Death Caller Build and Best Skills

The Death Caller Mage Build is a build you can create for the Death Caller 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!

Mage Guides
Best Builds	Skill Tree & Priority	All Equipment
Spellblade Builds	Death Caller Builds	Evoker Builds

The Best Death Caller Build for Dragon Age: Veilguard

Early-Game Death Caller Build

Skills	1. Arcane Shot 2. Frost Nova 3. Corrupted Ground 4. Destructive Light
Main	Glacial Rod +10% Weapon Damage
Off-Hand	Spellcaster's Stiletto +20% Barrier Damage
Alt. Weapon	Veilsong +25% Stagger
Helmet	Cursed Vitaar +20% Electricity Resistance
Armor	Jumper's Deft Leathers (Mage) +20% Necrotic Resistance
Belt	Twin Buckle Binding
Amulet	Magister's Bargain +25% Ultimate Damage
Ring 1	Glacial Talus +25% Mana Regeneration
Ring 2	Graven Opal +25% Mana Generation
Runes	1. Upend 2. Besiege 3. Ravage
Companions	Harding: Heavy Draw Soothing Potion (Harding) Shred
	Davrin: Heroic Strike Death from Above Battle Cry

For your skills, get Corrupted Ground as early as possible since this will be your main damaging ability. Use Frost Nova for crowd control, and Arcane Shot with Destructive Light for finishing off your enemies.

Most of the enchantment choices do not matter too much in the early game so go with whichever gives damage, stagger, or mana generation buffs.

Endgame Death Caller Build

Skills	1. Frost Nova Apply Chilled on Hit 2. Corrupted Ground +50% Ability Barrier Damage 3. Spirit Bomb +50% Damage 4. The Crypt's Herald
Main	Glacial Rod +25% Staff Energy Generation
Off-Hand	Enchanted Athame +25% Charged Attack Damage
Alt. Weapon	Fadelight +40 Added Necrotic Damage
Helmet	Anointed Ash +15% Affliction Duration
Armor	Striking Misfortune +20% Healing Recieved
Belt	Deathworn Wraps
Amulet	Magister's Bargain +20% Necrosis Damage
Ring 1	Necrotic Jade +25% Duration Ability Damage
Ring 2	Precious Decay +25% Area Ability Damage
Runes	1. Escalate 2. Vivify 3. Ravage
Companions	Harding: Heavy Draw Soothing Potion (Harding) Shred
	Davrin: Heroic Strike Death from Above Battle Cry

When you reach Endgame, the Death Caller will have abilities with Necrosis and Healing, and a Cold stave that synergizes well with your kit, turning you into a dual-elemental Mage with Cold and Necrotic.

Other than that, the Death Caller focuses on inflicting Necrosis and Chilled, while healing himself greatly with the Siphoned affliction.

