Obsidian stuck to some fantasy conventions for Pillars of Eternity and Avowed because that’s what people want: ”I didn’t want to completely flip it and say, oh you want to play an elf? F**k you, this isn’t your daddy’s elf’

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Although Pillars of Eternity is considered Obsidian’s creation, the series that birthed Avowed maintains strong ties to traditional fantasy genres, notably Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms. This setting has a special connection with Obsidian, even though they never designed an official D&D adaptation. Keep in mind, Obsidian was founded by veterans from Black Isle, after all.

However, the choice to incorporate well-known elements such as traditional fantasy races wasn’t solely due to the team’s affinity for Dungeons & Dragons through Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape Torment; Obsidian was also catering to the preferences of their audience.

At GDC, Obsidian’s Josh Sawyer candidly shared with us, “Much of what we’ve added is due to popular demand in fantasy. I grasp the appeal of flipping things around, but it’s not the only approach, right? Another option is to ponder, ‘What if these elements share a similar appearance, yet have distinct motivations or variations? Perhaps they’re built upon different foundations?’

Sawyer chooses to illustrate using the dwarves from Pillars as an example. Scattered remnants of their civilization are found everywhere, “since they naturally possess a strong desire for travel and feel compelled to continue discovering and moving forward.” This sets them apart from their more stationary D&D or Middle-earth counterparts. In fact, the elven race tends to exhibit more wanderlust in Dungeons & Dragons.

According to Sawyer, it’s not just about their love for mining, Scottish accents, or being entrenched in a particular way. Instead, they resemble dwarves and construct large stone edifices, but there are also some familiar elements. However, they possess certain characteristics that are strange, such as their wandering nature, the Romanian influence on their language, names, and other aspects.

While representing Scotland, I should clarify that we are perfectly content if you decide to make dwarves Scottish. Truth be told, we share some striking similarities – short stature, abundant hair, and at times, a melancholic demeanor. However, we always appreciate the addition of diversity among our diminutive companions. I’d love to see more dwarves resembling Dragon Age’s Varric: charismatic, roguish, and somewhat deceitful.

According to Sawyer, he didn’t intend to drastically change the concept by saying, “If you wish to play an elf, forget it! This isn’t your typical elf.” Instead, he explained that while it remains essentially an elf, there are certain elements that deviate slightly from tradition.

It’s clear that Baldur’s Gate and related titles remained significant influences on Obsidian, as they continued to adhere to certain traditions. Pillars of Eternity, in particular, catered to role-playing game enthusiasts who had yet to move on from the Infinity Engine games.

According to Sawyer, the game has been developed as a spiritual successor to Forgotten Realms games, focusing on this: players will likely create their character’s dwarf avatar, perhaps not their halfling or half-orc, but they do have orlans and aumaua options. The key point is that we’ve included a variety of characters – from the large to the small. However, it’s not just about having elves and dwarves in the mix; it adds depth to our setting, making it more intriguing with these diverse choices.

As a fan of Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur’s Gate, I’ve grown accustomed to the Forgotten Realms setting, but lately, it feels repetitive. However, Pillars of Eternity and Avowed offered a refreshing twist while still maintaining familiar elements. Moreover, being someone who isn’t fond of halflings, I appreciate Obsidian’s orlans—their unique, quirky creatures that serve a role somewhat similar to halflings. In essence, it seems like Obsidian and Sawyer have skillfully found the balance between sameness and difference.

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2025-07-07 19:02