A mercenary, archer, and mage walk into a bar: Meet your Dragon Age: Inquisition mates

By Will Fulton October 21, 2014

The latest look at BioWare’s Dragon Age: Inquisition shows off some of the companions you can acquire to support your inquisition.

The Iron Bull is a Qunari mercenary, leader of the Bull’s Chargers, and a brutal hunk of raw power that can provide some muscle for your party. According to the Dragon Age Wiki he is also “a pansexual romance option for the Inquisitor,” if you want to see if the carpet matches the horns. Sera is a hotheaded elven archer who provides tactical support from a distance. She is also, interestingly, the first strictly lesbian romantic option in a Dragon Age game. Dorian is a powerful spellcaster from the magocratic Tevinter Imperium, a once great empire that has fallen from grace.

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Related: Dragon Age: Inquisition‘s romantic relationships listed and explained

These are just three of the nine possible companions you can sign on to your inquisition over the course of the game. As BioWare has become famous for, the companions will effect the game both in and out of combat as their stories intersect with your own.

Dragon Age: Inquisition arrives soon for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles on November 18, 2014.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

Gaming

How to hold more potions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

A dark and dreary landscape in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Potions are a mainstay in almost all fantasy media. In the world of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, they only come in one form, which is your classic healing potion. These mysterious elixirs are your only way to restore HP after you get smacked around a bit by some Darkspawn, but they are a notably limited resource, with just three by default. Upgrading how many potions you can hold is a common mechanic in games such as this, yet you would be hard-pressed to find a way to do it here since there's nothing in the skill trees or upgrade system that seems to allow it. There are at least two ways to hold more potions, however, so drink up as we go over what you need to do.
How to hold more potions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The first way to hold one extra potion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard has to be done during the character creator phase. When you're selecting which Faction your Rook is as part of their background, you will see that each one comes with several traits. The Antvan Crows specifically are the only one that gives you the Hidden Pouch trait that lets you hold one extra potion. Sadly, just like your class, this isn't something you can change once you've selected it.

Gaming

How to increase max HP in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

A glowing statue in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

No matter which class you pick in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you will notice very quickly how short your life bar is. While the Warrior, Rogue, and Mage do have different defensive stats and access to various armors, no one is going to be able to tank a ton of hits early on. Plus, with the exception of the bonus you get for choosing one specific background, you only have three potions at a time to back you up. There are ways to mitigate damage and heal, but that doesn't help much if you take a giant hit that wipes you out in one shot. Leveling up doesn't boost your health, and there's nothing on the skill tree that will do it, either. We all need more HP, so here's the secret to increasing your life bar in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
How to get more max HP in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

There are two methods for increasing your HP. The first is related to optional points of interest on the map called Evanuris Altars. These won't ping on your map until you get close to them, but two early ones you can find in the Arlathan forest are marked below.

Gaming

Which class should you pick in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

A wizard and night in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The character creator in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is incredibly deep. You can fully manipulate almost every aspect of your Rook, from their race down to their hair and eye color. Once you've finally settled on what you want to look lik,e you will need to make an even more important choice: what you want the game to play like. You will be presented with three choices for what class you want to be, each one with its own skill tree, specializations, weapons, and approach to combat. Unlike your skills or appearance, once you pick a class in the character creator, you're stuck with it. There's no changing your mind unless you are willing to start the game over with a new character. The game will give you a brief explanation of the classes, but it won't be enough to make an informed decision. Here's a detailed look at what you can expect from each class and whether or not it would be right for you.
Warrior

The Warrior class is the tank of the group and is perfect for players who want to be in the heart of the action. They wear heavy armor and can swap between a sword and shield or a single two-handed weapon like an axe. You will still have some ranged options, such as throwing your shield and a few abilities, but the main focus is building up rage and unleashing strong melee abilities or areas of effect (AoEs).