Pillars of Eternity is a modern isometric RPG released in 2015. It is inspired by old-fashioned computer RPGs and even original board games like Dungeons & Dragons. PoE uses a lot of D&D features including traditional progress system, characters with certain attributes and skills, dice-style calculations, interaction during dialogues with several options. Long story short, Pillars of Eternity is a priceless piece of art for all who love Icewind Dale or Baldur’s Gate.
In our guide for newcomers, we don’t provide any spoilers about the story. However, you can find some info about the game system which beginners cannot get through the in-game tutorial. That’s why you should check hints in the game before reading this article. Also, we have detailed guides about the creation of your playable character and choosing a specific class, so these features are not covered here. Instead of this, we provide essential basics and tips.
So, you are starting your way as a regular adventurer in the world of Eora. The amazing journey lies ahead, but it can be challenging and even deadly. Discover our guide for beginners to make the game enjoyable!
Difficulty levels
The only thing you should know about settings is difficulty levels. Other options modify the interface, visual features, sound and so on, but they are about outer aspect. The difficulty, in return, influences on the gameplay itself. Even the lowest difficulty level can be pretty hard for beginners who are not familiar with this type of RPGs. Be sure to complete entire tutorial and activate in-game hints if you are completely new here.
There are 5 difficulty levels in Pillars of Eternity. Remember that you can change them during the game if you feel that things go too hard or too easy:
- Storyline. For newcomers who didn’t play RPGs at all and just want to discover the story without obstacles. Enemies are weaker and your party has an infinite amount of supplies.
- Easy. For players who are new to D&D-like RPGs and all who start PoE for the 1st time. Enemies are as strong as in Normal or Hard, but their number is reduced.
- Normal. For all who look for a challenge and want to enjoy both the story and battles. Enemies are pretty strong and numerous. This mode has the best balance.
- Hard. For experts who like careful plans, strategies, and tactics. Veterans may find it well-designed. Be ready to big enemy parties with dangerous placements and compositions.
- Path of the Damned. For totally insane fans. This mode offers a lot of tough enemies with increased stats and new abilities. You cannot change this level during the game!
Besides these levels you can activate special features to make the game more challenging:
- Expert Mode. This feature removes several elements of interface making the game more realistic. For example, there are not tutorials and hints, HUD options including health bars or areas for spells, hidden dialogue choices etc. In Expert Mode heroes will die immediately without getting maimed – this option is described below.
- Trial of Iron. This feature disables various saves and lets you use only 1 of them. Means you must plan your actions more carefully as you don’t have a plan B. The game will delete the only save file at the moment when your entire squad dies. Note that Trial of Iron can be activated with any difficulty level.
Such system allows you to combine various options for the best difficulty. We recommend choosing an Easy level for beginners and changing it to Normal one after some time. Expert Mode can be an interesting option if you want to dive into old-school RPG style.
Game basics
So far as Pillars of Eternity is inspired by D&D principles game mechanics is quite simple. Almost every action and effect both during regular peaceful encounters and battles are determined by rolls of virtual dices. It’s a pretty difficult system as it exploits numerous dices with 4, 6, 8, 12 and even 100 faces! You don’t want to sort out game mechanics, trust us. Our short guide is the best for beginners who just want to play the game.
Before we start let’s discover the main things in PoE. You are playing as an adventurer with a unique combination of race, class, origin, prehistory, skills, and talents. The hero under your control can move through different locations on the world map, explore them, collect loot, fight with hostiles, interact with neutral and friendly characters, take and complete quests. During the game, you will meet other adventurers who can join your party. Normally, you can take up to 5 companions while other allies relax. Correct party combination is the key to success.
For now get to know these features:
- Health and Endurance.
Here we have main stats for each hero. Health is the long-term stat which has a relatively huge pool. Heroes lose their health during each battle and can recover it only with some specific spells. The best way to recover Health is to rest in camp or tavern.
Note that 0 level of Health makes the hero maimed. Means he will not die immediately, but any next hit will kill him for sure. You can heal maimed allies, but dead ones cannot be recovered. Also, the death of the main hero – your character – ends the game.
Endurance is the short-term kind of Health. It is regenerated after every battle automatically. If Endurance reaches 0 your hero will be knocked out and start to lose Health. A lot of spells can regenerate or boost Endurance as it’s the main stat for a single fight.
- Attributes.
These features are the main stats, which you can set up at the start. 6 attributes influence on several other stats both valuable for combats and interactions with NPCs. The basic amount for each attribute is 10. Each point below it causes penalties, each point above – bonuses. Let’s discover each stat shortly.
Might influence all types of damage and heal, so it’s important for every class.
Constitution increases Endurance and Health of heroes which is essential for everybody.
Dexterity influence on the speed of every action what accelerates your characters.
Perception increases accuracy – the main stat for every attack action.
Intellect affects AoE skills, buffs, and debuffs, size and duration of spells.
Resolve increases deflection – the main stat for every defense action.
