Warrior Builds

Warrior Builds

Warriors in Dragon Age: The Veilguard are the unyielding backbone of any adventuring party, capable of soaking up immense damage, controlling the battlefield, or unleashing devastating blows. This comprehensive guide delves deep into each Warrior specialization – Champion, Reaver, and Templar – providing detailed skill tree breakdowns, optimal gear recommendations, and tactical advice to ensure your Warrior is an unstoppable force on the battlefields of Thedas.

The Champion: Unyielding Defender

The Champion specialization is for those who wish to stand firm against any foe, drawing aggro, shrugging off attacks, and protecting their allies. They excel at crowd control and survivability, making them ideal for challenging encounters and higher difficulties.

Champion Skill Tree Focus

Your primary goal as a Champion is to maximize your defensive capabilities and threat generation. Focus on the Vanguard and Weapon and Shield trees initially, then branch into the Champion tree.

• Vanguard Tree:
  • Challenge: Your core taunt. Prioritize this early.
  • War Cry: Excellent for generating threat on multiple enemies and providing a temporary defense buff.
  • Lunge and Bash: A great opener for closing distances and stunning a key target.
  • Bodyguard: A crucial passive that redirects a portion of damage from an ally to you. Essential for protecting squishier companions.
  • Untouchable Defense: Reduces incoming damage when below a certain health threshold.
• Weapon and Shield Tree:
  • Shield Wall: The cornerstone of your defense. Master this ability for significant damage reduction.
  • Payback Strike: Deals damage and generates guard based on damage taken.
  • Shield Bash: Interrupts enemy abilities and generates guard.
  • Block and Slash: A passive that grants guard when blocking.
• Champion Tree:
  • Line in the Sand: Creates an area where allies gain bonus defense and guard generation. Perfect for holding choke points.
  • Bulwark: Increases your maximum guard and guard generation.
  • Stonewall: A powerful passive that grants temporary invulnerability after taking a certain amount of damage.
  • Unbreakable: Your ultimate ability, making you temporarily immune to damage and crowd control. Use this during critical moments or boss burst phases.

Champion Gear Recommendations

• Weapon: One-Handed Sword or Axe with a Shield. Look for weapons with bonus Guard generation or threat generation.
  • Early Game: "Iron Guard's Blade" (found in the Hinterlands, drops from a specific bandit leader near the Crossroads).
  • Mid Game: "Defender's Resolve" (craftable with schematics found in the Western Approach or rewarded from the "Still Waters" quest).
  • Late Game: "Aegis of the Warden" (legendary sword, often found in high-level dungeons or as a rare boss drop in the Deep Roads).
• Shield: Prioritize shields with high armor rating and bonus Guard.
  • Early Game: "Sturdy Kite Shield" (purchased from vendors in Val Royeaux).
  • Mid Game: "Bulwark of the Griffon" (crafted from schematics found in the Emerald Graves).
  • Late Game: "The Last Stand" (legendary shield, often a reward for completing major faction quests or found in the final areas of the game).
• Armor: Heavy Armor is paramount. Look for stats that boost Health, Guard, Damage Resistance, and Constitution.
  • Early Game: "Templar Armor" (drops from Templar enemies or crafted).
  • Mid Game: "Dragon Bone Plate" (crafted using Dragon Bone, found by defeating Dragons).
  • Late Game: "Armor of the Sentinel" (legendary set, often obtained through a series of challenging side quests or as a reward for defeating the final boss).
• Accessories: Rings and Amulets that increase Guard generation, Health, or grant damage resistance.
  • Amulet of Barrier: Provides a small barrier when entering combat.
  • Ring of Fortification: Increases maximum Guard.

