Avowed dev shares top tips, including how to get ‘frankly insane’ bonuses

An Avowed developer shared some tips on thriving in the Obsidian Games title, including advice on focusing on a specific side quest to benefit from “frankly insane” buffs.

The RPG title released into early access on Feb. 13, ahead of a full release on Feb. 18, including on Xbox Game Pass—and the experience has surpassed expectations.

With deep lore, plenty of content to progress through, and a plethora of build variety, it’s easy to get distracted in Avowed. But region director and senior area designer Berto Ritger shared a selection of tips to help.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Ritger advised players to “buy lockpicks whenever you see “em” and to cook and eat food while out of combat to help replenish health and essence, as well as breaking down unused unique for Adra—a material used to upgrade weapons and armor.

Ritger also told players to “eat chocolate cookies and drink fresh water to run like a freak” but the biggest piece of advice given was to search for God Totem pieces, as the “buffs they give are frankly insane.”

Each region in Avowed has a God Totem to assemble, with pieces hidden in POIs across the map, and once put together at camp, these provide buffs that can significantly swing the tide of battle in your favor.

For example, the Scales of the Oathbinder in Dawnshore reduces companion ability cooldowns, boosts Intellect and Resolve, and provides Health and Essence regeneration when reviving a companion, helping to make your party shine.

In the Emerald Stair region, the Schemer’s Offering provides a range of buffs for your character in combat, including boosted damage against unaware and “skull” enemies, Poison Accumulation on Critical Hits, and a huge surge in damage to an enemy that attacked you within the last 10 seconds.

Hunting down the Totem Fragments are also a great way to see the world in Avowed, as the search will take you to unexplored areas of the map—often places where there is other loot to grab, too, which is crucial for upgrading your gear.

It’s certainly worth completing the corresponding God Totem of your region before advancing to the next, as leaving too many avenues open can quickly get overwhelming. By following a checklist for a region, you ensure there’s nothing important you have missed.