Duelist Build and Best Skills

The Duelist Rogue Build is a build you can create for the specialization in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Learn the best skills to get, the best weapon and armor to use, the best companions to bring, and more!

Rogue Guides
Best Builds	Skill Tree & Priority	All Equipment
Duelist Builds	Saboteur Builds	Veil Ranger Builds

The Best Duelist Build for Dragon Age: Veilguard

Early-Game Duelist Build

Skills	1. Hurricane of Blades 2. Toxic Dash 3. A Thousand Cuts 4. Murder of Crows
Main	Weisshaupt's Wail +10% Weapon Damage
Off-Hand	Duelist's Blade +25% Stagger
Alt. Weapon	Cryptwood Bow +20% Barrier Damage
Helmet	Defiant Silence +20% Electricity Resistance
Armor	Pursuant's Implements +20% Necrotic Resistance
Belt	Twin Buckle Binding
Amulet	Halla's Grace +15% Critical Damage
Ring 1	Precious Decay +25% Momentum Generation
Ring 2	Necrotic Jade +25% Arrow Generation
Runes	1. Besiege 2. Upend 3. Ravage
Companions	Emmrich: The Bell Tolls Final Rites Replenish (Emmrich)
	Lucanis: Eviscerate Abominate Adrenaline Rush (Lucanis)

For the early game Duelist build, we focus on improving weapon damage and light attacks since we have limited gear options. Use the best weapons and armor you can find for now.

Endgame Duelist Build

Skills	1. Hurricane of Blades +3 Hits 2. Toxic Dash -15% Cooldown Duration 3. A Thousand Cuts +25% Ability Stagger 4. Murder of Crows
Main	Enchanted Longblade +10% Weapon Damage
Off-Hand	Arainai's Talon +40 Added Necrotic Damage
Alt. Weapon	Cryptwood Bow +25% Stagger
Helmet	Antivan Parade Helm +20% Necrotic Resistance
Armor	Striking Misfortune +15% Affliction Duration
Belt	Watcher's Hold
Amulet	A Pale Reflection +20% Necrosis Damage
Ring 1	Precious Decay +2 Max Arrows
Ring 2	Necrotic Jade +25% Momentum Generation
Runes	1. Upend 2. Hunger 3. Scourge
Companions	Emmrich: The Bell Tolls Final Rites Entangling Spirits
	Lucanis: Eviscerate Abominate Adrenaline Rush (Lucanis)

In the endgame, we make full use of Arainai's Talon which gives permanent Necrotic Weapons during combat. At this point, we want to use gear that improves Necrotic damage and Necrotic Weapons such as the Enchanted Longblade.

