Have you felt lost lately and you don't know which class to play with? I'm here to help! Here are the best class specializations you could possible choose. All of them are insanely strong so be not afraid to pick the one that best suits you.
10. Arcane Warrior
This mage specialization is an ancient one. It was used by mages among the ancient elves. These mages can use their magic score to equip higher-level weapons and armor without or with the same amount of fatigue as a normal warrior. You can get this specialization during the Nature of the Beast quest.
The Arcane Warrior is the strongest specialization for a mage. It allows you to deal great amounts of damage with your basic attacks. It also enables the mage to wear heavy armor without penalties, meaning that you will be a mage tank. Combined with Blood Mage and Spirit Healer it can be extremely deadly. Try to prioritize the spells that buff you and your team and those that nerf the enemies. Remember your basic attacks will do a lot of damage so the spells that deal damage aren't your priority. I would recommend only using 2 damage spells. Consider the ones that have a big area of effects like fireball or inferno. I find it a bit boring to my play style. But is worth it if you want to prove yourself in Nightmare difficulty.
What Arcane Warrior Excels in:
- Solo playthrough (without party) because is invincible. No enemy can face the Arcane Warrior and walk away alive.
- Receiving and making high amounts of damage.
- It’s the most broken subclass in the whole game. There’s nothing that can beat the Arcane Warrior.
Choose Arcane Warrior if:
- You're not a pro in dragon age but want to play as a mage. It’s well known that at the beginning of the game, mages suffer quite a lot. This specialization will be pretty good to avoid death as you grow your character.
- You want to play in Nightmare difficulty without getting killed.
- Your strategy focuses only on your character and not on the whole party.
-Solo Power Score: 100/100
9. Templar (Warrior)
If you're a Dragon Age player you will already know what templars do. They kill mages, right? This means they can deal with magic forces pretty well. A Templar can dispel magic while resisting its damage. Templar can be unlocked by asking Alistair to teach the specialization or by buying the manual that Bodahn sells at the camp. You can combine it with Champion, this way your warrior will be invincible. I don't recommend choosing Templar as the main subclass. It's weak in the first levels.
What Templar Excels in:
- Since magic damage is the most powerful type of damage in the game, templars are always a great addition. This subclass excels there where the enemies are mostly armed with mages, demons, abominations, and other magic forces. It might be weak against non-magic damage enemies at first.
- Enemies with a lot of crowd control. The templar can dispel crowd control easily.
- Battles where the Templar can cover the party members and take damage for them.
Choose Templar if:
- You're beginning in the game or you're already a veteran and know how to build it correctly. It's not so relevant overall but it will increase its solo power.
- You sympathize with Templars. I don’t and I will never do, I’ve always been a mage player and I couldn’t dislike templars more.
- You struggle with mages or other magic forces. The Templar will be an easy solution.
Solo Power Score: 70/100
8. Champion
This is by far the best specialization for a warrior. A Champion is a veteran warrior that has gathered enough experience on the battlefield to be a motivational leader. These usually are commanders of an army. It can be unlocked after completing The Urn of Sacred Ashes quest as an Arl Eamon gift or through the secret companion.
What Champion Excels in:
- The Champion will be extremely good in a team fight while being solo its power decreases.
- This subclass is better at giving buffs to the party. It is the best addition you can have for them.
- Buffing, taking damage, and doing considerable amounts of damage. Is like the perfect support for the team.
Choose this subclass if:
- You like being a tank and supporting your team. Remember you will not be the main fountain of damage.
- You want to be unbeatable (if building correctly).
- You like to always play with your party and NOT solo.
Solo Power Score 80/100
7. Berserker
The classic warrior subclass. In the Dragon Age universe, the first berserker were dwarves. Therefore the brutality for what they're well known. This specialization is unlocked by asking Oghren to teach you or by buying a manual from Gorim at Denerim.
It can go very well with Champion if you want to play it tanky anyways. My recommendation is to use it as a full damage warrior and combine it with Reaver. You have to always keep in mind you're not a tank and you will not buff your team either. Just be careful and play along with your health regeneration.
