Weapons

Weapons

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, your choice of weapon is paramount, defining your combat style, damage output, and strategic options. This comprehensive guide delves into every weapon type available to the Veilguard, detailing their base statistics, damage affinities, available upgrade slots, and the unique properties that set them apart. Beyond standard armaments, we'll pinpoint the precise locations of powerful unique weapons and legendary artifacts, providing step-by-step instructions to acquire these game-changing items.

Weapon Types & Mechanics

Each weapon type caters to different playstyles and character builds. Understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial for optimizing your party's combat effectiveness.

Upgrade Slots: Each weapon type features specific upgrade slots that allow for customization. Runes are universal and can be applied to most weapons and shields, providing elemental damage, status effects, or defensive bonuses. Other slots, like 'Pommel' or 'Blade', are unique to the weapon type and can enhance damage, critical chance, armor penetration, or other core stats. Always prioritize upgrades that complement your chosen character build and party composition.

Unique & Legendary Weapons

Beyond standard gear, Thedas is home to legendary weapons imbued with ancient power or crafted by master artisans. These items often possess unique passive abilities, significantly boosted stats, or even grant new combat skills. Acquiring them is often tied to challenging quests, formidable foes, or hidden paths.

1. The Serpent's Kiss (Dagger)

• Type: Dagger (Unique)
• Stats: 15-20 Piercing Damage, +10% Critical Chance, +20% Poison Damage, On-hit: 15% chance to apply Weakness.
• Passive: Venomous Strike - Critical hits with this weapon apply a stacking poison effect that deals 5 damage per second for 5 seconds.
• Location: Acquired during the side quest "Whispers in the Mire" in the Weeping Fen.
  1. Initiate the quest by speaking with the distraught merchant, Elara, near the entrance to the Weeping Fen (coordinates: X: 452, Y: 189). She will task you with finding her missing caravan.
  2. Follow the faint tracks leading deeper into the fen, past the first set of ancient ruins. Be wary of Bog Lurkers and Fenshanks.
  3. You will eventually discover the caravan wreckage at the edge of a large, stagnant pool (coordinates: X: 380, Y: 250).
  4. Investigate the area. A short cutscene will trigger, revealing the culprit: a powerful Greater Bog Lurker Matriarch.
  5. Strategy: The Matriarch is highly resistant to poison but vulnerable to fire. Bring a mage with fire spells or use fire-enchanted weapons. Focus on its weak point (glowing sac on its back) when it rears up. It will summon smaller Bog Lurkers; deal with them quickly to avoid being overwhelmed.
  6. Upon defeating the Matriarch, loot its corpse. The Serpent's Kiss will be among the rewards, alongside some rare crafting materials.
• Missable Warning: If you complete the main questline in the Weeping Fen before speaking to Elara, the "Whispers in the Mire" quest may become unavailable.

2. Stone-Heart Breaker (Two-Handed Mace)

• Type: Two-Handed Mace (Legendary)
• Stats: 35-50 Blunt Damage, +20% Stagger Chance, +15 Armor Penetration, +10% Damage vs. Constructs.
• Passive: Earthshatter - Heavy attacks create a small tremor, dealing 50% weapon damage in a small AoE and slowing affected enemies by 25% for 3 seconds.
• Location: Found within the hidden vault of the Shattered Peaks, accessible only after completing the main quest "The Titan's Echo."
  1. After completing "The Titan's Echo," return to the main chamber of the Titan's Heart (coordinates: X: 710, Y: 605).
  2. Look for a newly opened passage on the eastern wall, previously blocked by rubble. This passage leads to the "Ancient Forges."
  3. Navigate through the Ancient Forges, which are populated by advanced Golems and Stone Wraiths. These enemies are highly resistant to physical damage but weak to Spirit and Lightning.
  4. You will reach a large circular chamber with a central pedestal. This is the "Vault of the First Forgemaster."
  5. To unlock the vault, you must solve a rune puzzle. The runes correspond to the elemental weaknesses of the Golems you just fought: Lightning, Spirit, Lightning, Spirit. Activate them in this sequence on the four pillars surrounding the pedestal.
  6. Once the puzzle is solved, the pedestal will lower, revealing a chest containing Stone-Heart Breaker.
• Recommended Loadout: For the Ancient Forges, bring a Spirit Mage (e.g., Solas if he's available) and a Lightning-focused companion. Warriors should equip axes or maces for their armor penetration.

3. The Sunken Staff of Lyrium's Call (Staff)

• Type: Staff (Unique)
• Stats: 22-30 Spirit Damage, +15% Spell Power, +50 Mana Regeneration, +10% Cold Resistance.
• Passive: Lyrium's Embrace - Spells cast with this staff have a 10% chance to refund 25% of their Mana cost.
• Location: Recovered from the depths of the Sunken Grotto, part of the "Tides of Oblivion" questline.
  1. Begin the "Tides of Oblivion" quest by interacting with the ancient Elven altar on the coast of the Emerald Abyss (coordinates: X: 120, Y: 300). This will open the path to the Sunken Grotto.
  2. The Grotto is a water-logged dungeon filled with Deepspawn, Lurkers, and a new enemy type: the Abyssal Horror. The Abyssal Horror is a large, tentacled creature vulnerable to Electricity damage.
  3. You'll need to activate three ancient pressure plates submerged in water to drain certain sections of the grotto. The plates are located at:
     • Plate 1: North-west chamber (X: 80, Y: 350) - guarded by two Deepspawn Alpha.
     • Plate 2: Central cavern, behind a crumbling wall (X: 150, Y: 320) - requires a Warrior with 'Shatter' ability to break the wall.
     • Plate 3: South-east passage (X: 200, Y: 280) - guarded by an Abyssal Horror.
  4. Once all three plates are active, the central chamber will fully drain, revealing a hidden altar.
  5. Interact with the altar to claim The Sunken Staff of Lyrium's Call.
• Common Pitfall: Players often miss the crumbling wall for Plate 2, thinking they need to find another path. Ensure you have a Warrior capable of breaking environmental obstacles.

Weapon Maintenance & Crafting

Beyond finding powerful weapons, maintaining and enhancing them is crucial. Visit a Blacksmith in Skyhold or any major hub to repair damaged weapons, preventing their stats from degrading. Utilize the Crafting Station to apply runes, upgrade components (hilts, blades, shafts, etc.), and even craft entirely new weapons if you have the schematics and materials. Always keep an eye out for rare crafting components dropped by powerful enemies or found in hidden caches, as these are essential for creating the strongest upgrades.