Death Caller Skill Priority

Skill Tree Progression

Order	Skill	Description
1	Mortal Concentration (Core)	Sustaining your Ranged attack gradually increases its damage output the longer it is active, to a maximum of 3 seconds.
2	Charging Spirit (Core)	Staff Energy generates passively when you are not in combat.
3	Frost Nova (Control)	Freeze your enemies to the bone if they get too close. A wide area around you is Frozen.
4	Bulwark (Control)	Physical Resistance: +10%
5	Fade Reflex (Control)	Timing your Dodge just before the enemy’s attack lands slows down time for a short duration. You can move and attack normally.
6	Deathfrost (Mourn Watch)	Abilities that deal Necrotic or Cold damages increase the other type’s damage by 15% for 6 seconds.
7	Death's Blessing (Mourn Watch)	Necrotic damage: +10%
8	Imbued Duration (Mourn Watch)	Executing a Detonation on an enemy grants Shocking Weapons. The duration of Shocking Weapons is extended by 50%.
9	Necessary Steps (Mourn Watch)	Primer duration: +20%
10	Corrupted Ground (Mourn Watch)	Weave the threads of life and death, corrupting an area of the battlefield. Enemies caught inside succumb to its deadly aura. Deals minor damage and applies Necrosis each second enemies are exposed to the corruption.
11	Time Management (Mourn Watch)	Effects of Duration Abilities are increased by 50%.
12	Breathing Room (Mourn Watch)	The radius of Area Ability effect is increased by 50%.
13	Insidious Rot (Mourn Watch)	Maximum Necrosis Stack: +1
14	Channeled Thoughts (Mourn Watch)	Focus your mind to generate up to 50 Mana per second on command.
15	Enervation (Mourn Watch)	Damage vs. Barrier: +20%
16	Zone of Concentration (Mourn Watch)	After triggering a Duration Ability, wait 5 seconds to regain 25 bonus Mana.
17	Collateral Damage (Mourn Watch)	Hitting multiple enemies with a single Area Ability deals 10% more damage for each enemy hit.
18	Arcane Defiance (Mourn Watch)	Electric Resistance: +10% Necrotic Resistance: +10%
19	Necessary Steps (Control)	Primer duration: +20%
20	Breathing Room (Control)	The radius of Area Ability effect is increased by 50%.
21	Further Torment (Mourn Watch)	Deals 20% more bonus Stagger to enemies with an Affliction.
22	Desolate Malady (Sustain)	Affliction damage: +10%
23	The Crypt's Herald (Death Caller)	Be like death, drawing in the power of the Fade and surrounding yourself with a necrotic storm. Slowly absorbs life from all nearby enemies before ending in a punishing burst, causing massive damage.
24	Spirit Bomb (Death Caller)	Drain the life out of enemies, then throw it back at them in an explosion of necrotic energy. Applies Siphoned and deals damage each second you are connected to a target, before a final blast deals bonus damage that intensifies the longer the target is exposed to it.
25	Concentration (Death Caller)	Ranged attack damage: +15%
26	Death and Decay (Death Caller)	Area Abilities now deal Necrotic damage. Corrupted Ground now deals increased damage when activated.
27	Death's Blessing (Death Caller)	Necrotic damage: +10%
28	Providence (Control)	Advantage duration: +20%
29	Zone of Destruction (Control)	Hitting 3 or more enemies with an Area Ability grants Enhanced Damage.
30	Death Surge (Death Caller)	Overcharges your Ranged attack, spending 200% of the usual Mana to deal 200% damage.
31	Fade Conduit (Death Caller)	Maximum Mana: +50
32	Invigorating Beam (Death Caller)	Your Ranged attack now deals Necrotic damage and leeches 10% of damage done, replenishing your health.
33	Concentration (Mourn Watch)	Ranged attack damage: +15%
34	Degrade (Mourn Watch)	Deal 5% bonus damage for each unique Primer and Affliction on your target.
35	Prolong (Sustain)	Affliction duration: +20%
36	Return Fire (Sustain)	Use a Light or Heavy attack after a Perfect Defense to perform a counterattack.
37	Providence (Sustain)	Advantage duration: +20%
38	Tear Down (Sustain)	Hitting an enemy with a Duration Ability permanently reduces their Defense by 5.
39	Inner Focus (Sustain)	Successful Light attacks generate an additional 25% Mana. This value is doubled against enemies suffering from an Affliction.
40	Soulburn (Death Caller)	Expend 50 Mana to create a powerful surge in your Ranged attack, giving it the power to Detonate Sundered targets.
41	Vitality (Death Caller)	Health: +100 Health leech effects: +50%
42	Desperation (Death Caller)	Gain bonus damage relative to the amount of health your target and you have lost.
43	Mortalitasi (Death Caller)	Actions that consume Mana now consume health when Mana is depleted.
44	Restless Spirits (Death Caller)	Defeating an enemy under the effects of Duration Abilities spawns a Necrotic bolt from the corpse that seeks out a nearby enemy.
45	Bigger Blast (Sustain)	Arcane Bomb Damage: +15%
46	Decaying Resolve (Sustain)	Duration Abilities deal 25% more damage to enemies with Low Health.
47	Eclectic Armorer (Mourn Watch)	While wearing different classifications of Helm and Armor: Mana regeneration +20% Ranged attack Mana cost -20% Weakpoint damage +15%.
48	Frostbite (Control)	Damage vs. Frozen: +15%
49	Ethereal (Control)	Control Abilities grant Deflect after you deal a Critical hit.
50	Flames of Inspiration (Sustain)	Defeating a Burning enemy grants Rally Party.
51	Deadly Providence (Sustain)	Defeating an enemy using a Duration Ability grants Precision.
52	Bombastic (Sustain)	Blast Abilities now deal 25% more Detonation damage. Arcane Shot now Detonates Sundered enemies.
53	Veil Blasts (Sustain)	Apply 15% of your current Mana as bonus damage for Blast Abilities.
54	Resistant Blasts (Sustain)	Defeating an enemy with a Blast Ability grants Resistant.
55	Overdraw (Death Caller)	Abilities cost an additional 50 Mana but gain 50% Penetration.

Try to get Frost Nova and Corrupted Ground as early as possible since these will be your primary source of damage. Get Channeled Thoughts early as well since this will be your main way for regaining mana once you have Corrupted Ground.

As for Ability Upgrades, the most important ones are Time Management and Collateral Damage for that huge damage increase, and Breathing Room to increase the radius of both of your main spells.

Best Death Caller Weapons

	Early Game	Endgame
Main Weapon	Glacial Rod Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage	Glacial Rod Enchantments: +25% Staff Energy Generation
Off-Hand	Spellcaster's Stiletto Enchantments: +20% Barrier Damage	Enchanted Athame Enchantments: +25% Charged Attack Damage
Alt. Weapon	Veilsong Enchantments: +25% Stagger	Fadelight Enchantments: +40 Added Necrotic Damage

Death Caller works well with Cold weapons at any phase in the game to deal large amounts of damage over time. Our Offhand recommendation gives you more mana generation to cast your ranged attack more efficiently.

