Look, we’ve all been waiting for this. Ever since the Grey Wardens fell into a sort of tragic, feathered extinction, the idea of seeing a griffon in the flesh—not just on a shield or a dusty tapestry—has been the dream. Dragon Age: The Veilguard finally delivers on that. You get Assan. He’s majestic, he’s fluffy, and he’s basically the heart of Davrin’s entire character arc. But as you progress through the lighthouse conversations and the monster-hunting quests across Northern Thedas, you start to realize that the Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice isn't just about picking a favorite color or a cute nickname. It’s about the legacy of an entire species and how you, as Rook, influence Davrin’s growth as a leader.
It feels heavy. You’re standing there in the Lighthouse, looking at this creature that shouldn't exist, and the game asks you to weigh in on its future. Honestly? Most players freeze up here. They want the "best" ending for Assan. But BioWare did something a bit more subtle this time around. Instead of a binary "A or B" choice that explodes a city or saves a kingdom, the choices regarding the griffon are woven into the fabric of Davrin’s loyalty and his identity as a Grey Warden.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Griffon
There’s this persistent myth in the community that if you pick the "wrong" dialogue option during Assan’s training, you’ll somehow stunt his growth or lose him in the final act. That’s not really how The Veilguard handles its companions. You can’t "fail" at raising the griffon. However, you can absolutely fail at understanding what Davrin needs from you.
Davrin is carrying the weight of the world. He’s the caretaker of a biological miracle. When you’re faced with the Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice regarding how to train Assan—whether to be more protective or to push him toward his predatory instincts—you aren't just toggling a stat. You are defining what "nature" means in a world infected by the Blight. If you tell Davrin to keep Assan safe, you’re leaning into the preservation of the species. If you push for the warrior path, you’re acknowledging that a griffon isn't a pet; it’s a weapon against the darkspawn.
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I’ve seen some guides claim that certain choices lock you out of specific combat abilities for Davrin. That’s mostly nonsense. Your choices primarily shift the narrative tone of their bond and, crucially, influence Davrin’s "Hero of the Guard" status.
The Reality of Davrin's Loyalty Quest
To really understand the stakes, you have to look at the quest "The Siege of Weisshaupt." This is where the Grey Warden lore gets real. You see the cost of the griffons' disappearance. You see the hollowed-out remains of a legacy. Throughout Davrin's personal arc, specifically during the "Manevolent Wings" and "A Hunt for the Past" segments, the dialogue choices you make regarding Assan’s behavior act as a barometer for Davrin’s confidence.
- The Protective Route: Choosing to favor Assan's safety often leads to warmer, more domestic moments. It’s the "soft" path.
- The Warden Route: This is about duty. It’s about the griffon as a symbol of the Wardens.
The most "consequential" Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice actually happens late in the game during the culmination of Davrin’s loyalty mission. Without spoiling the specific beat-by-beat tragedy, you have to decide if Davrin should prioritize the individual—Assan—or the greater calling of the Wardens. It’s classic Dragon Age. It’s the "Mage vs. Templar" or "Logan vs. Alistair" dynamic shrunk down into a boy and his bird.
Do Your Choices Affect the Ending?
Yes. And no.
The game’s ending is a complex machine with a lot of moving parts. Your relationship with Davrin determines his fate during the final push against the elven gods. If you’ve supported his decisions regarding Assan, Davrin becomes "Legendary," which significantly boosts his survival chances and his effectiveness in the endgame. If you’ve been dismissive or inconsistent with your advice on the Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice, Davrin might struggle.
Assan himself shows up in the final battle regardless, but his "vibe"—for lack of a better word—is different. A griffon raised to be a fierce protector is a very different sight on the battlefield than one that has been sheltered. It’s a visual and emotional payoff rather than a mechanical one.
BioWare moved away from the "Keep/Kill" style of choice for Assan because, let’s be real, no one wants to see the last griffon die because they picked the middle dialogue option thirty hours ago. Instead, the consequence is internal. It’s about whether Davrin sees himself as a failure or a successor to the legends of old.
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How to Handle the Training Scenarios
When Assan is acting out—maybe he’s being a bit too aggressive with the other companions or he’s hesitant to fly into a dangerous zone—you’ll get a prompt. These are the micro-moments of the Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice ecosystem.
I found that being honest works best. Don’t just pick the "nice" option because you want the griffon to like you. Assan likes you anyway. Pick the option that reflects how you’re playing your Rook. A ruthless Grey Warden Rook should probably encourage Assan to be a hunter. A Veil Jumper Rook might see the griffon as a part of the natural balance that needs to be nurtured.
The game tracks these. It’s subtle. You won't see a "Assan will remember that" notification every time, but the way Davrin speaks to you in the final acts of the game changes based on this cumulative input.
The Connection to the wider Lore
We have to talk about Garahel. If you’ve read Last Flight by Liane Merciel, you know that the griffons didn't just die out; they were corrupted and then hidden away in egg form. Davrin finding Assan isn't a random event. It’s the payoff to a decade of lore building.
Because of this, the Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice feels like you’re interacting with a piece of history. When you choose how to treat Assan, you’re answering the question: "Should the Wardens return to their former glory, or should they become something new?"
The "Old Guard" way is to treat the griffon as a tool. A noble, loved tool, but a tool nonetheless. The "New Way" is a partnership. Davrin is caught between these two worlds. He’s a guy from the Dalish who became a Warden, looking after a creature that is the mascot of a dying order. Your input is the tie-breaker.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently staring at a dialogue wheel and sweating, here is how you should actually approach this.
First, stop worrying about a "Game Over" screen for the griffon. It doesn't happen. Focus instead on Davrin’s "Commitment" meter. You want him to reach the "Legendary" status before you hit the Point of No Return (the game will explicitly warn you when this is). To do this, you must complete all of his personal quests, including the ones involving the griffon's training.
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Second, be consistent. If you start by telling Davrin that Assan needs to be a warrior, stick to that. Flipping back and forth between "be a killer" and "be a baby" makes the narrative arc feel disjointed.
Third, pay attention to the environment during these missions. There are codex entries scattered around the Warden outposts that give context to how griffons used to be raised. Reading these doesn't unlock a secret ending, but it does give you the context to make an informed Dragon Age Veilguard griffon choice that feels right for the world.
Finally, make sure you talk to Assan directly whenever he’s in the Lighthouse. It doesn't always trigger a cutscene, but the flavor text and the small interactions build the emotional stakes for the final act. When the time comes to make the big decision about the Wardens' future at Weisshaupt, you’ll want that emotional connection to be maxed out.
The griffon isn't just a gimmick. It’s a second chance for a group of people—the Grey Wardens—who have spent centuries making terrible, impossible choices. By guiding Davrin and Assan, you’re deciding if that second chance is actually worth having. Stick to your character’s convictions, complete the loyalty missions, and don't overthink the "meta" of it all. The best version of Assan is the one that reflects your journey through Thedas.