damage types, including melee attacks. This is more crucial for the Dagger strikes, allowing for a stealth takedown. Perception, on the other hand, boosts critical hit chance and maximum range. This distribution of attribute points is important if you’re a dual-wielding Dagger character in the game.
You need to be mindful when allocating points in the attributes as your gameplay depends on it. Upon leveling up, you can earn additional attribute points, offering opportunities to customize your build. Enhance your attribute points by using the consumables you acquire while progressing. You can select 27 attributes at a maximum level of 30. Below is the distribution of the attribute points for the Dagger build in Avowed.
- Resolve: 2
- Dexterity: 12
- Might: 6
- Perception: 5
- Constitution: 2
- Intellect: 0
Weapon Choices
Unique Daggers are the best weapons for the Dagger build in Avowed. This build involves choosing the Daggers that can deal massive damage in melee combat. To increase the overall damage, you can dual-wield the Dagger. Your main hand and off-hand hold two distinct Daggers to deal heavy damage. Use a bow as your secondary weapon to deal damage from a safe distance. Each weapon type comes with unique strengths, so selecting the one that complements your playstyle is crucial.
Best Weapons
The primary weapon in the Dagger build is Survivor’s Guilt. This weapon is highly effective when used in the end-game combats, allowing you to stealth takedown. Upgrade the Survivor’s Guilt to make it more powerful in intense combat. This Dagger comes with a unique passive ability that allows your hits to deal +10% frost damage. The base enchantment of this Dagger is Needling Doubt which deals Frost Accumulation with a full combo attack. You can upgrade the base enchantment to make this weapon even more lethal. Bitter Shame enchantment can build frost accumulation by 30% for 10 seconds with your power attacks. You can also choose to upgrade the base enchantment to the Haunting Regrets. This allows your full combo attacks to deal both Poison and Frost Accumulation to nearby enemies.
Umbral Needle is your off-hand weapon in Avowed because it has a passive ability called Greater Opening Strike that deals +15% damage against enemies with full health. The base enchantment of Umbral Needle is Fampyr’s Bite. This enchantment restores 2% of the damage you deal as health. You can upgrade this enchantment to either Black Wind or Fampyr’s Feast. Black Wind allows your attack speed to boost up to +30% for 10 seconds after you defeat an enemy special attack. Fampyr’s Feast provides you 4% of the damage you deal as health. This weapon stands out due to its fast attack speed and bonus damage against full-health enemies, along with the Fampyr’s Bite.
Secondary Weapon
The secondary weapon for the Dagger build is The Long Touch. This bow has exceptional attributes and enchantments making it a formidable choice for dealing with high-level enemies in ranged combat. You can use this weapon to open fights with enemies from a safe distance and then take out your Dagger when closer to the enemy. This is the best approach to initiate the combat. The Grim Focus enchantment enhances critical hit chance by 10% for power attacks while fine aiming. Lesser Opening Strike enchantment allows you to deal an additional 5% damage to enemies with full health. The headshots with The Long Touch deal significantly more damage and its silent draw capability mitigates noise when firing.
Stealth Kills
Divine Thorn in Avowed is a passive Godlike ability that boosts your stealth capabilities. This passive ability allows you to perform powerful stealth attacks on enemies by summoning a lance of energy for massive damage. You can unlock this ability at the initial stages of the game. However, the enemy must be unaware of your presence.
Critical Damage
Daggers in Avowed allow you for critical strikes dealing critical damage. The base Critical Hit Damage Bonus is an additional 50% on top of the regular attack damage. Allocating 5 points into Perception grants a 10% increased chance to land a critical hit. Different Daggers have varying base critical hit chances in the game. You can use skills like Critical Strike to enhance your critical hit chance by up to 20% at higher ranks.
Skill Selection
Charge, Parry, Evasive, Devastating Criticals, Piercing Thrusts, and Finesse are the best skills to unlock at the initial levels. Invest skill points to gain the skills that can keep you alive in the initial stages of the game. Passive skills are used to increase damage or survivability, while active skills require essence, and you can’t use them due to their cost.