Duelist Skill Priority

Skill Tree Progression

Order	Skill	Description
1	Riposte (Core)	After a successful Defend, you can now launch a powerful counterattack.
2	Downfall (Core)	Jump attacks guarantee Critical hits if the target is Knocked Down.
3	Hurricane of Blades (Burst)	Deals 350 Necrotic damage. Spin around in a ring of rapid strikes. Nearby enemies are hit up to 4 times. The final strike deals more damage.
4	Staggering Blade (Burst)	Sword Stagger: +20%
5	Necrotic Fog (Antivan Crow)	Spending Momentum deals 150 Necrotic damage to enemies within 6 meters.
6	Death's Blessing (Antivan Crow)	Necrotic damage: +10%
7	Poisoned Reply (Antivan Crow)	Perfect Defense grants Necrotic Weapons. Necrotic Weapons deals 25% more damage.
8	Insidious Rot (Antivan Crow)	Maximum Necrosis stacks: +1
9	Toxic Dash (Antivan Crow)	Dash toward your target to land a deadly blow. Applies Necrosis to the enemy. Applies Sundered.
10	Arcane Defiance (Antivan Crow)	Electric Resistance: +10% Necrotic Resistance: +10%
11	Adrenaline (Antivan Crow)	Successfully striking targets 10 times without taking damage grants Adrenaline, causing your attacks to deal bonus damage and be more likely to disrupt enemies. Resets when taking damage or on combat end.
12	Overwhelming Tactics (Antivan Crow)	While your Momentum is 100 or higher: Charged Light attacks apply Bleed if they are not already suffering from it. Charged Heavy attacks apply Necrosis if they are not already suffering from it.
13	Desolate Malady (Antivan Crow)	Affliction damage: +10%
14	Blood Poisoning (Antivan Crow)	Perfect Defense applies Bleeding to your attacker. If Necrotic Weapons is Active, this Ability applies Necrosis instead.
15	Mighty Strike (Antivan Crow)	Strike Abilities deal 100% bonus Stagger vs. enemies suffering from an Affliction.
16	Noxious Presence (Antivan Crow)	Control Abilities release noxious fumes that apply Necrosis to nearby enemies.
17	Determination (Sustain)	Maximum Momentum: +50
18	Perseverance (Sustain)	While at Low Health, gain Deflect whenever you Perfect Dodge or perform Perfect Defense in response to an attack.
19	Tipped Arrowheads (Sustain)	Maximum Arrows: +2
20	Some Motivation (Lord of Fortune)	Deal 4% more damage per your maximum Arrow count.
21	Murder of Crows (Duelist)	Use your advanced agility to cut down enemies foolish enough to challenge an Antivan Crow. Your enemies will think you have wings as you leap rapidly between nearby targets, dealing damage with each strike. The final leap deals significant damage to any enemies near the strike zone.
22	A Thousand Cuts (Duelist)	Assume a duelist’s pose, then rapidly slice and dice your opponent. Deals damage up to 16 times with an especially devastating final blow.
23	Death's Blessing (Duelist)	Necrotic damage: +10%
24	Concentration (Duelist)	Charged attack damage damage: +10%
25	Quick Control (Duelist)	Hitting an enemy with a Control ability permanently reduces their Defense by 5.
26	Sharper Edge (Burst)	Penetration: +15%
27	Knock Out (Veil Jumper)	Charged and charged bow attacks now deal a guaranteed Critical hit if the enemy has Low Health.
28	Shellbreaker (Veil Jumper)	Damage vs. Armor: +20%
29	Poisonous Precision (Veil Jumper)	Defeating an enemy by hitting their Weakpoint grants Necrotic Weapons. Necrotic Weapons lasts 50% longer.
30	More is Better (Veil Jumper)	Maximum Arrows: +2
31	Debilitating Shocks (Veil Jumper)	Take 15% less damage from enemies who are Shocked.
32	Enervation (Control)	Damage vs. Barrier: +20%
33	Bated Breath (Control)	Your Bow can now be charged up an additional level.
34	Salvaged Arrows (Control)	Arrows gained after defeating an enemy: +2
35	Close Quarters Combat (Lord of Fortune)	Deal 15% more damage to all enemies within 10 meters.
36	Shellbreaker (Lord of Fortune)	Damage vs. Armor: +20%
37	Eclectic Armorer (Lord of Fortune)	While wearing different classifications of Helm and Armor: Arrow maximum: +4 Weapon damage: +15% Stagger: +25%
38	Sharper Edge (Lord of Fortune)	Penetration: +15%
39	Mounting Thrill (Duelist)	The Adrenaline effect now stacks up to 3 times, increasing its bonus damage and chance to disrupt enemies.
40	Adrenaline Rush (Duelist)	Attacks to activate Adrenaline: -2
41	Deflection (Duelist)	Lose only 1 Adrenaline charge when you take damage. With any active charges, you take 40% less damage.
42	Energy Burst (Duelist)	Gaining the Adrenaline effect increases your health and Momentum by 10%.

Early Game Progression

For our early game skill progression, we focus on getting as much Sword and Necrotic bonuses as we can while making our way to the Duelist section of the skill tree.

Picking up Some Motivation way over in the Lord of Fortune section early on is good for an early damage boost. Eclectic Armor can be taken later in the game for more arrows and more freedom in using any helmet/armor combination.

