M
Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
Guest
October 24, 2025
The Outer Worlds 2 is the latest role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment, full of dangerous fun in a new star system that’s just waiting for us to explore. This studio has been home to some of our favorite games over the years, most recently Avowed and Grounded 2, and our time with The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be some of their greatest work yet.
Part of what has made our adventure in the Arcadia system so unique is the way our character has been able to blend in – as you navigate through this world, your choices and habits may affect how your character is shaped, creating a wholly unique role-playing adventure all your own. This starts with the game’s robust character customization options that includes a host of unique Backgrounds, Traits, Skills, and Flaws (if you wish) to pick from. Later as you dive into the game, Perks will become available that will allow you to finely tune your character even further, and new Flaws may appear based on how you play. It amounts to a game that builds a character with you, ensuring your trip through Arcadia can be wildly different to someone else’s.
To help guide you on this journey, who better than The Outer Worlds 2 QA team – who have spent more time playing this game than anyone else – to share some of their favorite character builds? From a finely tuned adventurer to a cold-hearted sniper or a dumb roustabout, they’ve been over every inch of this galaxy – and now they’re sharing their experience here with you. We hope you’re able to draw some inspiration from below to help you make your own choices in Arcadia.
Character designed to deal massive damage from a distance.
“I prefer rogue and assassin builds and enjoy manipulating the battlefield before the enemy even knows I’m there.” – Liz Ackerman, Obsidian QA Analyst
Character focused on companion effectiveness. It maxes out leadership to increase companion damage and health and maxes out melee primarily for the reduced damage received while blocking.
“I like this build because I can complete a lot of combats by getting enemy attention and then just standing there and holding block with my melee weapon while my companions kill things.” – Joshua Ledford, Obsidian QA Analyst
Character with affinity towards science and explosives whose terrible at making friends,
“Big uh…. freakin guns. Also, large explosions. And huge detonations. Did I mention a lot of kaboom?” – Wojciech Zembrzusk, QLOC FQA Tester
Guns and explosives min/maxing with some hilarious role-playing opportunities.
“It’s the only build I can imagine for a very hard playthrough that isn’t a pacifist run. The Dumb trait combined with Roustabout background also provides for the funniest interactions.” – Aleksander Goździcki, QLOC FQA Tester
A classic old timer that knows his stuff, fine-tuned for fast explosive combat with a lot of ammo capacity and many safeguards to keep from dying.
“I like this build for its survivability and area of effect capabilities. The more destruction it causes the safer it gets as my sustain is tied to explosions I cause. I am a walking tank.” – Tomasz Muza, QLOC FQA Tester
A glass canon built to be a very long range sniper, who finds pleasure in sarcastic and offensive remarks.
“This build allows me to eliminate enemies from very far away and enjoy slow-motion sniping while keeping my character squishy, which paired with Hard difficulty provides great balance between easy long range encounters s in the open world while keeping the boss encounters hard, as they are usually placed in small arenas without any place to run away” – Jakub Łagowski, QLOC FQA Tester
The Outer Worlds 2 is available October 29 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 23
★★★★★
$99.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack. The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition includes: – The Outer Worlds 2 base game – Up to 5 days early access – DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions* – Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack – Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack * Story expansions available as released The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 6
★★★★★
$29.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Upgrade Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack. Upgrade* from Standard Edition and receive the following content: – Up to 5 days early access – DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions** – Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack – Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack *Requires base game sold separately. ** Story expansions available as released The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 24
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 now to receive the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack at launch. The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
The post Obsidian’s Favorite Character Builds for The Outer Worlds 2 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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Obsidian’s Favorite Character Builds for The Outer Worlds 2
Summary
- Obsidian’s QA team shares some of their favorite character builds to help inspire your own role-playing adventure for The Outer Worlds 2.
- The Outer Worlds 2 features robust customization options that go beyond Skills and Traits, adding Flaws and Perks to give you a unique character (and playthrough) all your own.
- Pick up The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition to start playing with early access today, as well as Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack. The Premium Edition also includes a DLC Pass for two future story expansions, Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack, and more!