What Berserker Excels in:
- Berserker is best at doing high amounts of damage and regenerating health. It has proven to be better if built to do damage instead of a tank build.
- Is the deadliest type of Warrior but it’s also the hardest to use in the right way. For clean fights and tactical decisions, this subclass is perfect.
- Fighting enemies with low resistance like mages.
Choose Berserker if:
- You're already an experienced warrior. If you don't know how to play this subclass it might be weak in team fights. If your party and tactics aren't chosen according to your Berserker power, it will also be a failure.
- You’re willing to go full agro and sacrifice the tank side.
- You want a challenging playthrough. This is the hardest warrior subclass. If not used correctly, is just thrash.
Solo Power Score: 90/100
6. Reaver
Possibly the most underrated subclass. And because of that, my favorite. It is an odd specialization taught by demonic forces to these terrifying warriors. Yes, not only Blood Mage can be learned from demons. And not only mages can enjoy the power of demonic spirits.
What Reaver Excels in:
- The Reaver is great at doing high amounts of damage and in crowd control exchanging HP for damage.
- It makes a great combination with Berserker; while Reaver will also gain health regeneration, Berserker will make it even better. Your sustain is higher with that combo. You might also like to combine it with Champion if you prefer survival over damage. But is not that good if built as a tank.
- Bloody fights with a considerable amount of strategy. Reaver needs to be controlled all the time and is better at team fights.
Choose this class if:
- You're an expert at playing as an aggressive warrior. Keep in mind you have to use your potions very well. This isn't like a tank warrior that will just stand in the middle of the fight-throwing abilities without dying at all. This requires a lot of experience and management of your tactics, talents, and party in general.
- You want to go full agro in every fight.
- You want to test how far you can take the Reaver. You will get surprised on how deadly it is.
Solo Power Score: 50/100
5. Spirit Healer (mage)
No party can go out safely without a healer. The Healer is always needed and appreciated. These mages are crucial for some encounters that might result challenging. They channel the energy of benevolent spirits of the fade. These spirits are made of life energy, they send this energy to those who call them to heal the wounded. Spirit Healer can be unlocked by buying the Manual from the tranquil in the Wonders of Thedas shop at Denerim.
There are better buffs at dragon age for your team, to be honest. Wynne is a Spirit Healer and I find her rather useless. Different from Dragon Age Inquisition where healers are actually very important only because there's no competition. Having so many choices in DAO for buffing your team makes the healer irrelevant.
What Spirit Healer Excels in:
- Spirit Healer will shine in the back of the party, there where no one can hit them. Unless you combine it with Arcane Warrior, it won't last much time if receiving damage.
- Protecting the Spirit Healer will be enough to keep your party members alive. Even if they die, you'll be able to revive them. Just be sure they die close to each other. This way you'll cast one spell and revive many allies at the same time.
- Difficult fights that require a lot of healing and buffs.
Choose Spirit Healer if:
- You're willing to play a passive role by buffing your team and not taking part in the fight. At least not directly.
- You will take another mage on your party to do damage. It is well known that mages are the most broken thing in the game. This is why I prefer an aggressive mage with few buffing spells instead of a Healer. With the Healer the mage's potential feels wasted.
- You’re not interested in the many amazing spells mages have and instead you’re going full support.
Solo Power Score: 30/100
4. Assassin
The classic specialization for a Rogue. Can't get deadlier than this. The Assassin will use all the enemy's weaknesses in its favor. Is a fast, squishy, deadly friend. You must use daggers, of course. To unlock Assassin you can ask Zevran to teach you or buy the Manual from Alarith at his shop in the Denerim Alienage. Assassin rogues are fun and require a lot of skill to play it correctly. But they will never be as useful or strong as a mage or a warrior.
What Assassin Excels in:
- As with every Rogue, they're lethal and hard to catch. Fast auto attacks are their principal weapon, not their abilities. They will shine if used smartly and carefully.
- They're useless if you let the AI guide them. You have to always keep a close eye on what the Rogue is doing. Especially if you pick Assassin or Duelist. They're weak and will not survive lots of damage. This is why they are pros at flanking the enemy with their stealth and backstab abilities. They are not supposed to receive damage from the front.
