Should I Play Pillars of Eternity Before Avowed?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You want maximum lore context for Avowed. Pillars of Eternity and its sequel, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, introduce the world of Eora, its pantheon of gods, the society-shaping science of animancy, the idea of souls and reincarnation, and major factions such as the Huana, the Vailian Trading Company, and various religious orders. Avowed takes place in the Living Lands, a region referenced in earlier lore, and while it is built around a new protagonist and a self-contained plot, it exists within this established setting. If you value narrative continuity, appreciate subtle callbacks, and want to understand the historical weight behind certain magical systems or political tensions, playing through the Pillars of Eternity games first can make Avowed’s setting feel far richer and more meaningful.
• Good fit: You genuinely enjoy isometric party-based CRPGs. Pillars of Eternity uses real-time-with-pause tactical combat, extensive branching dialogue, deep character creation with multiple classes and subclasses, and large-scale exploration filled with reading and decision-making. Players who like this style often find the game highly rewarding, and experiencing it can serve as a natural bridge to Avowed by showing how Obsidian Entertainment approaches choice-and-consequence storytelling, faction reputation, and reactive quest design. If you have dozens of hours available and do not mind text-heavy quests, the older titles can be an enjoyable prelude rather than a homework assignment.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You are mainly excited about fast-paced action combat. Avowed is a first-person action RPG with real-time combat, while Pillars of Eternity is a slower, tactical CRPG focused on party positioning, ability cooldowns, and large amounts of dialogue. If you are drawn to Avowed because of its first-person immersion and direct action, forcing yourself through Pillars of Eternity’s isometric presentation and party-management systems may feel like a slog. The gameplay gap is large enough that playing the older games could dampen your enthusiasm rather than build anticipation.
• Warning sign: You have limited time or a long backlog. A single playthrough of Pillars of Eternity can take 40 to 70 hours, and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire can add another 50-plus hours, depending on how much side content you pursue and how quickly you read. If Avowed is releasing soon, or if you only have a few hours per week for gaming, you may not finish either game in time to retain useful context. In that case, starting with Avowed and returning to Pillars of Eternity later is often the smarter, less stressful path.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lore and worldbuilding payoff: understanding Eora’s gods, soul mechanics, animancy, and faction histories can make Avowed’s setting, conflicts, and dialogue feel more layered and immersive.
• See the series’ narrative evolution: experiencing Obsidian’s world-building across multiple games helps you decide whether the franchise’s themes, writing style, and moral complexity match your tastes before you invest in Avowed.

Cons

• Heavy time investment: completing both Pillars games, plus their expansions, before Avowed demands a substantial number of hours that could be spent on other games or responsibilities.
• Gameplay mismatch: the isometric, text-heavy CRPG format differs sharply from Avowed’s first-person action approach, and some players may find the older games tedious or overwhelming rather than complementary.

Decision Checklist

• Do I enjoy real-time-with-pause tactical combat and reading dense dialogue, or do I prefer direct action combat?
• How many hours can I realistically invest before Avowed launches without rushing, skipping content, or burning out?
• Am I comfortable starting Avowed with limited background knowledge, or would missing lore references significantly reduce my enjoyment?

Alternatives to Consider

If playing both Pillars of Eternity games feels too large a commitment, you have several practical options. You can play only the first game, which establishes the core setting and central concepts; this gives you a meaningful lore foundation without demanding the full time cost of both titles. Alternatively, you can skip straight to Avowed and treat the older games as a back-catalog to explore if you enjoy the universe. Lore recap videos, wiki summaries, and community-written primers can distill Eora’s gods, factions, and key story beats into a fraction of the playtime. You may also choose to watch a narrative-focused Let’s Play of Pillars of Eternity, or try the game on story mode or a lower difficulty to reduce combat friction while still absorbing the plot. Finally, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire can work as a standalone pirate-themed entry if you want a different tone, though it assumes some knowledge of the first game’s events.

Final Recommendation

Play Pillars of Eternity before Avowed if you are already a fan of isometric CRPGs, have ample free time, and want the richest possible understanding of Eora before stepping into Avowed. Start with Avowed first if you prefer action RPGs, are short on time, or worry that a slow-paced, text-heavy CRPG might burn you out. Both approaches are valid: Avowed is intended to be a standalone entry, and you can always revisit Pillars of Eternity afterward if the world captures your interest. Before making any major purchase or time commitment, review official announcements, recent player reviews, and gameplay footage to confirm that a game matches your expectations.