When it comes to long-running and successful RPG franchises,Dragon Ageis right up there as one of the most recognizable names in the field, and thanks to the recent release ofDragon Age: The Veilguard, the DA name is even more famous.
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But despitethis more accessible combat, you’ll still want to know what weapons are best to see you through the game’s opening hours. So, without further ado, let’s list a few powerful armaments that will take down Darkspawn, Venatori, and whatever else stands in your way.
For the sake of clarity, we will only include weapons available up to chapter six and will only list weapons used by the player character.
10Cutthroat’s Sword
The Worst of the Best
First, we have the wooden spoon entry, which really only makes the top ten due to the lack of options in the early game.
But that’s not to say that the Cutthroat’s Sword is useless. It has relatively good physical damage and stagger stats and can be nurtured to become rather useful in an early-game critical hit-based build.
But sadly, aside from the serviceable physical stats early on, you’ll soon find a more aesthetically pleasing and powerful weapon to wield. So, unless you really like the idea of building into its precision-based perks, it’s probably best used until something better comes along.
9Seafarer’s Cutlass
A landlubber’s Nightmare
The Seafarer’s Cutlass is a pretty interesting sword you’ll acquire during the prison break that sees you rescue Lucanis. While it’s not a sword that offers incredible stagger and physical stats, it does focus on an effect that can help you get the most out of your whole team rather than needing to carry them through each battle.
This sword allows you to increase the duration of Rally Party, and with consistent improvements, you’ll be able to activate this effect when you strike three enemies at once, which is pretty easy with a charged heavy attack.
Plus, when fully upgraded, companions will be able to ignore enemy defenses and cut them down with ease. It’s essentially a sword that significantly cuts your workload on the battlefield. What’s not to love?
8Proving Steel
Prove Your Might
Due to the sheer number of enemies you’ll face that are kitted out with tough armor, you’ll become accustomed to performing charged attacks to break through their defenses.
However, you can lean into this necessary mechanic and make it a key component of your strategy with Proving Steel.
This weapon allows you to gain 20% damage when performing these attacks, and with time, can be upgraded to make your charged attacks literally unstoppable and more mobile.
If you’re not someone who relies on melee combos, this might not be your bag, but if you’re a button-bashing pro, this might be up your alley.
7Weisshaupt’s Wail
Wail On Those Darkspawn!
Speaking of weapons that lean into melee combos, we have Weisshaupt’s Wail. A weapon that gives the player a 15% boost to their light attacks, and can be further improved to make the finisher in your combo much more deadly, not to mention make your allies more deadly when fully upgraded.
It’s a weapon that is perfect for those aforementioned button-bashing players, and even if you don’t fall into that crowd, light attacks are essentially the connective tissue between all the hard-hitting skills and ranged attacks, so it’s not a bad option to have in your arsenal.
6Golden Grassblade
A Snake in the Grass
Dealing loads of damage and being a bloodletter to be feared is great and all. But you know what’s even better than that? Staying alive.
The Golden Grassblade is the best defensive option that the player has in the early game, offering players a welcome +30 boost to their defense, with the scope to build into perks that reduce damage relative to the number of arrows you use, and a means of quite literally turning your defense into attack.
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I’ll admit, it’s a pretty no-thrills choice, and that will turn off a few. But if you want to survive against an onslaught of Darkspawn or against a hulking boss, this might be your best option.
5Veil’s Edge
Give Yourself That Killer Edge
In the early game, before you upgrade your skill tree a little and gain access to some more arrows in your quiver, you’ll find that these run out pretty quickly.
This is even more true if you’re someone who really leans into the archery side of combat. So, if you find yourself out of ammo more than you would like, Veil’s Edge is the answer to your problems.
This bow gives you 50% faster arrow regeneration, and can be upgraded to make this weapon a precision bow capable of finding those Weakpoints more times than not.
Its damage and stagger values leave a lot to be desired, but it’s a decent trade-off for never being short of arrows.
4Antivian Rapier
Fight Like A Crow
We head to Treviso for our next entry, and if you want to get your hands on this one, you’ll need to win favor with the Shadow Dragons. Or at least enough to upgrade their shop once, as this will grant you access to the Antivian Rapier.
It can be tricky to find a decent off-hand weapon early on in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but thanks to this weapon’s ability to apply Necrosis to enemies as well as boasting very respectable stagger stats, this weapon more than fits the bill.
You can really lean into this one and use it as a strong component of a Necrosis build, which adds resistance and damage and guarantees Necrosis affliction upon critical hits.
In short, if you’re into the sickly green damage type, you’ll be a fan of this one.
3Dauntless Greatbow
Shockingly Powerful
Next, we have the Dauntless Greatbow, a bow that will allow you to apply electrical damage to your foes, and this probably won’t shock you, but in the early-game, thats a pretty good thing to have access to.
you’re able to upgrade this bow to allow for even more electrical damage, and also when fully upgraded, this weapon becomes lethal in the hands of a sharpshooter, because if you can make each arrow count and keep remaining arrows stocked, the damage output is pretty excellent with this bow.
This thing may look absolutely ridiculous, but if you may look past the cartoonish design, you’ll find this to be a very useful killing tool indeed.
2Glory Hunter’s Bow
Guts and Glory
Our runner-up is the best bow you’ll be able to access in the early stages of the game. The Glory Hunter’s Bow has decent physical damage and does even more damage when you charge your shots before firing.
But the real standout feature here is that, if used for a distance, the bow’s damage output increases drastically, allowing you to benefit from staying out of the firing line.
It does mean that more agile and aggressive enemies may get the jump on you. But if you can get the jump on them before the fight even begins, then you don’t need to worry about that.
1Cordova’s Toothpick
Death By One-Thousand Cuts
Our winner may be a rather contentious one, as it’s a real Marmite weapon in truth. But, seeing as I land on the ‘love it’ side of the equation, I’m going to fight its corner.
Cordova’s Toothpick, found in the upper levels of Treviso, is a weapon that allows you toeffectively copy your favoriteElden Ringbuildand lean into bleed damage. The trade-off is that the damage output is terrible with this weapon, but due to the bleed build-up, it won’t matter one bit.
you’re able to bomb into the action, land a flurry of hits, and then duck out again and effectively wait for your enemy to drop dead all on their own.
It relies on a rather aggressive and dynamic playstyle, but if that sounds like you, this is the weapon you want to prioritize in the early stages ofDragon Age: The Veilguard.
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