Levels 1-10 Skills
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Dagger Build for Avowed from levels 1 to 10:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | None | ||
| 2 | Charge Rank 1 | Fighter | Dash forward and smash into anything in your way, interrupting enemies and dealing Explosive Damage to break enemy Blocks, destroy walls, and shatter frozen enemies for bonus damage. |
| 3 | Armored Grace Rank 1 | Fighter | Decreases the Stamina penalty for Medium and Heavy armor by 15. |
| 4 | Parry Rank 1 | Ranger | Time a perfect Block against a melee attack to knock the enemy back and gain an immediate counter-attack. |
| 5 | Evasive Rank 1 | Ranger | Reduces the Stamina cost of Dodge by 25% |
| 6 | Barbaric Shout Rank 1 | Fighter | Let out a fearsome roar that interrupts enemies and empowers you against larger foes. Your weapon attacks become Uninterruptable and deal higher Stun. |
| 7 | Devastating Criticals Rank 1 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 30% more damage. |
| 8 | Shadowing Beyond Rank 1 | Ranger | Channel the Beyond, becoming Invisible and draining Essence until your next combat action. |
| 9 | Piercing Thrusts Rank 1 | Ranger | Power Attacks with Daggers, swords, and spears deal +25% damage. |
| 10 | Finesse Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases damage with one-handed melee weapons by 25%. |
Levels 11-20 Skills
Unbreakable, Critical Strike, Retribution, and Clear Out are the best skills to use during the mid-game fights. Upgrade your equipped abilities to make them more effective in combat. You need to enhance the damage effectiveness as you’ll encounter high-level enemies equipped with heavy armor.
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Dagger Build for Avowed from levels 11 to 20:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Charge Rank 2 | Fighter | Increases the distance traveled during Charge by 100% |
| 12 | Unbreakable Rank 1 | Fighter | Decreases the Stamina cost when Blocking by 30%. |
| 13 | Built to Destroy Rank 1 | Fighter | Destroying things restores a small amount of Health and Essence. Melee Power Attacks can break destructible walls. |
| 14 | Piercing Thrusts Rank 2 | Ranger | Power Attacks with Daggers, swords, and spears deal +35% damage. |
| 15 | Critical Strike Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases your Critical Hit Chance by 10%. |
| 16 | Retribution Rank 1 | Fighter | After taking damage from an enemy, your next attack within 5 seconds deals +70% of the original damage you received. |
| 17 | Finesse Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases damage with one-handed melee weapons by 40%. |
| 18 | Critical Strike Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases your Critical Hit Chance by 15%. |
| 19 | Devastating Criticals Rank 2 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 50% more damage. |
| 20 | Clear Out Rank 1 | Fighter | Spin in a dangerous whirlwind, becoming Uninterruptable and hitting all nearby enemies with your currently equipped melee weapons. |
Levels 21-30 Skills
Upgrade your abilities to a higher rank to make them more effective and deal more critical hits with your Dagger during intense combat. The higher your abilities are, the more chances you get for the deadly hits.
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Dagger Build for Avowed from levels 21 to 30:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Piercing Thrusts Rank 3 | Ranger | Power Attacks with Daggers, swords, and spears deal +40% damage. |
| 22 | Retribution Rank 2 | Fighter | After taking damage from an enemy, your next attack within 8 seconds deals +100% of the original damage you received. |
| 23 | Unbreakable Rank 2 | Fighter | Decreases the Stamina cost when Blocking by 50%. |
| 24 | Charge Rank 3 | Fighter | Increases the Stun dealt by Charge by 50% |
| 25 | Parry Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases Parry efficiency by 25 %, dealing greater Stun when Parrying enemies. |
| 26 | Finesse Rank 3 | Ranger | Increases damage with one-handed melee weapons by 50%. |
| 27 | Critical Strike Rank 3 | Ranger | Increases your Critical Hit Chance by 20%. |
| 28 | Clear Out Rank 2 | Fighter | Clear Out lasts for 2 full rotations. |
| 29 | Devastating Criticals Rank 3 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 60% more damage. |
| 30 | Evasive Rank 2 | Ranger | Reduces the Stamina cost of Dodge by 35%. |
Best Dagger Skills Explained
Charge, Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Clear Out, Parry and Piercing Thrusts are the best skills for the Avowed Dagger build. Charge is an active ability that lets you dash forward, smashing into enemies to interrupt them, break their blocks, destroy walls, and shatter frozen foes for extra damage. Critical Strike is a passive ability that increases your critical hit chance. Devastating Criticals is a passive ability that increases the damage of critical hits with melee weapons. Parry is a passive ability that allows you to knock back enemies and counterattack after a perfect block.
