Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Mage Abilities Guide

Quick Guide to Mage Abilities

A magic master, the Mage harnesses natural elements and the Fade to destroy enemies with mystic forces.

Skill Tree Sections

• Core [A], Control [B], Shadow Dragon [C], Burst [D], Antivan Crow [E], Sustain [F], Mourn Watch [G]

Specializations

• Evoker [X], Spellblade [Y], Death Caller [Z]

Combat Basics

• Weapon Swap: Tap [Swap] to toggle between your two weapon configurations.
• Charged Attack: Hold [Light], [Heavy], or [Ranged].
• Arcane Marks: Hitting enemies with your Orb 3 times adds an Arcane Bomb. Hitting an enemy with [Heavy] consumed an Arcane Bomb, dealing massive damage.
• Sprint Attack: Tap [Sprint] while moving and then tap [Light] or [Heavy]
• Jump Attack: While airborne, tap [Light] or [Heavy]. Hold [Ranged] to slowly drop while channeling
• Dodge: Tap [Dodge] to sidestep an attack or double-tap [Dodge] to Fade-step quickly out of the way
• Defend: Hold [Defend] while wielding your Staff or tap [Defend] at the right time while wielding your Orb and Dagger to block enemy attacks
  [Editor’s note: Blocking with the staff costs mana each hit and the block breaks if  you run out]

Resources

• 3 levels of Staff Energy to empower Staff attacks
• Mana for Abilities as well as for empowering the Staff and blocking. Gained by attacking and regenerates passively but this regeneration is paused briefly after spending it or taking damage

Abilities

• [A1] Arcane Shot: [Projectile, Blast] Deals 300 Fire damage. Conjure fiery arcane bolts that rip into your enemies. Launch up to 5 projectiles toward your target and any enemy unlucky enough to be nearby. Applies Burning. Costs 100 Mana
• [B1] Frost Nova: [Area, Control] Deals 30 Cold damage. Freeze your enemies to the bone if they get too close. A wide area around you is Frozen. 60s CD
• [B14] Ice Blast: [Control, Blast] Deals 200 Cold damage. Hurl shards of ice, impaling enemies caught in the way. Deals damage in a tight radius around your target, leaving behind shards that render enemies Chilled when touched. Applies Weakened. Costs 100 Mana
• [C11] Dark Squall: [Projectile, Control] Deals 110 Cold damage. Harness elemental chaos, projecting a burst of entropic energy to knock your targets back. Applies Chilled on impact. Detonates Sundered. 60s CD
• [D1] Chain Lightning: [Strike, Projectile] Deals 90 Electricity damage. Charge the air and fire a bolt of lightning that splits to hit multiple targets in a chain reaction. The bolt bounces up to 3 times, dealing damage to each enemy hit and rendering them Shocked. Applies Overwhelm. Costs 100 Mana
• [D14] Tempest: [Strike, Duration] Deals 90 Electricity damage. Weave a powerful thunderstorm around you. Lightning strikes a random enemy within 8 meters of the casting zone every 2 seconds. Deals Electric damage to all enemies cough by the blast, rendering them Shocked. Costs 100 Mana
• [E11] Storm Surge: [Area, Strike] Deals 215 Electricity damage. Leap backward, stirring up a storm of elemental energy in your wake. Deals damage to all nearby enemies. Applies Overwhelm. 60s CD
• [F1] Wall of Fire: [Duration, Control] Deals 50 Fire damage. Summon a flaming barrier, burning enemies foolish enough to cross it. Enemies incur damage and Burning each second they remain inside the wall. 60s CD
• [F14] Meteor: [Area, Blast] Deals 250 Fire damage. Call down an elemental meteor that crushes and burns enemies in its way. Deals damage in an area around your target and applies Burning. Detonates Sundered. Costs 100 Mana
• [G11] Corrupted Ground: [Area Duration] Deals 135 Necrotic damage. Weave the threads of life and death, corrupting an area of the battlefield. Enemies caught inside succumb to its deadly aura. Deals minor damage and applies Necrosis each second enemies are exposed to the corruption. Applies Weakened. Costs 100 Mana

Ultimate

• [A2] Destructive Light: Deals 1600 Fire damage. Summon a concentrated beam of primal elemental energy. Deals damage each second to all enemies caught in the beam while applying Burning

