Bioware is finally giving players the juicy details of Dragon Age The Veilguard as the October 31st release date draws closer. One of the biggest components of any RPG is character progression, a detail that has changed in each new installment of the Dragon Age franchise. DATV brings a complete revamp of these systems, building upon what came before but offering new ideas. As players build their custom protagonist known as Rook, they will choose a class and dive deep into how to play the ultimate fantasy hero. Let’s take a look at how progression is going to work in the game so we can all plan out our builds in advance!
Skill Trees
One of the classic ways to represent character progression, and the one on display here, is the skill tree. Dragon Age The Veilguard lets the player choose from three classes, each with their own skill tree. As demonstrated in the video, the Rogue for instance can choose between ranged combat, devastating melee attacks, or focus on weakening their opponents. While not locked into just one form of play, each class will have three mutually exclusive specializations. Should the Rogue choose to focus on melee attacks, they will likely want to invest in the Duelist specialization. The design of the skill tree starts in the center and works outwards, so players should move in the direction that interests them.
Completing quests, exploring locations, and defeating enemies will award experience points. Earning enough experience will gain Rook a level, allowing them to advance in the skill tree. Progression throughout includes four different types of nodes. Traits affect the flow of combat by providing options like parrying. Passives have permanent effects for different components of Rook’s kit. Abilities are active-use skills that have unique effects, and Rook can equip three of them at a time. Finally, some nodes are Ultimate abilities, and Rook can have one of these equipped at a time. Each node requires investigation and consideration.
So Much Loot
It’s not enough to pick the best abilities, though. Rook will need equipment to guide them through their adventure. Rook has nine item slots shown off in this reveal. With a variety of weapons, armor, and accessories to equip, Rook’s items provide essential bonuses and core gameplay mechanics. Weapons can deal elemental damage and provide specific bonuses for unique aspects of combat, such as dealing more damage on a finishing strike. Armor might protect more against specific types of enemy attacks, and accessories help provide further unique buffs. Rook can also equip special runes on their lyrium dagger that can override elemental damage or provide other unique effects.
Items can be upgraded in myriad ways. An NPC known as the Caretaker runs a workshop where much of the party’s item management is handled. Work must be put in to help the Caretaker upgrade their workshop, which will enhance the minimum level of items that Rook finds in the wild. The Caretaker can also help provide specific upgrades and enchantments to items as the player brings in crafting materials. Whenever Rook finds duplicate items, the original item in their inventory will have its stats and rarity increased. Items can scale from common gear to legendary status. Keeping yourself geared is important, but what about your companions?
All About The Companions
It wouldn’t be a Bioware game if we didn’t care deeply about our companions. Dragon Age The Veilguard has seven companions with progression mechanics as well. This includes active and passive abilities as well as their own equipment (thankfully fewer slots than Rook). Companions will gain their levels as you work with them and get closer to them. Completing their quests and requests will make them stronger. You can equip your companions with their abilities, which they will use on command or on their own. This means you must plan your build and your companions’ builds in tandem.
It is important to keep ability interactions in mind as you engage in progression. Some moves will apply a status effect, like Sundered, while others will detonate that same status for massive damage. If you have chosen several abilities that prime a specific status, you may want to make sure your companions will detonate this. Alternatively, you could use your companions to set up your big hits. However you want to play, the point is to always engage in synergy. As you dive into progression, especially on higher difficulties, you will need to consider what you pick. Thankfully, all skill tree choices are refundable for free, letting you reset your gameplay choices if something isn’t working.
Final Thoughts
Fans of the Dragon Age franchise will find much of this progression system familiar. Skill trees and complex equipment have been the name of the game since the series started. However, the change to action-oriented combat has continued to make the series apply more restrictions. With only three abilities and one ultimate able to be equipped by Rook at any time, some may think the game is simpler than its predecessors. The developer’s interviews seem focused on emphasizing the complexity of combat despite these limitations. We will see how deep this progression system goes when Dragon Age The Veilguard launches on October 31st this year.
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