Dragon Age: Inquisition gives players the most customizable playable character yet.  With four races and three classes to choose from, players can create hundreds of builds designed for different approaches to combat.

With so many options, it can be difficult to decide how to dive into Inquisition’s flashy RPG gameplay.  This guide showcases five of the most powerful builds in the game designed to survive the hardest battles in the game while making use of the best abilities and passives.

1.  WARRIOR:  The “Rip and Tear” Reaver

The Inquisitor grows to be one of the most powerful individuals in Thedas throughout their journey.  As a fierce leader of an army, it’s easy to imagine the Inquisitor as a high damage warrior leading from the front lines of battle.  The “Rip and Tear” Reaver is an intense build that allows players to play aggressively.  The Reaver specialization allows warriors to deal massive damage as their HP decreases, creating a formidable fighter that grows more powerful as the fight goes on.

This build can also be applied to Iron Bull, a fitting configuration for the captain of the Chargers.

The Rip and Tear Reaver Excels In:

• Playing on the edge of danger for exciting gameplay
• Dealing devastatingly high damage as health decreases

Build the Rip and Tear Reaver:

Recommended Skill Trees:

• Vanguard
• Two-Handed Weapon
• Battlemaster
• Reaver

Recommended Abilities:

• Ring of Pain + Torrent of Pain
• Devour + Lifeblood
• Dragon Rage + Ravage
• War Cry + Call to Arms
• Charging Bull + Light on Your Feet
• Livid + Endless Strength
• Challenge + Throw the Gauntlet

Recommended Passives:

• Blood Frenzy
• Terrifying Fury
• Fervor
• Scenting Blood
• Warrior’s Resolve
• It’ll Cost You
• Untouchable Defense
• Trust the Steel
• Flow the Battle
• Shield Breaker
• Clear a Path

Specialization:  Reaver

2.  ROGUE:  The Nightmare Tempest

Archery has often been overlooked in the Dragon Age series.  The cumbersome archery combat in Dragon Age: Origins was certainly enough to scare away longterm players.  But the Nightmare Tempest proves the power of the reworked archery combat in Inquisition.  Even Legolas will be humbled by the flashy strength of the Nightmare Tempest.  Watching a single archer take down a dragon alone on Nightmare difficulty is all the proof players need that the archer is a very viable choice.

This chaotic archer build can also be used on the queen of bees, Sera.

The Nightmare Tempest Excels In:

• Dealing massive damage from a safe distance
• Maneuvering around enemies to minimize incoming damage
• Surviving the hardest difficulty in the game

Build the Nightmare Tempest:

Recommended Skill Trees:

• Archery
• Sabotage

Recommended Abilities:

• Poisoned Weapons + Infected Wounds
• Throwing Blades + Precision Targeting
• Flask of Frost + Bitter Chill
• Flask of Fire + Unquenchable Flames
• Flask of Lightning + Thunderstruck

Recommended Passives:

• Cheap Shot
• Explosive Toxin
• Killer’s Alchemy

Specialization:  Tempest

3.  MAGE:  The Overpowered Knight Enchanter

 

Even if you don’t play mage characters in RPGs, the Overpowered Knight Enchanter may change your mind.  This build is extremely versatile and can be played as intensely as a warrior or rogue character.  With Barrier and Fade Cloak, the Knight Enchanter is virtually untouchable as they use Fade Step to weave in and out of direct combat.  The Spirit Blade is the highlight of this build, a massive energy sword that deals staggering damage.  It’s the perfect attack for the mage who’s tired of an enemy sniping them from a distance.

Vivienne can also be configured to this build, allowing her to blow off some steam amidst Orlesian court intrigue.

The Overpowered Knight Enchanter Excels In:

• Being the most versatile mage build in the game
• Dealing energy damage that few enemies can resist
• Very fast mana regeneration

Build the Overpowered Knight Enchanter:

Recommended Skill Trees:

• Winter
• Inferno
• Knight Enchanter

Recommended Abilities:

• Barrier + Energetic Defense
• Energy Barrage + Energy Bombardment
• Static Cage + Lightning Cage
• Immolate
• Fire Mine + Flaming Array
• Fade Step + Energizing Step
• Blizzard + Winter Winds
• Spirit Blade + Amplified Blade
• Fade Cloak + Decloaking Blast

Recommended Passives:

• Conductive Current
• Static Charge
• Flashpoint
• Clean Burn
• Chaotic Focus
• Ice Armor
• Veiled Riposte
• Combat Clarity
• Fade Shield

4.  WARRIOR:  The Ultimate Champion

Generating Guard in battle is an ability associated with Weapon and Shield warriors.  But combining Guard generation with the high damage of a Two-Handed warrior produces the Ultimate Champion.  This build focuses on a core combo of Grappling Chain, Mighty Blow, Combat Roll, and Charging Bull.  Grouping enemies together with Grappling Chain allows the Ultimate Champion to carve through foes with sweeping AoE attacks.

Reserved Warden Blackwall can also use this build.  Just make sure he gets to use it on some darkspawn at least once.

The Ultimate Champion Excels In:

• Dealing heavy AoE damage to groups of enemies
• Direct attacks in battle to generate Guard and prevent health loss

Build the Ultimate Champion:

Recommended Skill Trees:

• Two-Handed Weapon
• Battlemaster
• Champion (Entire Tree)

Recommended Abilities:

• Grappling Chain
• Mighty Blow
• Combat Roll
• Charging Bull
• Block and Slash
• Pommel Strike
• Whirlwind
• War Cry
• Line in the Sand
• To the Death
• Walking Fortress
• Counterstrike

Recommended Passives:

• Flow of Battle
• Shield Breaker
• Guard-Smasher
• Clear a Path
• Crippling Blows
• Bulwark
• Adamant
• Resilience
• Unyielding

5.  ROGUE:  The True Assassin

Dual-wielding rogues display some of the most exciting flashy attacks on the battlefield.  Combining the rapid slashes of double daggers with stacking damage bonuses with stealth makes the True Assassin a deadly force that attracts minimal enemy attention.

Semi-spirit Cole can use this build, however odd his aggressive combat style may seem compared to his sweet nature.

The True Assassin Excels In:

• High damage bonuses when exiting stealth
• Utilizing mobility and stealth to deal high damage and protect their low health pool 

Build the True Assassin:

Recommended Skill Trees:

• Subterfuge
• Double Daggers
• Assassin

Recommended Abilities:

• Stealth + Lost in the Shadows
• Knockout Powder
• Shadow Strike
• Flank Attack + Skirmisher
• Spinning Blades + Neverending Spin
• Twin Fangs
• Poisoned Weapons + Infected Wounds
• Hidden Blades
• Cloak of Shadows
• Mark of Death + Mark of Doom

Recommended Passives:

• Evasion
• Easy to Miss
• Bloodied Prey
• Unforgiving Chain
• Dance of Death
• Fighting Dirty
• I Was Never Here
• Knife in the Shadows

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Dragon Age: Inquisition Best Class - What To Pick?
• [Top 10] Dragon Age Inquisition Best Builds
• [Top 10] Dragon Age Inquisition Best Weapons And How To Get Them
• Dragon Age Inquisition Best Race - What To Pick?
• Top 10 Games Like Dragon Age: Inquisition (Games Better than Dragon Age: Inquisition In Their Own Way)
• Dragon Age 4 Release Date and 10 Things We Want to See