Traits

• [A4] Mind Blast: Hold [Defend], then tap [Heavy]. While Defending, consume 50 mana to unleash a shockwave 6 meters in all directions. Deals damage based on your equipped staff
• [A6] Fade Strike: [Dodge], [Dodge], then [Light] or [Heavy]. Use your speed to unleash a powerful attack with any weapon after using Fade Step. Also unlocks an additional follow-up attack while sprinting by pressing [Light], [Light] or [Heavy], [Heavy]
• [A8] Mortal Concentration: Hold [Ranged]. Sustaining your Ranged attack gradually increases its damage output the longer it is active, to a maximum of 3 seconds
• [B4] Fade Reflex: [Dodge] (just before impact). Timing your Dodge just before the enemy’s attack lands slows down time for a short duration. You can move and attack normally.
• [C14] Bolt Volley: Tap [Light] when Bolt is fired from a [Light]. Following a [Light], tap [Light] again as the Bolt is shot from your Staff to spawn an additional Bolt with the same properties.
• [E14] Spirit Blade: [Light], [Light], [Light], [Heavy]. You can now use your Heavy attack at the end of a Light Attack Chain to conjure a blade and project it a short distance. The blade consumes an Arcane Bomb. Requires Obr and Dagger
• [F4] Return Fire: [Block] then [Light] or [Heavy]. Use a Light or Heavy attack after a Perfect Defense to perform a counterattack.
• [G14] Channeled Thoughts: Hold [Block], then [Light]. Focus your mind to generate up to 50 Mana per second on command.

Passives

• [A3] Charging Spirit: Staff Energy generates passively when you are not in combat.
• [A5] Quick Recovery: Mana regeneration restarts 25% faster when paused by spending Mana or taking damage
• [A7] Downfall: [Light] or [Heavy] while airborne: Jump attacks guarantee Critical hits if the target is Knocked Down
• [B2] Bulwark: Physical Resistance +10%
• [B3] Frostbite: Damage vs. Frozen: +15%
• [B5] Necessary Steps: Primer duration +20%
• [B6] Shattering Control: Control Abilities deal 75% more damage vs. Armor
• [B7] Breathing Room: The radius of Area Ability effect is increased by 50%
• [B8] Providence: Advantage duration +20%
• [B9] Zone of Destruction: Hitting 3 or more enemies with an Area Ability grants Enhanced Damage
• [B10] Ethereal: Control Abilities grant Deflect after you deal a Critical hit
• [B11] Clarity in Suffering: Whenever you take damage, you regenerate 5 Mana
• [B12] Ice Storm: Cold damage + 10%
• [B13] Traumatize: Takedown damage +15%
• [B17] Absorb: Whenever you Defend against an attack, Staff Energy is charged by 25%
• [B18] Greater Authority: Control Ability cooldown is 20 seconds faster. Ice Blast now has a cooldown of 40 seconds instead of costing Mana.
• [B20] Block Mastery: Block Mana cost -30%
• [B21] Frost Shield: Enemies who inflict damage on you are Chilled.
• [B22] Mana Infusion: Performing a Takedown grants 50 Mana and 33% Staff Energy.
• [C10] Keen Insight: Control Abilities deal an additional 150% damage in a 6 meter radius when activated. The damage type matches the Ability type
• [C15] Elemental Catalyst: Abilities gain +15% bonus damage based on the damage type of your Staff and Orb weapons.
• [C16] Prism of Resistance: You gain 10% Resistance to the damage type of each mapped Ability
• [D7] Catalyst: Defeating an enemy with a Projectile Ability grants Rally Party
• [D9] Vile Projectiles: Projectile Abilities now deal Critical damage to enemies suffering from Necrosis
• [D10] Precision Strikes: Strike Abilities land a Critical hit against enemies who are Knocked Down
• [D18] Conductor: Strike Abilities deal 10% more damage to an enemy for each stack of Shocked.
• [D21] Energy Burst: Abilities that deal Fire or Electric damage increase the other type’s damage by 15% for 10 seconds.
• [E1] Medium Armor Mastery: While wearing a Medium Vitaar/Helmet and Armor: Critical damage +20%; Final damage +20%; Charged attack damage +20%; Agile attack damage +20%
• [E2] Bulwark: Physical Resistance +10%
• [E3] Deterioration: Penetration +15%
• [E4] Imbued Reaction: Perfect Defense grants Shocking Weapons. Shocking Weapons deals 25% more damage
• [E5] Staggering Charge: Stagger from Charged attacks +20%
• [E8] Underestimated: Light attack damage vs. health +10%
• [E9] Pressure Point: Landing a Critical hit with Strike Abilities grants Quickened
• [E10] Baleful Blast: Blast Abilities deal Critical hits to enemies with Low Health
• [E12] Shellbreaker: Damage vs. Armor +20%
• [E13] Finale: Final attack damage +10%
• [E15] Essence Eater: Performing a Takedown grants 250 health and 20 Ultimate
• [F2] Velocity: Stagger from weapon attacks +20%
• [F3] Prolong: Affliction duration +20%
• [F8] Providence: Advantage duration +20%
• [F9] Tear Down: Hitting an enemy with a Duration Ability permanently reduces their Defense by 5
• [F10] Resistant Blasts: Defeating an enemy with a Blast Ability grants Resistant
• [F11] Inner Focus: Successful Light attacks generate an additional 25% Mana. This value is doubled against enemies suffering from an Affliction
• [F18] Deadly Providence: Defeating an enemy using a Duration Ability grants Precision
• [F21] Degrade: Deal 5% bonus damage for each unique Primer and Affliction on your target
• [F17] Flames of Inspiration: Defeating a Burning enemy grants Rally Party
• [F22] Further Torment: Deals 20% more bonus Stagger to enemies with an Affliction
• [G1] Eclectic Armorer: While wearing different classifications of Helm and Armor: Mana regeneration +20%; Ranged attack Mana cost -20%; Weakpoint damage +15%
• [G2] Concentration: Ranged attack damage +15%
• [G3] Death’s Blessing: Necrotic damage +10%
• [G10] Collateral Damage: Hitting multiple enemies with a single Area Ability deals 10% more damage for each enemy hit
• [G15] Deathfrost: Abilities that deal Necrotic or Cold damages increase theo other type’s damage by 15% for 6 seconds.
• [G4] Imbued Duration: Executing a Detonation on an enemy grants Shocking Weapons. The duration Shocking Weapons is extended by 50%
• [G5] Necessary Steps: Primer duration +20%
• [G6] Breathing Room: The radius of Area Ability effect is increased by 50%
• [G7] Time Management: Effects of Duration Abilities are increased by 50%
• [G8] Enervation: Damage vs. Barrier +20%
• [G9] Zone of Concentration: After triggering a Duration Ability, wait 5 seconds to regain 25 bonus Mana
• [G13] Arcane Defiance: Electric Resistance +10%; Necrotic Resistance +10%

