Dorian Pavus is a bit much. Honestly, that’s the point. The first time you meet him at the gates of Redcliffe in Dragon Age: Inquisition, he’s literally freezing time to stop a cult of Tevinter nationalists from tearing a hole in reality. He’s got the mustache, the swagger, and a level of confidence that feels almost offensive when the world is ending. But look past the flashy spells and the sharp tongue. You’ll find arguably the most complex character BioWare ever wrote. He isn’t just "the mage companion." He is a walking, talking subversion of every trope the franchise spent two games building up about the Tevinter Imperium.
If you’ve played the game, you know the drill. Most people see a Tevinter mage and think "blood sacrifice" or "corrupt slaver." Dorian? He’s the guy who loves his country so much he’s willing to be branded a traitor to fix it. That's a heavy burden for a guy who spends half his time complaining about the humidity in the Hinterlands.
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The Tevinter Problem and the Dragon Age Inquisition Dorian Connection
For years, the Dragon Age lore treated Tevinter like the boogeyman. It was this dark, distant place where mages ruled and everyone else suffered. Then comes Dorian. He’s an Altus—the highest of the high in their social hierarchy. He’s got the pedigree. He’s got the talent. He has everything a man in Minrathous could want, and he threw it all away because he couldn't stomach the rot at the core of his society.
It’s easy to write a rebel. It’s much harder to write a patriot who hates what his home has become. When you talk to Dorian in the rotunda at Skyhold, he doesn't just bash Tevinter. He talks about the architecture, the history, and the potential. It’s nuanced. It’s real. He makes you realize that the Imperium isn't just a monolith of evil; it’s a failing state full of people who are too proud to admit they're sinking.
Most players gravitate toward him for the wit. He’s funny. Like, actually funny, not just "video game quip" funny. Writer David Gaider, who handled Dorian’s character arc, managed to bake a certain kind of defensive humor into his dialogue that feels incredibly human. He uses sarcasm as a shield. If he’s joking, he doesn’t have to talk about how much it hurts that his father tried to rewrite his very identity using blood magic.
Why the "Last Resort" Quest Hits So Hard
We have to talk about his personal quest. It’s called "Last Resort," and if you haven't played it, prepare for a gut punch. Dorian’s father, Halward Pavus, tried to use a blood magic ritual to change Dorian’s sexual orientation. In a world with dragons and demons, this is a strikingly grounded, painful conflict.
It wasn't about "sin" in the way we think of it in the real world. In Tevinter, it’s about bloodlines. It’s about breeding the next generation of powerful mages. Dorian’s refusal to play along wasn't just a personal choice; it was seen as a failure of his duty to his family’s magical legacy.
This is where the Dragon Age Inquisition Dorian character becomes more than just a party member. He becomes a symbol of autonomy. The confrontation in the tavern at Redcliffe is one of the few times we see Dorian’s mask slip. No jokes. No bravado. Just a son realizing his father would rather have a "perfect" puppet than a living, breathing son. It’s a masterclass in writing. It also avoids the "tragic queer" trope by allowing Dorian to walk away on his own terms. He doesn't need his father's approval to be the most powerful person in the room.
Combat Utility: Making Dorian a God on the Battlefield
Let's pivot. Narratives are great, but if he dies in two hits, you aren't bringing him to fight a High Dragon. Dorian is a Necromancer. In the early meta of the game, people thought Necromancy sucked compared to the Knight-Enchanter's invincibility or the Rift Mage's crowd control. They were wrong.
Dorian’s kit is built around "The Walking Bomb."
- Spirit Mark: You basically soul-bind an enemy so that when they die, they fight for you as a ghost. It’s chaotic. It’s great.
- Simulacrum: This is the game-changer. When Dorian "dies," he turns into a spirit for a few seconds and can keep casting spells for free.
- Walking Bomb: The damage over time is solid, but the explosion? That’s where the money is.
If you build him right, Dorian becomes a self-sustaining engine of destruction. I usually spec him into the Fire tree alongside his Necromancy. "Clean Burn" reduces his cooldowns every time he casts a spell. Combine that with the Necromancer's ability to gain mana whenever something dies nearby, and Dorian just never stops casting. He is a literal firestorm.
