Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s promotional marketing campaign is in full swing after BioWare reintroduced the re-titled RPG at Summer time Recreation Fest earlier this month. Whereas we realized quite a bit from the gameplay reveal and the behind-closed-doors presentation on the present, BioWare remains to be drip-feeding data to followers, most lately within the type of a Discord Q&A with sport director Corinne Busche, inventive director John Epler, and artwork director Matt Rhodes that came about earlier right this moment, June 14.
Listed here are a number of of the foremost reveals for many who don’t need to hearken to the total audio.
Having two get together members will change issues
Each earlier Dragon Age sport has used a celebration of 4 characters together with your participant character, whereas The Veilguard has shaved this down to 3. You’ll solely have the ability to deliver two companions with you at a time, just like the Mass Impact collection, and followers are fearful this may have an effect on issues like get together banter, which has develop into a staple within the collection. Busche defined that decreasing the get together depend got here hand-in-hand with a want to deliver all the things in gameplay to a extra intimate stage, and meaning commanding extra get together actions suddenly.
“We simply discovered that whenever you’re enjoying the fight system, whenever you’re planning your methods, two actually felt like the correct quantity to handle,” she mentioned. “So be mindful, [protagonist] Rook has quite a lot of several types of actions, talents, and particular person assaults which might be extra totally fleshed out than ever earlier than. Timing and positioning actually matter quite a bit, so this actually felt like the correct steadiness. The variety of inputs and actions we’re asking you as a participant to take, together with directing your companions, is larger than ever earlier than. […] I interact with the companions, [and] actively management what they’re doing greater than I ever have earlier than in any of the opposite three video games.”
So far as banter goes, Epler mentioned that The Veilguard will nonetheless embrace banter between companions as you journey by means of the world, even when fewer individuals are participating within the dialog without delay. He additionally confirmed that BioWare has gone out of its technique to embrace options like resumable banter to make sure you don’t miss a dialog by by chance triggering an occasion that interrupts it. Whereas there will likely be interactions between characters throughout your travels, BioWare additionally confirmed there will likely be banter at your own home base, so that you’ll nonetheless get a way of their relationships with each other when you don’t take them out to the sector.
“Actually, I don’t suppose you possibly can cease the writers from writing banter,” Epler mentioned. “I’ll say for myself it’s one of many extra gentle however enjoyable issues to do. You get to write down little tales and little arcs between completely different characters.”
You may kiss a skeleton, perhaps?
Because it was revealed that Emmrich, the outdated man necromancer get together member, would have a skeletal assistant named Manfred, Dragon Age followers have, maybe predictably, puzzled when you can kiss the lipless man. Rhodes shot down any notion of a Manfred romance, however he appears to indicate that you just’ll have the ability to do…one thing….with a skeleton in some unspecified time in the future in The Veilguard.
“I might say, ‘not that skeleton,’ however we’re not saying ‘no skeletons,’” Rhodes responded to a fan asking to bone the bones.
There’s no picture mode…but
BioWare has confirmed that The Veilguard doesn’t have a photograph mode, however is open to including it. This could be the second time the studio has such a function to its video games, because it included it within the Mass Impact: Legendary Version remasters, however Dragon Age hasn’t had one but.
“That could be a function that we like the concept of,” Rhodes mentioned. “It’s not simply player-facing, however internally it’s a extremely useful factor for us as we’re constructing issues out to have that. So we’ll let you understand.”
The flexibility wheel is a little more restricted this time round
The Veilguard is utilizing a capability wheel just like Mass Impact, nevertheless it doesn’t sound such as you’ll have the ability to use each spell or potential in your arsenal from this. As a substitute, you’ll must assign a loadout of three talents per character within the get together, and determine what strikes you need to deliver with you to the sector. That is just like Mass Impact: Andromeda, which allow you to study each potential within the sport however had been restricted to 3 at a time except you swapped your loadout. Earlier Dragon Age video games allow you to entry most of your spells and skills from an analogous wheel with out limitation.
“What I like about that is there’s type of an emergent gameplay relying on who you and your companions are coming into the mission with,” Busche mentioned. “The rationale for that’s that it truly creates a extremely attention-grabbing steadiness of strategizing […] about your fight package earlier than the mission. Then the tactical selections when you’re within the discipline in fight deciding what to do.”
Different potential wheel inputs will embrace combat-based gadgets that may buff your workforce, and an “final” potential relying in your class and specialization.
BioWare will speak about accessibility options at a later date
One fan requested if BioWare can be together with accessibility options in The Veilguard to assist gamers who want these play the sport. The query particularly talked about an arachnophobia mode that might take away spiders from the sport, which prompted Busche to say her personal concern of spiders. Nonetheless, it feels like BioWare will give this particular subject some consideration someplace down the road earlier than the sport launches in fall.
“I do need to guarantee you that we’ve spent quite a lot of time desirous about this subject so you may play the sport in a means that actually works for you,” Busche mentioned. “I’m excited to share that with you when the time is true.”