Rogue Class Abilities and Builds

Late Game Progression

Later on, we'd like to grab more skills that upgrade Strike Abilities, increase necrotic damage, and increase maximum arrow count (which increases damage via Some Motivation). The Mounting Thrill side of the Duelist tree is also a better pickup to improve the bonuses granted by Adrenaline.

Best Duelist Weapons

	Early Game	Endgame
Main Weapon	Weisshaupt's Wail Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage	Enchanted Longblade Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage
Off-Hand	Duelist's Blade Enchantments: +25% Stagger	Arainai's Talon Enchantments: +40 Added Necrotic Damage
Alt. Weapon	Cryptwood Bow Enchantments: +20% Barrier Damage	Cryptwood Bow Enchantments: +25% Stagger

We want to go for the strongest Swords we can find for damage early on but also on the lookout for weapons with Necrotic damage bonuses that would be good for endgame.

A legendary Enchanted Longblade along with the unique Arainai's Talon are our best weapons in the game. Arainai's Talon grants us permanent Necrotic Weapons which will be improved by Enchanted Longblade.

Best Duelist Gear

	Early Game	Endgame
Helmet	Defiant Silence Enchantments: +20% Electricity Resistance	Antivan Parade Helm Enchantments: +20% Necrotic Resistance
Armor	Pursuant's Implements Enchantments: +20% Necrotic Resistance	Striking Misfortune Enchantments: +15% Affliction Duration
Belt	Twin Buckle Binding	Watcher's Hold
Amulet	Halla's Grace Enchantments: +15% Critical Damage	A Pale Reflection Enchantments: +20% Necrosis Damage
Ring 1	Precious Decay Enchantments: +25% Momentum Generation	Precious Decay Enchantments: +2 Max Arrows
Ring 2	Necrotic Jade Enchantments: +25% Arrow Generation	Necrotic Jade Enchantments: +25% Momentum Generation

The early game is pretty straightforward for equipment as you will mostly just get them from random chests in the overworld. Make use of equipment with the highest defense stat without thinking about stats too much since they will most likely have their bonuses locked this early.

In the late game, we'd like to use the heavy Antivan Parade Helm which gives us bonuses to Necrotic Weapons and the light Striking Misfortune armor for more Necrotic damage bonuses. This combo also triggers the Eclectic Armorer skill which translates into more damage.

Rings from Necropolis Halls

Precious Decay and Necrotic Jade rings from Necropolis Halls are really good with this build to increase Necrotic damage throughput. Do your best to find duplicates of these rings to get their full bonuses.

Best Duelist Runes

	Rune	Pros & Cons
Early Game
	Besiege	• Probably the best rune to slot in the early game. • Bypasses Barrier attack damage penalty altogether, making sure you are breaking it the fastest way possible. • Use this if enemies have the blue barrier meter up.
	Upend	• Gives a passive +5% to all Resistances and turns your existing Resistances into offensive damage bonuses of the same type for 10 seconds when activated. • Activate the rune during extended damage windows to further increase your burst damage.
	Ravage	• Gives you a flat damage boost to the enemy's health bar when activated. • Deals +50% damage when the enemies are reduced to their red health. • Great active effect for finishing off enemies after breaking their armor/barrier.
End Game
	Upend	• Gives a passive +5% to all Resistances and turns your existing Resistances into offensive damage bonuses of the same type for 10 seconds when activated. • Activate the rune during extended damage windows to further increase your burst damage.
	Hunger	• A defensive rune to activate when you need to heal yourself when you run out of potions. • Works well with the Enchanted Longblade legendary weapon bonus.
	Scourge	• You won't really need to activate this rune but it gives a nice passive Necrotic damage bonus to bump up your damage even more.

Early on, make use of any rune that can help with your damage/survivability such as Besiege and Upend which also grant passive bonuses.

