As Rook and their companions plan to save Thedas from the Blighted Elven gods in Dragon Age: Veilguard, a devastating conundrum arises: the cities of Treviso and Minrathous are under attack from the forces of evil, but there’s only time to rescue one of them.
This is a key decision with long-lasting effects not just on Rook’s journey, but the companions you call friends and the state of the world as a whole.
While you’ve made smaller choices with lingering consequences, such as the visual injuries to either Neve or Harding depending on who you brought along to topple the statue in Solas’s ritual, choosing to help Treviso or Minrathous is on a whole different level.
Depending on which city you choose, it will affect the functionality of that hub level, the fate of numerous characters and how you can interact with some of your companions.
So you can make an informed decision, here’s everything you need to know to aid your decision between Treviso or Minrathous, with only necessary spoilers to clue you in to the details.
Should you help Treviso or Minrathous in Dragon Age: Veilguard?
After you add the griffon-handler Davrin to your motley crew at the Lighthouse, you have a big choice to make: do you go to stop the dragon in Treviso or Minrathous?
Lucanis argues that Treviso is a defenceless merchant city which won’t be able to cope with the devastation. Whereas Neve argues that your allies in the Shadow Dragons will likely suffer losses, leading to the Venatori making a grab for power in the aftermath and taking over Tevinter. Both Neve and Lucanis will rush to help their respective cities and you will need to choose which to aid.
If you help Minrathous:
- You gain a large amount of approval from Neve and a hefty chunk of +400 faction strength to the Shadow Dragons
- The Venatori will be thwarted in their grab for power in the short term and Minrathous will remain the same hub area it was before the attack
- After you save Minrathous you will rush to Treviso to find it destroyed by the dragon and twisted by the Blight. You will lose access to its markets and the Antivan Crows will have been rocked by losses
- Lucanis will return to Treviso to help with the rebuilding and will be unavailable for the next several story missions
- Lucanis will return “Hardened”, meaning he can only use damaging combat abilities while in Rook’s party and his companion bond will raise more slowly
- You will get new side quests to help clear the Blight from Treviso, as well as find out the fate of minor characters from the faction
If you help Treviso:
- You gain a large amount of approval from Lucanis and +400 faction strength to the Antivan Crows
- You will avert the destruction of Treviso and the Crows will not suffer a setback in their fight against the Antaam
- After you save Treviso, Rook will rush back to Minrathous to find it destroyed and blighted by the attack. The hub level will change to reflect the devastation
- The Shadow Dragons will have suffered heavy losses, including relatively minor, but named characters you have interacted with before
- Neve, Tarquin and the rest of the Shadow Dragons will be very, very upset with you and Neve will remain unavailable for the next several story missions
- Neve will return “Hardened”, meaning she can only use damaging abilities while in the party and her companion bond raises more slowly
- You will get a series of side quests to help clear the Blight from Minrathous
Overall, there are pros and cons to choosing both Minrathous or Treviso and there is no definitive “right” answer.
During my first playthrough, my character was from the Shadow Dragon Faction, so choosing to help Minrathous made the most sense narratively. For what it’s worth, it also felt like the tone of all characters’ interactions was more positive when choosing to help Minrathous.
The Antivan Crows say that most citizens managed to survive the Blight, and remain resolute in the face of adversity. The Shadow Dragons on the other hand were much less optimistic, particularly in light of losing one of their key members.
Ultimately though, you’re choosing whether you like Neve or Lucanis more. Their extended absence as they help to rebuild their city puts a big dent in their companion level progress and the destruction of their home town will fail any outstanding “outing” quests you’ve yet to complete in that area.