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Discover how to create the best Critical 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 are uncovering a secret mystery. A Critical build in Avowed is a unique setup that focuses on maximizing critical hit chance and critical hit damage to deal high burst damage in combat.
This build is ideal for players who prefer a high-risk, high-reward playstyle. A Critical Build relies on two main mechanics, Critical Hit Chance and Critical Hit Multiplier. Use specific skills, invest in Perception, and equip weapons and gear that boost crit stats. 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 Critical Build Guide in Avowed
Our Critical build focuses on weapons like Daggers, Bow, and Arquebus. Use a Dagger as the primary weapon for critical hits, a Bow for ranged attacks with critical strikes, and an Arquebus for massive damage. Perception, Dexterity, and Might are the main attributes to focus on for the Critical build. Perception enhances critical hit chance, Dexterity boosts attack speed and reload times, and Might enhance your damage potential. Marius and Giatta are the two best companions that we include in our Critical build.
Synergize your abilities like Critical Strike with their abilities to increase the critical hit chances. We recommend you wear medium armor for a perfect balance between protection and mobility. Skills like Marksmanship, Critical Strike, Steady Aim, and Devastating Criticals are the best to unlock for this build. Investing in Evasive reduces the stamina cost of dodging, enabling you to maintain agility in combat. Amulets like Painter’s Brush increase critical hit chance by 5%. Keep monitoring your stamina bar as it will drain quickly when managing enemies in intense combat. However, this build has low survivability and requires good positioning to inflict critical strikes.
| Critical Build Pros | Critical Build Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive Burst Damage | Low Survivability |
| Fast Paced Combat | Requires good positioning |
| Weapon Versatility | Requires Good Stamina |
Critical Build Features & Mechanics
Below are the essential best Critical build features and mechanics for Avowed:
- Background: Vanguard Scout
- Attribute Points: Perception, Might, Dexterity
- Weapon Choices: Dagger, Bow, Arquebus
- Best Skills: Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Marksmanship, Steady Aim, Sniper, Staggering Shot
- Recommended Companions: Giatta and Marius
- Best Consumables: Darkest Rauataian Chocolate Cookie, Skaenbone, Grog cleanses
Related:
Background
Vanguard Scout is the best background for the Critical build in Avowed. This background emphasizes frequent critical hits and effective ranged combat. 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. You can quickly acquire ranged weapons like bows or firearms, aligning with their stealth-oriented role. Vanguard Scout also unlocks unique dialogue options.
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
Perception, Might, and Dexterity are the best attributes to focus on for the Avowed Critical build. Optimize your character for the Critical build by allocating attribute points to enhance critical hit chance, damage output, and combat efficiency. Perception boosts your critical hit chance and maximum weapon range, making it essential for effective critical strikes. Investing attribute points in Might allows you to enhance overall damage and carrying capacity. This makes sure that your critical hits deal substantial damage.
Increase your attack speed and action speed by investing points in Dexterity. This allows for quicker strikes and improved combat effectiveness. Use this setup to prioritize critical hit potential and damage, while also considering attack speed and stamina. You can create a formidable character for frequent critical strikes by allocating points with a focus on critical hit efficiency. You can earn additional attribute points upon leveling up, 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 max level of 30. Below are the attribute points distribution for the Critical build in Avowed.
- Intellect: 1
- Perception: 12
- Might: 6
- Dexterity: 5
- Resolve: 2
- Constitution: 1
Weapon Choices
Dagger, Bow, and Arquebus are the best weapons for the Avowed Critical build. These weapons enhance critical hit chances and damage, so choose them wisely. Dagger is your main hand weapon, Bow is your off-hand weapon, and Arquebus acts as a secondary weapon for this build. A dagger is a must-have weapon if you’re looking for a critical strike during combat. Dagger is excellent for close-quarters combat with high critical rates, while bows and arquebuses offer ranged options with significant critical potential. You can upgrade your weapon to enhance its effectiveness in combat.
Daggers
Daggers in your main hand have a low stamina cost and high attack speed, allowing for a rapid succession of strikes. This weapon type has a higher critical hit chance compared to other melee weapons. Their swift attacks make daggers effective in close-quarters combat. This allows you to quickly engage and disengage from enemies. Equip the unique daggers, which come with special enchantments that enhance their effectiveness. Daggers like Umbral Needle offer a critical hit chance and come with enchantments like Greater Opening Strike and Fampyr’s Bite. You can find this weapon by solving “The Blade that Hungers” treasure map.
