Class Overview

Quickly compare all 11 Pillars of Eternity classes by their Endurance, Health, Accuracy, and Deflection stats. Understand spellcasting limitations and strengths.

Hey there! So you're trying to figure out which class to pick in Pillars of Eternity, huh? It's a big decision, and honestly, comparing them can be a bit tricky since they all play so differently. This guide gives you a quick rundown so you can see how they stack up against each other, stat-wise at least.

Your class choice really sets the foundation for your character, affecting things like how much damage you can take (Endurance and Health) and how well you hit your targets (Accuracy and Deflection). The table below breaks down these core stats, with ★★★★ being the highest and ★ being the lowest.

Generally, most classes have pretty average Endurance and Health. The Barbarian is a bit of an outlier here, really excelling in both. For Accuracy, the Fighter, Monk, Ranger, and Rogue tend to be naturally better at hitting things. Now, most spells get a little Accuracy boost, so the Druid, Priest, and Wizard aren't too far behind, even if their base Accuracy isn't top-tier. Ciphers are a bit special – they've got good base Accuracy *and* that spell bonus, making them the most accurate spellcasters out there.

When it comes to Deflection, the Fighter is in a league of their own. The Wizard, on the other hand, is at the bottom – but don't let that scare you! Wizards have tons of ways to boost their Deflection, so they can become surprisingly tough. Rogues, however, have a rough combo of poor defense and average Endurance, making them a bit squishier. Barbarians also have low Deflection, but they can soak up a lot of damage with their high Health, so they're more about tanking hits directly.

Now, let's talk spellcasting. Druids, Priests, and Wizards are what we call rest-limited. This means they have a set number of spells they can cast per rest period, and they need to rest up to get more. Wizards have an extra hurdle: they have to learn spells before they can use them, and they carry these learned spells in Grimoires that they have to swap out on the fly. Chanters and Ciphers, though, are rate-limited. They can cast spells pretty much whenever they want, but they need to build up a resource first. For Chanters, it's time spent in combat, and for Ciphers, it's by dealing damage to enemies. It's a different way to manage your power, but both can be super effective!