Champion Build and Best Skills

The Champion Warrior Build is a build you can create for the Champion 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!

Warrior Guides
Best Builds	Skill Tree & Priority	All Equipment
Champion Builds	Reaper Builds	Slayer Builds

The Best Champion Build for Dragon Age: Veilguard

Early-Game Champion Build

Skills	1. Driving Kick 2. Titan Stomp 3. Grappling Spear 4. Flashing Fists
Main	Spellbound Longsword +10% Weapon Damage
Off-Hand	Sentinel's Glory +25% Stagger
Alt. Weapon	Fade-Touched War Axe +10% Weapon Damage
Helmet	Carastes Double-Hat +20% Resistance (Any)
Armor	Brawler's Decorated Leathers +20% Resistance (Any)
Belt	Reinforced Binding
Amulet	Heart of Andraste +15% Critical Damage
Ring 1	Biting Thumb +25% Rage Generation
Ring 2	Paragon's Knuckle +25% Rage Generation
Runes	1. Besiege 2. Upend 3. Ravage
Companions	Bellara: Fade Bolts Replenish (Bellara) Enfeebling Shot
	Lucanis: Debilitate Eviscerate Soothing Potion (Lucanis)

While setting up for Late Game, we focus on grabbing Rage Generation upgrades and enchantments, and boost our overall damage as the Early Game just requires Rook to equip whichever has the best stats.

Endgame Champion Build

Skills	1. Grappling Spear -15% Cooldown Duration 2. Titan Stomp +25% Ability Stagger 3. Blight Bane +25% Ability Critical Damage 4. Warden's Fire
Main	Spellbound Longsword +40 Added Fire Damage
Off-Hand	Fade-Touched Bulwark +25% Stagger
Alt. Weapon	Fade-Touched War Axe +10% Weapon Damage
Helmet	Antivan Parade Helm +30 Defense
Armor	Champion's Brilliant Regalia +10% Ultimate Generation
Belt	Warden's Straps
Amulet	Sightless Skull +25% Ultimate Damage
Ring 1	Andraste's Will +25% Rage Generation
Ring 2	Warden's Signet +25% Control Ability Damage
Runes	1. Shatter 2. Scorch 3. Ravage
Companions	Harding: Seismic Shot Heavy Draw Shred
	Neve: Icebreaker Blizzard Glacial Pace

By Late Game, the Champion has plenty of sources for Fire damage and spammable abilities that require no cost except Blight Bane.

The Champion instead relies on their Perfect Defense in combination with Fade-Touched Bulwark to activate their combat buffs.