Bows
Bows excel in stealth scenarios, allowing players to perform surprise attacks with reduced noise. Equip the best bow when encountering enemies in ranged combat, allowing you to eliminate enemies silently. One of the best weapon bows is “The Long Touch,” which offers increased critical hit chance and other damage enhancements. However, the bow has limitations as well, such as projectile falloff affecting performance at longer ranges. Enemies like undead are resistant to bow damage in the game. This is a versatile option for players focusing on ranged attacks and stealth. Bow like The Long Touch provides a high critical hit chance and deals an additional 5% damage to enemies with full health. This is ideal for initiating combat with a powerful strike.
Arquebus
Arquebus is a two-handed ranged firearm known for its high damage and stun capabilities. This is an excellent choice for players focusing on critical hits and long-range combat. You need to align it with your preferred combat style. Arquebus like One Last Trick offers a critical hit chance and massive damage and stun effect in combat. You can get this weapon as a reward for completing the “Steel Resolve” quest in the Emerald Stair region.
Critical Hits
Critical Strike in Avowed is crucial for maximizing damage output, especially for builds centered on high burst damage. When your attack deals increased damage beyond its standard output., then a critical hit occurs. Some weapons have a high chance of landing a critical hit. This is influenced by both the weapon type and the character’s attributes. Different weapons come with varying base critical hit chances. You can even use the Ranger’s skill “Critical Strike” to boost critical hit chance by up to 20% at its highest rank.
Critical Multiplier
Critical hit in Avowed deals additional damage beyond standard attacks. The critical hit damage bonus attribute determines the additional damage inflicted. Certain weapons and abilities can modify this multiplier. Ranger’s Critical Strike and the Fighter’s Devastating Criticals further enhance critical hit effectiveness. Perception influences your base critical hit chance. Keep in mind that landing a headshot guarantees a critical hit while using a ranged weapon like a Bow. You need to enhance the Perception attribute and choose a weapon or accessory that boosts critical damage.
Skill Selection
The game allows you to unlock skills at each level, starting at 2. One level gives you one more skill point to place in one of three skill trees. You can mix and match skill trees, but Fighter and Ranger synergize. Moreover, you can reset skills at any time with gold, though it gets more expensive the more levels you increase.
Levels 1-10 Skills
Steady Aim, Marksmanship, Finesse, Charge, and Shadowing Beyond are the best skills to unlock in the initial stages of the game. 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.
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Critical Build for Avowed from levels 1 to 10:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | None | ||
| 2 | Steady Aim Rank 1 | Ranger | Holding your Power Attack with a bow or gun slows time by 25%. |
| 3 | Evasive Rank 1 | Ranger | Reduces the Stamina cost of Dodge by 25%. |
| 4 | 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. |
| 5 | Armored Grace Rank 1 | Fighter | Decreases the Stamina penalty for Medium and Heavy armor by 15. |
| 6 | Toughness Rank 1 | Fighter | Increases your Maximum Health by 20%. |
| 7 | Shadowing Beyond Rank 1 | Ranger | Channel the Beyond, becoming Invisible and draining Essence until your next combat action. |
| 8 | Piercing Thrusts Rank 1 | Ranger | Power Attacks with daggers, swords, and spears deal +25% damage. |
| 9 | Marksmanship Rank1 | Ranger | Increases damage with bows and guns by 25%. |
| 10 | Finesse Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases damage with one-handed melee weapons by 25%. |
Levels 11-20 Skills
Critical Strike, Sniper, Staggering Shot, and Devastating Criticals are the best skills to unlock after reaching level 11. Upgrade your equipped abilities to make them more effective in combat. You need to enhance the critical hit chance as you’ll be encountering high-level enemies equipped with heavy armor.
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Critical Build for Avowed from levels 11 to 20:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Steady Aim Rank 2 | Ranger | Holding your Power Attack with a bow or gun slows time by 50%. |
| 12 | Marksmanship Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases damage with bows and guns by 40%. |
| 13 | Quick Switch Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases your Equip Speed by 50%. |
| 14 | Devastating Criticals Rank 1 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 30% more damage. |
| 15 | Charge Rank 2 | Fighter | Increases the distance traveled during Charge by 100%. |
| 16 | Shadowing Beyond Rank 2 | Ranger | While Invisible, gain increased Stealth Attack Damage and Move Speed. |
| 17 | Critical Strike Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases your Critical Hit Chance by 10%. |
| 18 | Sniper Rank 1 | Ranger | Increases ranged weapon damage against unaware enemies by 25%. |
| 19 | Retribution Rank 1 | Fighter | After taking damage from an enemy, your next attack within 5 seconds deals +70% of the original damage you received. |
| 20 | Staggering Shot Rank 1 | Ranger | Power Attacks with bows and guns deal +40% Stun. |
Levels 21-30 Skills
Upgrade your abilities to the higher rank to make them more effective and deal more critical hits during intense combat. The more your abilities are of high level the more you get chances for the critical hits.
