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No RPG is truly complete without some sort of class archetype mechanic in place, andDragon Age: The Veilguardis no exception. The game features only the traditional triumvirate of warrior-wizard-rogue classes, but each of them also has three different Specializations that play a bit deeper into certain themes and playstyles.
Whileincreasing your stats inDragon Age: The Veilguardis a surefire way to get stronger, picking the right class with the right Specialization should be the first thing players worry about. There’s no backing out once you pick what class to play, so if you’re unsure about which one to pick, here’s a quick guide covering all three playable classes and the subclasses you can spec into.
In terms of pure performance, all classes are fairly well-balanced. What class you choose mostly boils down to personal preference, but for those looking for ease-of-use, we specified the best Specializations per class at the bottom of each section.
The Warrior
Up Close and Very Personal
First, we have the traditional fighter class that focuses mainly on melee combat. Warriors act as the usualsword-and-board frontline tankas well as theslow-yet-devastating two-handed weapon wielder. Players can switch between these two weapon types with a press of a button, and they can throw their shield as well, giving them a ton of flexibility. Warriors use Rage to cast skills — this is earned by hitting or getting hit, and it decays over time when not in combat.
Warriors may not have the same DPS potential as other classes, but they have excellent defensive capabilities and a variety of crowd control abilities that can make the battlefield a little less chaotic, perfect forthose higher difficulty settings. They can also dealmassive Stagger damage, which opens enemies up to Takedowns. If you like stunning huge crowds with a ground stomp or drop kicking Darkspawn off a cliff, this class is for you.
Champion
Perfect Block, Burn
Champions immolate enemies with their abilities, and they can parry unblockable attacks as well. Great for players who prefer defensive playstyles with a focus on team synergy.
Slayer
Stagger, Charged Attack, Smash Ability
Slayers focus on dealing extreme amounts of Stagger along with big bursts of damage from Charged Attacks. Slow, but satisfying to use.
Reaper
Necrotic Damage, Shield Toss, Health Cost, Lifesteal, Projectile Ability
Reapers can heal themselves by dealing Necrotic damage and applying the Siphoned status on enemies. They also have several passives that improve Shield Toss and Projectile Abilities.
Reaperis arguably the easiest Specialization to use since it gives players additional ways to heal themselves. It’s best used together with a full Shield Toss build using skills from the Mourn Watcher skill cluster.
The Rogue
Swift and Stylish
Rogues emphasize speed over strength, preferring totake enemies down with a thousand cuts, unlike Warriors, who tend to deal big damage numbers in as few hits as possible. They use dual blades and a bow in combat, and they use a resource calledMomentum, which is earned by landing hits. Players can lose a large chunk (if not all) of their Momentum if they get hit, making this classmuch riskier to use.
Since Rogues rely on eitherranged attacks or hit-and-run tactics,changing your companions inDragon Age: The Veilguardshould be something that you should always keep in mind. It may be better to replace someone with a frontlline fighter like Davrin to create openings for the team.
Duelist
Melee, Necrotic Damage, Survivability, Adrenaline
Duelists rely on speed and aggression to win. They can reduce enemy defenses, deal damage over time, amplify their personal DPS, and tank more hits than usual.
Veil Ranger
Ranged, Bow, Electricity Damage, Charged Shots
Veil Rangers are marksmen with significantly improved Bow skills. They have passives that grant powerful buffs to Charged Shots as well as Electricity skills that can Shock targets.
Saboteur
Ranged, Bow, Traps, Turret, Necrosis Damage, Explosions, Tool Abilities
Saboteurs use a variety of gadgets and some new tricks to disrupt the enemy and support the team. They also have passives that improve their Bows, but not to the same extent as Veil Rangers.
Veil Rangeris the best Specialization for Rogues who are looking for comfort without sacrificing power. Invest enough points into skills that buff your ranged attacks, and you’re pretty much set. Duelist is also quite good, but it is much more reliant on player skill.
The Mage
Power Overwhelming
Mages are glass cannons capable of dealing serious damage to anything and everything, wielding Mana to power their spells and weapons. They canwield Fire, Electricity, Cold, and Necrosisto utterly devastate the battlefield, but such power comes at the cost of personal survivability. Like Warriors, Mages have two main weapons: the Staff, and the Orb and Dagger, and their playstyles are wildly different.
Stavesare slow, but theyhit hard and can reach long distances. They can be charged with Mana tounleash powerful Heavy Attacks. This weapon is more for players who want to play as a traditional backline mage. Meanwhile, the Orb and Dagger allows forquick, close-ranged attacks. Light Attacks build upArcane Bombstacks, and Heavy Attacks detonate them to cause explosions.
Spellblade
Melee, Arcane Bomb, AoE, Electricity Damage, Burn, Shock
Spellblades embrace close-ranged combat with AoE attacks and abilities that improve Arcane Bomb.
Evoker
Area Abilities, Control, Cold Damage, Freeze
Evokers are spellcasters that focus heavily on crowd control with black holes and freeze effects. They also deal massive AoE damage.
Death Caller
Necrotic Damage, Healing, Electric Damage, Beam, Ranged Attack Buffs
Death Callers can sustain themselves by stealing the enemy’s health, and they can immense damage with buffed ranged attacks or supercharged beams.
If you want the traditional backline mage experience, go with theEvokerSpecialization. It mainly focuses on using the Staff to deal elemental damage from range, and its unique abilities let players group enemies up before destroying them in one fell swoop.Spellbladeis also great if you want a faster-paced playstyle with the Orb and Dagger, but if you may’t choose between what weapon to use, try Death Caller.
You can respec your abilities at any time as long as you’re not in combat, but you cannot change classes, so verify topick a class that resonates with youbefore starting a new game.
