Pillars of Eternity walkthrough and game guide
Our walkthrough for the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate.
After around two and a half years of development time, Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity - funded to the tune of some four million or so Kickstarter bucks - is finally out today. Handily described as the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, the end result of their work is an old-school, real-ale drinking RPG adventure, just like the ones we used to enjoy back in the good old days.
We've been playing through the game for a little while now, making notes on our progress for the purposes of this walkthrough. Should you come unstuck at any point, you can drop in here for a few pointers on how to make progress.
We'll be updating this walkthrough continually over the next week or so, so check back regularly for updates. Once we're done with the main story, we'll also look at what else might be useful for the guide. Good luck!
On this page
Pillars of Eternity: A Moment's Respite, Sparfal, Glanfathan hunters
A quick guide to working through the opening section of Pillars of Eternity.
Other pages:
Act 1: Guilded Vale
Pillars of Eternity: The Ruins of Cilant Lîs, traps, Xaurip, Skuldr Whelp, torch pillars, Spear Spiderling
The next part of our walkthrough explains how to complete the The Ruins of Cilant Lîs quest, and dodge the tricky traps you'll encounter along the way.
Pillars of Eternity: Visions and Whispers, Aloth the Wizard, Gilded Vale, Valewood, Black Hound Inn
Fancy adding a little magical flair to your party? Our walkthrough continues with an introduction to Aloth the Wizard, and a guide to completing Visions and Whispers
Pillars of Eternity: The Old Watcher, Maerwald, Durance the Priest, Kana the Chanter, Whispers of Yenwood
Durance will add some essential healing powers to your party, and we'll show you how to pick the Priest up as you complete The Old Watcher.
Act 2: Defiance Bay
Pillars of Eternity: Never Far from the Queen, the Temple of Woedica, the Catacombs, Woedica hood, initiate
How to finish the Never Far from the Queen stage of Pillars of Eternity's main storyline.
Pillars of Eternity: Undying Heritage, Pallegina, Paladin, Guls, Revenants, Icantha
Pallegina the Paladin joins your group in the next part of the story. Here's our guide to completing all of the Undying Heritage quest content.
Pillars of Eternity: The Man Who Waits, Caedman Azo, Brackenbury Sanitarium, Uscgrim
A tricky fight awaits you at the end of The Man Who Waits. We'll show you how to make light work of it.
Pillars of Eternity: Through Death's Gate, Clîaban Rilag ruins, Hermit of Hadret House
How to complete Through Death's Gate, survive the Clîaban Rilag ruins, and finish off the Hermit of Hadret House.
Act 3: Twin Elms
Pillars of Eternity: The Assassin at Large, Council of Stars, Court of the Penitents
Our walkthrough continues with a guide to completing all three main story quests in the Twin Elms Act.
Act 4: Breith Eaman
Pillars of Eternity: Breith Eaman, Memories of the Ancient, Thaos, Woedica's Judge, Woedica's Headsman
How to finish the final quest and the final fight of the main Pillars of Eternity storyline.
Act 1 Side Quests and Tasks
Pillars of Eternity: Vengeance from the Grave, Late for Dinner
Our walkthrough explains how to clean up the side quests in this area.
Pillars of Eternity: Against the Grain, The Smith's Shipment, Buried Secrets
Everything you need to know to polish off the Gilded Vale side quests and tasks.
Pillars of Eternity: A Mother's Plea, Lord of a Barren Land, Ferry Flotsam
How to finish off the final few side quests in the opening Act of the game.
Act 2 Side Quests and Tasks
Pillars of Eternity: His Old Self, The Parable of Wael, A Voice From The Past, Something Secret
Our walkthrough continues with a guide to the first set of side quests in the Defiance Bay region of Pillars of Eternity.
Pillars of Eternity: A Two Story Job, Rogue Knight, The Bronze Beneath The Lake, The Changing of the Guard
More side quests from the Defiance Bay region of the game.
Pillars of Eternity: Hard Feelings, Far from Home, The Theorems of Pandrgam, Brave Derrin
How to wrap up the next batch of side quests in the game's second Act.
Pillars of Eternity: Supply and Demand, At All Costs, Clandestine Cargo, All Hands on Deck, The Wailing Banshee
Our guide to completing the new five side quests in Defiance Bay.
Pillars of Eternity: Unwanted, Missing Sentries, Built to Last, Winds of Steel, Cinders of Faith, Safe Haven
How to finish off the final batch of side quests in Act 2.
Act 3 Side Quests and Tasks
Pillars of Eternity: A Farmer's Plight, Blood Legacy, Cat and Mouse, Nest Egg, The Sealed Missive, Hard Bargain
How to finish the first half-dozen side quests in the Twin Elms region of the game.
Pillars of Eternity: At the Mercy of the Tribes, Champion of Berath, Hunter Brother, Sacrificial Bloodlines, Prison of Ice, Song of the Wild
The final part of our walkthrough takes you through the final six side quests in Act 3.
Pillars of Eternity walkthrough
When the opening scene ends you'll be free to look around the camp, and you're encouraged to visit the camp merchant. You should have just enough funds to buy a weapon for your character, as well as a lockpick which will come in handy right away. Head over to Heoden the trader to the west for this. Experience points are given for exploration and interacting with the world, rather than for combat, so unlocking chests and doors is more important than seeking out battles, even if the contents of the chest aren't useful to you.
How to complete A Moment's Respite
Head out of the camp to the south-east and then loop to the left, north-west past Sparfel. You'll fight a Young Wolf here. Utilise both your own and Calisca's attacks against it, and don't forget to collect the Wolfhide from the wolf as this can be sold. Collect the Springberry to update the Collect Springberry side-quest.
Where to find Sparfel
Calisca will speak with you now, and the conversation will update A Moment's Respite. Your next task is to head out and find Sparfel. Go south over a stone bridge and collect the water skins, but be ready for an ambush from two hunters. Concentrate all of your efforts on one enemy at a time, and make sure to collect the loot from their bodies when it's all over. Before heading back to camp, make sure to look around and collect any ingredients from the surrounding area.
How to kill the Glanfathan hunters
Go back over the bridge, but before going back to camp make a detour to the south-east to loot a corpse containing a lockpick and some armour. As you approach camp, you'll engage three Glanfathan hunters. Again tackle one at a time with both your character and Calisca, or you risk being overwhelmed. When you reach camp, your quest will automatically update.
Talk with the Glanfathan Leader. There are Might, Resolve, Perception, Intellect, Athletic and Lore checks throughout the conversation. The only ones that will affect the outcome is challenging the leader's belief in Galawain, which improves the result of the coming battle, or putting down your weapons, which results in a negative outcome.
You'll enter a battle with the leader and two hunters. Concentrate on the leader and kill him before facing off against the hunters. Once the battle ends you'll enter a cut-scene. You will have the option to throw your weapon at an attacker if you didn't choose to put down your weapon in the earlier conversation. After this scene finishes, the quest A Moment's Respite will finish.
- Our walkthrough continues with the next main quest The Ruins of Cilant Lîs.