Evoker

Trained on Minrathous streets, the Shadow Dragon Evoker uses ice to control the battlefield and delivers powerful magical attacks to take down enemies.

Call the void. Freeze enemies in their tracks, then summon the deepest cold to tear them apart.

Ability

• [X2] Entropic Sphere: [Area, Projectile] Deals 50 Cold damage. Launch a sphere of entropic energy that damages all enemies in its path before exploding in a punishing final blast. Applies Weakened. Costs 100 Mana

Ultimate

• [X1] Vortex of Shadow: Deals 1000 Cold damage. Concentrate entropic energy on a single point until it reaches critical levels, creating a vortex. The vortex appears in front of you, dealing damage each second while pulling nearby enemies toward its center.

Traits

• [X5] Onslaught: Tap [Light], [Light], then hold [Light]. Hold [Light] at the end of a Light attack Chain and release at the moment it fires to unleash an additional barrage of projectiles.
• [X11] Knight of Staves: [Light], [Light], [Heavy] (Staves). Perform a Heavy attack after two Light attacks to unleash a heavy bolt at your target. The damage and radius increases based on your current Staff charge level.

Passives

• [X3] Ice Storm: Cold damage +10%
• [X4] Two Fires: After using a Projectile Ability, your Staff attacks fire an additional bolt at your targets for the next 6 seconds.
• [X7] Quickened Strikes: Final Staff attacks reduce the cooldown of your Abilities
• [X6] Staff Mastery: Staff Light attack damage +25%. Maximum Staff Energy charges: +1
• [X8] Withering Charges: Light Staff attacks reduce an enemy’s Resistance to your Staff’s damage type by 5% for 10 seconds.
• [X9] Heavy Weaponry: Heavy attack damage +10%
• [X10] Controlled Infusion: Using a Control Ability generates 35% of your Staff Energy.
• [X12] Cryomancy: Damage vs. Frozen targets +15%. Frozen duration +1 second.
• [X13] Ice Shatter: Charged attacks are Critical against Frozen enemies. A successful attack removes Frozen.
• [X14] Bonechiller: When you have Low Health, Frozen is applied to all nearby enemies. This can happen only once every 120 seconds.

