Pillars of Eternity Celebrates Tenth Anniversary with New Turn-Based Mode

Obsidian Entertainment has surprised fans of Pillars of Eternity by introducing a new turn-based mode to the RPG in celebration of its tenth anniversary. After beta testing the mode since November last year, the developers have officially unveiled it to the delight of players.

The announcement was made through a Steam post and accompanying trailer, showcasing the new feature. Obsidian emphasized the significance of this addition and acknowledged that while they have addressed major bugs during the beta phase, more issues may still surface. They assured players that continuous patches will be released to refine the turn-based mode further.

In the post, the differences between the new turn-based mode and the game’s default real-time with pause battles, as well as the turn-based fights in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, were highlighted. Director Josh Sawyer had previously discussed the concept of turn-based combat when the beta was launched.

The patch accompanying the turn-based mode introduced several combat tweaks for a smoother gameplay experience. Issues such as using quick items or disarming traps while spiritshifted, and potion effects not functioning as intended have been resolved. Furthermore, stacking debilitating effects like stun, paralyze, or petrify will now have the correct impact on characters, without causing extended incapacitation.

Obsidian also made improvements to the interface and controls to enhance the player’s experience with the new mode. These adjustments aim to make key inputs more accessible and user-friendly for those transitioning to turn-based gameplay.

Among the patch notes, a humorous bug fix caught attention: “Fixed characters sometimes being stuck in a running animation during cutscenes.” While the exact nature of this bug remains a mystery, it adds a touch of amusement to the overall patch updates.

If you have yet to experience Pillars of Eternity, the introduction of the turn-based mode may entice you to embark on a new adventure in the game. For a comprehensive review of Pillars of Eternity, be sure to check out our detailed analysis.