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Discover the keys for creating the best beginner build in Dragon Age the Veilguard as we explain class, race, specialization, companions, and more!
BioWare’s fourth installment of their hit series, Dragon Age the Veilguard, features deep character customization and build options. Players can earn skill points from level 1 to 50, selecting active, passive, traits, and ultimate abilities. Each protagonist, “Rook,” can bring two party members (companions) in exploration and combat, each with their own skills and equipment. This begs the question, what is the best build for beginners in DA:V?
This guide will walk you through the best beginner builds for Mage, Rogue, and Warrior classes in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and explain critical choices: factions, specialization, companies, skills, and more.
What beginners build should have in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?
For beginner builds in Dragon Age, the Veilguard should focus on survivability and party composition to apply and detonate combos. Each companion can apply and detonate Weakened, Sundered, and Overwhelmed status effects. Therefore, players should select skills that synergize with their chosen companion to trigger extra damage and effects in combat.
For example, a Rogue should use the skill Reeling Bolt and the companion Darvin in their party. Reeling Bolt applies the weakened effects, while Darvin can detonate the weakened, creating a gameplay loop that gives you extra damage in combat. Moreover, each companion can either heal or provide Rook (main character) a brief moment of invulnerability. Therefore, using Darvin for invulnerability and Emmrich for healing gives the party a blend of damage and survivability.
Best Beginner Builds in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
The best beginner build in Dragon Age the Veilguard are the Champion Warrior, Death Caller Mage, and Veil Ranger Rogue.
The Champion Warrior blends survivability and AOE while maintaining aggro on the toughest enemies. Players should select the Grey Warden faction for extra health and defense and use skills like Driving Kick and Bloody Advance to apply and detonate status effects.
The Death Caller Mage has health leach, granting Rook the ability to siphon health from enemies while doing AOE damage. However, avoid the passive Mortalitasi, which trades health for mana so you don’t accidentally siphon your health. Use Harding and Taash because Harding can trigger two detonations related to Mage skills and Taash provides great AOE damage and burning status effect.
The Veil Ranger Rogue plays at a distance using arrows to stun, shock, and snare enemies. Use the Veil Jumper Faction for extra critical damage and Reelingn Bolt and Explosive Dagger. These two skills can control crowds, apply status effects, and/or cause AOE damage.
Mage Beginner Build
The Mage class in Dragon Age, the Veilguard, features light armor with two weapons: Staff, Orb, and Dagger. Players can pick one specialization at level 20, further customizing their combat style and build. During character creation, players can select faction and race and customize the look of their character.
For the best beginner build, we recommend using the Shadow Dragon faction for quicker resources or Grey Warden for more health. Your racial choice is mainly for the story, but considering Solas’ background, we recommend the Elf. The best specialization to select is the Death Caller because it can steal health from enemies, maintaining high damage and survivability.
Below is our recommended best beginner build for the Mage class in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Best Faction
- Shadow Dragon (faster resources)
- Grey Warden (more health and defense)
- Best Race: Elf
- Best Specialization: Death Caller
- Best Companions
- Harding (applies sundered and detonates overwhelmed)
- Taash (taunts, burning, stagger, and AOE)
Best Faction
The best faction choice for a beginner Mage build in DA:V is the Shadow Dragons because the resourceful bonuses give you slightly higher mana regeneration. This means you can cast skills quicker, which is useful when playing the Mage. The Mage has the lowest resource sustain out of any classes and longer cooldown powerful spells. Therefore, gaining quicker spell-casting abilities is critical for survivability and damage. A secondary choice is the Grey Warden, whose Vigilant Training bonus grants increased base defense and health. This can be helpful if you enjoy the Grey Warden story aspects or want extra survivability.
