The future of RPGs on the Xbox Series X seems to be defined by a handful of games.Fablefrom Playground Games may prove to be a return to the franchise’s origins, hearkening back to its glory days, whileAvowedseems to symbolize the future.Avowedmay even be the Xbox Series X’s biggest console sellerat the moment, as many are looking to fill a void left behind without a newElder Scrollsentry.
Indeed, the similarities and comparisons made thus far aboutAvowedmake it seem like it will scratch that itch; after all, Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda have a ton of similar strengths.Avowedmay very well be toThe Elder ScrollswhatThe Outer Worldsis toFallout. Either way, sometimes moving forward means looking back, andAvowedcould easily adopt a similar class system toOblivion. Notably, class systems aren’t exclusive to TheElder Scrolls, but the franchise has developed it in such a way that, as competitors, it only seems natural to draw comparisons betweenAvowedandTES' handling of classes.
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Avowed: The Confirmed, The Leaked, and The Likely
There’s a lot to be said aboutAvowed, but very little is official. A recentleak indicated thatAvowedwill be bigger thanSkyrim, have a more reactive world, and include a real-time weather system. Other details include mod support, a large number of factions, companions to carry into battle, a story set amid a war against Tyranny, huge bosses and the presence of Gods, two large cities,Pillars of Eternitycreatures, in-depth dialogue, and a release window of late 2022/early 2023.
As with all leaks, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but a lot of it does line up with one certain and confirmed detail:Avowedtakes place in Eora. The setting means Obsidian is transforming itsPillars of Eternityfranchise from an isometric RPG to a full blown action-RPG, which is exciting enough for fans of the franchise. However, it lends credence to a few details such as the in-depth character creator pulled from theraces thatAvowedandPOElikely share, the presence of Gods, and the similar creatures.
However, it also means fans can look toPillars of Eternityto make some educated guesses aboutAvowed’s features. The playable races will likely follow suit, if not entirely then mostly, but there’s another key element likely to follow: its class system. As RPGs have moved forward, many have adopted a more open-ended approach to classes based on simple skill trees, with the lastElder Scrollsgame to have one (which still retained some level of fluidity) wasOblivion.
Oblivion Classes, Skyrim’s Approach
InOblivion, players could choose one of 21 classes that determined the players' skill set, attributes, and abilities. There were multiple classes directed at stealth, magic, or melee, while some classes were a hybrid of two. While much more involved than many class systems, this gave players a ton of avenues to take their character if it somewhat restricted their playstyle.Oblivion’s classes included the following:
However,Oblivionalso gave players the opportunity to design a custom class where all of the pre-assigned points were handled by the player. They could name the class, select a specialization between Stealth, Magic, or Combat that saw those related skills level up faster, two attributes to receive a permanent +5, and seven unique skills that would ultimately influence how that specificOblivioncharacter would be played. In this way,Oblivionstepped away from a rigorously defined class system, something akin toDiablo’s classes, and moved toward fluidity.
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This design choice likely had some impact onSkyrim, which has no traditional class structure. Players instead level up skills by using them, meaning players could still fill certain archetypes should they wish, but simply without a label. Many games since have adopted an open-end structure to classes, but that’s not necessarily better—it’s just another way to do it. WhileSkyrimskipped out on the traditional class systemandOblivionhad one of a traditional-yet-more-open nature, it seems likeAvowedmay just find that happy medium.
Avowed’s Classic Classes in Eora
First, it’s worth mentioning thatAvowedhas not confirmed it will feature classes. It could very well go way ofSkyrimand allow players an open-ended approach, but at the same time, theEora settinghas classes. As such, it would make sense forAvowedto go this route, with more classicDnD-esque classes. Classes inPillars of Eternity, a baseline for whatAvowedmay contain, include the following:
Chanters are essentially the Eora setting’s Bards, while Ciphers are akin toDungeons and Dragons’Psionic classes. As such,Avowedalready has a baseline for a class system to be implemented, but notably it appears to be more traditional thanOblivionat first glance. There’s clearly some overlay inAvowed, based on the initial reveal trailer showing sword and magic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s takingSkyrim’s path. Eora’s classes have a multitude of subclasses instead, which could see many of the archetypes cross over.
With 11 established classes and 59 established subclasses, as well as whateverAvowedchooses to throw in the mix, it makes sense that the next big Obsidian RPG could offer fans a traditional class structure with a ton of ways to branch likeOblivion, while not going so far as to abandon classes likeSkyrim. If so, it seems thatObsidian may be challenging Bethesdato meet it tic-for-tac with next-gen RPGs.
Avowedis currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X.
