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Obsidian RPG Pillars of Eternity got a big update, with a turn-based mode coming later this year

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Last updated: 27 Mar 2025 at 2:25 pm UTC

Obsidian Entertainment have revisited the original Pillars of Eternity, with a big bumper patch out now and plans for another big update later this year. You can actually grab it and the sequel in the current Dice and Destiny Humble Bundle.

Posting in the official forum one of the developers said "Coming later this year, Watchers will be able to help us test a brand-new feature: Turn-Based Combat. We’re excited to explore this new way to experience encounters in Pillars of Eternity, and your feedback will help shape its future. More details on how to participate will be shared in the near future, so keep an eye on our socials and in our discord."

The developer did the same for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, adding a turn-based mode in its final update.

The patch notes include quite a lot, including improved Linux support! Really nice to see for this classic from 2015.

To save you a click here's the full patch notes:

General Fixes & Platform Support

  • Mac users may now access the latest updates and bug fixes without issue.
  • Resolved a longstanding issue where the game would boot to a black screen on systems using Turkish and certain other non-Latin-based language settings.
  • GOG Achievements should now unlock correctly.
  • Kickstarter and Backer rewards on Steam and GOG are once again granted properly to new players.
  • Steam Linux users: support is now live and will be maintained in future patches.
  • Epic Games Store users will now properly receive their Royal Edition digital rewards.
  • Saved games now sort by most recent activity, regardless of save type (Manual, Auto, or Quick).

Visual & Audio Enhancements

  • Characters should now reliably speak when selected—Eder has once again found his voice.
  • Grimoires will now properly vanish from view when reading scrolls.
  • Cutscenes and maps now perform better when viewed in 4K resolution.
  • Fixed rare T-pose occurrences in select cutscenes.
  • Removed unintended "knock" sounds in some dialogue nodes.
  • Act introductions and developer commentary no longer echo unintentionally.
  • Ferry boat in Oldsong no longer appears to be sinking.
  • Corrected VFX alignment for multiple Woodskin spell variants, including Spell Holding and Spell Bind versions.
  • Visual and audio effects restored for Delemgans, Adragan, Pwgra, and Menpwgra spells.
  • Party members immune to poison will no longer complain about being poisoned.
  • All animal companions now make proper footstep sounds.
  • Hiravias' Spiritshift FX now play correctly upon reverting to his natural form.
  • Taena’s VO will now trigger correctly in both instances where it can be heard.

Quests & Dialogue Fixes

  • Resolved softlocks involving Aldwyn's services, both in Brighthollow and the Salty Mast after hiring Lyrinia.
  • Simoc in Sacrificial Bloodlines will no longer drop a duplicate quest reward if slain.
  • Slaying the High Monk after receiving Alia Braccia will no longer grant a second copy.
  • A Mother’s Plea now correctly fails if Ranga is killed before acquiring the potion.
  • Abrecan will still accept the letter he requests, even if you already possess it.
  • Krivi’s Od Nua rewards can now only be claimed once.
  • Anamfath Leader in Twin Elms will now continue The Child of Five Suns quest even if Vincent Agosti is dead.
  • Failing Athletics or Dexterity checks in Durgan’s Battery now properly applies the Concussion affliction.
  • Tealdor’s Bounty can now be continued later even if you initially leave the conversation.
  • Turning in the final pieces of the Blade of the Endless Paths while Dunstan is defending the keep now grants proper rewards.
  • Grynde's "ripple sponge addict" accusation exploit has been fixed.
  • Crothar’s fate no longer influences the state of Korgrak’s quest.

Combat & Mechanics

  • Fixed a crash involving the Shadow Step ability.
  • Shadow Step is now ground-targeted and no longer treated as a modal.
  • Spellsword Wizards will now prioritize Second Wind over Deleterious Alacrity of Motion when wounded.
  • Party AI will no longer waste Second Wind when Endurance is low but Health is too low to benefit.
  • Party AI will no longer target charmed/confused allies with harmful abilities.
  • Movement commands now hold position briefly, as seen in Deadfire. (Watchers may still attack if able.)
  • Trap Accuracy no longer double-applies the attack’s Accuracy modifier.
  • Constant Recovery now scales properly and outperforms Veteran's Recovery, as intended.
  • Ryona’s Buckle Tenacity Accuracy bonus now updates dynamically with Endurance changes.
  • Iron Circle damage reduction now deactivates correctly when above 26% Endurance.
  • Killing Bolt traps now correctly target Fortitude and no longer display slash damage.
  • Chain Lightning traps now properly deal damage.
  • Abydon’s Hammer will no longer cause permanent Might increases when reforged.
  • The Lady’s Hand now uses a visible trigger for easier tracking on the character sheet.
  • Black Sanctuary shield correctly applies endurance regen during Withdraw.
  • Royal Deadfire Cannoneer belt no longer causes trap recursion.
  • Eyestrike and similar effects no longer trigger on beneficial “attacks.”
  • Powder Burns and similar modals no longer damage allies unintentionally.
  • Fulvano’s Blunderbuss now correctly charms targets on spellchance.
  • Knock Down now respects suppression mechanics and prevents stacking.
  • Characters under Crushing Doom are no longer able to move while proned.
  • Izali's Boon Stealth bonus now properly clears after resting.
  • Scrolls of Minoletta's Bounding Missiles and Boiling Spray now match their respective spells in description and range.
  • Scrolls of Restore Endurance now have updated ranges consistent with the spell version.
  • Salty Mast hirelings now maintain their boons when aiding at your stronghold.
  • Skyward Kick no longer causes bugs like vertical launch or permanent prone states when missing.
  • Multiple Unconscious effects no longer allow movement during incapacitation.