Spellblade

Weaving magic and melee together, the Crow Spellblade wields both dagger and orb to serve death to their foes.

Be the storm. Channel potent spells for close-quarters combat infused with lightning’s wrath.

Ability

• [Y2] Void Blade: [Strike, Blast] Deals 300 Electricity damage. Harness the agility of the Antivan Crows, dashing forward in a flash of dark energy before landing a deadly slash that explodes a moment later. Deals damage twice. Detonates Sundered. Costs 100 Mana

Ultimate

• [Y1] Thunderous End: Deals 1000 Electricity damage. Conjure a deadly avatar of the storm to seek vengeance on your enemies. Deals heavy damage and applies 2 stacks of Shacked to enemies within a large radius.

Traits

• [Y5] Veil Flurry: Tap [Light], [Light], [Light], [Light], then hold [Light]. Hold [Light] at the end of Light Attack Chain and release at the right moment to unleash your Orb in a circle around you.
• [Y11] Spirit of Vengeance: You can now throw your Spirit Blade a second time by pressing [Heavy] when it returns to you. Requires Orb and Dagger.

Passives

• [Y3] Deterioration: Penetration +15%
• [Y4] Arcane Strike: Strike Abilities now hit with an Arcane Bomb
• [Y6] Antivan Kiss: Maximum Shocked stacks: +1. Maximum Burning stacks: +1.
• [Y7] Electrical Burns: Applying Burning also applies Shocked. Applying Shocked also applies Burning .
• [Y8] Shocking Tactician: Achieving maximum Shocked stacks on an enemy triggers an Electric burst in an area around them.
• [Y9] Finale: Final attack damage +10%
• [Y10] Blast Efficiency: Blast Abilities cost 50 less Mana.
• [Y12] Demolisher: Maximum Arcane Bomb stacks: +1
• [Y13] Conductivity: Defeating an enemy with one or more Arcane Bombs still active causes the effect to jump to the nearest enemy within 10 meters.
• [Y14] Orbital Burst: When triggering an Arcane Bomb, deal 100% of the damage in a 6 meter radius. Also deals significant Stagger to targets.

Death Caller

With knowledge from the Necropolis, the Mourn Watch Death Caller uses forces of life and death to drain their enemies and power spells with their own life force.

Embrace the dark. Drain life from enemies and cast spells that writhe with the essence of death itself.

Ability

• [Z2] Spirit Bomb: [Duration, Blast] Deals 400 Necrotic damage. Drain the life out of enemies, then throw it back at them in an explosion of necrotic energy. Applies Siphoned and deals damage each second you are connected to a target, before a final blast deals bonus damage that intensifies the longer the target is exposed to it. Detonates Sundered. Costs 100 Mana

Ultimate

• [Z1] The Crypt’s Herald: Deals 1215 Necrotic damage. Be like death, drawing in the power of the Fade and surrounding yourself with a necrotic storm. Slowly absorbs life from all nearby enemies before ending in a punishing burst, causing massive damage.

Traits

• [Z5] Soulburn: Hold [Ranged], then tap [Heavy]. Expend 50 Mana to create a powerful surge in your Ranged attack, giving it the power to Detonate Sundered targets.
• [Z11] Death Surge: Hold [Ranged] + [Light]. Overcharges your Ranged attack, spending 200% of the usual Mana to deal 200% damage.

Passives

• [Z3] Death’s Blessing: Necrotic damage +10%
• [Z4] Restless Spirits: Defeating an enemy under the effects of Duration Abilities spawns a Necrotic bolt from the corpse that seeks out a nearby enemy.
• [Z6] Vitality: Health +100. Health leech effects: +50%
• [Z7] Mortalitasi: Actions that consume Mana now consume health when Mana is depleted.
• [Z8] Desperation: Gain bonus damage relative to the amount of health your target and you have lost.
• [Z9] Concentration: ranges attack damage +15%
• [Z10] Death and Decay: Area Abilities now deal Necrotic damage. Corrupted Ground now deals increased damage when activated.
• [Z12] Fade Conduit: Maximum Mana +50
• [Z13] Overdraw: Abilities cost an additional 50 Mana but gain 50% Penetration.
• [Z14] Invigorating Beam: Your Ranged attack now deals Necrotic damage and leeches 10% of damage done, replenishing your health.