- The Outer Worlds 2 is available October 29 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The Outer Worlds 2 is the latest role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment, full of dangerous fun in a new star system that’s just waiting for us to explore. This studio has been home to some of our favorite games over the years, most recently Avowed and Grounded 2, and our time with The Outer Worlds 2 is shaping up to be some of their greatest work yet.
Part of what has made our adventure in the Arcadia system so unique is the way our character has been able to blend in – as you navigate through this world, your choices and habits may affect how your character is shaped, creating a wholly unique role-playing adventure all your own. This starts with the game’s robust character customization options that includes a host of unique Backgrounds, Traits, Skills, and Flaws (if you wish) to pick from. Later as you dive into the game, Perks will become available that will allow you to finely tune your character even further, and new Flaws may appear based on how you play. It amounts to a game that builds a character with you, ensuring your trip through Arcadia can be wildly different to someone else’s.
To help guide you on this journey, who better than The Outer Worlds 2 QA team – who have spent more time playing this game than anyone else – to share some of their favorite character builds? From a finely tuned adventurer to a cold-hearted sniper or a dumb roustabout, they’ve been over every inch of this galaxy – and now they’re sharing their experience here with you. We hope you’re able to draw some inspiration from below to help you make your own choices in Arcadia.
Barbie
Character designed to deal massive damage from a distance.
“I prefer rogue and assassin builds and enjoy manipulating the battlefield before the enemy even knows I’m there.” – Liz Ackerman, Obsidian QA Analyst
- Companions: Aza and Inez
- Background: Ex-Convict
- Traits: Nimble. Brilliant. Abrasive
- Skills: Specialized in Sneak, Speech, and Lockpick. Additional Gun and Observation skill
- Perks: Space Ranger, Assassin, Sharpshooter, Ghost, Stalker, Crabble Rancher, Pickpocket, Trick Shot, Face Reader, Keen Observer, Through the Keyhole, Bag Check, Eden Windage, Charlatan, Sleight of Hands, and Tall Tale Teller
- Flaws: Bad Knees
- Weapons: The Simplifier, Biggest fan, Murder’s Best Friend, Planet-Killer
- Armor: Escape Suit
- Helmet: Dark Side of the Moon. Monocular Target-Finder
Ham
Character focused on companion effectiveness. It maxes out leadership to increase companion damage and health and maxes out melee primarily for the reduced damage received while blocking.
“I like this build because I can complete a lot of combats by getting enemy attention and then just standing there and holding block with my melee weapon while my companions kill things.” – Joshua Ledford, Obsidian QA Analyst
- Companions: Tristan and Aza
- Background: Professor
- Traits: Heroic, Resilient, Dumb
- Skills: Leadership, Melee, and Speech
- Perks: Bulletshield, Inspiring Commander, Heavy Handed, Ninja, Duelist, Busy Bodies, Echoing Blows, Run and Hitter, Tit for Tat, and Shrug it Off
- Flaws: Reckless Leadership, N-Radiated, Drug Addiction, Dependent, Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome, Gluttony, and Teetotaler
- Weapons: Any Trip-Blade with the “Defensive Grip” mod (Gain 50% Damage Resistance against all sources while blocking), Shockwave Pulse Hammer
- Armor: Acquiescence
- Helmet: Manager’s Tasking Hat
Jan
Character with affinity towards science and explosives whose terrible at making friends,
“Big uh…. freakin guns. Also, large explosions. And huge detonations. Did I mention a lot of kaboom?” – Wojciech Zembrzusk, QLOC FQA Tester
- Companions: Aza and VALERIE
- Background: Gambler
- Traits: Innovative
- Skills: Explosives, Science, Sneak, Speech, and Melee
- Perks: Pitch/Tossball Winger, Defuser, Bulletshield, Hot Blooded, Grenadier, Commando, Light Step, Cold Blooded, Secret Recipe, Wholesale Spender, Shrug it off, Demolitionist, Brand Enthusiast, Run and Hitter, and N-Radiator
- Flaws: Energy Hog and N-Radiated
- Weapons: Pitchball Machine, Big Bang, and Ice Breaker
- Armor: Zyranium Automech Suit
- Helmet: Bomb Suit Helmet
John
Guns and explosives min/maxing with some hilarious role-playing opportunities.