UI & Interaction Improvements

  • Culture selection on character creation is now preserved in rare level-up cases.
  • Double-clicking a weapon now equips it to your first weapon slot.
  • Right-clicking creatures now opens their bestiary entries (if discovered).
  • Retraining UI no longer shows white portrait bugs.
  • "Best of" damage types now show correctly in the character sheet.
  • Burial Isle vision sequences can now be properly canceled.
  • Traps that trigger aggression now show appropriate cursor warnings when opened.
  • Trapped chest in the Abbot's Quarter during The Rising Tide can now be looted after disarming.
  • Queued looting actions can no longer be exploited to loot multiple times.
  • Ancestor Pendant’s Guardian Spirit no longer displays erroneous ability info.
  • Invalid names at the end of character creation will now prevent finalization.
  • Attribute bonuses from culture are only displayed after culture is selected.

Localization

  • Several Talents that were previously missing translations are now fully localized across supported languages.

Known Issues

  • In rare cases, the spell cursor may show an incorrect icon. This should now happen far less frequently, but further improvements are being investigated for a future patch.

Pillars of Eternity | Release Date: 26th March 2015

Official links:

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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11 comments Subscribe

devland 3 days ago
Nice.

Finished this one back in the day. It's a solid Linux port and a great crpg.
Raaben 3 days ago
I had started a new playthrough earlier this year and wandered off to other things, alot because I've never liked RTWP, so I am glad to see they'll actually be adding turn based in even if it is super clunky/slow like it was shoehorned into POE2! I always thought POE1 was far superior to 2 in story and atmosphere, but 2 was far more fun mechanically esp multiclassing. If only they did some complete overhaul of 1 to 2's engine upgrade... I can dream, right?


Last edited by Raaben on 27 Mar 2025 at 11:39 am UTC
Eike 3 days ago
  • Supporter Plus
Isn't Obsidian owned by Microsoft?

I don't think Microsoft hates Linux as much as some people believe.
Avehicle7887 3 days ago
Linux update still not on GOG.


Their changelog is not too promising either with the "Steam Linux users" only mentioned.
eggrole 3 days ago
I don't think Microsoft hates Linux as much as some people believe.

Microsoft isn't dumb. Between the rise of Proton and the fall of Win 10 there are a lot of people that have Linux on their radar now. I know a lot of the Linux proselytizing users are happy about the possibility of the "year of the Linux desktop", but I fear we are going to see a decline over the coming decades.

Microsoft and Google and others already have their hooks into Linux. Linus is getting older every day. Eventually I don't think it is hard to imagine Linux being basically corporate run.

With all the new users that will be asking to make things easier (AKA more like Windows) making up a larger and larger part of the user base, they will more and more get their way. There are already people that complain about things like CLI vs GUI because they aren't used to the former. I really feel like the "normies" are going to show up and basically force their wishes on the preexisting Linux community since the most devs will do what the majority ask them to.

I hope I am wrong, but I can easily see the enshitification of Linux happening as more and more Windows users jump ship while demanding that Linux be more "user friendly" (without every attempting to learn the new Linux way).
ssj17vegeta 3 days ago
Wow, that's totally unexpected news! Turn-based might be a good reason to do it again. I enjoyed fighting in Pillars 2 way more thanks to that.
R Daneel Olivaw 3 days ago
  • Supporter
omg omg YESSSS this is amazing!!! I've never played poe1 specifically because it lacked tb mode combat, I don't like real time anything. So this is fantastic news!! Absolutely loved poe2 to death, probably my fav crpg in the last 10 years. And right now having a blast in Avowed, so this will be wonderful to play later this year with tb mode. Wooo!
Mountain Man 3 days ago
I don't think Microsoft hates Linux as much as some people believe.
Don't forget about Microsoft's Three E's:

Embrace. Extend. Extinguish.
TactikalKitty 3 days ago
I am excited about this! When I am done torturing myself with my hardcore play through of Divinity Original Sin (Still stuck on the very first fight, haha) I can move to this and revisit it! I like Obsidian games.
Kimyrielle 3 days ago
Didn't expect this, but I like it. I miss the days when Obsidian made non-First Person games.
Avehicle7887 2 days ago
Linux version has been updated on GOG now.
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