Table of Contents

Can I Change Class in Dragon Age: Inquisition? The Definitive Guide

The short answer is a resounding no. Once you choose your class – Warrior, Rogue, or Mage – at the beginning of Dragon Age: Inquisition, you’re locked in for the duration of your playthrough. There’s no magical item or in-game mechanic that allows you to completely change your base class. However, the story doesn’t end there. While you can’t become a rogue after starting as a mage, the game offers substantial customization options that allow you to tailor your character’s playstyle significantly, especially through specializations and respeccing. Let’s delve deeper into what you can do to alter your character’s abilities and approach to combat.

Customization Options: More Than Meets the Eye

While the core class is immutable, Dragon Age: Inquisition provides several avenues for personalization, mitigating the initial class choice’s impact:

Specializations: Upon reaching a certain point in the game (usually after completing a specific quest chain), you unlock the ability to choose a specialization within your chosen class. These specializations act as subclasses, granting access to unique skill trees and fundamentally altering how your character plays. For example, a Warrior can specialize as a Champion, Templar, or Reaver, each offering distinct abilities and combat styles.
Respeccing: Feeling like you made some bad ability point investments? Dragon Age: Inquisition allows you to respec your character and your companions. This means you can redistribute your skill points and try out different builds within your chosen class and specialization. Respeccing is achieved by purchasing an Amulet of Tactical Renewal from a vendor in Skyhold. The first amulet is cheap, but subsequent ones will cost significantly more gold.
Equipment: The gear you equip has a major impact on your character’s effectiveness. Experiment with different weapons, armor, and accessories to enhance your strengths and compensate for your weaknesses. For example, a mage can improve their durability with barrier-enhancing equipment. A rogue can increase their critical hit chance with the right daggers and armor modifications.
Companions: Dragon Age: Inquisition features a diverse cast of companions, each with their own unique abilities and specializations. By strategically utilizing your companions, you can compensate for your character’s weaknesses and create a well-rounded party.
Trials: The Trials in Dragon Age Inquisition are a game modifier system. You can use the Trials in Dragon Age Inquisition to make the game harder or different in many ways, like the “Even Ground” trial that will make every enemy at least the Inquisitor’s level, if not a higher one.

Specializations: Defining Your Role

Choosing a specialization is a pivotal moment in Dragon Age: Inquisition. It allows you to refine your class and focus on a particular playstyle. Here’s a brief overview of the specializations available for each class:

Warrior Specializations

Champion: Masters of defense and crowd control. Champions excel at drawing enemy attention and protecting their allies. They are exceptionally durable and can taunt enemies to focus on them.
Templar: Anti-magic specialists who can dispel enemy buffs and silence enemy mages. They are effective against demonic and magical threats.
Reaver: A damage-focused specialization that sacrifices health for increased power. Reavers thrive in high-risk, high-reward combat scenarios.

Rogue Specializations

Assassin: Experts at dealing massive single-target damage. Assassins rely on stealth and cunning to eliminate high-priority targets quickly.
Artificer: Masters of traps and gadgets. Artificers can control the battlefield with strategically placed traps and provide powerful buffs to their allies.
Tempest: A burst damage specialization that focuses on manipulating time and elemental effects. Tempests can unleash devastating combos and quickly eliminate groups of enemies.

Mage Specializations

Knight-Enchanter: Melee mages who use spirit blades and magical armor to engage enemies up close. They are highly durable and can deal significant damage.
Necromancer: Specialists in manipulating life and death. Necromancers can summon skeletons to fight alongside them and drain the life force of their enemies.
Rift Mage: Masters of manipulating the Fade. Rift Mages can create rifts in the earth to damage enemies and control the battlefield.

Why You Can’t Change Classes: Thematic and Design Considerations

The inability to change classes in Dragon Age: Inquisition is a deliberate design choice by BioWare. It’s rooted in both thematic and practical considerations:

Character Identity: Your chosen class is a fundamental aspect of your character’s identity. It reflects their background, training, and innate abilities. Changing classes would fundamentally alter who your character is within the game’s world.
Narrative Consistency: The game’s story and dialogue are often tailored to your chosen class. Changing classes mid-game would create inconsistencies and break immersion.
Balance and Complexity: Allowing players to freely change classes would introduce significant balance challenges and increase the complexity of the game’s systems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about class choices, respeccing, and character customization in Dragon Age: Inquisition:

1. Can I change my race in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

No, your race, like your class, is a permanent choice made during character creation.

2. How do I unlock specializations in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

You unlock specializations by completing a specific quest chain that becomes available after reaching a certain point in the main story. You’ll need to gather materials and complete a short quest for each potential specialization.

3. How much does it cost to respec in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

The first Amulet of Tactical Renewal costs 1 gold, but subsequent amulets cost 365 gold.

4. Can I respec my companions in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

Yes, you can respec your companions using the same Amulet of Tactical Renewal. This allows you to experiment with different builds for your entire party.

5. Are there any mods that allow me to change classes in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

While the base game doesn’t allow class changes, some mods available through the Nexus Mods website might offer this functionality. However, use mods with caution, as they can sometimes introduce bugs or instability.

6. What is the best class to start with in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

The best class depends on your preferred playstyle. Warriors are durable and excel in solo combat, rogues are versatile and can deal high damage, and mages are powerful damage dealers but are less durable.

7. Can I change my character’s appearance after creating them in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

Yes, with the Black Emporium DLC, you gain access to the Mirror of Transformation, which allows you to change your character’s appearance.

8. How many specializations can I choose in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

You can only choose one specialization per character. Choose wisely, as you cannot change your specialization once you’ve made your decision.

9. What happens if I don’t choose a specialization?

If you don’t choose a specialization, you will miss out on a significant power boost and access to unique abilities. It is highly recommended to choose a specialization as soon as you unlock the option.

10. Can I reset my Inquisition perks?

No, Inquisition perks are permanent choices. Plan your perk selections carefully, as you cannot undo them.

11. Where can I find the Amulet of Tactical Renewal to respec my character?

The Amulet of Tactical Renewal can be purchased from the vendor in Skyhold.

12. Is Dragon Age: Inquisition a difficult game?

Dragon Age: Inquisition can be challenging, especially on higher difficulty settings. However, the game offers a wide range of difficulty options to suit different playstyles and skill levels.

13. Can I play Dragon Age: Inquisition after beating the main story?

Yes, you can continue playing after completing the main story, allowing you to explore remaining areas, complete side quests, and play DLC content.

14. How many endings does Dragon Age: Inquisition have?

Dragon Age: Inquisition has multiple endings, with variations based on your choices and actions throughout the game.

15. Are any valuables worth keeping in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

Most valuables are primarily for selling, but some are used in Requisitions and Creature research. Check the item description to determine its purpose before selling.

Final Thoughts

While you can’t change your core class in Dragon Age: Inquisition, the game provides ample opportunities for customization and experimentation. By strategically choosing your specialization, respeccing your abilities, and utilizing your companions effectively, you can create a character that suits your preferred playstyle. Remember to consider your choices carefully, as they will have a significant impact on your overall experience. Ultimately, the best way to learn and improve your gaming strategies is to be part of a community and learn from other. Why not join the Games Learning Society and be part of the bigger gaming experience. Learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Can I change class in Dragon Age Inquisition?