Avowed Anniversary Update 2026: New Game Plus, Photo Mode, and All New Features Explained

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Last Updated: February 2026 – Verified for Anniversary Update 2.0

The Avowed Anniversary Update (2.0) is the largest post-launch update the game has received. It introduces New Game Plus (NG+), new playable races, Photo Mode, Custom Difficulty sliders, Magic Mirror appearance changes, Quarterstaff weapons, respawning encounters, and expanded build scaling.

This guide breaks down:

  • What’s new exactly

  • How to unlock and use each feature

  • The real gameplay impact on builds and replay value

  • Important mechanical corrections most guides miss

If you want the most accurate and strategic breakdown of 2.0 — this is it.

What’s New in the Anniversary Update (2.0)

1. New Playable Races

Three new races were added:

  • Aumaua – High Might bonus, ideal for 2H melee and Strength scaling builds

  • Dwarf – Increased Constitution, strong for tank builds

  • Orlan – Perception and Resolve focused, excellent for hybrid and mage builds

These join the original Human and Elf options.

Important Detail:

Racial and background bonuses still apply on top of your base stats. In NG+, where the attribute cap increases to 30, racial/background bonuses can push effective starting stats to 32.

This is a major optimization detail for min-max players.

2. New Game Plus (NG+)

NG+ is the most impactful addition in 2.0.

How It Works (Accurate Breakdown)

  • Your XP progression resets so you can level from 1–30 again

  • Attribute cap increases from 15 → 30

  • You keep all spent skill points and abilities from your first playthrough

  • Unique gear and equipped items carry over

  • NG+ enemies gain new modifiers and scaling

You are not starting weak — you start “pre-built” with your completed skill tree, but you now have room to grow into higher stat scaling and new passive thresholds.

Avowed Anniversary Update 2026

Important NG+ Correction

Many guides incorrectly state you “reset to level 1.”

More accurately:

  • Your leveling curve restarts

  • Your character build remains intact

  • Your power floor is significantly higher than a fresh character

This is why NG+ difficulty spikes early — enemies are tuned assuming you already have advanced skills.

NG+ Essential Day 1 Checklist

To outperform most other guides, follow this immediately after starting NG+:

  1. Equip your best Unique or Legendary gear before pressing “Start NG+.”

    • Common (white/green) items are removed.

  2. Visit the Magic Mirror at your first camp.

    • Check new Godlike variants including Fungus and Lunar.

  3. Carry at least one pure Physical weapon.

    • Some NG+ enemies spawn with “Natural Immunity,” making elemental infusions ineffective.

  4. Review enemy modifiers before committing to combat.

    • Watch for tags like Forceful, Life Steal, Sturdy, or Glass Cannon.

NG+ is far less forgiving than launch difficulty.

3. Custom Difficulty (Critical XP Correction)

The Custom Difficulty system allows deep gameplay tuning.

You can adjust:

  • Player Damage, Health, Essence, Stamina

  • Enemy Damage, Health, Posture, Attack Speed

  • Companion Stats

  • Merchant Prices

  • Upgrade Costs

  • Fall and Trap Damage

  • Item Quality

  • Autosave behavior

Important XP Clarification

Individual sliders (Enemy Health, Enemy Damage, etc.) do NOT independently grant XP multipliers.

To gain XP bonuses:

  1. Set your Base Difficulty to Hard or Path of the Damned

  2. Then adjust sliders to modify the feel of combat

Sliders alone do not create XP boosts.

This is one of the most misunderstood mechanics in 2.0.

4. Magic Mirror (Appearance & Respec)

The Magic Mirror is located at any Party Camp next to the workbench.

It allows you to:

  • Change race

  • Change appearance

  • Adjust presets

  • Reoptimize builds visually

There is no cooldown and no cost.

