So, you finally cornered that snake Illario Dellamorte in the opera house. It’s been a long road of betrayal, blood magic, and Lucanis basically vibrating with Spite-induced rage. Now you’re standing over him in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the game is asking you to make a call.
Honestly? It’s one of those moments where the "moral" choice feels a bit like a trap, and the "mean" choice feels weirdly like justice.
Most players get hung up on whether they should be the "bigger person" or if they should just lock the guy away for good. But the thing about Illario Veilguard is that your choice isn't just about fluff or story flavor—it actually reshapes how Lucanis functions on your team for the rest of the game. If you’re playing on a higher difficulty, you really can't afford to just pick based on vibes.
The Reality of the Choice: Imprison vs. Forgive
When the dust settles in the "A Murder of Crows" quest, you have two main paths. You can either tell Lucanis his cousin’s actions are unforgivable (leading to imprisonment) or suggest that family still matters (leading to forgiveness).
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Path One: Throwing Him in the Dungeon
If you choose to imprison Illario, you aren't just being a hard-ass. You’re acknowledging that this guy literally sold out his own blood to the Venatori and let Lucanis rot in an underwater prison for a year.
The Mechanical Payoff:
- Skill Unlocked: Demon of Defiance. This is the "big numbers" skill. It bumps Lucanis’s critical and detonation damage by a massive 50%. Plus, he’ll do 25% more damage to anything already suffering from an affliction (which, let’s be real, is almost everything Lucanis touches).
- Heroic Armor: Crow’s Tenacity. This set is a Stagger machine. It makes detonations against knocked-down enemies hit everyone nearby with Stagger. If you’re running a build that relies on crowd control, this is the clear winner.
Path Two: The Forgiveness Route
Forgiving Illario feels... complicated. You’re basically handing him over to Viago to be watched like a hawk. Lucanis says later in the Lighthouse that this isn't exactly mercy—every Crow in Antiva is going to have their daggers out for the traitor.
The Mechanical Payoff:
- Skill Unlocked: Demon of Rebellion. This is the "utility and defense" skill. It gives a 10% resistance boost and makes the whole party deal 25% more damage to Barriers.
- Heroic Armor: Crow’s Poise. This one is all about chain reactions. Detonating an Overwhelmed enemy can trigger a second detonation nearby, which then makes enemies vulnerable to Necrotic damage.
Does the Choice Actually Change the Story?
Here is the thing about Illario Veilguard that kind of bites: he lives either way. BioWare didn't give us the "stab him in the neck" option, much to the frustration of basically everyone on Reddit.
If you were hoping for a dramatic execution, it’s just not in the cards. Even a "Hardened" Lucanis (which happens if you failed to save Treviso earlier in the game) will only go as far as imprisonment.
However, the "Forgive" option actually feels a bit more "Antivan Crow" in a weird way. By letting him live but stripping him of all honor, you're sentencing him to a life of looking over his shoulder. In the Crow world, that’s almost worse than a quick death. But if you’re looking at it from a pure gameplay perspective? Imprisonment usually feels better because the damage buffs on the "Defiance" skill are just too good to pass up for a DPS-focused companion like Lucanis.
Why Some Players Can't Choose
You might find that the game makes the choice for you. If you chose to save Minrathous instead of Treviso earlier in the story, Lucanis becomes "Hardened." When a companion is hardened, they lose their "soft" side. In this specific case, a hardened Lucanis won't even listen to your pleas for mercy. He’s going to lock Illario up, and you’re just there to witness it.
If you want the full range of choice regarding Illario Veilguard, you absolutely have to save Treviso during the "A Warden’s Best Friend" quest. No Treviso, no mercy.
Practical Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re still staring at the dialogue wheel, here’s how to decide:
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- Check your build. If you need Lucanis to be a heavy hitter who melts bosses, pick Imprisonment. The 50% crit/detonation damage boost is objectively one of the strongest companion buffs in the game.
- Look at your party composition. If you struggle with Barriers or play a more defensive style, Forgiveness provides better utility and party-wide protection.
- Roleplay considerations. If you’ve played Lucanis as someone trying to find peace with Spite, Forgiveness fits that narrative arc perfectly. If you’ve played him as a vengeful assassin who wants the world to burn, lock that traitor away.
Regardless of what you pick, the quest ends with Lucanis finally taking his place as First Talon. Caterina steps down, the family drama is (mostly) resolved, and you get a massive +100 boost to Antivan Crow strength.
Just don't expect Illario to send you a thank-you note. He’s a rat, and in the world of the Crows, rats usually end up at the bottom of a canal eventually anyway.
Next Steps for You:
Check your current gear for Lucanis. If you're already stacking Necrotic damage, the Crow's Poise armor from the forgiveness path might actually synergize better than the raw power of the imprisonment path. Take a look at your "Bond" level too—if you aren't at the max yet, you might need to finish a few more "Coffee with the Crows" sessions before this final showdown even triggers.