Below is a list, in order, of the skills for the Best Critical Build for Avowed from levels 21 to 30:
| Level | Skill Name | Tree | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Critical Strike Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases your Critical Hit Chance by 15%. |
| 22 | Sniper Rank 2 | Ranger | Increases ranged weapon damage against unaware enemies by 35%. |
| 23 | Steady Aim Rank 3 | Ranger | Holding your Power Attack with a bow or gun slows time by 75%. |
| 24 | Devastating Criticals Rank 2 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 50% more damage. |
| 25 | Sniper Rank 3 | Ranger | Increases ranged weapon damage against unaware enemies by 40%. |
| 26 | Critical Strike Rank 3 | Ranger | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 60% more damage. |
| 27 | Staggering Shot Rank 2 | Ranger | Power Attacks with bows and guns deal +70% Stun. |
| 28 | Marksmanship Rank 3 | Ranger | Increases damage with bows and guns by 50%. |
| 29 | Devastating Criticals Rank 3 | Fighter | Critical Hits with melee weapons deal 60% more damage. |
| 30 | Charge Rank 3 | Fighter | Increases the Stun dealt by Charge by 50% |
Best Critical Skills Explained
Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Marksmanship, Steady Aim, Sniper, and Staggering Shot are the best skills for the Avowed Critical build. Critical Strike increases your Critical Hit chance by 10%, making it essential for maximizing critical damage. Devastating Criticals boost Critical Hit damage with melee weapons, crucial for close-combat critical builds. Marksmanship enhances damage with ranged weapons. Steady Aim allows you to slow down time while aiming, allowing for precise shots and increasing the chance for critical hits. Sniper is a passive skill that enhances damage output for players who prefer engaging enemies from a distance.
- Staggering Shot- Increases the stun dealt by power attacks with bows and guns.
- Critical Strike- This ability allows you to increase your critical hit chance.
- Devastating Criticals- Increases the damage of critical hits with melee weapons.
- Marksmanship- Boosts damage with bows and guns.
- Steady Aim- Slows down time when aiming power attacks with bows or guns.
- Sniper- Enhances ranged weapon damage against unaware enemies.
Companions
Giatta and Marius are the best companions for the Critical build in Avowed. They can increase your damage output and provide strategic support. Giatta is your number-one choice when it comes to choosing a companion. It specializes in offering 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.
Marius is a skilled ranger companion who specializes in crowd control and damage-over-time effects. His Binding Roots ability makes enemies easier targets for critical strikes by immobilizing them. His passive Wounding Shots inflict bleeding, adding damage over time. Pairing Giatta and Marius can create a balanced team that supports a critical hit build. Each of these companions brings unique abilities and backgrounds to your journey. Giatta joins your party during the main story quest, “The Animancy Method.” Marius becomes available after progressing through the main story quest, “An Untimely End.”
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 |
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 |
Critical Gameplay & Tips
Use Giatta and Marius as your companion for the Critical Avowed build. You need to strategically allocate points to the best attributes. Perception, Dexterity, and Might are the best attributes to focus on. Perception increases critical hit chance and maximum range for ranged weapons and Dexterity boosts attack speed and reload times. Might, on the other hand, enhance overall damage output. Skills like Marksmanship, Critical Strike, Steady Aim, and Shadowing Beyond are the best ones to unlock to get more benefits for a critical hit build. Fighter skills like Devastating Criticals, Charge, and Toughness are the best ones to use in intense combat.
Choose the gear that enhances critical hit chance and damage. Bows can be optimized for critical hits with the right abilities. Equip the medium armor for balanced protection and mobility. This allows you for effective dodging and sustained combat. Be mindful of choosing gloves as some of them can boost critical hit chance and damage. Maintain agility and reduce the stamina cost of dodging in combat by investing skill points in Evasive. Use Giatta for healing and buffs, and Marius for crowd control, allowing them to increase your combat effectiveness.
Weapons and Armor
Beginner
| Slot | Item | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon 1 | Sheathed in Summer | 137 Physical Damage 104 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Off-Hand | Survivor’s Guilt | 85 Physical Damage 56 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Secondary Weapon | The Long Touch | 189 Physical Damage 182 Stun 12 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Armor | Stelgaer’s Pride | Reduce the incoming damage and maximum stamina +10 |
| Gloves | Blackwing Gloves | +1% Critical Hit Chance |
| Boots | Tranton Family Greaves | +20 Maximum Health +20% Dodge Distance +10% Move Speed |
| Trinket | The Fantastic Alembic | Drinking a potion clears all your Accumulations |
| Ring | Ring of Pain Amplification | +15% Critical Damage |
| Ring | Ring of the Founder | +10% Damage Against enemies with full health |
Locations
- Sheathed in Summer (Dagger)- Location is Dawnshore. Looted from the Dawnshore Bounty target Octav the Firebrand.
