In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you have the choice of three classes and nine specializations. We will show you a strong mage build focusing on a specific specialization.
How do mages play? If you want to forgo the sword of a warrior or the daggers of a rogue and prefer to face your opponents with magic, this class is perfect for you. However, in the skill tree, you have a dilemma of choice, and especially when it comes to specialization, you should decide on a direction.
In our guide, we present a build that chooses the “Deathcaller” specialization. Thanks to your necrotic abilities, you will quickly deal with opponents.
Abilities for the Mage Build
How do you skill the mage? Starting from the center of the skill tree, you have a variety of active and passive abilities that you can equip. The following are particularly recommended if you are playing as a Deathcaller.
The best abilities for the mage before level 20
Which abilities are good? In the skill tree, you first need to work your way towards the specialization, which can be unlocked at level 20. Practical for beginners are the following skills:
- Chain Lightning: Fires a bolt that hits multiple targets and shocks them.
- Fire Wall: Creates a wall of fire that damages opponents trying to pass through.
These two abilities can especially help you at the beginning. With the Fire Wall, you are also already on the path to the Deathcaller abilities in the top left corner of the skill tree. Work your way through the “Mourning Watch” section, with its skills, you weaken opponents and continuously deal damage.
With the skills you unlock here, necrotic damage increases, and you deal more damage over larger areas. Particularly important are:
- Contaminated Ground: Contaminates the battlefield and generates necrosis.
- Channelled Thoughts: This generates 50 mana per second.
The best abilities for the mage after level 20
How to skill further? Once you reach the Deathcaller specialization in the skill tree at level 20, unlock it without using a skill point. Then focus on the following abilities:
- Spirit Bomb: You drain life from enemies and then hurl a necrotic explosion at them. Part of the drained life serves as healing for you.
- To make Spirit Bomb and Contaminated Ground even stronger, skill abilities that enhance area and duration attacks.
With this, you already have a very good foundation before moving on to the final skills in the tree at level 30.
The best abilities for the mage after level 30
From level 30, you can unlock additional abilities. Here is what we recommend:
- Soul Fire: Uses 50 mana to unleash a wave that causes a detonation in exhausted enemies.
- Mortalitas: If your mana is exhausted, your hit points will be used instead. Good for emergencies when you are in an unfavorable position to use “Channelled Thoughts” (near enemies).
- Despair: Generates bonus damage equal to the life force that you and your opponents lose.
Thus, you are well-skilled. The remaining points can be distributed among other skills as desired.
Equipment and Enchantments
What weapons does the mage use? The class uses staffs for long distances and mage daggers along with orbs for closer targets. It is important to manage your mana, as special abilities consume it. You can see how much mana you currently have in combat mode below your abilities.
Staff, Mage Dagger, and Orb
What weapons are good? In general, you have free choice here, but it is advisable to play as a Deathcaller with a staff or a dagger that has necrotic damage. An example would be the staff “Veil Seeker”. It not only deals necrotic damage but also a high level of stumbling.
A good mage dagger is the “Spellcaster Stiletto,” which can be purchased from the crows of Antiva, one of the six factions. It provides additional mana regeneration and defense.
As an orb, “Veil Song” is suitable, which also deals necrotic damage. Additionally, it provides +25% stumbling.
Armors for the Mage
What armors are good? All classes can wear all armor types. Make sure that your armor enhances the abilities you use and the type of damage. Good defense is important, as opponents tend to rush at you.
On your head, you get 15% more mana regeneration with the “Carastes Double Hat”.
Additional Equipment
What else is there? As additional equipment, we recommend the following items:
- A good ring for the build is “Necrotic Jade,” because it causes +20% necrotic damage.
- The belt “Guard’s Bag” gives you additional healing and deals necrotic damage to nearby enemies when using potions.
- “Lifeless Skull” is an amulet that enhances your control abilities as long as you invest points in that direction.
- The rune “Reduce,” which weakens all enemies within six meters.
Enchantments
Which enchantments are good? You can additionally enchant your equipment in the workshop in addition to the normal upgrades. You can also enchant individual abilities. The following is worth it:
- +50% armor damage from (non-necrotic) abilities.
- +50% damage is generally recommended for abilities.
- For armors, “received healing” and “ultimate charge” are good.
- It is best to enchant your amulet with +1 healing potion – that’s never wrong.
- Equip your rings with “mana regeneration”, later then +50 mana.
If you follow all these steps, you will face the darkspawn and all other enemies with a strong mage. Emmrich is a very good companion as he is also skilled in necrosis. For further assistance with the game, feel free to check out MeinMMO: Dragon Age: The Veilguard – All guides for the start, decisions, puzzles, and more