Below are the bonuses for the recommended faction; however, if you are a story player, pick one that resonates with you vs. a small bonus:
Shadow Dragon
- Light in the Dark: gain reputation with the Shadow Dragons more quickly
- Never to Rise: deal increased damage vs. Venatori
- Resourceful: your class-specific resource regenerates slightly faster
Grey Wardens
- Bonded in Blood: Gain reputation with the Grey Wardens more quickly
- Blight Killer: Deal increased damage vs Darkspawn
- Vigilant Training: Base Defense and Health are slightly increased
Best Race
The best race choice for a beginner Mage in Dragon Age the Veilguard is the Elf due to their lore and background. Unlike other RPG games, you won’t receive a bonus or passive benefit for selecting your race. Therefore, feel free to select whatever looks and “feels” are best for your character and build. The Mage class can select from three available races in Dragon Age: Elf, Qunari, and Human. Dwarfs will not be available for Mages due to their limited magical ability based on the game’s lore.
Best Specialization
The best specialization to select for a beginner Mage is the Death Caller because of health leach, which can steal health while doing damage. This gives you great survivability, range, and utility, though it is geared towards “bad” characters due to the game’s lore. Consider not taking the Mortalitasi passive in the skill tree because it makes the build much riskier, sacrificing health for management.
The two alternatives are the Evoker and Spellblade. Spellblade is one of the strongest specializations overall, blending melee combat and spellcasting. However, it is also more complex, requiring advanced knowledge and execution of combat while playing in melee range. Evoker is a solid second choice because of its ranged damage and crowd control, limiting enemies’ movement.
Best Skills and Abilities
The most important abilities for beginners to build mage are dark squall and chain lighting because they apply or detonate combinations. Dark Squall acts like your knockback on a long cooldown, applying Sundered but not costing Mana. Therefore, you can use it with Harding, who can use sundered for you to trigger a detonation. Chain lighting applies Overwhelmed, costing two mana and shooting out to hit multiple targets. This can be detonated by Harding at range, giving you two combination options with one companion.
Below are the recommended skills, ultimate ability, and traits for the beginner Mage build in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Skill 1: Chain Lighting (applies to overwhelm)
- Skill 2: Dark Squall (detonate Sundered)
- Skill 3: Spirit Bomb
- Flex: Frost Nova
- Ultimate: The Crypt’s Herald
- Flex: Destructive Light
- Trait: Mortal Concentration
Best Companions
The best companions for a beginner Mage build are Hardin and Taash. Harding can detonate overwhelmed and applies Sundered. This triggers two explosive combos with the Mage skills, Dark Squall and Chain Lightning. Harding also buffs damage with the skill Adrenaline Rush, can stagger enemies, and provide some off-healing.
Taash serves as your tank for areas with damage and burning status effects. Moreover, Taash can taunt enemies in melee range, keeping the pressure off of you and Harding to sit back and pick off targets at range. Taash’s survivability ability grants Rook invulnerability for a brief duration and status with Harding’s healing keeping you the fight.
Rogue Beginner Build
The Rogue class in Dragon Age, the Veilguard, features medium armor with dual swords and a bow. Uniquely, the class does not bar swaps like the Warrior and Mage. You simply activate a button press to use your bow, which gives you a melee and ranged option. At level 30, the Rogue can select a specialization and we recommend the Veil Ranger. This spec emphasizes ranged combat, which is a safer option than melee. Moreover, you gain access to many snares and ways to keep enemies from approaching you, though it does require aiming at the head or legs for optimal damage.
We recommend using the Veil Jumper faction for the best beginner Rogue build to increase weak point damage and critical. Your race choice is mainly for the story and role play, and thus, Elf is a good choice for a bow-wielding Veil Jumper. However, you can change a race that fits your desired story without affecting combat performance.
Below is our recommended best beginner build for the Rogue class in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Best Faction: Veil Jumper
- Best Race: Elf
- Best Specialization: Veil Ranger
- Best Companions
- Darvin (applies overwhelmed and detonate weakened)
- Emmrich (AOE, heals, snares, staggers, slows time, and detonates sundered)
Best Faction
The best faction for the beginner Rogue build is Veil Jumper because the Keen eye passive gives you extra critical and weak point damage. Each faction gets three passives: one effect combat, one reputation, and another extra damage to a specific enemy type. The Veil Jumper is the best choice since the Rogue focuses on burst damage.
