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Pillars of Eternity

Tips

Master Pillars of Eternity with general tips on PC skills, spell learning, stronghold adventures, and weapon upgrades. Learn how to get attribute bonuses.

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Master Pillars of Eternity with general tips on PC skills, spell learning, stronghold adventures, and weapon upgrades. Learn how to get attribute bonuses.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Under the Difficulty menu, uncheck "Auto-level New Companions" and check "No Knockout Injuries" and "Show Personality / Reputation".
  2. 2
    Outside scripted sequences (non-interactive slides where you make choices from a menu), give your PC the best attribute and skill boosting gear.
  3. 3
    To get a +8 bonus to an attribute of choice past the halfway point, utilize a +3 Stronghold resting bonus, +3 from gear, and +2 from a prostitute.
  4. 4
    Invest 6 points in Lore and 6 points in Survival to pass the majority of skill checks.
  5. 5
    Invest 5 points in Athletics to pass most skill checks in scripted sequences.
  6. 6
    Invest some points in Stealth on all party members and prioritize Survival over Lore for spare points.
  7. 7
    Have a Mechanics specialist in the party with 12 ranks, as they need 14 total ranks (the rest can come from gear or resting bonuses).
  8. 8
    For Wizards, pay attention to which spells can be learned from grimoires and when. For example, Confusion can be learned from a grimoire shortly after being able to cast 4th-level spells.
  9. 9
    Spells like Pull of Eora (level 4), Form of the Helpless Beast (level 5), and most 8th-level spells cannot be learned from grimoires.
  10. 10
    To acquire all spells, you can use the respec feature to learn spells, scribe them into spare grimoires, respec again, and learn them; this is expensive but you will have ample money by the end of the game.
  11. 11
    If undecided on a class, choose Fighter for decent damage output and high survivability.
  12. 12
    Roughly halfway through the game, acquire soulbound weapons, but consider weapons like Tidefall (great sword), The Hours of St. Rumbault (great sword), Tall Grass (pike), Bittercut (sabre), Cladhaliaith (spear), and Rod of Pale Shades for early and consistent usefulness.
  13. 13
    Upgrade three weapons to Superb quality. Good candidates include Cladhaliaith (spear), Wē Toki (battle axe), and Godansthunyr (war hammer).
  14. 14
    If using armor or shields that damage attackers, you will need the Vulnerable Attacks talent.
  15. 15
    Kith Slaying is a good enchantment if you have spare points, as enemy wizards, priests, and barbarians scale with your level.
  16. 16
    To get the The Storied Adventurer trophy, focus on Security rank upgrades and hirelings until you unlock a Minor adventure.
  17. 17
    After unlocking a Minor adventure, increase Prestige by building upgrades and employing hirelings that boost Prestige.
  18. 18
    Complete the Endless Paths dungeon to increase your Prestige by 8.
  19. 19
    Beat three optional superbosses: Terror of the White March, The Siege of Crägholdt, and Among the Moss and Peat.
Tips
  • Consider the respec feature to learn spells you might miss from grimoires, though it is an expensive process.
  • Two-handed weapons require two ingots to upgrade, but Tall Grass is worth the investment due to its effectiveness.
  • On-hit / on-crit effects become more powerful in the hands of a Barbarian with Carnage or a Wizard with Blast, as they become AoE (Area of Effect) effects.
  • The Vulnerable Attacks talent is also useful for other low damage attacks, such as shield bashes and the Burn damage from a Fire Godlike PC.
  • Slayer enchantments and Bane talents are most effective against specific enemy types like dragons and Spirits.
  • While Ogres and Primordials can be tricky, they may not warrant a talent or weapon enchantment.
  • When managing your stronghold for The Storied Adventurer trophy, prioritize Security until you unlock a Minor adventure, then focus on Prestige.

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