From Tower to Riches: 10 Things to Know Before You Start Playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The almost ten-year wait is over: today Bioware and RPG fans can finally experience a new Dragon Age with so much to learn and discover Dragon Age: The Veil Guardian. The first, and some might say the most important, thing you will do is spend money [a lot of] Time to create your main character “Rook” – we have an opinion! And then it starts! But…

A lot has changed in a decade; or maybe The Veil Guardian is your very first Dragon Age Game. So what do you need to know? The Xbox Wire team put countless hours into putting the game together leading up to release Spoiler-free List of things to help you shake off the rust and familiarize yourself with some of the intricacies of North Thedas. Read on so you can focus Finally we go to Tevinter.

Wait, Tevinter? What is that? Oh yes, it has 10 long years have passed since then Dragon Age: Inquisition took up all of our time. And if Dragon Age: The Veil Guardian If this is your first time in this world, you know this is a good place to start. Still, it’s likely that you’ll come across some jargon that will give you a headache: What is the Inquisition and what did it ask? What is blood magic all about? Are the Venatori somehow related to NFL kicking legend Adam Vinatieri? Luckily, there’s a built-in glossary that succinctly explains what you need to know so you can move forward (well, aside from the NFL thing – some things should remain a mystery). Click the View button (also called Cheese Slices), then choose Library > Glossary > Lore.

Undecided? Preliminary decision comes to the rescue: There are two types of players: those who adhere to the principles of the Old Gods and deal with the consequences of their actions, and those who continue to leaf through the Choose Your Own Adventure book to choose the ending that suits them . If you’re in the latter camp, temporary decision saves are your best friend. When you make important decisions, the game automatically places a new save on your drive. If you soon realize you’ve done something bad or are just curious about what else might have happened, reload and select the other one. Then go back and do it again.

Understand the combo system: Harding, Neve and the rest of your companion crew may be ready to fight straight away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improve on their standard setup; Your companions have more skills than what you initially see when they join Rook’s team. Go to the Abilities section of the Companion menu and look beyond just the damage numbers. Some abilities will “apply” conditions such as Disconnected, Weakened, or Overwhelmed, while others have a complementary ability that “detonates” the same effects and deals massive damage.

In combat, pressing RB to bring up the ability wheel overlay will invoke these compatible moves – an early example is Harding’s Shred ability and Neve’s Icebreaker. This can be game-changing, so you’ll want to make sure you combine these combination options *before* you head into battle. Remember, if your team’s gear isn’t working, you can also regroup your party and change their abilities at every fast travel beacon you come across.

Equip your teammates’ healing abilities. Your companions aren’t just there to fight alongside you; She Care. Several of Rook’s allies can equip a healing ability that you can trigger whenever you need to get yourself out of a jam. These abilities cool down to be reusable mid-fight, helping you get through tougher encounters while being more economical with your limited potions. If staying alive is a challenge for you, keep an eye out for Companion Gear vendors, which can add additional potions to your inventory or even be revived if Rook falls in battle. Bonus Tip: You can get another valuable potion slot as a benefit when you create your character by selecting the Antivan Crows faction.

Explore everywhere, loot everything. Dragon Age: The Veil Guardian It may not be a fully open world game, but there’s no shortage of exploration. Take your time exploring, as you’ll find chests and materials in almost every corner of the map (and your map includes a handy counter showing how many there are to find, so you don’t waste time searching fruitlessly). . Some are cleverly hidden or unlocked via multi-stage devices to open doors. However, several optional areas require companion-specific skills to move rocks, drop platforms, or otherwise clear your way. So you might want to gather your entire squad before scouring every corner of North Thedas for goodies.

Dash through anything destructible: Not every treasure is so well hidden; In fact, there are riches in these chests! Well, if not wealth, some loose change and materials that add up over time. While it’s tempting to pull out the biggest weapon you can find and machete your way through crates and barrels like a high-fantasy Lara Croft, the most efficient way to smash them is to quickly lunge in the wood. Tap B once and you’ll charge straight through without much fuss and you’ll recover quicker than if you brandish a weapon. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accumulate.

Thanks later: Adjust your camera’s sensitivity. Once you’re used to looking for loot around every corner and panning your camera back and forth, do it like a pro: To make the game feel as sharp as it looks, increase the camera’s sensitivity – and clearly. I found that setting the horizontal sensitivity to 200 was just right for me, but you can go up to 350 if you prefer faster panning and scanning.

How do equipment upgrades work? While you sell many of the bits and pieces you collect that show up in your inventory as “Valuable Items,” equipment and armor are something you only buy or find, never sell. Why do you keep a veritable armory in your backpack? Aside from the fact that you need different elemental effects to counter different types of enemies, it’s also because acquiring the same piece of gear again improves it, increasing its rarity, increasing its core stats, and unlocking valuable upgrades that were locked when you bought it Vanilla version of the item was purchased for the first time. What seems like junk at first glance can be part of your favorite equipment after leveling up and a few visits to the Lighthouse Keeper’s Forge.

Prioritize statues whenever you see one: There are two types of statues you will find in your travels: a Lupine Wood Dreadwolf Sculpture and a larger Evanuris Sculpture. Interact with the Dreadwolf statue and it will rotate in one direction. Simply explore where it points to find a small blue wolf statuette, which will instantly give you a valuable skill point. When you interact with an Evanuris monument, it projects beams of light in different directions, each leading to a spinning metallic… thing. Shoot them all to permanently increase your maximum health by 100. Some of these are a little difficult to find, but when they appear on your map, drop everything and take them out.

Purchase memorabilia and stat boosts: In the various shops and stalls you’ll find in towns like Treviso and Minrathous, vendors often sell memorabilia. These add points to a meter that you can use to unlock upgrades in the Caretaker’s Forge in the Lighthouse. So it’s worth buying all the upgrades you can afford. Additionally, for a few hundred coins you can purchase items that permanently increase your tower’s stats. You don’t need to equip them; Just spend your way to fitness. If only that were an option, IRL.

We hope that you, as a fellow adventurer, take these tips to heart. You’ll be well prepared to master the twists and turns of Northern Thedas, make the most of your companions’ abilities, and discover all the hidden treasures the game has to offer.

Dragon Age: The Veil Guardian is out now.