Mastering Specializations: A Guide for the Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition

So, you’re ready to truly define your Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition? Excellent choice! Specializations are the key to unlocking powerful new abilities and tailoring your character to your preferred playstyle.

The core process for completing specializations in Dragon Age: Inquisition involves reaching Skyhold, completing the “In Your Heart Shall Burn” main quest, accessing the Undercroft, triggering the “Specializations for the Inquisitor” war table operation, choosing a specialization, and completing its associated quest line. Let’s break down each of these crucial steps in detail.

Unlocking Your Potential: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of how to unlock and complete specializations for your Inquisitor:

1. Progress Through the Main Story: You must first complete the main story quest “In Your Heart Shall Burn”. This pivotal event will lead to the Inquisition establishing its new headquarters at Skyhold. This event is a major turning point in the game’s narrative.

2. Establish Skyhold: After “In Your Heart Shall Burn,” the Inquisition will relocate to Skyhold. It is essential to complete any initial tasks assigned to set it up and start running effectively. Make sure you’ve visited the Undercroft when you first arrive at Skyhold. This step may seem minor, but it ensures that the specialization quest line triggers correctly.

3. War Table Operation: Once Skyhold is established, check the War Table. A new operation titled “Specializations for the Inquisitor” should become available. Initiating this operation is what sets the specialization quests in motion. Complete the war table operation.

4. The Choice is Yours: After completing the war table operation, specialization trainers will appear in Skyhold. You’ll find one trainer for each specialization available to your class. Speak to all three trainers and learn about the specialization that they are teaching to decide which specialization is best for you.

5. The Trainer Quest: The most important step in the Specialization quest is to begin one of the three quests to unlock the desired Specialization. Each Trainer will require you to locate specific items for them to continue their training, find them to complete the process and finally earn your Specialization!

Mage Specializations:

• Knight-Enchanter: Trainers: Knight-Enchanter Ardant located in Skyhold and Grand Enchanter Fiona located in Haven.
• Necromancer: Trainers: Mortalitasi Keeper located in Skyhold and Laris located at the Crossroads in the Hinterlands.
• Rift Mage: Trainers: Rift Mage Ellandra located in Skyhold and The Enchanter located at the Outskirts in the Storm Coast.

Rogue Specializations:

• Artificer: Trainers: Master Dennet located in Skyhold and Fairbanks located near the Riverwatch Camp in the Hinterlands.
• Assassin: Trainers: Iron Bull located in Skyhold and Belle located at the Cliffside River Camp in the Storm Coast.
• Tempest: Trainers: Skyhold Herbalist located in Skyhold and the Herbalist located in the Oasis in the Forbidden Oasis.

Warrior Specializations:

• Champion: Trainers: Skyhold Quartermaster located in Skyhold and Commander Jeannot located in the Eastern Ramparts in the Hinterlands.
• Reaver: Trainers: Blackwall located in Skyhold and Kora located in the Cradle of Sulevin in the Storm Coast.
• Templar: Trainers: Cassandra Pentaghast located in Skyhold and Barrister Lyle located at the Village of Crestwood in Crestwood.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Specializations

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the specialization process and related mechanics:

1. What are specializations in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

   Specializations are sub-classes that further define your Inquisitor’s abilities and playstyle. They unlock new skill trees, offering powerful abilities and passive bonuses unique to each specialization.

2. When can I unlock specializations?

   You can begin the specialization quests once you reach Skyhold, complete the quest “In Your Heart Shall Burn”, and initiate the “Specializations for the Inquisitor” War Table operation.

3. How many specializations can my Inquisitor have?

   Your Inquisitor can only have one specialization per playthrough. Choose wisely!

4. Do I need to be a certain level to unlock specializations?

   While there’s no specific level requirement listed in the article, it is generally advisable to be at least level 10. It is essential to have progressed through “In Your Heart Shall Burn” and have reached Skyhold. Your level will naturally increase as you progress through these milestones.

5. Can my companions also choose specializations?

   No, only the Inquisitor can choose a specialization. Your companions have pre-defined roles and abilities.

6. What are the specializations for each class?

   • Mage: Knight-Enchanter, Necromancer, Rift Mage.
   • Rogue: Artificer, Assassin, Tempest.
   • Warrior: Champion, Reaver, Templar.

7. How do I choose the right specialization?

   Consider your preferred playstyle. Do you want to be a melee mage (Knight-Enchanter), a damage dealer (Artificer), or an unkillable tank (Champion)? Experiment with different abilities and find what suits you best.

8. What happens if I don’t like my specialization?

   Unfortunately, there’s no way to respec your specialization in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Once you choose, you’re locked in for the rest of the playthrough. This is why researching the Specializations is very important before selecting one.

9. Are some specializations better than others?

   It depends on your playstyle and party composition. Some specializations, like Artificer for rogues or Knight-Enchanter for mages, are widely considered very powerful, but all specializations can be effective with the right build and strategy.

10. Do specializations affect my romance options?

    No, your specialization doesn’t directly affect your romance options. Romance is determined by your character’s gender, race, and choices during dialogue.

11. What does each Mage Specialization do?

    • Knight-Enchanter: Focuses on melee combat and magical barriers, turning the mage into a powerful spellblade.
    • Necromancer: Uses death magic to control enemies and summon undead allies.
    • Rift Mage: Manipulates rifts in the Fade, dealing massive damage and controlling the battlefield.

12. What does each Rogue Specialization do?

    • Artificer: Emphasizes traps, gadgets, and party support through critical hits and buffs.
    • Assassin: Specializes in stealth, high burst damage, and eliminating key targets.
    • Tempest: Uses alchemical concoctions to enhance combat abilities and unleash devastating attacks.

13. What does each Warrior Specialization do?

    • Champion: Focuses on tanking, protecting allies, and controlling enemy aggro.
    • Reaver: Sacrifices health for increased damage output, becoming a powerful but risky melee fighter.
    • Templar: Uses anti-magic abilities to dispel enemy buffs, control demons, and support allies.

14. Can I get all the specialization abilities?

    No, you can only access the skill tree associated with your chosen specialization.

15. Can DLC affect the specializations?

    Certain DLCs, like Trespasser, can introduce new upgrades and abilities that further enhance your specialization, but they don’t change the core mechanics of unlocking and choosing a specialization.

Congratulations! By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to mastering your Inquisitor’s chosen specialization and dominating the battlefield. Good luck, and may the Fade be with you!