Summary
- Specializations in Dragon Age are crucial for customizing builds.
- Strong builds can be made from the weakest specializations when properly played into.
- Each specialization has unique strengths and weaknesses to consider.
The release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard is imminent, and the excitement surrounding the latest installment in Bioware's critically acclaimed ARPG has been steadily increasing. A surge of newcomers will inevitably be diving headfirst into the dark world of Thedas for the very first time. Mastering Dragon Age can be quite challenging. Whether inexhaustibly scouring the Kokari Wilds for that elusive last Vial of Darkspawn Blood or triumphantly closing the final Rift Incursion in the Hinterlands, it's no simple task.
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Specializations allow players to customize their builds further and are crucial for tailoring skill trees to specific archetypes. It's a significant choice to make for players embarking on their first journey through Ferelden to know which option to level with. Whether teetering on the edge of becoming an abomination or blinking in and out of sight to masterfully control the battlefield, here are the strongest specializations to see adventurers through their upcoming adventures.
10 Necromancer
Wield The Very Essence Of Death
A relatively new addition to the Dragon Age franchise, the Necromancer has the potential to be an immensely powerful class. Turning foes inside out with "Walking Bomb" and the ability to temporarily resurrect in battle with unlimited Mana - is a fantastic power trip.
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The specialization falls short due to its lack of offensive spells, and its main strengths typically only come from exploiting its "Simulacrum" spell with heal-on-hit weapons to revive the fallen Inquisitor indefinitely. The main strengths of the skill tree seemingly come from its lore implications and how other characters react in caution to the Inquisitor's use of it.
Necromancer Strengths
- Walking Bomb is a powerful spell and is excellent for single-target damage
- Simulacrum can be helpful when specialized adequately into
Necromancer Weaknesses
- Lack of offensive spells
- Requires specific equipment to be viable
- Complex Playstyle
- Fragile
9 Bard
Never Underestimate The Power Of Music
Akin to their Dungeons and Dragons counterpart, Bards in Dragon Age: Origins wield the immense power of song to buff their allies and demoralize their enemies. Through proper equipment, it can be a fantastic class for an Archer/Rogue building.
However, they lack the raw damage output of other specializations and require far greater precision and timing for their spells to be effective. When correctly wielded, however, they are indispensable in any roster.
Bard Strengths
- Powerful buffs
- Strong enemy debuffs
- Shorter spell cooldowns
- Great for Archers
Bard Weaknesses
- No real offensive capabilities
- Vulnerability
- Relatively High Skill Requirement
8 Duelist
Dodge And Dance Around Death
Perfect for one-on-one encounters, Duelists focus on critical hits and evasions. When used right, it excels at focusing on the more challenging enemies, allowing The Gray Warden's allies to focus on the smaller ones.
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Although still incredibly potent, abilities such as "Pinpoint Strike," which targets the enemy's weak points with precision, have long cooldowns, potentially overwhelming the Duelist when not leveraging their strengths.
Duelist Strengths
- High Burst Damage
- Fantastic at One-on-One encounters
- Fast-Paced combat
- Great for evasion
Duelist Weaknesses
- Struggles against multiple enemies at once
- Low defense
- Less effective Crowd Control
7 Blood Mage
Abominably Evil
Not dissimilar from the Warrior's "Reaver" specialization, Blood Mages sacrifice their life force for access to powerful magic. Though the specialization was seemingly truant from Dragon Age: Inquisition, and with recent statements from developers, it doesn't look like Dragon Age: The Veilguard players will be able to delve back into the sinister world of Blood Magic anytime soon .
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Skills like "Blood Sacrifice" and "Hemorrhage" completely immobilize enemies while dealing heavy damage with some impressive, albeit grizzly, animations. The caster can also turn enemies against each other with the "Blood-Slave," which gives much-needed assistance on greater difficulties. It can fall short, however - the Blood Mage is still very susceptible to all damage. If the player isn't constantly managing their health, they may actually fall in battle before they've had a chance to get hit.
Blood Mage Strengths
- Unique playstyle with dark lore implications
- Blood Wound and Hemorrhage are highly damaging and provide strong crowd control
- Can use Health instead of Mana to cast spells
Blood Mage Weaknesses
- High Risk
- Limited Defense
- Steep learning curve
6 Templar
They Don't Just Kill Mages
The Templars in the Dragon Age series are the closest counterparts to Paladins. They are natural mage-hunters who consume small amounts of Lyrium to gain special abilities and prowess. Calling upon the power of The Maker to smite swarms of Demons, Mages - or Demonic Mages.