A secondary option is the Shadow Dragon because the Resourceful passive gives you extra resource sustain. The Momentum resource for the Rogue can be tricky because you gain momentum for hitting targets but lose momentum when being hit. Therefore, this could be a good choice if you struggle with maintaining combos.
Below are the bonuses for Veil Jumpers and Shadow Dragon, but ultimately, select the faction that fits your story and character design:
Veil Jumpers:
- Close to the Veil: gain reputation with the Veil Jumpers more quickly
- Attuned Strikes: deal increased damage vs. Fade-Touched
- Keen Eye: deal slightly increased critical and weakpoint damage
Shadow Dragon
- Light in the Dark: gain reputation with the Shadow Dragons more quickly
- Never to Rise: deal increased damage vs. Venatori
- Resourceful: your class-specific resource regenerates slightly faster
Best Race
The best race choice is a beginner Rogue, the Elf based on the Veil Jumpers faction and Veil Ranger specialization. The race choice doesn’t influence combat at all, thus you can make a choice and not influence your combat performance. There are four available races to select, and the Rogue can pick from all four: Elf, Dwarf, Qunari, and Human
Best Specialization
The Veil Ranger is the best specialization for a beginner Rogue build because of the range and safety of sniping enemies from afar. Moreover, you gain electric damage, charge arrows, and aim a different combat style. A secondary choice is the Duelist, which can deal with more damage at the cost of playing in melee range. Moreover, the Duelist is one of the most complex combat styles, requiring constant combos to fill up your momentum and resource bar to cast skills. Lastly, we don’t recommend the Saboteur as a goofy and odd specialization with little to offer.
Best Skills and Abilities
The best skills for a beginner Rogue are Reeling Bolt and Explosive Daggers because they apply two types of status effects. Reeling Bolt doesn’t cost momentum, which is helpful when you are out, and it applies the Weakened combo primer. Weakened can be detonated by your companion Darvin for extra damage. Explosives Daggers trigger the Sundered combo, are at the range, and cost one momentum. Emmrich companion can detonate this damage, giving you two combos to exploit in combat. You should look to compliment your skills with combos by applying and detonating skills with your companions.
Below are the recommended skills, ultimate ability, and traits for the beginner Mage build in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Skill 1: Storm’s Path (detonates overwhelmed)
- Flex: Pilfer
- Skill 2: Reeling Bolt (applies Weakened)
- Skill 3: Explosive Daggers (applies Sundered)
- Ultimate: Twin Gifts of Arlathan
- Trait: Exploding Arrow
Best Companions
The best companions for a Rogue build are Darvin and Emmrich because Darvin tanks enemies while Emmrich can heal and do AOE damage. Moreover, Darvin applies overwhelmed and detonate weakened and can grant you invulnerability. Darvin’s taunt can keep enemies off of you, and he’s a good choice as an alternative to Taash. The second choice is Emmrich, which has AOE, heals, snares, staggers, slows time, and detonates sundered. Harding or Neve are two ranged damage-dealing alternatives if you don’t want a necromancer-type character.
Warrior Beginner Build
The Warrior class in Dragon Age, the Veilguard, features heavy armor, sword and shield, and two-handed weapons. Moreover, you must bar swap to activate your other weapon like the Mage. Two specializations focus on Sword and Shield, the Champion and Reaper, while the Slayer emphasizes damage and AOE with two-handed weapons. The best specialization is the Champion because you retain all the survivability with extra AOE and fire damage.
We recommend using the Grey Warden faction for the best beginner Warrior build for extra-base defense and health. This will give you a massive advantage and survivability and fit the Warrior/Grey Warden archetype story. Moreover, the Human race fits with this narrative and build type. Your skills and abilities should complement companions to apply and detonate combinations for optimal performance in combat.