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I’ve seen builds where people give him a staff with "Heal on Kill" masterworks. Because he’s constantly ticking damage on multiple enemies with Walking Bomb, his health bar just stays topped off. He isn't the tank, but he's often the last one standing because his specialization literally cheats death.
The Iron Bull Romance: The Best Relationship You Didn't Have
If you don't romance Dorian yourself—and honestly, his romance is one of the most tender, well-paced arcs in the series—he can end up with The Iron Bull. This is "The Adoribull" pairing, and it’s legendary in the fandom.
It doesn't happen in a cutscene. It happens in the party banter while you're wandering around the Emerald Graves or the Hissing Wastes. You’ll hear them flirting. Then you’ll hear them arguing. Eventually, they admit they spent the night together. It’s a fascinating dynamic. A Tevinter Altus and a Qunari spy? It shouldn't work. But it does because they both understand what it’s like to be outsiders within their own cultures.
It’s these little details that make Inquisition feel alive. The characters have lives when you aren't looking at them. They aren't just waiting for the Inquisitor to click on them. Dorian’s relationship with Bull adds a layer of warmth to his character that offsets his cynical Tevinter upbringing.
The Fashion and the Flair
Can we talk about the robes? Most mages in Dragon Age look like they’re wearing dusty curtains. Dorian looks like he’s ready for a gala in the middle of a war zone. His default gear features intricate leatherwork, silks, and that iconic asymmetrical capelet.
It’s a visual representation of his pride. Even when he’s trekking through the mud of the Fallow Mire, he refuses to look like a peasant. He carries the weight of Tevinter's history in his silhouette. It’s intentional. It’s a statement: "I am from the greatest civilization in the world, and I will act like it, even if I’m currently sleeping in a tent."
Correcting Common Misconceptions
People get Dorian wrong all the time. They think he’s arrogant. He is, but it’s a performance. If you pay attention to his dialogue with Cassandra or Solas, you see a man who is deeply insecure about his place in the world. He’s a man without a country. He can’t go back to Tevinter without being arrested or "fixed," and he isn't fully trusted in the south because of his accent and his magic.
Another misconception: that he’s just a "flamboyant" archetype. That’s a shallow reading. Dorian is a scholar. He is one of the few people who can go toe-to-toe with Solas on magical theory. His intelligence is his real power, not just his snark. He understands the Fade in ways even the Circle mages don't. He’s a pioneer in time magic—a branch of magic so dangerous it was thought impossible.
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What to Do With Dorian in Your Next Playthrough
If you’re hopping back into Inquisition to prepare for The Veilguard, you need to maximize your time with Dorian. He isn't just a side character; he’s a window into where the series is going next.
- Take him to the Western Approach. His dialogue regarding the Tevinter ruins there is gold. He provides context that the codex entries just can't match.
- Actually talk to him after "In Your Heart Shall Burn." The conversation at the start of Skyhold sets the tone for his entire friendship. Don't skip the "Why are you still here?" dialogue tree.
- Craft him the "Fatality" Staff. Use Dragon Bone if you have it. The higher the base damage, the harder his Walking Bomb hits.
- Finish the "Trespasser" DLC. This is non-negotiable. Dorian’s role in the epilogue is massive. It sets him up as a "Magister of the Opposition" back in Tevinter. It transforms him from a wandering mage into a political powerhouse.
Dorian Pavus isn't just a fan favorite because he’s charming. He’s a fan favorite because he represents the struggle to be yourself in a system designed to crush you. He’s the heart of the Inquisition, even if he’d roll his eyes and make a joke about how "heart" is a messy, biological concept he'd rather leave to the surgeons.
When you look back at the roster of companions across the entire Dragon Age series, few have the staying power of the Altus who dared to be different. He didn't just survive Tevinter; he decided to change it. And he did it all without messing up his hair.
Next Steps for Your Inquisitor
- Audit Your Party Banter: If you aren't hearing Dorian talk to other companions, your game might be bugged. Travel to different zones frequently to trigger his unique lines with Cole or Sera.
- Invest in the Necromancy Tree: Focus on the "Power of the Dead" passive early on. It grants a 20% damage boost whenever an enemy dies nearby. In large mob fights, this makes Dorian an absolute monster.
- Prioritize the "Trespasser" Ending: Ensure you complete his personal loyalty quests before finishing the main story, or you'll miss the most satisfying conclusion to his arc in the final DLC.