Note also that the last 3 items are the most popular and common attributes for dialogues. If you are going to talk a lot be sure to increase these stats.
- Skills.
Along with attributes, there are 5 skills which you can increase each level. Spend all 6 points during leveling up or save them – each point can be transferred to next level. Remember that each next skill amount will be more expensive than the previous one. You have to spend 1 point to get from 0 to 1, 2 points to get from 1 to 2 etc. Read about 5 main skills below.
Stealth makes heroes less visible at certain speed.
Athletics increases Second Wind ability regeneration.
Lore allows using better and more complex scrolls.
Mechanics lets heroes deactivate traps and pick up locks.
Survival opens new bonuses for camping rest.
Dialogues and scripted events feature all skills equally, but Lore and Survival are slightly more common. Mechanics also is crucial for finding mysteries and hidden items.
- Attack and defense.
During each combat, your characters have to attack and defend. Each attack comes with accuracy which determines the result. You can miss, gaze with -50% damage, hit with basic damage or crit with +50% damage. The game calculates accuracy for each action even performed in a single attack. For example, accuracy can be calculated for damaging and knocking down.
Defenses are divided into 4 different types, each protects from specific damage.
Deflection can reduce damage from all physical attacks.
Fortitude can reduce damage from all attacks connected to your body.
Reflex can reduce damage from all AoE attacks.
Will can reduce damage from all attacks connected to your mind.
- Damage and reduction of it.
But the game is not only about defenses but about attacks. There are 8 types of damage which can be dealt both by your heroes and enemies. 3 physical types are slash, crush and pierce. 4 magical types are burning, freeze, shock and corrode. There is also raw damage type.
Damage reduction simply decreases the amount of incoming damage of certain type. Armor normally reduces physical damage and spells protect from magic one. Damage reduction can significantly stanch an attack, but it cannot ignore entire damage.
Raw damage cannot be reduced at all so it’s the best type of weapons and spells. There are also some hostiles that are immune to specific damage. There is no insensitivity to raw damage as well. We suggest combining equipment with different damage reduction.
New levels of heroes in the game increase Health and Endurance only. Each new level also lets you to learn new active or passive abilities or talents. They are divided into class-specified and universal. Skills and talents are essential for characters so it’s recommended to choose them wisely. Specific abilities are described in our guide about game classes.
However, developers of PoE stated that their game is not only for regular players but for geeks as well. Means Normal and all higher levels of difficulty require a strong understanding of game mechanics. You can find exact calculations of rolls with the explanation of game principles in specific guides. But not here. It’s for beginners, you know.
Combat features
Combat is actually a real-time action which you can pause when you want. Combat starts at the moment when a group of enemies notices your party. By default, at this moment the game will pause allowing you to plan actions. Select heroes, move them by right-clicking on the ground, choose targets for regular melee or ranged attacks as well as spells. Combat pause is really helpful so far as you can choose moments of automatic triggering.
One of the most important aspects of all combat system is engagement which determines connections between allies and hostiles. Your heroes can fight with one or more enemies at once preventing targets from focusing on other heroes. If your character leaves his engaged target he will get damage from bonus attack which is a penalty for disengagement. A balance between correct placements to reduce the chance of disengagement.
That’s why you should plan your party composition carefully. Place tanks and tough warriors on the first line and vulnerable wizards or rangers on the back line. Try to engage more enemies with your tanks to protect other party members.
World info
The game takes action in the world of Eora, specifically in its part called Dyrwood. During your journey, you can visit several locations including villages and cities, ancient ruins and dungeons, fields and valleys. New locations can be revealed by dialogues or simple travel near the edge of revealed place. In the world map menu, you can click on the known location to perform a fast travel. It requires several hours or even days.
World map divides into safe locations, means villages or cities and neutral-hostile locations where you can find enemies. In safe locations, heroes can take quests, buy supplies and equipment, rest in taverns or even rebuild your heroes. There are only 2 big towns in the game each divided into several different locations placed near each other. Also, you can find some minor settlements and a lot of wild hostile places.
Caed Nua is a unique location which is your own stronghold. It is abandoned at the beginning but can be reestablished during the story. Buy new buildings and improvements for gold to gain specific bonuses. In Caed Nua you can take special quests, hire mercenaries, keep prisoners, buy and sell loot. A huge dungeon is located under this castle. Explore it to reveal all mysteries and get valuable items, but be ready to face extremely powerful enemies.
Other tips for beginners
In conclusion, read minor tips that can be helpful during the game:
- Always have at least 2 melee heroes that can engage all enemies at once.
- Be sure to hire priest which is the best healer and supporter in the game.
- Use spells for controlling and buffing instead of dealing direct damage.
- Try to raise heroes’ accuracy and decrease enemies’ deflection.
- Remember about guns that are the best weapon against wizards and huge monsters.
- Increase Perception as much as you can.
Maybe, we didn’t cover all sides of Pillars of Eternity in this guide. But that is enough for beginners who only start their journey in the world of Eora. Explore the game with our help and come back for more detailed articles!