- They are better at killing single vulnerable enemies. Try not to risk yourself with enemies like dragons.
Choose Assassin if:
- You believe you can be as clean as water during fight encounters. Fail to dodge one strong ability and consider yourself doomed.
- It represents a very challenging playthrough. Perhaps the most challenging one after a bow rogue. If you’re ready then go for it, you will have lots of fun.
- You like fast skilled characters and you’re willing to replace utility over damage.
Solo Power Score: 60/100
3. Spirit Warrior
This subclass is similar to Templar and Arcane Warrior. It gives a non-mage the chance to be in contact with magic from the fade. The spirits in the fade grant powerful energies to the Spirit Warrior to help them during a fight. This one can be unlocked in the Awakening DLC. Buy the Manual from Octham at the City of Amaranthine.
What Spirit Warrior Excels in:
- They will resist magical damage like a templar and they will do magical damage.
- They're great at most fights since they can resist the strongest kind of damage in the game. Which is magic.
- I believe Spirit Warrior is perfect for a tank warrior. The spells/talents will allow you to gain bonuses and evade a grand proportion of physical attacks and magic spells.
- The Spirit Warrior is basically unkillable and the damage it does is no joke. This makes it one of the greatest and strongest warriors in the game.
Choose Spirit Warrior if:
- You want to try a complete solo play in Nightmare. I guarantee you will not regret it. This class is broken beyond comparison.
- You want to test the limits of the Spirit Warrior. This is just a super fun experience.
- You want proof that there’s this class that doesn’t need a party to win the game. Meaning you won’t have to take anybody in your journey.
Solo Power Score: 100/100
2. Ranger
There aren't a lot of fans of this subclass. Understandable. Rangers are not impressive rogues but they are very useful. They will summon a friend pet to fight by your side. You can unlock this specialization by purchasing the Manual from Bodahn at the party camp.
The great thing about the Ranger is that you can summon 2 friend pets if you have enough stamina. Each pet has different stats and abilities. They are extremely useful for a blood mage since they can be the blood sacrifice. As a rogue, you're a weak melee fighter. This makes you an easy target. The bear pet will be able to tank damage for you, the spider will give some crowd control and high-damage attacks with the poison. The wolf has the same abilities as the Mabari, is fast, nerfs the enemy team, and has crowd control. The fact that you can summon two of these pets makes the ranger really strong. Two free additions for your party make it quite broken. The only bad thing is if you disable your pet. Don't do it, trust me.
What Ranger Excels in:
- It gives higher chances of survival. For the weakest and useless class in the game, Ranger is the best you can choose. This way the rogue isn’t as useless as it seems. Adding two pet friends will allow you to play safer.
- Team fights are what you’re looking for. Never alone. Is not as powerful by himself.
- Challenging fights were the 5 party members seem to be insufficient.
Choose this class if:
- You think rogues are only useful for opening chests. The Ranger will totally change your mind.
- You’re a rogue player and want to try something different.
- You want an easy and fun-to-play subclass.
Solo Score Power: 5/10
1. Keeper
As an elven fan, I couldn't let this subclass out. In fact, I resent so much that Bioware decided not to continue this tree of abilities. The Keeper is the leader of a dalish clan and also the strongest member of the clan. As a specialization it allows you to use nature in your favor. It's available at Awakening. To unlock it buy the Manual sold by Henley at the City of Amaranthine. The only negative side is that spells cost quite a lot and cooldowns are high.
What Keeper Excels in:
- They deal huge amounts of damage, they have crowd control and survival tools like life regen.
- They shine in most battles with enemy crowds since all their spells have a big area of effect and they will not be as vulnerable as other mages. It is a unique way of playing a mage.
- One With Nature is a very useful spell when you need to leave your mage in a safe position. This makes them unreachable.
Choose Keeper if:
- You know exactly how to use your abilities without wasting them. It's a hard subclass if you haven't practiced with mages.
- If you're willing to try something different. It's nothing like other magical specializations, definitely worth trying.
- You’re an elven fan and just like me, you enjoy of everything related to nature. The spells are visually attractive and fun to play with.
Solo Power Score: 70/100
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