“It’s the only build I can imagine for a very hard playthrough that isn’t a pacifist run. The Dumb trait combined with Roustabout background also provides for the funniest interactions.” – Aleksander Goździcki, QLOC FQA Tester
- Companions: Tristan and VALERIE
- Background: Roustabout
- Traits: Resilient, Innovative, and (most importantly) Dumb
- Skills: Guns, Engineering, and Explosives
- Perks: Hot Blooded, Commando, Bulletshield, Psychopath, Serial Killer, Deep Drums, Incendiary Chef, Tinkerer, Hail of Lead, Scrabbles, Serial Enthusiast, Art Enthusiast, and Mentally Refreshed
- Flaws: Overprepared, Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome, and Energy Hog
- Weapons: Modded Compact Assault Rifle
- Armor: N/A for fashion, Spauldered Uniform MK III for utility
- Helmet: Burnished Gas Slinger Helm for fashion, Welded Helmet MK III for utility
Gary
A classic old timer that knows his stuff, fine-tuned for fast explosive combat with a lot of ammo capacity and many safeguards to keep from dying.
“I like this build for its survivability and area of effect capabilities. The more destruction it causes the safer it gets as my sustain is tied to explosions I cause. I am a walking tank.” – Tomasz Muza, QLOC FQA Tester
- Companions: VALERIE and Marisol
- Background: Renegade
- Traits: Nimble, Resilient, and Abrasive
- Skills: Guns, Explosives, Medical, and Observation
- Perks: Grenadier, Pitch/Tossball Winger, Secret Recipe, Demolitionist, Trophy Hunter, Psychopath, Point Blank Artist, Commando, Gun Runner, Deep Drums, Hail of Lead, Serial Killer, Shrug it Off, Bullet Shield, and Crash Recovery
- Flaws: Drug Addiction, Overprepared, and Wasteful
- Weapons: Agatha (Assault rifle with explosive rounds and Multi-Launcher)
- Armor: Bomb Suit
- Helmet: Bomb Helmet
Sniper’s Choice
A glass canon built to be a very long range sniper, who finds pleasure in sarcastic and offensive remarks.
“This build allows me to eliminate enemies from very far away and enjoy slow-motion sniping while keeping my character squishy, which paired with Hard difficulty provides great balance between easy long range encounters s in the open world while keeping the boss encounters hard, as they are usually placed in small arenas without any place to run away” – Jakub Łagowski, QLOC FQA Tester
- Companions: VALERIE and Aza
- Background: Lawbringer (but later betrayed Earth Directorate to join Auntie’s Choice)
- Traits: Resilient, Suave, and Abrasive
- Skills: Guns, Sneak, and Observation
- Perks: Sharpshooter, Point Blank Artist, Assassin, Commando, Trophy Hunter, Trick Shot, Crabble Rancher, Tracker, Serendipitous Slayer, Silent Steps, Keen Observer, Stalker, Penetrating Shots, Suppressionist, Lucky Strikers, Multitasker, and Psychopath
- Flaws: Treacherous, N-Radiated, Flawed, Overprepared, Bad Knees, Gluttony, Reckless Leadership, Technophobia, Energy Hog, Easily Startled, Hermit, and Teetotaler
- Weapons: The Simplifier
- Armor: Zane’s Armor
- Helmet: Monocular Target-Finder
The Outer Worlds 2 is available October 29 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The Outer Worlds 2 Preorder Premium Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 23
★★★★★
$99.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack. The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition includes: – The Outer Worlds 2 base game – Up to 5 days early access – DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions* – Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack – Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack * Story expansions available as released The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Preorder Upgrade
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 6
★★★★★
$29.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Upgrade Edition now to get up to 5 days early access and the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack. Upgrade* from Standard Edition and receive the following content: – Up to 5 days early access – DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions** – Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack – Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack *Requires base game sold separately. ** Story expansions available as released The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
The Outer Worlds 2 Standard Preorder Edition
Xbox Game Studios
☆☆☆☆☆ 24
★★★★★
$69.99
Pre-order
Pre-order The Outer Worlds 2 now to receive the Commander Zane’s Anti-Monopolistic Battle Pack at launch. The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness! As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust. Explore a New Frontier The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink! Your Commander, Your Way Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb! Enlist Your Companions Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
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The post Obsidian’s Favorite Character Builds for The Outer Worlds 2 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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