The Veilguard takes place ten years after Inquisition
Within the authentic gameplay reveal, Solas mentions that he and Varric labored collectively as a part of the Inquisition “years” in the past, and now we all know precisely how way back that was. Based on Epler, The Veilguard takes place round 10 years after the occasions of Inquisition’s remaining Trespasser DLC.
You’ll have the ability to customise your get together’s outfits
The Veilguard appears closely influenced by Dragon Age II from its action-based fight to its free-for-all romance, however one factor it gained’t be bringing again from the 2011 RPG is fastened get together member appearances. Rhodes confirmed that whereas every companion can have a “wider vary” of matches so that you can discover all through the sport.

The workforce shouldn’t be targeted on DLC at the moment
Most of BioWare’s latest video games (with the unlucky exception of Mass Impact: Andromeda) have had main story DLCs. Busche mentioned that proper now ,the workforce’s complete focus is on the principle Veilguard sport and didn’t verify or deny if the workforce would work on DLC after launch. She did, nevertheless, reiterate that it gained’t have any microtransactions, battle passes, or on-line necessities.
There will likely be transmog
Busche confirmed that The Veilguard can have a transmog system so you may put on no matter you need whereas protecting the stats of stronger gear.
There gained’t be any asexual characters this time round
A fan requested if any characters in The Veilguard will likely be on the ace spectrum, and Busche mentioned that whereas not one of the companions will likely be asexual, she, as a grey asexual particular person, wish to embrace one down the road.
“None of our companions this time round are explicitly ace. Once we take a look at the characters, their motivations, who they’re, we all the time assess, ‘is that this the correct time?’ This time it wasn’t. However what I’ll say, for everybody on the ace spectrum on the market, I might like to symbolize an ace relationship someday sooner or later when it appears like probably the most genuine match for a companion, after we can do it greatest.”
Blood mage is not going to be a specialization for Rook
Whereas Busche didn’t particularly point out the opposite mage companions, she did verify that Rook can have plot causes for not training the controversial Blood Magic in The Veilguard. She didn’t get into specifics however did verify that necromancy, elemental magic, and a extra combat-based specialization are all on the desk.
There will likely be no canine this time
Dragon Age: Origins had a canine companion in your get together. That won’t be the case in The Veilguard as a result of the sport takes place in northern Thedas, the place the Mabari breed isn’t distinguished. You may, nevertheless, pet Assan, Davrin’s griffon companion.
BioWare will present the character creator earlier than launch
Having seen the character creator at Summer time Recreation Fest, I can verify The Veilguard’s character creator is definitely the deepest one BioWare’s ever performed. Busche confirmed BioWare will present it off publicly earlier than launch within the fall.
Rook’s final title will likely be outlined by their faction
As a result of you may play as so many various races in Dragon Age, participant characters’ final names had been usually decided by race or backstory. In The Veilguard, Rook’s final title will likely be outlined by which of the six factions you select for them. Their first title will likely be customizable, nevertheless.
There will likely be a collector’s version
Whereas BioWare wasn’t capable of speak concerning the completely different editions for The Veilguard, Epler mentioned the workforce would speak about these “quickly.”

Tavern songs are again
One of many coolest worldbuilding bits in Inquisition had been tavern songs carried out by bards in Skyhold. These will likely be returning in The Veilguard. Busche says one that’s featured in a tavern known as “The Swan” within the metropolis of Minrathous is her favourite within the sport.
Your get together members can depart when you piss them off…however they may come again
In earlier Dragon Age video games, your companions may depart your get together in the event that they disapproved of your actions sufficient. It feels like The Veilguard can have related falling-outs, nevertheless it looks as if a few of them won’t be everlasting.
“You may piss them off, they may not agree with you, and so they may take a while away,” she mentioned. “That mentioned, that is the largest menace to Thedas we’ve ever seen, so they’re all the time going to be keen to point out as much as defend Thedas, however yeah, you may piss them off and so they’ll depart for a minute.”
If Rook dies, sport over
In earlier Dragon Age video games, you’d shift management from one character to a different in the event that they died in fight. In The Veilguard, you’ll must reload a save if Rook dies. That’s since you don’t get direct management of your companions this time round, however you may spec a celebration member to revive you to salvage a foul battle.
The Fade resolution from Inquisition gained’t be a consider The Veilguard
In Inquisition you had to decide on between leaving both Dragon Age II protagonist Hawke or a Gray Warden chief in The Fade to assist save the workforce from an unpleasant spider demon. Epler confirmed that this alternative gained’t play into The Veilguard’s story, however did say it’d come up in a future sport down the road.
There gained’t be mounts this time round
As a result of The Veilguard isn’t open-world like Inquisition, you gained’t be using a horse within the new sport. Rhodes defined mounts had been meant to handle a necessity that the studio now not has this time round.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is coming this fall, so when you’ve not performed these video games earlier than, you continue to have a while to catch up. Right here’s a roundup of the most vital DLCs and a few mods to streamline Inquisition into a greater sport to get you in your means.
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