Avowed skill trees - Best abilities in each class

Obsidian’s action-RPG Avowed certainly doesn’t have the biggest class options in the gaming world. However, each of the classes has a ton of interesting and unique quirks and skills that allow for some fun and complex builds

But not every skill is made equal, and thus we’ve compiled this list of the absolute best abilities and skills in each Avowed class so you’ll know what to unlock as soon as possible.

Avowed skills and abilities for each class, ranked

Best Fighter skills and abilities in Avowed

A fighter in Avowed wielding an axe and slamming it against a tall woman wielding a flintlock pistol on the shores of Paradis. — The Fighter has tons of melee options to choose from. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Fighter is a brawny melee class focusing on using great weapons or quick and lethal axes and swords. No matter the path one takes with this class, they’re bound to dish out some fantastic damage and have a ton of sustain that helps them tank whatever the enemy throws at them. But, as with any class in an RPG, there are some skills and abilities that are way better than the others, and they are as follows:

Constant Recovery – A must have since it negates up to 100 percent of damage taken, which is healed over time.
Brawn – Turns your Fighter into an absolute unit with incredible two-handed damage.
Armored Grace – Allows you to use heavier armor options while negating the massive stamina penalty they usually give.
Devastating Criticals – Awesome for Fighters and Rangers alike, this makes your crits up to 60 percent stronger.
Clear Out – You start spinning right round, dealing massive damage to any enemy that happens to get in your way.

This isn’t to say that the other Fighter skills are bad, with options like Toughness and Bleeding Cuts still fantastic. The Charge ability is also great in the early game and should be considered, though the ones above take priority over anything else, some even if you’re not playing as a Fighter.

Best Ranger skills and abilities in Avowed

A Ranger in Avowed using two flintlock pistols, one in each hand, and aiming them at a black phantom attacking them amid the ruins of a lost temple. — The Ranger can use both bows and guns for massive damage. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Ranger has two playstyles, one focusing on fast melee weapons such as daggers and the other going for ranged guns and bows. Whichever you go for, however, doesn’t really matter, as the following skills are must-haves in both scenarios and should be prioritized:

Evasive – Makes dodging cost next to no stamina, letting you spam it and avoid most enemy attacks.
Shadowing Beyond – You turn invisible. What’s not to like?
Critical Strike – Grants up to 20 percent bonus critical strike chance, and synergizes well with the Fighter’s Devastating Criticals skill.
Tanglefoot – Summons roots from the ground to pin an enemy down. It’s particularly useful if you’re ranged, but also good for melee players.
Survivalist – Makes the food and consumables you find around the world actually useful by buffing their effects and unlocking new recipes.

The Ranger is a bit harder to quantify with the “best skills” as its distinct playstyles require different options. If we’re looking at case-specific best skills, I’d say Finesse for melee and Marksmanship for ranged are probably your best bet, with builds closed off with Staggering Shot and Flurry of Blows.

Best Wizard skills and abilities in Avowed

A Wizard channeling flames out of her hand, burning an enemy creature amid a camp in Avowed. — The Wizard is probably the strongest class in the game given how powerful its spells are even at level one. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Wizard is a very broad class, utilizing both wands and Grimoires to cast a flurry of spells and missiles. As both the Fighter and the Ranger sort of have a dualistic nature, the Fighter with his one- and two-handed weapons and the Ranger with its melee-ranged duality, selecting the absolute best for them is a bit more challenging. The Wizard, however, is vastly different so here are our picks:

Fan of Flames – Easy, basic, deals incredible amounts of damage from level one, and remains useful for the entire game.
Crackling Bolt – Huge AoE damage that can also stun enemies and open them up to further attacks.
Returning Storm – Yet another brutal AoE spell which even roots enemies in place when upgraded, leaving them vulnerable to both the spell and you.
Ring of Fire – A great tool for protecting you, as you’ll likely be wearing Light Armor and lack proper defenses against violent and aggressive melee attackers.
Meteor Shower – The name says it all.

The Wizard also has a ton of other fantastic options, but these are the ones I thought were the most fun and effective. Grimoires significantly impact how well your spells perform, seeing as they’re straight buffs that add extra levels to a spell if the Grimoire also contains it. Honorable mentions here include the Chill Blades, any of the elemental passives, and Missile Salvo.