Champion Tactical Advice

• Positioning is Key: Always be at the front, drawing enemy attention away from your squishier companions. Use abilities like Lunge and Bash to close gaps and engage priority targets.
• Guard Management: Your survival hinges on maintaining high Guard. Use Shield Wall, Payback Strike, and Shield Bash proactively.
• Taunt Rotation: Use Challenge and War Cry to keep enemies focused on you. Prioritize taunting high-damage enemies or those targeting your mages/rogues.
• Crowd Control: Utilize Shield Bash to interrupt dangerous enemy spells or attacks. Lunge and Bash can also stun.
• Defensive Cooldowns: Save Unbreakable and Stonewall for moments of extreme danger, such as boss burst phases or when you're overwhelmed.
• Synergy with Allies: Champions pair well with mages who can provide additional barriers or rogues who can exploit enemies distracted by you.

The Reaver: Bloodthirsty Berserker

The Reaver specializes in sustained damage output, often at the cost of their own health. They thrive on being in the thick of combat, dealing damage over time and regenerating health through their vampiric abilities. This build is for players who enjoy a high-risk, high-reward playstyle.

Reaver Skill Tree Focus

Reavers focus on the Two-Handed Weapon and Battlemaster trees, then delve into the Reaver tree to maximize their damage and self-sustain.

• Two-Handed Weapon Tree:
  • Mighty Blow: A powerful single-target attack.
  • Whirlwind: Excellent for clearing groups of weaker enemies.
  • Earthshattering Strike: Knocks down enemies in an area, providing crowd control.
  • Flow of Battle: Reduces cooldowns on kill. Crucial for maintaining momentum.
• Battlemaster Tree:
  • Grappling Chain: Pulls enemies to you, useful for isolating targets or closing gaps.
  • War Cry (Upgrade): While primarily a Champion ability, the Battlemaster upgrade "Battle Roar" can be useful for Reavers for the temporary damage boost.
  • Deep Reserves: Increases stamina regeneration when low on stamina.
• Reaver Tree:
  • Devour: Your primary self-healing ability. Deals damage and heals you based on damage dealt.
  • Dragon-Rage: Consumes your own health to deal massive damage. This is your core damage ability.
  • Fervor: Increases attack speed and damage when your health is low. Synergizes perfectly with Dragon-Rage.
  • Blood Frenzy: A passive that increases damage as your health decreases.
  • Rampage: Your ultimate ability. Grants massive damage, attack speed, and life steal for a short duration. Use this during boss fights or when facing multiple elite enemies.

Reaver Gear Recommendations

• Weapon: Two-Handed Greatswords or Mauls. Look for high base damage, critical chance, and critical damage.
  • Early Game: "Greatsword of the Apostate" (found in the Hinterlands, often drops from cultists).
  • Mid Game: "Sunder" (crafted from schematics found in the Storm Coast or Emprise du Lion).
  • Late Game: "Axe of the Dragon Slayer" (legendary axe, often a reward for defeating a high-level dragon or completing a specific questline in the Hissing Wastes).
• Armor: Heavy Armor with stats boosting Critical Chance, Critical Damage, Strength, and Constitution. Health regeneration is also a bonus.
  • Early Game: "Mercenary Plate" (purchased from vendors or drops from human enemies).
  • Mid Game: "Superior Battlemaster Armor" (crafted from schematics found in the Exalted Plains).
  • Late Game: "Armor of the Blood Mage" (legendary set, often found in ancient ruins or as a reward for a challenging quest involving blood magic).
• Accessories: Rings and Amulets that boost Critical Chance, Critical Damage, or provide life steal/health regeneration.
  • Amulet of Cunning: Increases critical chance.
  • Ring of Life Steal: Grants a percentage of damage dealt as health.

Reaver Tactical Advice

• Embrace the Low Health: Reavers are designed to be powerful when their health is low. Don't be afraid to use Dragon-Rage, but always have Devour ready to recover.
• Sustain Through Damage: Your primary defense is your offense. The more damage you deal, the more you heal with Devour and Rampage.
• Target Priority: Focus on high-health, high-threat enemies. Your sustained damage is excellent for taking down bosses and elites.
• Area of Effect (AoE): Use Whirlwind for groups of weaker enemies, but prioritize single-target abilities for tougher foes.
• Cooldown Management: Keep an eye on Devour's cooldown. It's your lifeline. Use Flow of Battle to reset it faster by securing kills.
• Ultimate Timing: Deploy Rampage during critical moments, such as when a boss is vulnerable or when you need to quickly clear a group of dangerous enemies.