When you reach endgame, swap your offhand weapons for better healing and mana generation. This should help you survive the more difficult fights later in the game.

Best Death Caller Gear

	Early Game	Endgame
Helmet	Cursed Vitaar Enchantments: +20% Electricity Resistance	Anointed Ash Enchantments: +15% Affliction Duration
Armor	Jumper's Deft Leathers (Mage) Enchantments: +20% Necrotic Resistance	Striking Misfortune Enchantments: +20% Healing Recieved
Belt	Twin Buckle Binding	Deathworn Wraps
Amulet	Magister's Bargain Enchantments: +25% Ultimate Damage	Magister's Bargain Enchantments: +20% Necrosis Damage
Ring 1	Glacial Talus Enchantments: +25% Mana Regeneration	Necrotic Jade Enchantments: +25% Duration Ability Damage
Ring 2	Graven Opal Enchantments: +25% Mana Generation	Precious Decay Enchantments: +25% Area Ability Damage

While it does not matter what you equip in the early game, anything you come across with Necrotic/Necrosis Damage and Mana Generation can lead you towards building your Endgame gear.

Make sure you pick up Necrotic Jade and Glacial Loop as these will significantly boost the damage for all your spells.

Best Death Caller Runes

	Rune	Pros & Cons
Early Game
	Upend	• Converts all your resistances into damage. • Works well with passives that give Resistance.
	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.
	Ravage	• Flat damage boost when damaging Health. • Ideal for finishing off enemies.
End Game
	Escalate	• Enhances your next ability with more damage. • Passively gives +10% Ability Damage. • Great for maxing out the damage of your abilities.
	Vivify	• Refreshes all your ability cooldowns and allows you to cast your next one for free. • Gives 10% Mana Generation. • Perfect for recasting Frost Nova if ever you are in a tight spot.
	Ravage	• Flat damage boost when damaging Health. • Deals 50% more damage for all attacks/spells when you are damaging their health. • Ideal for finishing off enemies.

Your runes will be mostly for damage boosts since you will not have a lot of damage in the early game.

By endgame, Ravage will still be viable for damage boosts but is paired together with Escalate now, while Vivify will be for refreshing Frost Nova.

Best Death Caller Companions

Early Game Companions

Companion	Build
Harding	Skills: Heavy Draw Soothing Potion (Harding) Shred Equipment: Main Weapon: My Regards Keepsake: Secrets and Memories Armor: Spelunker's Gear Trinket: Dwarven Key
Davrin	Skills: Heroic Strike Death from Above Battle Cry Equipment: Main Weapon: Blight Killer Keepsake: Reforged Bulwark Armor: Monster Leathers

Harding and Davrin work well together since their abilities are capable of doing Primer + Detonation combos.

Make sure to use Soothing Potion whenever you can since the Death Caller does not have reliable healing yet in the early game.

Endgame Companions

Companion	Build
Harding	Skills: Heavy Draw Soothing Potion (Harding) Shred Equipment: Main Weapon: My Regards Keepsake: Secrets and Memories Armor: Spelunker's Gear Trinket: Dwarven Key
Davrin	Skills: Heroic Strike Death from Above Battle Cry Equipment: Main Weapon: Grey Edge Keepsake: Warden's Shell Armor: Monster Leathers

Your endgame companions will still be the same with Harding and Davrin being being barely different from their early game versions.

By this time, the Death Caller will have amazing healing with Spirit Bomb so try to use it often to heal your companions as well.

How to Play the Death Caller

The Death Caller is a specialization for the Mage that focuses on using Staves and Necrotic spells to eliminate their enemies. They specialize in casting Damage Over Time (DOT) spells and is classified as a Necromancer type of class without the traditional minions.

• Cast Frost Nova with Corrupted Ground
• Restore Mana With Channeled Thoughts
• Rinse and Repeat

Cast Frost Nova with Corrupted Ground

Make sure you cast Frost Nova first so you can trigger your Deathfrost passive for that sweet 15% Necrotic damage increase and cast Corrupted Ground immediately after.

Since Corrupted Ground uses mana, its cooldown is very short but can only be cast again once the current one in play has expired.

Restore Mana With Channeled Thoughts

The Channeled Thoughts trait will be your fastest way for restoring mana, allowing you to infinitely cast Corrupted Ground and have your enemies die to damage over time. Just make sure you are using Channeled Thoughts in a safe position so your channeling does not get interrupted by heavy attacks.

Rinse and Repeat

Since you always have Corrupted Ground active in the field, your only problem would be the long cooldown of Frost Nova. During that time, you can also keep using Arcane Shot or Spirit Bomb to finish off your enemies and heal yourself until Frost Nova is back online and start casting it again before recasting Corrupted Ground.

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