Templars are excellent at empowering both themselves and their allies. With skills like "Spell Purge," Templars can completely negate all hostile magic surrounding their party. Additionally, "Rally" slowly builds up their party's guard, stamina, and Mana over time while also increasing damage resistance to incoming attacks.
Templar Strengths
- Can neutralize incoming spells
- Strong Defense
- Incredibly Versatile
- Good mix of offensive and defensive skills
Templar Weaknesses
- Lower direct damage
- Less effective against non-magical enemies
- While they have great defensive capabilities, they're not on par with the Champion specialization and can still get overwhelmed
5 Rift Mage
The Overwhelming Power Of The Rift
Wielding the very powers of The Fade to cast devastating spells, control the battlefield, and rain fiery destruction from above. Rift Mages are experts in Crowd Control.
Rift Mages can cast "Stone-Fist" to significantly damage a single target or wield "Firestorm" to summon up to 55 meteors at once. This specialization is excellent for Mages, who prioritize consistent damage outpu t. The buffs to Mana regeneration also make it easier to cast spells continuously. Rift Mages have less defense, so it's best to keep them a good distance from battles and purchase some gear to help alleviate this.
Rift Mage Strengths
- Crowd Control
- Firestorm is a devastating AoE ability
- Consistent Mana Regeneration
Rift Mage Weaknesses
- Fragile
- Lacking healing abilities
- Positioning is key
4 Champion
One Man Barricade
With minimal effort, the Champion transforms warriors into nearly indestructible tanks, always deep in the center of any encounter. They play a crucial role in the survivability of Thedas' Inquisitor.
"Line in the Sand" turns Champions into a virtual barricade, halting enemies from moving past them. "Counterstrike," the Champions' ultimate ability, instantly grants them full guard and taunts nearby enemies, countering all incoming melee attacks at the cost of Focus. This is a specialization that excels at survivability.
Champion Strengths
- Unmatched Guard regeneration
- Constantly aggravates enemies
- Powerful buffs for not only themselves but their entire party
- It is incredibly easy to learn.
Champion Weaknesses
- Slow
- Low Damage
3 Tempest
Potions And Lotions For Every Scenario
Tempests excel at unpredictability and crowd control, using a variety of flasks to gain buffs and abilities. Capable of outright freezing time with the "Lightning" Flask or temporarily removing all cooldowns with the "Fire Flask." Tempests are always at the forefront of the fight, able to be anywhere and everywhere at any given time.
Though coating one's skin with a mysterious alchemical elixir does have its inherent risks. The Inquisitor, however, is yet to find any. This specialization is a fantastic example of a "Jack-Of-All-Trades" playstyle, providing an ample answer to anything Thedas can throw the Tempest's way.
Tempest Strengths
- Great for Burst Damage
- High Mobility
- Elemental Damage
- Constantly buffing
Tempest Weaknesses
- Low Defense
2 Reaver
Dragon-Blood Addicted Berserkers
An incredibly high-risk, high-reward playstyle that sacrifices health for devastating abilities - Reaver - is the epitome of Bloodlust - the ideal choice for fierce Warriors consumed by the blood-soaked frenzy of the battlefield. Rip-and-tear through hordes of Darskpawn, reshaping pain into overwhelming power.
It's nearly impossible to mention this class without mentioning its inherent "cool" factor. The class is a dragon-blood-addicted Warrior who is inherently obsessed with fighting and subsequently revels in it. The class uses skills such as "Devour" to deal damage and heal simultaneously, or "Dragon-Rage," a violent slash that deals more damage the more wounded the character may be.
Reaver Strengths
- Fun to play
- High damage
- Constant healing capabilities
- Can be the main damage dealer in a fight
Reaver Weaknesses
- Risk and reward playstyle can require some learning, but once players have gotten used to properly managing the Reaver's health - it is relatively straightforward
1 Knight Enchanter
Spirit Swords Aren't Their Only Trick
The Knight Enchanter specialization allows mages, who are typically more vulnerable, to actively participate in frontline combat. They have the ability to summon a Spirit Blade, which enables them to deal considerable damage up close while also increasing their durability.
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Spells such as "Fade Shield" and "Defending Blade" are a fantastic combination that can make encounters almost seem trivial, rewarding the player for consistent ferocity as The Inquisitor deflects enemy spells and projectiles alike. "Fade Cloak" also allows The Inquisitor to move through the battlefield and better position themselves with complete invulnerability.
Knight Enchanter Strengths
- Fast attacks
- Defense
- Crowd Control
- High Damage
- Gives Mages melee attacks
- Veilstrike
Knight Enchanter Weaknesses
- Limited Range
Dragon Age
- Released
- November 3, 2009