Champion Skill Priority

Skill Tree Progression

Order	Skill	Description
1	Counterblow (Core)	Deflect your enemy’s attack and perform a powerful counterattack.
2	Focused Retaliation (Core)	Gain Precision after a successful Perfect Defense.
3	Titan Stomp (Survival)	Create a shockwave around you by slamming into the ground. Deals very high Stagger to nearby enemies. Applies Overwhelm.
4	Bulwark (Survival)	Physical Resistance: +10%
5	Return to Sender (Survival)	Send incoming projectiles back at your attacker with Perfect Defense.
6	Reinforcement (Grey Warden)	Each of your active Advantages increases damage dealt by 10%.
7	Enraged (Grey Warden)	Rage generation: +10%
8	Heavy Armor Mastery (Grey Warden)	While wearing a Heavy Vitaar and Armor: Defense + 20%. You are now less likely to be disrupted when getting hit.
9	Fiery Resolve (Grey Warden)	Gain Flaming Weapons on Perfect Defense. Flaming Weapons lasts 50% longer.
10	Heavy Hitter (Grey Warden)	Heavy attack damage: +10%
11	Grappling Spear (Grey Warden)	Harpoon your targets with a strong throw and drag them in for a closer encounter. Pulls your target toward you. Press Light or Heavy to perform a follow-up attack that deals Physical damage with a high chance to disrupt enemies. Applies Overwhelm.
12	Shield Volley (Core)	Striking a Shield Toss with a Shield attack volleys the shield back at enemies up to 3 times, dealing damage each time.
13	Rancor (Core)	Rage takes 50% longer to begin to decay.
14	Collateral Damage (Grey Warden)	Hitting multiple enemies with a single Area Ability deals 10% more damage for each enemy hit.
15	Wildfire (Grey Warden)	Fire damage: +10%
16	Staggering Charge (Grey Warden)	Stagger from Charged attack: +20%
17	Unbroken Finale (Grey Warden)	Add a powerful Shield Final attack to the end of your Attack Chain.
18	Explosive Anger (Grey Warden)	Spending Rage deals 200% of the cost as Fire damage to enemies within 6 meters.
19	Arcane Defiance (Grey Warden)	Electric Resistance +10% Necrotic Resistance +10%
20	Pump the Primer (Grey Warden)	Overwhelmed and Sundered are 20% more effective.
21	Warden's Fire (Champion)	Unleash a barrage of strikes with the burning strength that resides within every Grey Warden. Applies Burning to enemies.
22	Blight Bane (Champion)	Throw a Warden siege bomb that bursts into a cluster of explosives after a short delay. Launches multiple explosives with each capable of applying Burning to enemies in a small radius. Detonates Weakened.
23	Shield Bearer (Champion)	Shield damage: +10%
24	Bulkhead (Champion)	For each equipped Control Ability, you gain 20 Defense.
25	Wildfire (Champion)	Fire damage: +10%
26	Endless Fire (Champion)	Area Abilities now deal Fire damage. Blight Bane deals additional blasts.
27	Third Degree (Survival)	Maximum Burning stacks: +1.
28	Providence (Survival)	Advantage duration: +20%
29	Masochism (Survival)	You generate 4 Rage when taking damage.
30	Depth of Fury (Survival)	Maximum Rage: +50
31	Sly Strike (Grey Warden)	Agile, Charged, and Final attacks deal 15% bonus damage to enemies suffering from an Affliction.
32	Reverb (Champion)	Trigger a powerful shockwave when executing a Perfect Defense. The shockwave deals 300 Fire damage and applies Burning to enemies.
33	Flare-Up (Champion)	Maximum Burning stacks: +1
34	Ring of Fire (Champion)	Burning is now also applied to enemies around the target.
35	Enflamed (Champion)	Burning damage increases by 20% of your current Rage.
36	Traumatize (Grey Warden)	Takedown damage: +15%
37	Falter (Grey Warden)	Using Control Ability attacks vs. enemies with High Health deals 100% additional Stagger.
38	Breathing Room (Grey Warden)	The scope of Area Abilities is greatly increased.
39	Decisive Finish (Weapons)	Agile attack damage: +10% Charged attack damage: +10% Final attack damage: +10%
40	Inspiring Guard (Champion)	Executing a Perfect Defense now guards against otherwise unblockable attacks. Doing so grants Rally Party.
41	Battlecry (Champion)	Health +10% Defense +10%
42	Aftermath (Champion)	Unbroken Finale now also deals its damage in a large cone behind the target.The radius is doubled if you have Rally Party. This damage does not count as a Final attack.
43	The Best Defense (Champion)	Gain 50% of your Defense as bonus Shield attack damage.
44	Determined Death (Weapons)	You can now hold down your Final attacks, strengthening their impacts. Releasing with perfect timing adds a powerful effect based on your weapon type.
45	Underestimated (Weapons)	Light attack damage vs. health: +10%
46	Breathing Room (Weapons)	The scope of Area Abilities is greatly increased.
47	Wrath (Weapons)	Critical damage: +10%
48	Dazzle (Weapons)	Hitting multiple enemies with a single Area Ability grants Quickened.
49	Necessary Steps (Survival)	Primer duration: +20%
50	Supercharged (Survival)	Projectile Abilities deal 75% more damage vs. Barrier.
51	Conditional Surrender (Survival)	Primers applied by Control Abilities last 20% longer. Detonations triggered by Control Abilities deal 20% more damage.
52	Providence (Survival)	Advantage duration: +20%
53	Fortifying Shots (Survival)	Defeating an enemy with a Projectile Ability grants Resistant. The duration of Resistant resets if it is already active.
54	Reinforced (Survival)	Defeating an enemy with a Control Ability grants Deflect.
55	Masochism (Survival)	You generate 4 Rage when taking damage.

Early Game Progression

For the early game, the Skill Tree progression for a Champion is based on picking up general buffs as the Grey Warden tree is generally based around overall effectiveness, with a milestone Skill being Fiery Resolve.

Once you gain Fiery Resolve, your dynamic in a fight changes as you will need to trigger a Perfect Defense before going on the offensive to maximize the Flaming Weapon buff.

Best Warrior Builds

Late Game Progression

When reaching Late Game, the Champion should focus more on Ability Upgrades and Fire damage buffs to give Fiery Resolve more mileage.

By this time, Rook should be able to wipe out enemies with one good Perfect Defense combined with the rest of his arsenal and buffs.

Skill Breakpoint

Without a doubt, Champion gains their most impactful powerspikes when they get Inspiring Guard and Reverb due to how much it enables a direct but high-skill counterattack playstyle.

Best Champion Weapons

	Early Game	Endgame
Main Weapon	Spellbound Longsword Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage	Spellbound Longsword Enchantments: +40 Added Fire Damage
Off-Hand	Sentinel's Glory Enchantments: +25% Stagger	Fade-Touched Bulwark Enchantments: +25% Stagger
Alt. Weapon	Fade-Touched War Axe Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage	Fade-Touched War Axe Enchantments: +10% Weapon Damage

The Spellbound Longsword grants bonus fire damage and more opportunities for Flaming Weapons, and remains as your primary choice all the way to Late Game.

Fade-Touched Bulwark is an absolute must as it pulls enemies near you when you Perfect Defense, making it the most pivotal tool in the Champion's equipment. Fade-Touched War Axe is there for when you need extra direct damage.

