Avowed's Two-Race Limit: A Player's Honest Take on Eora's Lost Options

I’ve been wandering the Living Lands in Avowed since it launched back in 2025, and now that we’re deep into 2026, I still can’t shake one nagging thought: why can’t I play as an Orlan? Or an Aumaua? Or a dwarf? Obsidian Entertainment finally brought the Pillars of Eternity universe into first-person, and it’s a gorgeous, immersive ride. But the character creator only lets me pick Human or Elf. For a CRPG series that made its name on wild, diverse races, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Now, I get the lore reason. I’m an envoy of the Aedyr Empire, and Aedyr is predominantly human and elf. The game also makes me a Godlike—touched by an unknown god, no matter what I choose. That’s a cool twist, and it clearly ties into the main story. But here’s the thing: being a Godlike doesn’t replace the full experience of rolling an Aumaua or an Orlan in Pillars of Eternity. It’s like getting a fancy new hat when you really wanted a whole wardrobe.

Let’s be real: the Pillars games spoiled us. In Pillars of Eternity and Deadfire, I could be a human, elf, dwarf, Aumaua, Orlan, Godlike, and even choose from a boatload of backgrounds. Avowed trims that down to two races and a handful of backgrounds. On paper, that’s a far cry from the character-building buffet Eora used to offer. I miss the days of spending an hour just picking my culture and background, because those choices made my Watcher feel like mine.

But I’m not here to just gripe. The game does try to balance the loss with other things. The backgrounds in Avowed are more focused, and they tie into being an Aedyran envoy. My character’s backstory still matters in dialogue, even if I can’t be a boreal dwarf from the White that Wends. And the companions? They’re a breath of fresh air. I’ve been rolling with Kai, Giatta, Yatzli, and Marius, and they represent races I can’t play as. Seeing an Aumaua, an Orlan, and a dwarf in my party makes the world feel bigger, even if my own character is stuck in the human/elf lane.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I gain and what I lose:

So, is it a fair trade? The optimist in me says yes. Avowed’s first-person view and high-fidelity graphics let me soak in Eora’s cultures in a way the old CRPGs never could. Walking through the Living Lands as an Aedyran outsider feels personal. The limited races mean the writers can focus on what it means to be human or elf in this specific colonial context. That’s a richer cultural exploration, and I can dig it.

But the cynic in me—the guy who spent hundreds of hours in Deadfire—still feels the sting. The lack of racial options minimizes the kind of character-building that made Eora special. It risks one of the IP’s key appeals for the sake of narrative cohesion. And while companions can showcase other races, they’re not me. I can’t customize an Orlan’s fur pattern or an Aumaua’s head shape. I can’t hear unique racial dialogue options for my own character. That’s a bummer, no two ways about it.

Maybe Obsidian is playing the long game. Avowed is a more focused, narrative-driven experience, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Not every game needs to be a sandbox. But I hope future updates, DLC, or sequels find a way to bring back the full rainbow of Eora’s races. The world’s unique races deserve their own spotlight, and players like me would happily pay for the chance to be one.

For now, I’ll keep exploring the Living Lands as my human envoy, with my Godlike mystery hanging over my head. The companions keep me company, the backgrounds keep me invested, and the combat is a blast. But every time I see an Orlan NPC, I can’t help but think: “That could’ve been me.” The jury’s still out on whether Avowed’s trade-off was worth it, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Obsidian hasn’t closed the book on Eora’s wilder races. After all, variety is the spice of life—and of RPGs. 🎲