The Templar: Anti-Magic Crusader

The Templar specialization is a potent anti-magic force, excelling at disrupting enemy spellcasters and demons. They offer excellent support through buffs and debuffs, making them invaluable against magical threats and in areas infested with Fade creatures.

Templar Skill Tree Focus

Templars can be built as either a damage dealer or a more supportive tank. We'll focus on a balanced approach, utilizing both Weapon and Shield (for survivability) or Two-Handed Weapon (for damage) and then specializing in the Templar tree.

• Weapon and Shield / Two-Handed Weapon Tree: (Choose based on preferred playstyle)
  • Weapon and Shield: Focus on Shield Wall, Shield Bash, and Challenge for tankiness.
  • Two-Handed Weapon: Focus on Mighty Blow, Whirlwind, and Earthshattering Strike for damage.
• Vanguard Tree (Optional but Recommended for Tank Templars):
  • War Cry: Excellent for threat generation and defense.
  • Bodyguard: Protects allies.
• Templar Tree:
  • Spell Purge: Your signature ability. Dispels magical effects on enemies and deals damage. Crucial for countering mages and demons.
  • Holy Smite: Deals spirit damage and has a chance to stun demons and spellcasters.
  • Cleanse: Removes negative status effects from allies. Essential for support.
  • Rally: Provides a temporary bonus to attack and defense for nearby allies.
  • The Last Sacrifice: A powerful passive that grants bonus damage against demons and spellcasters.
  • Wrath of Heaven: Your ultimate ability. Deals massive spirit damage in an area and stuns demons and spellcasters. Devastating against magical groups.

Templar Gear Recommendations

• Weapon: Can be either One-Handed Sword/Axe with Shield or a Two-Handed Greatsword/Maul. Look for weapons with bonus Spirit damage, Willpower, or Constitution.
  • Early Game: "Templar's Blade" (drops from Templar enemies or crafted).
  • Mid Game: "Faith's Edge" (crafted from schematics found in the Forbidden Oasis or rewarded from "The Spirit of the Oasis" quest).
  • Late Game: "Blade of the Divine" (legendary sword, often found in ancient temples or as a reward for completing a major questline involving the Chantry).
• Armor: Heavy Armor. Prioritize stats that boost Willpower, Constitution, Spirit Resistance, and Cooldown Reduction.
  • Early Game: "Templar Armor" (drops from Templar enemies or crafted).
  • Mid Game: "Knight-Enchanter's Plate" (crafted from schematics found in the Emerald Graves).
  • Late Game: "Armor of the Pure" (legendary set, often obtained through a series of challenging side quests or as a reward for defeating a powerful demon lord).
• Accessories: Rings and Amulets that increase Spirit damage, Cooldown Reduction, or provide resistance to magical attacks.
  • Amulet of Spirit: Increases Spirit damage.
  • Ring of Cooldown Reduction: Reduces ability cooldowns, allowing more frequent use of Spell Purge and Holy Smite.

Templar Tactical Advice

• Anti-Magic Priority: Your primary role is to counter mages and demons. Use Spell Purge immediately on any enemy casting spells or buffing themselves.
• Crowd Control: Holy Smite and Wrath of Heaven are excellent for stunning magical enemies, giving your party breathing room.
• Supportive Role: Utilize Cleanse to remove debilitating effects from your allies and Rally to boost their performance.
• Target Priority: Always focus on enemy spellcasters and demons first. They are your natural prey.
• Positioning: If tanking, stay in the front. If damage-focused, position yourself to hit multiple magical enemies with your AoE abilities.
• Ultimate Timing: Save Wrath of Heaven for groups of powerful mages or demons, or to interrupt a boss's critical magical attack.

By understanding these specializations and tailoring your skills, gear, and tactics, your Warrior will become an indispensable asset in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, capable of overcoming any challenge Thedas throws your way.