- Piercing Thrusts- Increases the damage of power attacks with your Dagger.
- Charge- It allows you to dash forward, interrupting enemies and dealing explosive damage upon impact.
- Critical Strike- This ability allows you to increase your critical hit chance.
- Devastating Criticals- Increases the damage of critical hits with melee weapons.
- Clear Out- You perform a spinning attack, striking all nearby enemies with equipped melee weapons.
- Parry- It allows you to perform perfectly timed blocks against melee attacks.
Companions
Giatta and Marius are the best companions for the Avowed Dagger build. Marius’s Bleeding Cuts ability inflicts damage over time, weakening enemies before direct engagement. His Thorny Shield reflects the damage to attackers. Marius is a crowd-control companion, and his ability, like Binding Roots, allows you to focus on dealing damage without being overwhelmed by multiple foes. Use Marius’s Heart Seeker’s ability to increase damage dealt to low-health enemies. His crowd control and high burst damage abilities align well with stealth eliminations. Marius becomes available after progressing through the main story quest, “An Untimely End.”
Giatta offers healing, shields, and buffs that can enhance your combat effectiveness. His abilities like Barrier grant temporary health shields and Acceleration boost movement and attack speed. This allows you to boost your critical hit potential by keeping you alive. Pairing Giatta and Marius can create a balanced team that supports a Dagger build. Giatta joins your party during the main story quest, “The Animancy Method.”
Marius
| Skill 1 | Skill 2 | Skill 3 | Skill 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binding Roots | Heart Seeker | Shadow Step | Wounding Shots |
| Entangle enemies | Increases damage dealt to low-health enemies | Devastating Blow | Damage over time |
Giatta
| Skill 1 | Skill 2 | Skill 3 | Skill 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purification | Barrier | Acceleration | Reconstruction |
| Essence Generator | Protective shields to reduce incoming damage | Increases the movement and attack speed | Heal and restore health |
Dagger Gameplay & Tips
Select Marius and Giatta as your companions to deal with enemies in tough encounters. Dexterity, Perception, and Might are the best companions to focus on. These attributes complement your playstyle while equipping a Dagger and your build too. Dexterity increases attack speed and action speed, while Might enhances overall damage output. Invest some points in Perception to boost the critical hit chance. Survival’s Guilt and Umbral Needle are the best Daggers to equip while fighting the enemies in close range. Use a bow to start the combat dealing ranged damage.
Swap to the Daggers when you’re in a melee range with foes. Combining two Daggers increases attack frequency and damage output. You can also invest in Parry passive from a Ranger skill tree to deflect attacks. Also, you can parry by pressing the right mouse button or LT ona controller as an enemy’s attack is about to hit you. You must crouch or stay behind the trees or grass to eliminate the enemies without being detected. Use the lighter armor to boost your stealth and mobility. This allows you for quicker movement and reduced detection.
Weapons and Armor
Beginner Weapon and Armor
| Slot | Item | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Sheathed in Summer | 137 Physical Damage 104 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Off Hand Weapon | Exceptional Dagger | Physical Damage: 65 Stun: 56 Stamina Cost: 9 Critical Hit Chance: 9% |
| Secondary Weapon | The Long Touch | 189 Physical Damage 182 Stun 12 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Armor | Blackwing Armor | +30% Stealth Attack Damage |
| Gloves | Death Knight Gloves | -10% Stamina cost while Blocking |
| Boots | Boots of the Bricklayer | +10% Dodge Distance |
| Trinket | Gilded Skull | Reduces the cooldown for Second Wind by 15% |
| Ring | Wayfarer’s Ring | +20% Health and Essence regeneration from food and potions. |
| Ring | Vailian Dueling Ring | 7% chance to avoid melee damage |
Locations
- Sheathed in Summer (Dagger)- Location is Dawnshore. Looted from the Dawnshore Bounty target Octav the Firebrand.
- Exceptional Dagger (Dagger)- Purchased from Merchant Alyssa located at: Naku Tedek Grounds in Emerald Stair.
- The Long Touch (Bow)- Location is Dawnshore. Purchased at Paradisian Military Surplus in the Militia Headquarters in Northern Paradis for 4,320 Skeyt.
