Summary
In asurvey conducted on the Dragon Age subreddit, over half of the 300+ respondents said their Rook would be an Elven Mage inDragon Age: The Veilguard.
Mages and regulations surrounding magic have always been at the heart of the Dragon Age series, especially in southern Thedas where most of the series' first three entries occur. Consequently, playing as a mage, especially in Dragon Age 2, has always given your player character a personal stake in the series' major plot points.
As for Elves, they’ve always been a fascinating aspect of Dragon Age. The contrast between the oppressed Elves within human communities and the nomadic Dalish Elves was a central theme of Dragon Age: Origins. The Veilguard’s plot is heavily intertwined with the Elven pantheon, as Solas, Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain all play large roles.
Is it any surprise then that an Elven Mage is set to be the most popular combination for Rook? Everyone wants to have the most amount of content available to them, and playing as an elf adds a personal connection to the conflict between Solas and the other Elven gods. Meanwhile, playing as a Mage enhances the experience of a game set partially in the Tevinter Imperium, a nation where magic is venerated.
By The Numbers
44.8% of respondents intend to play as an Elf, followed by Human (25.8%), Qunari (13.5%), and Dwarf (8.1%). The latter being so unpopular isn’t surprising as we’ve heard little of Dwarven involvement in the narrative of The Veilguard, besides Kal’Sharok or an Ambassadoria potentially appearing.
Orzammar previously believed the great city of Kal’Sharok had been lost to the Darkspawn until the two cities made contact centuries after they were originally cut off from one another. The Dwarves of Kal’Sharok reportedly ‘changed’ to survive in isolation. The specifics of these changes are unknown. While the city lies beneath the Hunterhorn Mountains between the Anderfels and Orlais, some have speculated they may keep an Ambassadoria (embassy) in Minrathous.
On the class front, Mage is by far the most popular choice at 50.8%. This is followed by Rogue (25.1%) and Warrior (19.2%). This contrasts aninternal surveyat BioWare where Rogue was the most popular class. Those at BioWare have actually played the game, however.
Other interesting insights from the survey include Shadow Dragons being the most popular faction choice, followed by Grey Wardens and Antivan Crows. Lucanis is the most popular intended romance, followed by Neve and Harding.
Naturally, these are all assumptions on behalf of the respondents. It may turn out that a certain class or a certain background proves to be more popular once players get their hands on The Veilguard. Still, it’s interesting to see the early frontrunners.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the long-awaited fourth game in the fantasy RPG series from BioWare formerly known as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. A direct sequel to Inquisition, it focuses on red lyrium and Solas, the aforementioned Dread Wolf.
