Top Skills for Every Companion in Avowed (Kai, Marius, Giatta, Yatzli)

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In Avowed, each companion has four distinct skills that can be upgraded during gameplay. Unlike the player character, companions don’t level up every time you do; instead, they earn one ability point after several levels. I completed Avowed at level 28, just two levels under the maximum of 30, and had accumulated eight upgrade points for each companion. Since each skill has four possible levels, it’s impossible to upgrade all of a companion’s abilities fully.

Your approach to building a companion in Avowed is directly linked to these four abilities because the game does not allow for changes to companion gear. This system offers a mix of simplicity and complexity: it’s easier to manage companions without gear worries, but it intensifies the importance of your ability selections. Fortunately, you can reallocate your points at any time for a small fee in gold if you wish to change your strategy.

Optimal Kai Build (Skills & Upgrades)

Kai: The Top Tank Among Companions in Avowed

During my initial playthrough of Avowed, I chose a Ranger build which made Kai a frequent ally. I focused on enhancing his tankiness, enabling him to absorb damage while I maintained a safe distance. The Second Wind ability proved to be invaluable for keeping Kai in the fight longer. I found the Refreshing Wind upgrade particularly beneficial, as it allowed him to activate other abilities right after reviving.

Kai Upgrades (In Order)	Effect
Second Wind	Kai revives himself with 50% health after falling in battle.
Unbending Defense	Increases damage reduction by 25%.
Leap of Daring	Area attack that stuns and taunts enemies.
Quick Reload	Reduces the cooldown for Fire and Ice by 50%.
Refreshing Wind	Resets ability cooldowns after Second Wind is activated.
Iron Will	Increases damage reduction from Unbending Defense to 50%.
Leap of Faith	Grants temporary hit points by damaging enemies with Leap of Daring.
Pure Lead	Increases the stun damage dealt by Fire and Ice.

In addition to equipping Kai with skills that enhance his survivability (like Second Wind and Unbending Defense), I relied heavily on Fire and Ice. The significant stun damage it dealt was crucial, especially since I was using an arquebus, with stun being a core part of my combat tactics. Additionally, it helped in repositioning Kai effectively. When I activated Fire and Ice, he would teleport beside the enemy I targeted, drawing their attention away from me during attacks. This served as excellent crowd control while my Tanglefoot ability was on cooldown.

Leap of Daring could also help reposition Kai, but it takes a bit longer for him to move, making it slightly less effective than Fire and Ice, though it still had its uses. I appreciated the Leap of Faith upgrade to provide Kai with extra health, particularly right after he revived from a Second Wind.

Optimal Marius Build (Skills & Upgrades)

Marius: Excellent for Crowd Control and Damaging Multiple Foes

Marius is an excellent choice for players focusing on ranged attacks. His Binding Roots ability is akin to the Ranger’s Tanglefoot, making it vital for restraining strong enemies that could easily overpower a fragile Wizard or Ranger. The Grasping Roots upgrade enhances this ability, allowing it to ensnare multiple targets at once, giving players more breathing room against foes.

Marius Upgrades (In Order)	Effect
Wounding Shots	Marius’ attacks apply bleed damage over time.
Shadow Step	Marius vanishes, then reappears across the battlefield, damaging multiple enemies.
Heart Seeker	Fires a piercing shot that is guaranteed to hit.
Impeding Shots	Wounding Shots now also slow down enemies.
Grasping Roots	Binding Roots now ensnares multiple enemies.
Exposing Shots	Wounding Shots reduce enemy damage resistance.
Constricting Roots	Binding Roots now inflicts stun damage.
Assassinate	Instantly kills most enemies affected by stun.

The passive upgrades for Wounding Shots are also quite advantageous in a Marius build, particularly if you’re utilizing Shadow Step, which lets him launch several attacks rapidly. I found that, since I was prioritizing stun effects, the Assassinate upgrade for Shadow Step helped me finish off enemies swiftly. However, it may not be as effective if you’re not dealing significant stun damage. If you’re more focused on melee combat, consider substituting it for the Maiming Shots upgrade.

Optimal Giatta Build (Skills & Upgrades)

Giatta: The Support Companion for Healing and Cooldown Reduction

If you want the most effective Giatta build, it’s best to focus on her support abilities. I didn’t utilize Giatta as much since I had an abundance of healing items by the time she joined my group. Nonetheless, I found her Acceleration ability incredibly useful. Increased movement and attack speed made it simpler to outmaneuver foes, and reduced cooldown times on abilities allowed for a continuous barrage of attacks and crowd control.

Giatta Upgrades (In Order)	Effect
Acceleration	Boosts all allies’ movement and attack speed for 15 seconds.
Reconstruction	Giatta’s attacks restore health to all teammates.
Barrier	Grants temporary health to all allies for 20 seconds.
Boosted Essence	Purification helps allies heal for 50% of their max health.
Time Shift	Abilities activated while Acceleration is active have their cooldowns reduced by 50%.
Extended Acceleration	Increases the duration of Acceleration by an additional 10 seconds.
Essence Shielding	Purification now grants a 20% damage reduction buff to all allies for 15 seconds.
Critical Restore	Reconstruction heals allies below 20% health for more.

Acceleration is beneficial across any class you choose, but Giatta is particularly advantageous as a support for melee fighters. Her Purification ability can keep you in the action, even while taking heavy damage. Although I didn’t utilize Barrier much during my first run, I plan to invest more in it during subsequent playthroughs as a melee character (especially to acquire the Medic Shielding upgrade).

Optimal Yatzli Build (Skills & Upgrades)

Yatzli: Strong Offensive Skills and Crowd Control Capabilities

After Yatzli joined my party, I replaced Marius with her due to her superior offensive abilities. I found both Minoletta’s Missile Battery and Essence Explosion invaluable for damaging multiple enemies simultaneously. This synergized well with my focus on delivering substantial damage in a single shot using my arquebus, helping to finish off weakened foes or significantly lower the health of others.

Yatzli Upgrades (In Order)	Effect
Blast	Yatzli’s attacks deal area damage.
Arduous Delay of Motion	Slows an enemy for 10 seconds.
Minoletta’s Missile Battery	Summons arcane missiles that strike surrounding foes.
Exhausting Field	Arduous Delay of Motion affects all enemies within a radius.
Force Blast	Enemies hit by Blasts receive additional stun damage.
Scrappy Casting	Decreases cooldown for Essence Explosion by 33%.
Energy Sap	Enhances the slow effect of Arduous Delay of Motion.
Horizon Strike	Increases the range of Minoletta’s Missile Battery.

Yatzli’s standout ability is Arduous Delay of Motion. As a Ranger, this skill allowed me to kite enemies more successfully and made it easier to target their weak points. Slowing down enemies was also beneficial for melee characters, as it made it simpler to engage and escape without taking damage.

All of Avowed’s companions have unique strengths that make them appropriate for specific character builds. While these recommended builds served me well as a Ranger (and would be effective for a Wizard), you might find that Giatta complements a Fighter better than I discovered. Keep in mind that if these builds don’t fit your style, you can quickly respec to something that suits you better.