Strategic Use:

  • Switch to Aumaua early in NG+ for Might scaling

  • Swap to Dwarf mid-run for survivability

  • Respec into Intellect when pivoting into Elemental Infusion builds

5. Quarterstaff – The New Hybrid Weapon Type

The Quarterstaff is a Strength-based hybrid weapon introduced in 2.0.

Default scaling: Might
Hybrid scaling: Intellect (via Elemental Infusion perk in Wizard tree)

This weapon bridges melee and magic builds.

Best Quarterstaff Locations (2026)

Apprentice’s Reach

Location: Claviger’s Landing Merchant
Best For: Early testing and hybrid builds
Why It Matters: Baseline balanced stats for experimenting with Stun Finishers

Voltaic Pole

Location: Dawnshore (Storm-Touched Xaurip respawning encounter)
Perk: Overcharge – Shock infusion triggers chain lightning finisher
Best For: Crowd Control

Staff of the Frozen Vein (Gelid Staff)

Location: Emerald Stair (Hidden Ice Block Cache near Wavesculpt Hollow)
Perk: Rime-Bound – +25% Frost Accumulation
Best For: Shatter combo builds

The Archmage’s Pillar

Location: Galawain’s Tusks (Merchant Kampeki, Thirdborn)
Requirement: Level 20+ or NG+
Cost: 6,500 Currency
Perk: Arcane Synergy – Reduces Essence cost after melee combo
Best For: NG+ Endgame Arcane Vanguard builds

Enemy Modifiers in NG+

Enemies can now spawn with:

Elemental Modifiers:

  • Fire

  • Frost

  • Shock

  • Poison

  • Bleed

  • Natural Immunity

Physical Modifiers:

  • Haste

  • Colossal

  • Glass Cannon

  • Sturdy

  • Life Steal

  • Forceful

  • Vindictive

This is why multi-damage builds are mandatory in NG+.

1.0 vs 2.0 Comparison

Feature | Launch (1.0) | Anniversary Update (2.0)
Playable Races | Human, Elf | + Aumaua, Orlan, Dwarf
Attribute Cap | 15 | 30 (NG+ Exclusive)
Difficulty | Presets Only | Custom Sliders + Base XP Scaling
Appearance | Locked | Magic Mirror (Any Camp)
Weapon Types | Swords, Axes, Bows | + Quarterstaff
Encounters | Static | Respawning Elite Encounters

Replay Value Impact

The Anniversary Update dramatically increases replay value through:

  • Attribute scaling from 15 → 30

  • True hybrid weapon support

  • Customizable difficulty tuning

  • Enemy modifier diversity

  • Mid-game race swapping

  • Respawning encounters for farming

It effectively transforms Avowed from a single-playthrough RPG into a scalable build sandbox.

FAQ

Q: Does increasing enemy health via sliders increase XP?
A: No. XP bonuses are tied to Base Difficulty (Hard or Path of the Damned). Sliders adjust gameplay feel but don’t independently grant XP multipliers.

Q: Do I lose my skills in NG+?
A: No. You keep all spent skill points and abilities. You restart the leveling curve but begin with your full build intact.

Q: What is the new attribute cap?
A: 30 in NG+. Racial/background bonuses can push effective stats to 32.

Q: Is the Magic Mirror free?
A: Yes. It has no cost and no cooldown.

Q: Do elemental builds work in NG+?
A: Yes, but carry a Physical weapon. Some enemies have Natural Immunity.

Q: Where do Quarterstaffs drop?
A: Level 5+ loot tables, specific merchants, and new respawning encounters added in 2.0.

Final Verdict

The Anniversary Update 2.0 fundamentally reshapes Avowed’s progression, build depth, and replay structure.

With:

  • True NG+ scaling

  • Accurate XP system understanding

  • Attribute cap expansion

  • Custom difficulty refinement

  • Hybrid weapon integration

  • Enemy modifier diversity

This is no longer just a patch — it’s a structural overhaul.

If you approach NG+ strategically and understand how XP scaling actually works, 2.0 becomes the most rewarding version of Avowed to date.

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