- Blackwing Armor- Location is Dawnshore. Choosing to kill your assassin at the end of the Dawnshore zone.
- Death Knight Gloves- Location is Emerald Stair. Kill Captain Aelfyr at the end of the Emerald Stair chapter.
- Boots of the Bricklayer- Location is Dawnshore. Found inside of the Pargrun Cache east of the Overgrown Expanse Party Camp in Dawnshore.
- Gilded Skull- Location is Emerald Stair. From Naku Tedek Grounds, head Northwest across the bridge and keep going straight. There’s a small spider lair, and climbing up above it will have a small lockbox with this unique inside.
- Wayfarer’s Ring- Found on the corpse of a Skeleton east of the Shrine of Woedica. Inside a tiny cave where you’ll fight 2 bears. It’s on the path to Runyd’s House, and to the left instead of right at the split.
- Vailian Dueling Ring- Location is Emerald Stair. You’ll find this on a body near the Ogre’s Lair in the Northwestern part of Emerald Stair. Exiting the lair, head downward and right to find this body in some ruins.
Endgame Weapon and Armor
| Slot | Item | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Weapon | Survivor’s Guilt | 137 Physical Damage 104 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Off Hand Weapon | Umbral Needle | Physical Damage: 98 Stun: 80 Stamina Cost: 9 Critical Hit Chance: 9% |
| Secondary Weapon | Ancient Alacrity | 162 Physical Damage 182 Stun 12Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Armor | Councilor’s Garb | +50% Stealth Attack Damage |
| Gloves | Sentinel Gloves | +15% Stun -50% Stamina Cost while blocking |
| Boots | Sojourner Boots | Increases your health restoration from all sources by 5% |
| Trinket | Poisoner’s Kit | +3 Intellect |
| Ring | Gourmand’s Delight | Food restores 40% more Health and Essence |
| Ring | Ring of Greater Overseeing | +20% area of effect damage |
Locations
- Survivor’s Guilt (Dagger)- Inside Belderreno’s (Bounty Quest) Lair, there’s a root at the entrance you can climb up, and then a few ledges upward later, you’ll find this next to a skeleton.
- Umbral Needle (Dagger)- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Follow “The Blade that Hungers” treasure map to get your hands on the Umbral Needle.
- Ancient Alacrity (Bow)- Location is Galawain’s Tusk. After making your way under Solace Keep, you’ll make your way to the Solace Lava Tubes on your way to the Garden. These are a series of doors behind the skeleton boss.
- Councilor’s Garb- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Kill Kostya toward the end of the Main Story Quest, “Our Dreams Divide Us Still.”
- Sentinel Gloves- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Found in the building on the north side of Ash Forest Outpost. Head up the stairs towards where you rescue Petru, but take a right to jump over and drop into the building.
- Sojourner Boots- Location is Shatterscarp. Purchased from Cinzia at The Dead Swordfish in Thirdborn.
- Poisoner’s Kit- Location is Shatterscarp. Wasteland Courier Side Quest – Test the “goods” you receive from Aiko, and tell Daiko nothing happened.
- Gourmand’s Delight- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Purchased from Chef Kumitru at Kimitru’s Questionable Edibles in Solace Keep for 3,000 Skeyt.
- Ring of Greater Overseeing- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Found behind a destructible wall in the Northern Warden Tower.
Consumables
Darkest Rauataian Chocolate Cookie is the best consumable that grants +1 Perception and Dexterity, +10% Movement Speed. Magran’s Blessing grants you +20% damage and +20% damage reduction. Strangebrew is also the best consumable as it revives downed companions and resets second wind. You need to take three points into the survivalist skill in the ranger tree. Once unlocked, you can craft advanced food and buffs that drastically increase your survivability, damage, and regeneration.
FAQs about Dagger in Avowed
What is the best Dagger build in Avowed?
The best Dagger build in Avowed uses Survivor’s Guilt and Umbral Needle to deal critical damage on a battlefield. Kai and Marius are the best companions for this crit-based build.
Which is the best Background for the Dagger build?
Vanguard Scout is the best background for the Dagger build because it focuses on dexterity and perception, which aligns well with the quick and precise strikes in melee combat.
Which are the best skills for a Dagger build?
Charge, Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Clear Out, Parry, and Piercing Thrusts are the best skills for Avowed Dagger build.
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