Best Faction to choose in Dragon Age Veilguard
Here are the pros and cons of each major Faction in Dragon Age Veilguard
Looking for the best Faction in Dragon Age Veilguard?Dragon Age Veilguard offers an in-depth character creation system that allows players to not only pick their starting Class (which will determine combat abilities) but also their character's Faction.
There is a total of 6 Factions to choose from in Dragon Age Veilguard, which can be picked regardless of race or Class, that essentially function as background stories for your character and their origins in Thedas.
These Factions also offer unique buffs as well as flavour text. As such, if you're looking for the best Faction in Dragon Age Veilguard for your playstyle, see our full guide below.
In this guide:
All Faction perks
As mentioned above, each of the 6 Factions in Dragon Age Veilguard has unique perks. We'll go through each of these and how useful they are below.
| Faction | Perks | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Grey Wardens |
| Darkspawn are a fairly common enemy in opening sections. Improved defence and health are helpful for the Warrior Class. |
| Veil Jumpers |
| Increased Critical damage is useful for the Rogue Class. |
| Shadow Dragons |
| Venatori are prevalent in the opening missions of the game. Class-specific resources unlock a special high-damage attack. For Warriors this is 'Rage', for Rogues 'Momentum' and Mages use 'Mana'. |
| Lords of Fortune |
| Takedowns performed after stunning enemies can offer huge potential damage. |
| The Mourn Watch |
| Additional Affliction is useful to the Mage Class. Demons are some of the toughest enemies in the game. |
| Antivan Crows |
| An extra health potion (from the standard 3) is useful across the board. The Antaam are tough Qunari, but less common in the game. |
What is the best Faction in Dragon Age Veilguard?
Note: The following text mentions which factions and enemies you will encounter first in the game. Skip if you want to avoid these mild spoilers. In essence I suggest either the Shadow Dragons or Antivan Crows.
If you want to have an easier headstart in Dragon Age Veilguard, I recommend picking either the Shadow Dragons, Antivan Crows or Grey Wardens. The reason is that they offer an enhancement to attacks against their opposing factions. During the opening sections of the game, you'll mostly encounter Darkspawn and Venatori (with some sprinkling of demons).
Additionally, the first couple of factions you'll receive missions for will be the Antivan Crows and Shadow Dragons. This means you can also get a head start on nurturing a relationship with these factions.
In terms of perks, the extra potion you can have thanks to the Crows is immensely useful, as is the resource regeneration of the Shadow Dragons. I personally chose the Shadow Dragons Faction for my Rook.
All of these considerations have a minute effect on actual gameplay, however. So I suggest building your character first. Take into consideration their Class and race and what sort of personality you want your Rook to have. Then, choose a Faction that aligns with that story-wise and roleplay it.
The major thing Faction dictates is flavour text moments where your companions will talk about your history and connections. I find it's better to pick a Faction that will immerse me rather than the one that's simply best for perks and skills.
Faction gameplay effects
Along with your starting skill or buff, your Faction will determine the following:
- Your character's last name.
- Your character's standing with other people: Certain characters in the game may already know you or have heard of you. Others may be impressed with your reputation.
- Your aspirational armour: Each Faction has 'aspirational armour', a thematically designed set that aligns with the Faction's look. You can, however, buy other Faction armour from their merchants at their respective bases. Simply go to the Wardrobe icon within their inventories to see the unlock requirements.
- Your character will have a starting letter: Each Rook will have a letter in their inventory from someone in their Faction with more information on your background and how you got into working with Varric.
- You'll have different 'Faction' dialogue options: This may appear on your dialogue wheel in certain sequences where your character will have more information on the topic according to their background.
- Banter amongst party members: Your party may speak about Rook's past and their connections depending on your surroundings. For example, a Rook with the Shadow Dragons Faction may comment on her experience encountering Venatori.
All in all, the gameplay changes around Faction choice are fairly minuscule in terms of mechanics. Instead, your Faction adds some flavour to your encounters, making Rook feel like a fledged-out person with a history before you step into their shoes. As such, I recommend going for one that appeals to you the most or aligns with your roleplay vision for your character.
That rounds up our guide on the best Factions in Dragon Age Veilguard. For more Dragon Age Veilguard tips and tricks, check out our guide to choosing between Neve or Harding in 'The End of the Beginning quest', the first major choice of the game.