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Discover how to create the best Champion build for Dragon Age the Veilguard, including faction, skills, companions, level progression, 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 guide will walk you through the best Champion builds in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and explain critical choices: factions, specialization, companies, skills, and more.
Everything About Champion Build in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
A fitting name for a Grey Warden inspired build that focuses as much on protection as they do on attack. This Burning Heart character build has the strongest defensive options that allow the players to survive the toughest battles in the game. This one is for providing key enhancements to your parries and fire-based attacks in combat.
Champion Build is probably closest to the Dualist or Spellblade builds from the other classes in terms of playstyle and comes with something of a higher risk. However, failing a Parry can result in taking a lot of damage but with immediate Traits like Counterblow, you should get well practiced in this very early. This build focuses on a one-handed weapon and shield with talents that increase their survivability and defend their team. The Champion helps to lean towards fire damage making the users good against darkspawn. For the players who are looking for better defensive options along with the fire AOE damage and more survivability on the battlefield then this build is for you.
| Champion Build Pros | Champion Build Cons |
|---|---|
| High Survivability | Melee Dependent |
| Group Buffs | Companion Dependent |
| Fire AOE Damage | Slower Pace |
Features and Mechanics for the Build in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
The following list presents all the essential Wand Build Features and Mechanics in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Faction: Grey Wardens
- Race: Human
- Active Skills
- Ability 1: Driving Kick
- Ability 2: Bloody Advance
- Ability 3: Blight Bane
- Flex: Ground Breaker
- Ultimate: Warden’s Fire
- Flex: Flashing Fist
- Trait: Shield Volley
- Specialization: Champion
- Best Companions: Emmrich, Bellara
- Runes: work in progress
Best Faction
The best faction for a Champion build is the Grey Wardens because of the Vigilant Training passive, increasing base defense and health. Additionally, the Grey Wardens gain increased damage vs. darkspawn and fit the narrative of a heroic warrior battling monsters. A secondary choice is the Lords of Fortune because their Relentless bonus increases takedowns (stuns). The Lords of Fortune factions are adventurous treasure hunters and fit a character’s background who loves exploration and loot.
Below are all the bonuses for the Grey Wardens and Lords of Fortune factions in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
| Grey Wardens Bonuses | Lords of Fortune Bonuses |
|---|---|
| Bonded in Blood: Gain reputation with the Grey Wardens more quickly | Together in Glory: Gain reputation with the Lords of Fortune more quickly |
| Blight Killer: Deal increased damage vs. darkspawn | Healthy Competition: Deal increased damage vs. mercenaries |
| Vigilant Training: Base defense and health are slightly increased | Relentless: Perform takedowns on enemies with slightly less effort |
Shadow Dragons Faction Store
In Dragon Age: The Veilgaurd, factions are organizations that give you three bonuses in character creation and reputation when you ally with them as part of the larger conflict. There are six factions to choose from, and this choice cannot be changed once made. Faction reputation is used in the faction-specific stores to buy weapons and armor. Ultimately, players should select the faction of their choice based on story narrative vs. a small bonus in combat.
Best Race
The best race for the Champion build is humans because of their widespread population, political dominance, and history in Thedas. Humans are traditionally Warriors and Mages in the series and fit nicely with the Grey Warden’s faction choice, providing a solid RPG character foundation. The second choice would be the Qunari, who look physically daunting and are skilled in martial arts. Qunari are a race governed by the Qun code, dedicating their lives to discipline.
Your race choice largely influences the story, dialogue choices, and how the world responds to you. There are four playable races in Dragon Age: The Veilguard: Elf, Qunari, Human, and Dwarf. Each of these races has a rich history and lore within Thedas. Your race choice largely influences the story, dialogue choices, and how the world responds to you. Furthermore, you will not receive a combat bonus or passive for a given race. Your race selection is purely cosmetic and narrative, so feel free to deviate from our recommendation.
Best Skills and Abilities
The best skills for a Champion build are Driving Kick, Bloody Advance, and Blight Bane.
Driving Kick skill deals physical damage, costs one Rage, and detonates weakened status effect. This skill pairs well with your companion Emmrich’s skill, Entangling Spirits, or Bellara’s skill, Enfebbling Shot, which both apply on weekends. Another strength of Driving Kick is that it doesn’t have a cool down and stuns enemies. With both companions constantly debuffing enemies, you can frequently trigger a detonation and stun.
