I Played Avowed Without Pillars of Eternity – Here’s What Happened

I remember the exact moment I almost talked myself out of starting Avowed. It was February 2025, and my backlog already contained both Pillars of Eternity games. I had heard that Avowed shares a universe with them. So I panicked. Should I spend 80, 100, maybe 120 hours catching up before I even touched Obsidian’s new action RPG?

Then I found what Obsidian said, and honestly, it saved me.

A Standalone Adventure

Obsidian Entertainment confirmed that Avowed is a completely standalone experience. That was exactly what I needed to hear. Avowed director Carrie Patel spoke to GamesRadar and made it very clear:

“You really don’t need to know anything about the previous Pillars games, and you certainly don’t need to have played them to enjoy Avowed. For players who have, they’re certainly some familiar concepts, bits of world-building, and even a few returning characters that they might recognize, but we wanted to make sure that players coming to it for the first time will have a good time.”

So I jumped in. No Pillars of Eternity. No Deadfire. Just Avowed.

What New Players Experience

During my playthrough, characters mentioned past events from the Pillars of Eternity lore. Some names meant nothing to me. A few moments clearly referenced older stories. But none of that blocked my understanding of the main narrative. I could follow the central conflict, build my character, explore the Living Lands, and finish quests without ever feeling lost.

The developers deliberately avoided dumping too much lore on newcomers. That approachability works. In 2026, after patches and updates, Avowed still feels like a game designed for everyone, not just veterans.

There were a few times when I sensed I was missing a deeper layer. But that is not the same as being confused. I was simply aware that a richer context existed.

Would Playing Pillars of Eternity Help?

Yes. That is the honest answer. While it is not necessary, playing the previous games would enhance the experience.

Here is what you might gain from playing Pillars of Eternity and Deadfire first:

• Recognizing returning characters who appear in Avowed.

• Understanding small worldbuilding details that newcomers might overlook.

• Appreciating the shared history of Eora more deeply.

• Catching references to major past events.

But here is the cost:

Game	Main Story Estimate	Completionist Estimate
Pillars of Eternity	Around 40 hours	Much longer
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire	Around 42 hours	Around 120 hours combined with PoE

That is a lot of time. I could not justify it. If you are a newcomer, do not let the shared universe intimidate you.

My Advice in 2026

Start Avowed when you are excited about it. Do not turn it into homework. The story will welcome you. If you fall in love with the world, then go back to Pillars of Eternity and Deadfire. You might enjoy them even more because Avowed gives you a taste of Eora first.

Now, having finished Avowed and later tried the older games, I can see why so many fans adore this setting. But I also know I would have missed a wonderful RPG if I had forced myself to spend dozens of hours preparing for it. 🎮