Below is our recommended best beginner build for the Warrior class in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Best Faction: Grey Warden
- Best Race: Human
- Best Specialization: Champion
- Best Companions:
- Emmrich (detonates sundered)
- Bellara (applies weakened)
Best Faction
The best faction for a beginner Warrior build in Dragon Age is the Grey Wardens because the Vilgant Training bonus grants extra defense and health. Moreover, the Grey Warden’s story is at the heart of the Dragon Age story, fighting blight for generations, and is a powerful narrative option. A secondary choice for the faction would be Lords of Forture, who increases takedowns (crowd control) via the Relentless passive.
Overall, the bonuses for factions are minor, so select based on your character’s story and ideal faction. Below are the bonuses for Grey Wardens and Lord of Fortune:
Grey Wardens
- Bonded in Blood: Gain reputation with the Grey Wardens more quickly
- Blight Killer: Deal increased damage vs Darkspawn
- Vigilant Training: Base Defense and Health are slightly increased
Lords of Fortune
- Together in Glory: Gain reputation with the Lords of Fortune more quickly
- Healthy Competition: Deal increased damage vs. mercenaries
- Relentless: Perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort
Best Race
The best race choice for the Warrior beginner build is human due to the background of the Grey Warden’s faction. However, race only influences story elements and will not impact combat gameplay. Therefore, feel free to select any that fit your character. The Warrior class can select any of the four races in Dragon Age the Veilguard: Elf, Dwarf, Qunari, and Human.
Best Specialization
The best specialization for a beginner in Dragon Age, the Veilguard is the champion because it increases survivability while gaining powerful fire-based AOE damage. Therefore, you retain all the durability with increased damage and group utility. At level 20, players can select a specialization, which opens up the honeycomb skill tree for further ability, ultimate, and passives.
A secondary option is the Reaper, which has life leach but a slower gameplay style focused on shield throws. The Slayer is the damage two-handed spec but can sacrifice some of the warrior class’s durability.
Best Skills and Abilities
The best abilities for a beginner Warrior build are driving kick and bloody advance because they apply and detonate combos. Driving kick acts as a crowd control ability, which costs one rage (resource) and detonates Weakened. The companion Bellara applies weakened and thus makes a great choice due to this combo in combat. The second skill is Bloody Advance, which applies Sundered and can be used at range on multiple targets. The companion Emmrich detonates Sundered, giving you two combo options in combat.
Below are the recommended skills, ultimate ability, and traits for the beginner Mage build in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Skill 1: Driving Kick (detonates weakened)
- Flex: Groundbreaker (detonates weakened)
- Skill 2: Bloody Advance (applies Sundered)
- Skill 3: Blight Bane (detonates Weakened)
- Flex: Whirlwind
- Ultimate: Warden’s Fire
- Flex: Flashing Fist
- Trait: Shield Volley
Best Companions
The best companions for a beginner Warrior build are Emmrich and Bellara, who complement your combos by applying and detonating skills. Emmrich has the most powerful heal for companions and also area damage, slows times, and staggers enemies. Meanwhile, Bellara applies the weakened status effect and sucks in enemies with Galvanized Tear and can slow time. Therefore, you take all the pressure off the companions who create massive AOE effects, limiting enemies’ movement and damage.
FAQs about Beginner Builds in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Question 1: What class is best for Dragon Age: The Veilguard beginners?
Answer: the best class for a beginner in Dragon Age the Veilguard is the Warrior, which has the highest survivability and utility for your party. Moreover, when learning the game and the combo system, you can gain two companions that can heal you, giving you an edge in combat.
Question 2: What faction should I pick for a beginner build in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?
Answer: The two best factions for beginners are the Grey Wardens or Shadow Dragons. Grey Wardens give the player a small boost in defense and health, while Shadow Dragons increase resource sustain. These two bonuses apply to any build and are useful throughout the game regardless of class.
Question 3: What race should I pick for a beginner build in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?
Answer: the race with the most lore is the Elf, while Human is the prototypical “good guy” race in the Dragon Age series. If you’re new to the series, Human is a good choice while familiar players would benefit from Elf and the interaction with Solas from previous games.
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- Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Backgrounds (Factions) Explained
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