Summary
- The build complexity in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is high due to an elaborate talent system for all classes.
- The enchantment system in The Veilguard allows gear upgrades by melding items for stat improvements.
- Combat in The Veilguard revolves around Primer and Detonator abilities for class synergy.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard has revealed a detailed breakdown of its character progression, talent system, and item upgrades. While much noise was made about the bold change in direction for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, players have slowly warmed up to the action-based combat after a series of gameplay deep dives. The latest video featured a Qunari Mage, and though many agreed the Warrior showcase was their favorite, the best opportunity to test out the classes will undeniably be at launch.
While the combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a radical departure from Origins, the build complexity is just as high (if not higher) due to the elaborate talent system for all three classes. Structured like a web or constellation, the talent tree in The Veilguard starts the player off in the middle, allowing them to work their way towards a class specialization, such as Death Caller for Mages or Veil Ranger for Rogues. These specializations are themed around a faction that players will get to meet over the course of their adventure in Northern Thedas.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Reveals New Exploration Feature
During a recent BioWare Discord Q&A, Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche explains how exploration abilities work.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The talent tree nodes are split into several categories, each providing different types of class progression for Rook. For example, abilities are represented by diamond nodes, whereas circle nodes represent major passives or ability upgrades. Even basic class skills can be modified and evolved, allowing Dragon Age players to truly customize their build beyond just picking one of the nine specializations in The Veilguard.
Rune Enchantments Are Back in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
While Rook won't employ the services of Sandal, enchantment is back all the same in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Whether by bartering with vendors or by looting chests, players will be able to improve their gear by melding an item with its duplicate – this can not only increase its stats, but can also unlock additional properties. For more complex upgrades, Rook can pay a visit to the Caretaker's Workshop in The Lighthouse, a location in the Fade that also houses The Veilguard's companions.
The Caretaker can aid Rook in two ways: upgrading an item's power, and applying an enchantment. While the former is straightforward, the latter is where The Veilguard's itemization comes to shine. The Caretaker can be upgraded by collecting mementos found throughout Northern Thedas, which unlocks new enchantments in turn. These enchantments can be placed on both items and abilities, allowing Rook to fine tune their class in The Veilguard even further. It should be noted that each item or ability can only have one enchantment at a time.
The combat in Dragon Age: The Veilguard will revolve around a system that uses Primer and Detonator abilities, allowing any class or companion to have synergy – a clear evolution of Mass Effect 3. Players will be able to try all these features firsthand on October 31, 2024.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 71%
- Released
- October 31, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- BioWare
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.
Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
- Engine
- Frostbite
- Franchise
- Dragon Age
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- RPG