Best Champion Gear

	Early Game	Endgame
Helmet	Carastes Double-Hat Enchantments: +20% Resistance (Any)	Antivan Parade Helm Enchantments: +30 Defense
Armor	Brawler's Decorated Leathers Enchantments: +20% Resistance (Any)	Champion's Brilliant Regalia Enchantments: +10% Ultimate Generation
Belt	Reinforced Binding	Warden's Straps
Amulet	Heart of Andraste Enchantments: +15% Critical Damage	Sightless Skull Enchantments: +25% Ultimate Damage
Ring 1	Biting Thumb Enchantments: +25% Rage Generation	Andraste's Will Enchantments: +25% Rage Generation
Ring 2	Paragon's Knuckle Enchantments: +25% Rage Generation	Warden's Signet Enchantments: +25% Control Ability Damage

Ideally for Champion and Warrior in general, you want Rage Generation equipment and accessories in the Early Game as they can provide you with more opportunities to use your skills in combat.

By Late Game, all of the equipment and accessories contribute to Burning damage, especially Andraste's Will and Warden's Signet, with Sightless Skull used as a way to empower Grappling Spear's pulls.

Best Champion 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
	Shatter	• Shatter allows ranged attacks to break through the enemies' guard when activated. • This rune is great for Reapers since it also increases Ranged attack damage by +10% passively.
	Scorch	• Added Fire Damage bonus can fully escalate Champion's damage, especially considering Fire Damage uptime.
	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.

Champions and the Warrior in general should still focus on getting offensive buffs due to them needing as much damage as they can with how defense-oriented their skill progression is.

Scorch in particular can help Champion shred down groups of opponents when they get caught in Fade-Touched Bulwark's pull.

Best Champion Companions

Early Game Companions

Companion	Build
Bellara	Skills: Fade Bolts Replenish (Bellara) Enfeebling Shot Equipment: Main Weapon: Storm Armor: Utility Dress
Lucanis	Skills: Debilitate Eviscerate Soothing Potion (Lucanis) Equipment: Main Weapon: Slender Dagger Keepsake: Rialto Armor: Covert Leathers

For this build, we suggest bringing Bellara and Lucanis because of their synergy with Sundered, Lucanis' ability to detonate Overwhelm, and Bellara being able to apply Weakened.

Endgame Companions

Companion	Build
Harding	Skills: Seismic Shot Heavy Draw Shred Equipment: Main Weapon: My Regards Armor: Scout's Compassion Trinket: Bianca's Bolt
Neve	Skills: Icebreaker Blizzard Glacial Pace Equipment: Main Weapon: Winged Locus Armor: Gabardine Overcoat Trinket: Exhaustive Notes

Late game, you can swap them out for Harding and Neve for the damage they can bring to the table, as well as their synergies with Overwhelm and Weakened.

How to Play the Champion

The Champion excels at counterattacks, taking control away from the enemy in a fight with their Perfect Defense.

Abuse Perfect Defense and a mix of skills and attack combos in order to empower yourself and subsequently remove opponents from the fight as quickly as possible.

• Get Pefect Defenses
• Combo Opponents
• Use Grappling Spear to Initiate
• Titan Stomp for Added Crowd Control
• Blight Bane for Explosive AoE
• Warden's Fire for Annihilating Opponents

Get a Perfect Defense

The Champion goes online in terms of damage as soon as you hit a Perfect Defense or a parry, allowing you to empower yourself with bonus stagger damage and bonus damage in general with Flaming Weapons.

This is further powered up when you gain access to the Fade-Touched Bulwark unique shield, as it also pulls enemies towards you and allows you to hit multiple opponents with a single swing.

Combo Opponents

Once you have Flaming Weapons, most opponents can be quickly shredded at melee range due to the bonus damage. Use this time to clear out enemy waves and build Rage.

Use Grappling Spear to Initiate

Grappling Spear is a great tool to initiate or continue a fight by allowing you to pull an enemy towards you and applying Overwhelm onto them.

Combined with an Overwhelm detonating ally, you can essentially pull a bomb towards you that damages all enemies near you, making it perfect to pull ranged stragglers.

Titan Stomp for Added Crowd Control

Titan Stomp is another easy crowd control tool that lets you knock down and apply Overwhelm to any enemies near you.

Use this right after the Grappling Spear pull to put the fight in your favor.

Blight Bane for Explosive AoE

When you have enough Rage, Blight Bane becomes your main damaging tool, functioning as a versatile cluster bomb that can take out heavy opponents or multiple fodder units.

The usage of this skill becomes even more effective after a Perfect Defense with Fade-Touched Bulwark, as it pulls them all into range for your Blight Bane afterwards.

Warden's Fire for Annihilating Opponents

When there are multiple enemies in front of you, using Warden's Fire can be a great way to swing the fight back to your advantage, especially when combined with the rest of your abilities.

Titan Stomp opponents, activate Warden's Fire, apply Weakened onto one of them, then throw a Blight Bane to maximize the explosive damage you will deal to them.

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