Beginner's Guide: Tips to Getting Started

See the Beginner's Guide for tips in getting started when playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Learn more about how to get started in the game, tips for item and gearing, combat, and campaign in here.

How to Get Started

Tips to Getting Started
Create Your Character Select a Playstyle

Create Your Character

All Races
Human			Elf			Dwarf			Qunari
All Factions
Grey Wardens				Veil Jumpers				Shadow Dragons
Lords of Fortune				The Mourn Watch				Antivan Crows

The protagonist, alias Rook, can be customized by choosing their race and faction at the start. Selecting a race will largely determine the Rook's base build and appearance, and the faction will decide their last name and backstory.

Players may feel free to build their identity in the beginning, as it will set the tone on how the world will interact with the player and add to their immersion towards the game.

All Character Creator Features

Select a Playstyle

All Classes
Warrior	Rogue	Mage

The chosen class will dictate how the Rook is played, defining the combat experience throughout the game. Note that classes cannot be changed, encouraging players to stick to the combat style they enjoy the most.

Warriors are played in melee range, able to parry attacks and pull enemies close. Rogues are versatile in both melee and ranged combat, able to cut enemies up close or shoot them from afar. Mages primarily attack from a distance, able to destroy or control large groups of enemies at once.

Set Combat Preset

Preset	Difficulty
Storyteller	★☆☆☆☆
Keeper	★★☆☆☆
Adventurer	★★★☆☆
Underdog	★★★★☆
Nightmare	★★★★★
Unbound	Custom

Players can change their difficulty to curate their experience in playing the game. The presets will adjust incoming damage, enemy aggression, tactical challenge, and defend timing based on the difficulty chosen, but can be further customized in the Combat Settings section.

Combat Settings

All Customizable Combat Settings
Aim Assist	Aim Snap	Combat Timing
Enemy Aggression	Enemy Damage	Enemy Health
Enemy Resistances	Enemy Vulnerability	Prevent Death

For players new to the series, it is recommended to choose the Unbound difficulty and continue to adjust the settings as they play. Players who simply desire to see how the story unfolds may choose the Storyteller preset instead to minimize the combat and mechanics needed to progress the game.

Difficulty Levels and Playstyles

Item and Gearing Tips

Item Progression Tips
Enhance and Enchant Equipment Upgrade Equipment Rarity with Duplicates Strengthen Companions' Equipment

Enhance and Enchant Equipment

Remember to upgrade weapons and equipment as you complete quests to ensure that you are not taking too much damage or dealing too little damage. Upgrading an equipment enhances its stats, and enchanting it will imbue it with additional properties.

Rank Up Caretaker with Mementos

Collect Mementos found in chests while exploring, or purchase it in shops. The enhancement cap is tied to the Caretaker's Rank, and higher ranks unlock higher quality enchantments for equipment and abilities.

Upgrade Equipment Rarity with Duplicates

Obtaining or purchasing a duplicate item will enhance the existing equipment, matching the Caretaker's current rank. Additionally, the item will upgrade in rarity and unlocks an additional property of the equipment, gaining damage boosts or additional passives.

It is recommended to visit shops often to acquire upgrades from current or existing gear and progress much more smoothly.

Strengthen Companions' Equipment

Companions have their own skill trees to enchant and unique items to enhance and upgrade. Do not neglect enhancing your Companions' equipment to not stifle their performance in combat.

Combat Tips

Item Progression Tips
Combo Primer and Detonate Skills Utilize Stagger and Takedowns

Combo Primer and Detonate Skills

Some skills can apply Sundered, Overwhelmed, or Weakened, and be detonated to deal massive damage in a large area. Keep these abilities in mind when setting up your party to initiate skill combos with a powerful finish.

Tandem with Companions

Companions, too, each have their own Primers to apply and Detonators to trigger. Utilize their skills to setup longer combos and proc more Detonates to deal significantly more damage.

Utilize Stagger and Takedowns

A stagger bar can be found above the enemy's health, which can be filled by landing continuous attacks. The enemy will enter the Staggered state when it reaches full, incapacitating them, increasing their damage taken, and rendering them susceptible to a takedown. Use this mechanic in combat to dispatch foes and deplete a significant amount of their hp, if not executing them.

How to Perform Takedowns

Campaign Tips

Tips to Getting Started
Decide with Caution Explore the Area

Decide with Caution

Some choices can directly influence the story, even deciding the fate of an entire location. Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a game where choices matter significantly, and is recommended to think of the possible consequences when making decisions in your playthrough.

Explore the Area

While the the game isn't set in an open world setting, the game still encourages some exploration while playing through the Campaign Missions. The maps are not fully linear, hence, it is highly advised to look around the map for shortcuts and hidden passages that may contain powerful loot.

All Tips and Tricks

List of Dragon Age: The Veilguard Tips

All Tips and Tricks
Difficulty Levels and Playstyles	All Character Creator Features
How to Perform Takedowns	Romance Guide
Combat Guide	How to Level Up Fast
How to Heal	-

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Related Guides

Dragon Age The Veilguard Wiki Front

Guides by Category

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Categories
News	Tips and Tricks
Classes and Builds	Companions
Factions	Locations
Campaign	Side Quests
Skills	Runes
Weapons	Armor Sets
Items	Enemies