Avowed classifies enemies into 6 vague categories based on shared characteristics. This guide will explain which enemy types are classified into each category for the purposes of equipment buffs.
Table of contents
Why Enemy Types and Categories Matter
Some weapons and accessories improve your damage output and/or survivability against enemies in a specific category, but Avowed lacks a Bestiary and never outright tells you which enemies are part of each category.
The goal of this guide is to provide clarification on enemy types and the categories they belong to. Please note that Dreamthralls are a secondary classification and do not alter their main category. For example, a Dreamthrall Bear is still a Beast.
Beast Enemies
Animals and insects are classified as Beast enemies in Avowed, including:
- Bears
- Beetles
- Spiders (Crawlers, Creepers, Crystal Eaters, Spinners)
Anti-Beast Equipment
There’s a solid amount of equipment you can use to fend off Beasts if they’re causing too much trouble.
Woodman’s Labor (Axe)
Woodman’s Labor is a regular-looking Axe that can be Enchanted to deal AoE damage upon completion of a Full Combo Attack or make Power Attacks restore Stamina.
Hack and Hew
A Full Combo Attack creates an area of effect that damages nearby enemies
Clear-Cutting
A Full Combo Attack deals bonus Damage and high Stun to nearby enemies
Decisive Cut
Killing an enemy with a Power Attack restores Stamina
Woodland Woe
+15% Attack Damage against Beasts (animals and bugs) and Primordials (plant people)
Civilizing Influence (Ring)
Civilizing Influence provides a reasonable amount of protection against Beasts (animals and bugs), Primordials (plant people), and Wilders (primitives).
Ward of Civilization
-10% damage from Beasts, Primordials, and Wilders
You can loot the Civilizing Influence from an Aedyran corpse resting on the western cliffs of Naku Tedek in Emerald Stair.
Head down the hill past some gravestones to reach this area.
Chitin Band (Ring)
Chitin Band is a defensive ring that provides a ton of protection from a single enemy category, Beasts, that includes all animals you fight.
Primal Aura
+20% damage reduction against Beasts
You can loot the Chitin Band from a specific normal Skeleton enemy by a bunch of bugs west of the Strangled Adra Pillar on Broken Crown Rock in the Great Sand Sea of Shatterscarp.
Kith Enemies in Avowed
Contrasted with Wilders, Kith are the dominant civilized races of Eora, including:
- Aumaua (Kai)
- Dwarves (Marius)
- Elves
- Godlike
- Humans (Giatta)
- Orlans (Yatzli)
Anti-Kith Equipement
Anti-Kith equipment tends towards the offense rather than defense.
Kithwarder
Kithwarder makes you take less damage from Kith, but makes you take much more from everything else. Kith tend to cluster together away from non-Kith, so keep it on hand.
Discerning Guard
+10% Damage Reduction from Kith
-10% Damage Reduction from other sources
You receive the Kithwarder from Aldrich, the guy in charge of the Dawnshore Bounty Board in Southern Paradis, after completing all 5 Bounties in Dawnshore.
Carnet’s Cutlass (Sword)
You can only obtain Carnet’s Cutlass by making specific decisions during the side quest “Debt of Blood”, which is only available if certain spoilery events transpire at the end of the Main Story quest “Ancient Soil”. We have collapsed this section as a precaution.
Carnet’s Cutlass is a sword that is super effective against Kith (humans, aumaua, dwarves, elves, orlans, and godlike) and can be Enchanted to improve your Attack Speed on kill or restore Health and Essence on Parry.
Seasoned in Battle
Killing an enemy gives you +15% Attack Speed for 10s
Press the Attack
Killing an enemy gives you +30% Attack Speed for 10s
Reinforce the Line
A successful Parry restores 3% of your Maximum Health and Essence.
Kith Slaying
+20% Damage against Kith
You can loot Carnet’s Cutlass from Captain Carnet’s corpse at the Ranger Headquarters in the Rolling Crags of Emerald Stair as part of the quest “Debt of Blood”.
You can get the quest “Debt of “Blood” at the Abandoned Farms when you reunite with the Fiorians who survived the Steel Garrote’s successful razing of Fior mes Ivèrno at the end of the Main Story quest “Ancient Soil”.
You cannot get “Debt of Blood” if you foil the Steel Garrote’s plan by clearing them out of the Waterfall Cave. You cannot get Carnet’s Cutlass if you don’t fight Captain Cartnet.
The Emperor’s Reach (Sword)
Despite looking like a toy, The Emperor’s Reach is a Unique Sword and pretty direct upgrade over The Last Light of Day. Its Enchantments allow you to emphasize buffs after kills or dealing high Stun on Parry.
Rightful Annexation
Killing an enemy gives you +10% Attack Damage and Move Speed for 6s
Triumph of Conquest
Killing an enemy restores health, gives you +15% Attack Damage and +20% Move Speed for 6s
Imperial Rebuke
A successful Parry deals high Stun to the attacking enemy
Bend the Knee
Special Attacks Stun nearby Kith
If you successfully attack one Stunned enemy, you’ll also Stun nearby Kith, which include humans (Giatta/soldiers), aumaua (Kai/Rauitaians), dwarves (Maurius/Pargrunen), and orlans (Yatzli/colorful petite furries), as well as elves and godlike.
You can loot The Emperor’s Reach fom Kukae Maka, a Dreamthrall with a Bounty on their head located in the Ancient Lakebead in Shatterskarp.
