Dragon Age: Inquisition is beloved, plain and simple. The third installment in BioWare’s high-fantasy, action-adventure RPG series Dragon Age gives the player the chance to build a character who will act as Inquisitor to save the continent of Thedas. A massive, magical hole has appeared in the sky, and only you can close it using the power you’ve somehow acquired and can’t remember gaining.
Like any Dragon Age game, you can choose your character’s race, class, and background, each of which will give you slightly different dialogue options, advantages and disadvantages, quests, and even romance options. Available armor and weapons will also be determined by class, and combat will feel completely different depending on what you choose.
To help you sort it all out, here are the best classes in Dragon Age: Inquisition, ranked.
3. Warrior
The warrior class in Dragon Age: Inquisition is pretty clunky. Two-handed weapons make you move a lot slower than your party members, and sword-and-shield mechanics are okay, but still not great. When building your character, you’ll choose one or the other, and there are few opportunities to change your mind during gameplay.
If you want to play a tank and send your party members into battle to do the close hits so you can stay where you are, dealing major damage while staying on your feet, even if everyone else is down, then the warrior class might be a good choice—but beware the speed issue. You might be better served bringing Cassandra or Iron Bull with you as a regular party member.
For players, warriors have three specializations in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Champions use their armor, weapons, and vigilance to shrug off attacks and protect their allies, serving primarily as defenders. Reavers thrive on bloodshed in battle and get increasingly brutal as their enemies go down, especially if they’ve taken hits themselves (similar to Barbarians in Dungeons & Dragons). Templars specialize in fighting mages and demons, which makes them particularly effective against magic as they strive to protect their allies on the field.
2. Mage
Mages are stationary in Dragon Age: Inquisition, so it pays to employ the tactical map feature and place your party members exactly where you want them in battle, whether your Inquisitor is a mage or you have a mage NPC (Dorian, Vivienne, or Solas) in your party. This class hits faster than warriors, but mages are better for range attacks than close-up combat, and it’s easy to get stuck in the middle of a spell while you’re being rushed by an enemy.
For players, mages have three specializations in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Knight-Enchanters summon blades from the Fade to adorn their magical staffs, and they specialize in protection. Rift Mages similarly draw power from the Fade, but they use actual matter from the realm in their attacks or twist the Veil into a weapon to destroy their enemies. Necromancers scare their enemies half to death (literally) and summon spirits to assist them in battle, in addition to causing explosions when adversaries die in order to damage others in proximity.
1. Rogue
Rogues are by far the best class in Dragon Age: Inquisition. There are two types: dual-wield rogues, who work with daggers, and archer rogues, who work with bows and arrows. The former are better for close-range attacks and the latter are better for range attacks, but both deal rapid, repeat damage.
The two NPC rogues in Inquisition are Varric and Sera, both of whom bring unique dialogue and skills to the party—but players who choose the rogue class can move quickly and freely in battle, which is its own kind of fun.
Like the other two classes in Dragon Age: Inquisition, rogues have three specialization options for players.
Artificers use traps and more to turn the tides of battle in their favor, while assassins are quick and deadly, flitting and out of the shadows and even dealing indirect death blows when they’re safe somewhere else. Tempests use alchemy to cloak themselves in frost or flame and do elemental damage to enemies as they wade directly into battle.
(featured image: BioWare)