- Survivor’s Guilt (Dagger)- Location is Emerald Stair. Can be found in Belderreno’s Lair. Climb to to the top level and is available next to a skeleton.
- The Long Touch (Bow)- Location is Dawnshore. Purchased at Paradisian Military Surplus in the Militia Headquarters in Northern Paradis for 4,320 Skeyt.
- Stelgaer’s Pride- Location is Dawnshore. Found in a boarded-up cave underneath Watcher’s Mirror on the eastern cliff as part of the Treasure Map.
- Blackwing Gloves- Location is Dawnshore. Found in a backpack on the roof of the Aedyran Embassy in Southern Paradis in Dawnshore.
- Tranton Family Greaves- Location is Emerald Stair. Killing Conner Tranton of the Trantons bounty target in the Overgrown Homestead in the southwest of The Wildwoods in Emerald Stair.
- The Fantastic Alembic- Location is Dawnshore. Give the Luminous Adra to Sapiento in the Side Quest “Precious Light”.
- Ring of Pain Amplification- Location is Emerald Stair. Obtained from Dolina as a reward for defeating Amadio and the Xaureps in the Fortified Xaurep Camp in the northeastern Grim Wetlands of Emerald Stair.
- Ring of the Founder- Found in the Ancient Grotto, on the body of the Idol of Secret Hatred Totem Piece.
Advanced
| Slot | Item | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon 1 | Survivor’s Guilt | 85 Physical Damage 56 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Off-Hand | Umbral Needle | 98 Physical Damage 80 Stun 9 Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Secondary Weapon | Ancient Alacrity | 162 Physical Damage 182 Stun 12Stamina Cost 9% Critical Hit Chance |
| Armor | Lave-Forged Plate | +45% resistance to Fire Accumulation |
| Gloves | Trickster’s Gloves | +1% Critical Hit Chance |
| Boots | Sojourner Boots | Increases your health restoration from all sources by 5% |
| Trinket | Painter’s Brush | +5% Critical Hit Chance |
| Ring | Ashfall’s Legacy | +10% Attack Damage and +20% Critical Hit Damage with pistols and arquebuses |
| Ring | Sigil of the Arcane | +20% ability cast speed. -20% ability Essence cost. |
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 Tusk. Find as reward from the Treasure map- The Blade tha Hungers. It is at the very top of the map inside a spider cave in Ash Forest.
- 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.
- Sky Mother’s Embrace- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Purchased from Stockkeeper Eberk at the Warden Quartermaster’s Supplies for 81,250 Skeyt.
- Trickster’s Gloves- Location is Shatterscarp. Found on a skeleton underwater in the Sand Sea Oasis, right next to the Sapphire Eye.
- Sojourner Boots- Location is Shatterscarp. Purchased from Cinzia at The Dead Swordfish in Thirdborn.
- Painter’s Brush- Location is Emerald Stair. Found by passing through a breakable wall outside of the Waterfall Cave west of Firo mes Iverno in Emerald Stair, via the Emerald Stair.
- Ashfall’s Legacy- Location is Galawain’s Tusks. Received as a reward from Radut for establishing peace between Amalia’s Outcasts during the Side Quest “Wardens Warding.”
- Sigil of the Arcane- Location is Shatterscarp. Can be found inside a lockbox inside a puzzle door at Shark’s teeth.
Consumables
Darkest Rauataian Chocolate Cookie is the best consumable that grants +1 Perception and Dexterity, +10% Movement Speed. Skaenbone is a mushroom that provides Health and Essence regeneration. Grog cleanses negative effects and is also useful in powerful potions and recipes. 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 Critical in Avowed
What is the best Critical build in Avowed?
The best Avowed Critical build uses a Dagger as the primary weapon for critical hits, a Bow for ranged attacks with critical strikes, and an Arquebus for massive damage.
Which is the best Background for Critical build?
Vanguard Scout is the best background for the Critical build in Avowed. This background emphasizes frequent critical hits and effective ranged combat.
Which are the best skills for Critical build?
Critical Strike, Devastating Criticals, Marksmanship, Steady Aim, Sniper, and Staggering Shot are the best skills for the Avowed Critical build.
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