So, you’re standing in the Frostback Mountains. Everything is on fire. You have a glowing green mark on your hand that looks suspiciously like a death sentence, and Cassandra Pentaghast is currently deciding whether to execute you or make you a hero. Welcome to the Hinterlands. It’s huge. It’s also where most players make their first—and biggest—mistake.
If you’re looking for a dragon age inquisition guide that tells you to clear every single quest marker before moving on, you’ve come to the wrong place. BioWare built a game that is essentially a test of willpower. Can you ignore the "collect 10 ram meat" quest to actually go save the world? Most people can’t. They burn out. They quit before they even see Skyhold. Honestly, that’s a tragedy because the real game doesn't even start until about 15 hours in.
Stop Trying to "Finish" the Hinterlands
Seriously. Just stop.
The Hinterlands is a trap. It’s a beautiful, rolling landscape of despair for completionists. You need Power to progress the main story. You do not need all the Power. Once you have enough to hit the Val Royeaux mission, leave. You can come back later when you aren't getting one-shotted by a level 12 dragon because you wandered too far into the outskirts.
The pacing of Inquisition is weird. It’s front-loaded with busywork that feels mandatory but isn't. You've got to learn to prioritize the "Inquisitor’s Path" quests. Those are the ones that actually move the needle. The rest? They’re just flavor. If you find yourself getting bored, it’s because you’re acting like a glorified delivery boy instead of the leader of a massive religious paramilitary organization.
Combat, Classes, and Why Your Build Might Suck
The tactical camera is... fine. It’s not Dragon Age: Origins levels of precision, but it works. However, if you're playing on anything below Nightmare difficulty, you can basically just hold down the trigger and hope for the best.
But let’s talk about Specializations. This is where the dragon age inquisition guide gets technical. You don't get these until you reach Skyhold and complete a specific War Table operation. Choose wisely.
- Knight-Enchanted (Mage): This used to be God Mode. Even after the nerfs, it’s still incredibly tanky. You basically summon a lightsaber and whack people. If you hate dying, pick this.
- Reaver (Warrior): It’s high risk, high reward. You hurt yourself to hurt others. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s perfect if you have no regard for your own health bar.
- Artificer (Rogue): You like explosions? You like seeing the entire screen fill with numbers? Artificer combined with "Leaping Shot" and "Hook and Tackle" turns the game into a chaotic mess of critical hits and zero cooldowns.
Most players ignore the "Tactical Positioning" AI settings. Big mistake. Go into the character menu. Set your tank (Blackwall or Cassandra) to "Follow" themselves. It sounds stupid. It works. It keeps them from wandering away from the enemies they’re supposed to be taunting. If you set them to follow the player, they’ll just hang out next to you while you're trying to kite a giant.
The War Table is a Real-Time Slog
The War Table is one of the most polarizing features in the game. It’s basically a mobile game timer inside a $60 RPG. Some missions take 15 minutes. Some take 20 hours.
Here’s the trick: Your advisors (Cullen, Leliana, Josephine) aren't just skins. They change the outcome of the missions. Cullen usually wants to smash things. Josephine wants to talk. Leliana wants to stab someone in an alley. Read the descriptions. Sometimes the "fast" option leads to a worse reward or cuts off a future quest line.
If you’re on PC and you’re impatient, there are mods for this. If you’re on console, you can technically change your system clock, but that feels like cheating. Just set the long missions before you go to bed. It’s the only way to stay sane.
The Choice That Actually Matters: Mages or Templars?
This is the core of the first act. You have to choose. You can’t have both.
"In Hushed Whispers" (Mages) is generally considered to have the cooler narrative. It involves time travel, a dystopian future, and some really dark character moments. "Champions of the Just" (Templars) is more of a psychological horror trip.
From a gameplay perspective, the Templar quest gives you permanent stat boosts for your main character if you find certain secrets. The Mage quest gives you... well, a lot of lore and a very grumpy Dorian. Honestly, pick based on who you want to recruit. If you love Dorian, go Mages. If you want Cole introduced in a way that actually makes sense, go Templars.
Crafting Is Better Than Looting
Don't get attached to that purple sword you found in a chest. It’s garbage compared to what you can make.
The crafting system in Inquisition is surprisingly deep. It’s all about the schematics. A Tier 3 schematic with Tier 4 materials (like Dragon Bone or Ice Dragon Hide) will always outperform "Unique" items. Plus, you can customize the colors. Do you want to save the world wearing bright plaid? You can. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can.
Always look for materials that grant "Guard on Hit." This is the secret sauce. If you put Guard on Hit on a Rogue or a Mage, they suddenly become almost impossible to kill. They generate armor every time they deal damage. It’s broken. It’s glorious.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore Your Inner Circle
BioWare games live and die by their characters. If you aren't talking to your companions after every major mission, you’re missing half the game.
Solas is... complicated. Talk to him. Even if you hate his "actually, I know everything" attitude. Iron Bull has the best personal quest in the game ("Demands of the Qun"). The choices you make there have massive ramifications for the Trespasser DLC.
And speaking of Trespasser—don't think of it as an expansion. It’s the actual ending of the game. If you finish the base game and don't play Trespasser, you haven't actually finished Dragon Age: Inquisition. You’ve just watched the prologue to Dragon Age: Dreadwolf (or The Veilguard, depending on what year you're reading this).
Power and Influence: Spending It Wisely
Influence levels up your Inquisition Rank. Every time you rank up, you get a Perk.
- Deft Hands, Fine Tools: Get this early. It’s under the Secrets tree (Leliana). It lets your Rogues open "masterwork" locks. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a locked door at the end of a dungeon and realizing you don't have the perk to open it.
- Knowledge Perks: There are four (Underworld, Arcane, History, Nobility). These unlock new dialogue options. They make you look smarter and often allow you to bypass entire fights or recruit agents without a struggle.
- The Short List: This one is under Josephine’s tree. It makes merchants sell rare, high-end schematics. It’s a late-game must-have.
Managing the Dragons
There are 10 High Dragons in the base game. They are the best fights Inquisition has to offer.
Don't rush them. Each dragon has an elemental weakness. The Fereldan Frostback in the Hinterlands is weak to Cold. The Abyssal High Dragon in the Western Approach is weak to Cold too. If you go in swinging a fire sword at a fire dragon, you're going to have a bad time.
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Keep your party spread out. Dragons have a "vacuum" move where they flap their wings and pull everyone in for massive damage. Use the tactical menu to force your archers and mages to stay at the maximum possible range.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of your experience, follow this specific progression logic:
- Prioritize Skyhold: Push the main story until you leave Haven. The game’s features are 50% locked until you reach the second hub.
- Farm T3 Schematics: Head to the Hissing Wastes or Emprise du Lion early. You don't have to fight the high-level mobs; just dodge them, find the shops or chests, and grab the blueprints.
- Focus on Agents: Instead of closing every rift, look for named NPCs you can recruit. They reduce War Table timers permanently.
- Check the Golden Nuug: If this isn't your first playthrough, use the Golden Nuug statue in Skyhold/Haven to sync all your previous schematics. It makes the early game a breeze.
- Wait for the DLC: Save "The Descent" and "Jaws of Hakkon" for right before the final boss. They are significantly harder than the base game content.
The world of Thedas is huge and often overwhelming. Don't let the quest markers dictate your fun. You're the Inquisitor. If you want to spend four hours just reading codex entries and rearranging the furniture in your bedroom at Skyhold, do it. Just don't get stuck in the Hinterlands. Seriously. Get out of there.