Bloody Advance is a projectile that costs one Rage and deals Necrotic damage while applying the Sundered status effect. Bloody Advance pairs well with Emmrich’s Final Rites skill or Bellara’s Fade Bolts, which detonate Sundered status effects.
Blight Bane is a Champion Specialization-specific skill that Detonates Weakened. This ability lets the players throw a bomb that bursts into a cluster of explosives after a short amount of time and deals massive damage (1,098 Fire). Applies burning to enemies in a shorter radius by launching multiple explosives.
Below are the recommended skills, abilities, ultimate, and traits for Champion build in Dragon Age the Veilguard:
- Abilities
- Skill 1: Driving Kick
- Skill 2: Bloody Advance
- Skill 3: Blight Bane
- Flex: Titan Stomp
- Ultimate: Warden’s Fire
- Flex: Flashing Fist
- Trait: Shield Volley
Best Specialization
The Champion’s unique ability and ultimate:
- Warden’s Fire: It unleashes a barrage of burning arrows and finishes it off with a rock from a trebuchet or a catapult. It deals high damage in an AOE and applies burning to enemies.
- Blight Bane: It throws a Warden Siege cluster bomb for fire damage in an AOE. Each Cluster can burn enemy hits and the ability also detonates the weakened effect.
Starting at level 20, players can select one of three specializations from their class honeycomb skill tree. Specializations are similar to “subclasses,” adding one ability, one ultimate, and a variety of other passives to your build and character. Your specialization choice will be vital because it determines your character’s overall gameplay in combat. However, you can participate in the character screen anytime to redo your skills and specializations.
Level Progression
The premise of our leveling progression section for the Champion build is to give you a step-by-step leveling guide, which skills to take, and why. However, this section is complex and requires many hours of gameplay. Therefore, this section will be a work in progress and will be updated as well as advance more in the game.
In Dragon Age, the Veilguard, level progressions are gained through experience points (EXP) through different activities such as completing quests and defeating enemies. You reach a higher level at certain levels of EXP, rewarding you with a skill point. The max level is 50, with 50 skill points to spend. The skill tree (honeycomb) comes in two main sections: Core class tree and specialization.
Complete a basic puzzle or interact with the altars to gain one skill point as a reward. You will gain 15 skill points by simply tracking down all 15 altars in the game. Unselect the purchased skills to refund individual skill points and it will not cost you anything. Once you reach a max level and get all the Fen’Harel altars then you will get a total of 67 skill points that help you to unlock 40-45% of the skill tree.
Each skill point can be spent on a variety of skills (abilities):
- Diamond Nodes: Active abilities, which you can slot three at a time
- Hexagonal: traits or passives. Traits require a button combination to execute an additional ability, while passives give you a passive bonus.
- Circular Nodes: these are minor passives like small stat points.
Levels 1 – 10
Here’s a list of skills to select from levels 1 to 10 with the Best Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Level 1: Tumbling Blades (Trait)
- Level 2: Downfall (Greater passive)
- Level 3: Fury of Forge (Ability)
- Level 4: Concentration (Passive)
- Level 5: Flames of Victory (Greater Passive)
- Level 6: Staggering Charge (Passive)
- Level 7: Whirlwind (Ability)
- Level 8: Heavy Hitter (Passive)
- Level 9: Rolling Thunder (Trait)
- Level 10: Bulwark (Passive)
Levels 11 – 20
Here’s a list of skills to select from levels 11 to 20 with the Best Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Level 11: Executioner’s Gaze (Greater Passive)
- Level 12: Concentration (Passive)
- Level 13: Cleaving Strike (Ability)
- Level 14: Desolate Malady (Passive)
- Level 15: Decisive Finish (Passive)
- Level 16: Wildfire (Passive)
- Level 17: Fiery Resolve (Greater Passive)
- Level 18: Heavy Hitter (Passive)
- Level 19: Grappling Spear (Ability)
- Level 20: Staggering Charge (Passive)
Levels 21 – 30
Here’s a list of skills to select from levels 21 to 30 with the Best Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Level 21:
- Level 22:
- Level 23:
- Level 24:
- Level 25:
- Level 26:
- Level 27:
- Level 28:
- Level 29:
- Level 30:
Levels 31 – 40
Here’s a list of skills to select from levels 31 to 40 with the Best Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Level 31:
- Level 32:
- Level 33:
- Level 34:
- Level 35:
- Level 36:
- Level 37:
- Level 38:
- Level 39:
- Level 40:
Levels 41 – 50
Here’s a list of skills to select from levels 41 to 50 with the Best Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard:
- Level 41:
- Level 42:
- Level 43:
- Level 44:
- Level 45:
- Level 46:
- Level 47:
- Level 48:
- Level 49:
- Level 50:
Best Companions
The best companions for a Champion build are Emmrich and Bellara because of their skill combos from Weakened and Sundered status effects. Emmrich fills the role of range DPS with a powerful healing ability called Replenish. Moreover, Emmrich can snare, stagger, slow time, and apply weakened while detonating sundered.