Primordial Enemies in Avowed
Primordials are all of the plant people, primarily located in Emerald Stair, including:
- Delemgans (tree people)
- Sporelings (mushroom people)
Anti-Primordial Equipment
If you’re struggling against Primordials, particularly the Delemgan Queen in Emerald Stair, consider using these items.
Civilizing Influence (Ring)
Civilizing Influence provides a reasonable amount of protection against Beasts (animals and bugs), Primordials (plant people), and Wilders (primitives).
Ward of Civilization
-10% damage from Beasts, Primordials, and Wilders
You can loot the Civilizing Influence from an Aedyran corpse resting on the western cliffs of Naku Tedek in Emerald Stair.
Head down the hill past some gravestones to reach this area.
Woodman’s Labor (Axe)
Woodman’s Labor is a regular-looking Axe that can be Enchanted to deal AoE damage upon completion of a Full Combo Attack or make Power Attacks restore Stamina.
Hack and Hew
A Full Combo Attack creates an area of effect that damages nearby enemies
Clear-Cutting
A Full Combo Attack deals bonus Damage and high Stun to nearby enemies
Decisive Cut
Killing an enemy with a Power Attack restores Stamina
Woodland Woe
+15% Attack Damage against Beasts (animals and bugs) and Primordials (plant people)
You can dislodge the Woodman’s Labor from the chest cavity of a felled Delemgan at the Logging Camp near the river on the western edge of Maxim’s Claim at Emerald Stair.
Emerald Splitter (Greataxe)
The Emerald Splitter is a Greataxe that deals Poison Damage and can be Enchanted to make Power Attacks apply that Poison to nearby enemies or focus that power into additional Stun buildup upon completion of a Full Combo.
Withering Strike
Power Attacks deal high Poison Accumulation
Rotting Cloud
Power Attacks deal high Poison Accumulation to nearby enemies
Poison the Roots
A Full Combo Attack deals high Stun and Poison Accumulation
Primordial Slaying
+20% Damage against Primordials (Delemgan and Sporelings)
You can loot the Emerald Splitter from a chest at the Pargrun Waystation in the Rolling Crags northeast of Fior mes Ivèrno.
Spirit Enemies in Avowed
Spirit enemies are all of the floating incorporeal undead enemies, including:
- Blights (floating rocks)
- Phantoms
- Shadows
- Spectres
- Shades
- Wraiths
Anti-Spirit Equipment
Your only additional defense against spirits is an Ekidan shield.
Nimanna’s Ward (Shield)
Nimanna’s Ward grants a massive amount of additional survivability passively against Spirits (all ghosts) and some bonus health whenever you Parry.
Soulkeeping Parry
A successful Parry grants you Temporary Health
Spirit Ward
+20% Damage Reduction against Spirits
- Spirits
- Phantoms
- Shadows
- Spectres
- Shades
- Wraiths
You can loot Nimanna’s Ward from a chest after completing the second trial at Naku Kubel in Shatterscarp.
Vessel Enemies in Avowed
In contrast to Spirits, Vessel enemies are corporeal, ground-based, (re)animated enemies, including:
- Constructs (like Maegfolc)
- Revenants (fleshy undead)
- Skeletons
Anti-Vessel Equipment
Many difficult areas are filled to the brim with Vessels, and these pieces of equipment will make things easier for you.
Giant’s Slumber (Spear)
You obtain Giant’s Slumber as during the Main Story quest “Ancient Soil” and there are visual spoilers related to its location. We have collapsed this section as a precaution.
Giant’s Slumber is a Spear that deals Lightning damage and is stronger against Vessels. It can be Enhanced to strengthen Power Attacks or grant buffs to Move Speed and Dodge Distance upon successfully Parrying.
Toppling Strike
Power Attacks deal moderate Stun
Titan’s Bane
Power Attacks deal high Stun and have +10% Critical Hit Chance
Defensive Stance
A successful Parry gives you +20% Move Speed and +20% Dodge Distance for 20s
Vessel Slaying
+20% Damage against Vessels (Skeletons, Revenants, and Maegfolc)
You can find the Giant’s Slumber impaled in a Maegfolk in the depths of Naku Tedek during the Main Story quest “Ancient Soil” at Emerald Stair.
Berath’s Blessed Ward (Trinket)
Berath’s Blessed Ward provides a massive amount of protection from Vessels, which are enemies animated by magic.
Vessel Ward
-20% damage from Vessels
You receive Berath’s Blessed Ward if you leave the offerings at all 3 grave sites across Emerald Stair as part of Rossana’s quest “Elder Offerings” in Fior mes Ivèrno.
Wilder Enemies in Avowed
In contrast to Kith and separate from Primordials, Wilder enemies include uncivilized, subservient races with some intelligence, including:
- Xaurips (lizard people)
- Ogres
Anti-Wilder Equipment
You have no way to protect yourself specifically and exclusively from Wilders, but that’s pretty much the same thing as just saying there isn’t any direct Xaurip protection because you only fight a few Ogres throughout the game.
The only anti-wilder equipment is a ring that protects you from other enemy types as well.
Civilizing Influence (Ring)
Civilizing Influence provides a reasonable amount of protection against Beasts (animals and bugs), Primordials (plant people), and Wilders (primitives).
Ward of Civilization
-10% damage from Beasts, Primordials, and Wilders
You can loot the Civilizing Influence from an Aedyran corpse resting on the western cliffs of Naku Tedek in Emerald Stair.
Head down the hill past some gravestones to reach this area.
