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Skill Athletics

Athletics is a skill in Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. It is used for physically demanding situations, and grants the Second Wind ability.

Description[ | ]

Items in italics are quoted directly from the game.

Adventuring is tiring work. In addition to the hazards of mortal combat, adventurers have walls to climb, rivers to cross, and pits to leap over. Once per encounter, characters with Athletics can use the Second Wind ability to recover lost Health. A higher Athletics score increases the effect of Second Wind.

In conversations and scripted interactions, Athletics is used for physical feats like climbing, swimming, and jumping.

Effects[ | ]

Characters with any amount of points in Athletics are granted Second Wind an ability which can be cast to recover lost Endurance (poe1) / Health (poe2) once per encounter. The effects of Second Wind scale with the characters Athletics score.

Second Wind scaling with Athletics
Athletics 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...
Endurance (poe1) 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 ...
Health (poe2) 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 ...

As with all other skills, Athletics can be checked during conversations and scripted interactions - and is primarily used to determine whether a character can successfully complete a physical feat.

In Pillars of Eternity[ | ]

  • Second Wind: Self: +20 Endurance (+5 for each rank in Athletics)
  • Endurance = 20 + (Athletics * 5) - At 1 Athletics, it will increase healing done by 25 points. At 12 Athletics, it increases healing done by 60 points.
  • Prior to patch 3.0, Athletics determined the rate at which a character became Fatigued over time, negated increased Fatigue gain in combat, and determined the amount of hours since resting before Fatigue status effects would be applied. This has since been removed, with Fatigue now only occurring as a result of gaining injuries. See Status effects § Fatigue - Pre-patch 3.0 for more information.

In Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire[ | ]

  • Second Wind: Self: +15 Health Restored (+5 for each rank in Athletics)
  • Health = 15 + (Athletics * 5) - At 1 Athletics, it will increase healing done by 20 points. At 12 Athletics, it increases healing done by 75 points.

Initial bonuses[ | ]

The following bonuses are applied as a result of a character's class and background.

In Pillars of Eternity

Class bonuses:
Barbarian +2
Fighter +1
Monk +1
Paladin +2
Priest +1
Background bonuses:
Laborer +2
Mercenary +1
Raider +1
Slave +1


In Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Class bonuses:
Barbarian +2
Fighter +2
Monk +2
Paladin +2
Background bonuses:
Colonist +1
Laborer +2
Mercenary +1
Raider +1
Slave +1
Soldier* +1


Buffs in Pillars of Eternity[ | ]

In addition to a character's base Athletics, there are various ways to gain further bonuses. Some of these buffs are permanent or can be activated for as long as desired, while others must be enabled and then expire after their duration runs out. Some can only applied to the character themselves, while others apply to allies. Some buffs stack, others are mutually exclusive.

A character's Athletics score for a certain attack can benefit from the given number of bonuses from each of the following tables at the same time.

Passive abilities/talents[ | ]

UnlimitedPermanently active once learned

Talent Classes Modifier
Galawain's Boon Athletics +1

Equipment[ | ]

One onlyWhile equipped

Slot Item Modifier
ArmorAngio's Gambeson Pillars of Eternity+2
ArmorHusk of the Great Western Stag Pillars of Eternity+2
ArmorStarlit Garb Pillars of Eternity+2
FeetBoots of the Long March Pillars of Eternity+2
NeckCloak of Many Feathers Pillars of Eternity+2
HeadHe Carries Many Scars Helm The White March - Part II+2
HeadStag Helm Pillars of Eternity+2

Rites[ | ]

One onlyDuration: see table

Item Modifier Duration
Rite of Youthful Spirits +3 120 s

Resting[ | ]

One onlyDuration: see table

Area Inn Room Modifier Duration
Copperlane The Goose and Fox Fletcher's Stay +1 2 rests
Ondra's Gift Salty Mast Shiny Pearl +2 2 rests
Caed Nua Brighthollow Woodland Trails +2 3 rests

Boons[ | ]

One only – For the protagonist only - Duration: see table

Prostitute Modifier Duration
Lyrinia +1 1 rest
Serel +2 1 rest

Buffs in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire[ | ]

Passive effects[ | ]

unlimited – obtained during gameplay

Name Modifier Duration
Granis' Training +1 Permanent

Equipment[ | ]

unlimited – bonus while equipped

Type Item Enchantment Modifier
Belt Mewnan's Broad Belt Tumbler +2
Belt Ngati's Girdle Against the Tide +1
Belt The Undying Burden Dig Deep +1
Boots Dreamwalker's Tread [FS] Preservation of Slumber +1
Boots Fenan's Finery Two-step +1
Boots Pathfinder's Boots Unhindered +1
Gloves Burglar's Gloves Second-story Work +2
Ring Chameleon's Touch Versatile +1 (as Fighter)

Consumable items[ | ]

unlimited – for the user for a duration (sometimes only in combat)

Type Item Modifier Duration
Unguent Unguent of Animalism +2 120 sec

Notable uses in Pillars of Eternity[ | ]

Quest dialogs[ | ]

In quest related dialogs the player's Athletics score may unlock options regarding physically demanding actions.

Quest Location NPC Description Athletics required Other requirements
A Moment's Respite Encampment Glanfathan Leader Rush to him to save Heodan. 1

Scripted interactions[ | ]

In scripted interactions the Athletics score is checked for actions that require some physical training. Some situations allow to choose which party member will perform the action, sometimes a certain member, the player or the whole party will be checked.

Quest Location Object Description Athletics required Party member checked Other requirements
Valewood – Ruins Wall Scale the wall. 5 Selectable
Lord of a Barren Land Raedric's Hold (western side, ext.) Vines Climb up the vines. Failing will result in getting fatigued. 3 All party members
A Two Story Job Brackenbury Vines on a wall under an open window Climb the vines. Failing will result in getting fatigued. 3 All party members
Dyrford Ruins Bridge A party member failing this check will get fatigued. 3 All party members
Lle a Rhemen Stairs Failing this check will give a Swollen Eye. 2 Weakest party member
Dyrford Crossing Cliff Climb the cliff without a rope. 5 Selectable
Clîaban Rilag Bridge Failing to jump over the gap in the broken bridge from the valley to the cave will give a Sprained Wrist. If the injury was received by a party member, the reverse jump will not risk a Twisted Ankle on them. 4
Clîaban Rilag Bridge Failing to jump over the gap in the broken bridge from the cave to the valley will give a Twisted Ankle. If the injury was received by a party member, the reverse jump will not risk a Sprained Wrist on them. 4
Galawain's Maw Rope A party member failing this check will get fatigued. 4
Northweald Staircase to Temple of Hylea A party member failing this check will suffer from both bruised ribs and concussions. 5 Weakest party member
Endless Paths of Od Nua Level 15 Collapsed Staircase A party member failing this check will suffer from Twisted Ankle. 5

Notable uses in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire[ | ]

Items[ | ]

Type Item Enchantment Stat Formula
Large shield Cadhu Scalth Heavy Shard Deflection (Athletics * 0.25) + 3
Breastplate Contender's Armor [SSS] Heavy Mobility Recovery time (Athletics * -0.01) + 1


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