Bellara, too, fills the role of a range damage dealer with a unique suck-in skill called Galvanised Tear. She also can combo Weakened and Sundered. An alternative character would be Harding, a ranged bow using Dwarf that gives a damage buff to the player and a small heal.
Companion 1: Emmrich
- Active Skills and Abilities
- Ability 1: Final Rites
- Ability 2: Entangling Spirits
- Ability 3: Replenish (heal)
- Weapon: Staff
- Primer Ability: Entangling Spirits (applies Weakened)
- Detonator Ability: Final Rites (Sundered)
Companion 2: Bellara
- Active Skills and Abilities
- Ability 1: Enfeebling Shot
- Ability 2: Fade Bolts
- Ability 3: Galvanized Tear (AOE Pull)
- Weapon: Bow
- Primer Ability: Enfeebling Shot (applies Weakened)
- Detonator Ability: Fade Bolts (detonates Sundered)
Best Equipment, Items, Weapons
The section is a work in progress during the release week of the game.
Beginner: Starting the Game
| Gear Slot | Best Item | Best Stats | Best Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Hand | Barbed Longsword | 25% | Stagger |
| Off-Hand | Enchanted Athame | 50 + 2 + 10% | Maximum Mana + Gain Mana on hit + Deal additional damage |
| Alternate Weapon | Shockbranch | 25% + 15% + (-20%) | Ranged attack damage + Weakpoint damage + ranged Mana cost |
| Helmet | Enlightened Helmet | 25% + 25% | Burning damage + Burning duration |
| Belt | Warden’s Straps | 12% + 15% | radius of Potion effect + Fire damage |
| Amulet | Halla’s Grace | 20% + 10% | Quickened duration + Quickened effectiveness |
| Ring 1 | Amaranthine Loop | 25% + 25% + 25% | Stagger + Staggered Duration + Takedown damage |
| Ring 2 | Andraste’s Will | +3 | Maximum Burning stacks |
Advanced: Endgame
| Gear Slot | Best Item | Best Stats | Best Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Hand | |||
| Off-Hand | |||
| Alternate Weapon | |||
| Helmet | |||
| Belt | |||
| Amulet | |||
| Ring 1 | |||
| Ring 2 |
Best Runes
The section is a work in progress during the release week of the game.
Build Summary – Champion
Faction: The Grey Wardens
Race: Human
Skills and Abilities
- Ability 1: Driving Kick
- Ability 2: Bloody Advance
- Ability 3: Blight Bane
Ultimate: Warden’s Fire
Runes:
Companions
- Companion 1: Bellara
- Companion 2: Emmrich
Beginner Equipment
- Weapon 1: Barbed Longsword
- Weapon 2: Enchanted Athame
- Alternate Weapon: Shockbranch
- Helmet: Enlightened Helmet
- Belt: Warden’s Straps
- Amulet: Halla’s Grace
- Ring 1: Amaranthine Loop
- Ring 2: Andraste’s Will
End Game Equipment
- Weapon 1
- Weapon 2
- Helmet
- Belt
- Amulet
- Ring 1
- Ring 2
FAQs About Champion Build in Dragon Age The Veilguard
Question 1: What faction should I pick for a Champion build?
Answer: Grey Wardens and Lords of Fortune are the best factions to choose for Champion build due to the Bounded in Blood bonus from Grey Wardens and the Relentless bonus from Lords of Fortune.
Question 2: Does race matter in Dragon Age the Veilguard?
Answer: Race is a part of Rook’s identity as their Dragon Age class or faction, and their ancestry can affect dialogue choices in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The selection of race to play will also determine the story and how the world at large responds to you.
Question 3: Can builds be changed in Dragon Age the Veilguard?
Answer: There are certain things like appearance that you can change. However, you are unable to change the faction after picking up one and you can change the specialization but not the class.
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