In the late game, use Upend, Hunger, and Scourge as your runes for damage and utility. With the right equipment, you'll have a lot of Necrotic resistance by the endgame which can be turned into damage bonuses by using Upend.

Best Duelist Companions

Early Game Companions

Companion	Build
Emmrich	Skills: The Bell Tolls Final Rites Replenish (Emmrich) Equipment: Main Weapon: Guardian of the Abyss Armor: Researcher's Robes Trinket: Chittering Signet
Lucanis	Skills: Eviscerate Abominate Adrenaline Rush (Lucanis) Equipment: Main Weapon: Slender Dagger Keepsake: God's Foil Armor: Wings of Antiva

In the early game, bring both Emmrich and Lucanis which synergize well with your Necrotic damage kit to increase overall damage. Make use of the Sundered combo by using Toxic Dash along with Final Rites to detonate.

Endgame Companions

Companion	Build
Emmrich	Skills: The Bell Tolls Final Rites Entangling Spirits Equipment: Main Weapon: The Hermetic Pendulum Keepsake: Metal-Plated Focus Armor: Funeral Finery Trinket: Chittering Signet
Lucanis	Skills: Eviscerate Abominate Adrenaline Rush (Lucanis) Equipment: Main Weapon: Crowkeeper Keepsake: Butcher's Screw Armor: The Mage-Killer Trinket: Antivan Blade Kit

When you reach the endgame, you'll be able to upgrade Emmrich's The Bell Tolls and Lucanis' Eviscerate to reduce the Necrotic resistance of enemies they hit with the ability. This allows the whole team to have increased damage with the support of each other.

At this point, you'll mainly be using basic attacks to deal most of your damage so you won't have to detonate Sundered as often in the late game.

How to Play the Duelist

Duelist Rogues specialize on improving their Sword skills in melee to deal mostly Necrotic damage while dodging and executing Perfect Defenses (parries) to build Momentum and overpower enemies.

• Practice Parry Timings for Bonuses
• Light Attacks to Stay Agile
• Keep Up the Adrenaline Buff
• Outlast Enemies with Necrosis
• Use the Bow to Start Fights and Pick Off Enemies at Range

Practice Parry Timings for Bonuses

Duelists rely on Perfect Defenses to gain bonuses like Necrotic Weapons which changes the damage type of your attacks to Necrotic and deal more damage overall. Parrying also builds up Momentum to use Abilities.

Parry vs. Dodge

Not all attacks can be parried, especially attacks from boss-type enemies. In these cases, use Dodge instead to avoid the damage. Attacks which can be parried are indicated by a yellow threat indicator while those that cannot are shown as red.

Light Attacks to Stay Agile

When fighting in melee, make use of Light attacks more so you don't leave yourself wide open and allow quicker reactions to incoming attacks for parries and dodges. As a Duelist, you'll want to be aware of your surroundings during combat.

Keep Up the Adrenaline Buff

One of the main gimmicks of a Duelist is the Adrenaline buff, which increases your damage dealt after striking enemies 10 times without getting hit. This also increases the change your attacks will disrupt enemies.

The Adrenaline buff is lost upon getting hit so you'll have to keep avoiding attacks either by dodging or parrying attacks to maintain it.

Outlast Enemies with Necrosis

Duelists naturally apply Necrosis to enemies with their skills, and also Bleeding to some extent. You can use this to play safely and focus on dodging attacks after applying the Afflictions.

Use the Bow to Start Fights and Pick Off Enemies at Range

Just because Duelists focus on the Sword attacks, doesn't mean Bows won't be useful. You can use Bows at the start of fights to deal heavy damage by aiming for the head.

Prioritize hitting ranged enemies and try to bring them down quick to avoid ranged attacks coming your way as you fight in melee.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Related Guides

All Classes, Specializations, and Best Builds

List of Class and Specialization Builds

Warrior Class
Champion	Slayer	Reaper
Mage Class
Death Caller	Spellblade	Evoker
Rogue Class
Duelist	Veil Ranger	Saboteur