BioWare shows off Dragon Age Veilguard companion quest, combat

And an adorable baby griffon

BioWare

BioWare and IGN published a new video highlighting one of Dragon Age Veilguard’s companion quests and a more in-depth look at the RPG’s combat, along with a fantastically adorable baby griffon and a long-requested feature. You can finally use healing magic in Veilguard! Assuming you’re a mage.

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You’ll probably need it, too. The initial DA Veilguard reveal that showcased the prologue was, as most battle tutorials are, a little flat, but not only were the enemies in this new segment brutal – there were a lot of them. BioWare picked up Davrin’s companion quest, which took Rook and the team into a Blight-filled area so infested with Darkspawn that the Grey Wardens struggled to keep it at bay. 

We didn’t get to see the quest arc’s conclusion, but the gist of it is that Davrin is trying to rescue a gaggle of griffons from a horrific beast. Even though it’s his quest, you’re free to boot him out of the party and travel with whoever you prefer. He’ll just press on ahead and take care of a few things on his own, a setup in keeping with BioWare’s promise that your choices won’t block you from completely missing a companion’s story.

A quick tour around the Lighthouse hub and through the crossroads area later, and the group arrived at the wrecked town of Lavendel, where BioWare’s Jim Epler said you can pick up quests that, unlike some of the filler in Inquisition, have relevance to the main story and how the conflict against the gods is affecting everyone. “Characters, not causes” was the guiding principle behind these side characters and stories, though how they tie into factions and other important functions remains to be seen.

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Into the Blight they went, facing Hurlocks and grenadiers who tore chunks off their own bodies and used them as bombs. BioWare said the Darkspawn look and behave differently now for plot reasons, and you’ll need smart use of your skills and partner combos to get out of tough situations alive. They also hinted at hidden areas with extra-difficult bosses and plenty of worthwhile equipment to discover, so even though Dragon Age Veilguard is a “mission-based game,” as BioWare called it, it sounds like straying from the path is worth your time.

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We don’t have terribly long to wait before we can see how Davrin’s story plays out and what other secrets BioWare has in store. Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on October 31, 2024.