Dragon Age: The Veilguard Reveals Details About Combat and Character Features

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

By Christine Miller

Published Jun 15, 2024

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Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Highlights

Dragon Age: The Veilguard offers a new take on combat with limited control over companions, drawing inspiration from Mass Effect.
The game will feature a complex skill system, crafting, and transmogrification, with three active combat abilities and unique gear-based abilities.
Players can expect a deep progression system, rich narrative spanning multiple locations, and the ability to define Rook's backstory and faction allegiance.

The recent BioWare Q&A revealed plenty of interesting details about Dragon Age: The Veilguard, such as its take on character progression, the number of combat abilities, and the return of a transmogrification and crafting system. Though the initial reaction to Dragon Age: The Veilguard was somewhat mixed, fans are cautiously excited that the next chapter in Thedas will see BioWare return to form. The Veilguard will feature seven unique companions, six origins for the player character, and a rich narrative that spans the Tevinter Imperium, Arlathan, The Deep Roads, Rivain, and the Anderfels.

However, this ambitious vision comes with a few quirks: for the first time in Dragon Age history, players won't be able to control their companions in The Veilguard directly. Coupled with a reduced party size of three, the combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard draws inspiration from the Mass Effect games instead. This action-based take on Dragon Age will no doubt be controversial, but a majority of those who have had a chance to preview The Veilguard firsthand have expressed a favorable impression of its combat.

A grid of Rook and different moments in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Dragon Age: The Veilguard: 6 Things That Have Seemingly Changed

Dragon Age: The Veilguard brings about an exciting return for the franchise, along with a new direction that looks like it will make a few changes.

In an effort to answer the burning questions of the Dragon Age community, BioWare held a Q&A session on Discord, where it revealed class specializations in The Veilguard, and sadly confirmed that Rook would be barred from using Blood Magic due to narrative reasons. The Veilguard is expected to cap at Level 50, and its talent system is inspired by JRPG titles such as Final Fantasy 10. Despite the way its combat appears at first glance, the developers are adamant that it features a deep progression system, and will also have difficulties that cater to hardcore players.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Will Feature A Complex Skill System, Crafting, and Transmogrification

The Q&A confirmed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would feature three active combat abilities that players can equip when heading out on a mission. On top of this loadout, Rook will also have an ultimate skill, as well as one extra ability defined by their gear. Considering that action-based gameplay separates basic abilities such as dodging, light or heavy attacks, there's plenty of room for the combat in The Veilguard to be meaningful and exciting. A recent example is Dragon's Dogma 2, which was widely praised for having great gameplay, despite only allowing players four abilities to work with.

The developers also hinted that a mysterious character would drive the crafting system in The Veilguard, and confirmed that transmogrification would be featured in the game. Furthermore, Rook will be able to wear outfits inspired by their faction in The Veilguard, such as the Antivan Crows or the Grey Wardens. Characters will also address them by their last name in certain circumstances, which will be decided by some combination of their chosen race and origin. The dialogue will have plenty of opportunities for Rook to define a backstory and reasons for joining a faction, and will often take their race into account – such as playing as a dwarf member of the Mortalitasi.