Obsidian Entertainment has announced that a public beta for a new Turn-Based Mode in Pillars of Eternity will open on November 5 for players on Steam and Xbox PC. The update introduces a fundamentally different way to experience the studio’s acclaimed role-playing game, offering fans of tactical combat an alternative to the original Real-Time with Pause system.
The announcement marks a significant update for Pillars of Eternity, which first launched in 2015 and is credited with revitalizing the classic isometric RPG genre. Turn-Based Mode was first introduced in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, and its addition to the original game comes with notable refinements based on player feedback and internal testing.
According to Obsidian, the beta version of Turn-Based Mode features several key improvements:
- Unbound Turns: Character turns are now determined by overall speed, enhancing the importance of agility and timing-based attributes. This ensures a smoother transition from Real-Time with Pause mechanics to turn-based play.
- Smarter Free Actions: Common actions such as weapon swapping, potion use, and enabling modals are now treated as free actions, limited to one per turn per action type for balance.
- Faster Pacing: Combat lethality has been increased for both player and enemy units, creating more decisive and intense battles while maintaining the strategic depth of the original system.
- Mode Flexibility: Players can select Turn-Based Mode when starting a new campaign or toggle between modes at any time via the game’s options menu. Obsidian is also exploring a HUD-based toggle to simplify switching during gameplay.
The beta is expected to remain open for an extended period, allowing the development team to gather community feedback and implement further adjustments. Obsidian emphasized that this is a work-in-progress version and encouraged players to report bugs, balancing issues, and usability suggestions throughout the testing phase.
Game Director Josh Sawyer shared a statement alongside the announcement, expressing enthusiasm for the update and highlighting the community’s role in shaping the new mode. He described Turn-Based Mode as an opportunity to reimagine the pace and tactical flow of Pillars of Eternity while honoring its roots in classic role-playing design.
Players can access the Turn-Based Mode beta on November 5 by opting into the public test branch on Steam or Xbox PC. No console versions have been confirmed for the beta at this time.
