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Though Fampyr foes from Pillars of Eternity did not transition into Avowed, the game’s siphoning skills and bleed effects create an enticing foundation for a vampire build. I’ve gathered a selection of the finest gear, abilities, and attributes to forge the ultimate vampire character, which proves to be incredibly adaptable and enjoyable—especially for those who appreciate melee caster setups. Key features include spells like Corrosive Siphon and Parasitic Staff from the Wizard class, alongside bleed effects from the Fighter specialization and lifesteal abilities from the Ranger class.
This vampire build primarily employs axes and daggers as unique melee weapons in Avowed, but you can also use two-handed weapons with bleed effects, such as the Horsecutter great sword. Shields play a significant role, with various unique options across the major areas that restore health based on the day/night cycle—such as the Sun and Moon shields. Emphasizing regenerative health and essence effects makes boosting your Constitution crucial. Additionally, the Blood Magic Wizard passive allows you to leverage high Constitution to its fullest.
Top Attributes for a Vampire Build in Avowed
High Constitution for Blood Magic & Resolve for Stamina
Your essential vampire attributes include Constitution for health and Resolve for stamina. High Health/Constitution is necessary to offset any deficiency in Intellect and Essence. Blood Magic serves as a passive Wizard ability that lets you forfeit health to keep casting spells when Essence runs low. The Parasitic Staff helps regain essence with every attack, reducing the need for a significant investment in Intellect. Resolve not only boosts your stamina, needed for power attacks with your axes and daggers, but also enhances the efficiency of your Second Wind ability.
Other crucial attributes for this build are Dexterity and/or Might; both can enhance damage, movement speed, and attack speed. Your choice between investing in one or both will depend on your preferred playstyle and weapon selection. Dexterity is beneficial for increasing attack speed with daggers and swords, while Might generally boosts overall damage and slightly favors axe use. A balanced approach with investments in both stats is also viable.
Top Abilities for a Vampire Build in Avowed (All Classes)
Utilize Each Class for Bleed, Lifesteal & Health Siphoning
| Fighter | Ranger | Wizard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Armored Grace, Constant Recovery, Toughness | Tanglefoot | Armored Essence, Corrosive Siphon, Parasitic Staff |
| Level 5 | Bleeding Cuts | Shadowing Beyond, Piercing Thrusts | X |
| Level 10 | Unbreakable | X | Blood Magic, Harvest Essence |
| Level 15 | Retribution | X | Secret of Rime, Spirit of Decay |
| Level 20 | Inspiring Triumph, Clear Out | Flurry of Blows | X |
Within the Fighter tree, both Constant Recovery and Toughness fit the theme well; additionally, Bleeding Cuts serves as a primary source of bleed damage. If you choose to use shields (recommended), the Unbreakable ability proves useful. While there’s a case to be made for Armored Grace to mitigate the stamina loss from wearing medium armor, you can manage stamina shortages in other ways if you prefer to save ability points for different skills. Retribution and Clear Out are beneficial for any build, but they should only be chosen here if you have extra points.
For the Ranger, Flurry of Blows is one of the best abilities available, with the build hitting its stride at Level 21 when you access Rank 2 for this ability, granting lifesteal on damage dealt. Both Tanglefoot and Shadowing Beyond are solid investments as you advance, but focus your essence primarily on Flurry of Blows and Corrosive Siphon.
Best Weapons for a Vampire Build in Avowed (& Where to Find Them)
The Umbral Needle & Sun of Black Heaven Are Top-Tier Options
The earliest weapons suitable for this build include the Drawn in Winter axe and the Last Light of Day sword, both of which restore 10% of your total health for each kill. The Sun and Moon shield located in Emerald Stair comes with a unique “vampiric” effect, recovering health during the day and essence at night. Similarly, the Desert’s Bounty shield diminishes fire damage during the day and frost damage at night. You might want to use Beothel’s Grimoire to enhance your Corrosive Siphon and Parasitic Staff early on. Also, Woodman’s Labor can be discovered in the Emerald Stair as a top-rated one-handed axe.
| Dawnshore | Emerald Stair | Shatterscarp | Galawain’s Tusks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beothel’s Grimoire | Carnet’s Cutlass | The Desert’s Bounty | Limb-Taker |
| The Dissapointer | Horsecutter | The Emperor’s Reach | Ondra’s Offense |
| Drawn in Winter | Sun and Moon | Hel’s Tongue | Sun of Black Heaven |
| Last Light of Day | Survivor’s Guilt | Nimanna’s Ward | Time’s Tarnish |
| *Bolded items are the best in slot. | |||
Although there are many weapon choices for this build, the best options become available in the endgame, especially combining the Umbral Needle, Sun of Black Heaven shield, Ondra’s Offense, and Woodman’s Labor. I recommend equipping the shield and axe as your primary loadout and keeping the dagger and sword for your secondary. The Umbral Needle can recover up to 4% health from damage dealt, while the Sun of Black Heaven may restore essence when blocking.
Top Armor, Clothing, & Accessories for a Vampire Build in Avowed
Bracers of Bloodletting & Spiritmender Armor Are Crucial
When it comes to equipping your character with gear in Avowed, there are a variety of options to enhance your vampiric abilities. Early armor choices include the Many-Hued Doublet and Eothasian Breastplate, but the superior option is the Spiritmender light armor found later in The Garden area. For gloves, the Bracers of Bloodletting are top-tier, serving as a primary source of bleed damage. The Wayfarer’s Boots are a solid early pick, while the Berserker Boots grant +100% stamina regeneration. If you find yourself low on essence, the Warmage’s Boots are another great alternative.
As for unique accessories in Avowed, the Bitter Bonding amulet restores health with damage dealt, the Wildwalker Ring gradually regenerates health while you walk, and the Berserker’s Ring grants +3 Constitution. For trinkets or amulets, options may be limited, but the Steel Garrote Medallion (+1 Resolve) and Night-Mistress’ Favor, which heals you near a companion, are valuable choices. Additionally, the Poisoner’s Kit adds another damage source. In general, your accessory selections should complement the weaponry and abilities you utilize the most in your Avowed vampire build.
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