Dragon Age: Veilguard Quest Guide – Treviso or Dock Town?

Key Takeaways:

1. Treviso First for Lucanis – Visiting Treviso first is recommended as it allows you to recruit Lucanis early, enhancing your team’s combat strength and opening up new gameplay dynamics.
2. Choose Based on Playstyle – Each quest offers distinct enemies, puzzles, and rewards. Prioritize Treviso if you want powerful DPS support early on, or Dock Town for more challenging puzzle-solving.
3. No Lasting Consequences – Ultimately, there’s no major consequence to choosing either option first, but completing each area thoroughly prevents missed side quests and helps optimize character interactions.

When players in Dragon Age: The Veilguard reach the Crossroads a nexus of mystical eluvian portals they face a key choice: head to Treviso for the “Sea of Blood” quest or Dock Town for the “Smuggled Relic Case.” While both locations will ultimately be explored, the order can influence gameplay experiences, companion recruitment, and combat strategy.

Treviso: A Deep Dive into “Sea of Blood”

Choosing Treviso first in Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches players into the “Sea of Blood” quest, set in the high-rise cityscape home to the Antivan Crows, an elite guild of assassins and thieves. Here, the player character, Rook, teams up with the First Talon Caterina Dellamorte to retrieve her mage-killer grandson, Lucanis, from an underwater prison. Lucanis is rumoured to be dead, but Caterina reveals he’s alive, though detained, and she offers a contract to free him in exchange for his allegiance.

Companions and Gameplay Benefits

During “Sea of Blood,” players can select only one companion, as Lucanis will join as a second party member once he’s freed. His unique power, the ability to summon a demon called Spite, gives players an edge in navigating the platforming puzzles throughout the prison, offering a mix of combat and magical puzzle-solving rarely seen in the Dragon Age series.

Lucanis’ skills make him a valuable DPS (damage-per-second) character. His ability to summon Spite to retrieve items from the Fade enhances exploration, adds combat versatility, and becomes invaluable in later quests. His addition also unlocks potential romance options, deepening the player’s connection to him and adding another layer of character development.

The Calivan Boss Battle: Phases and Strategy

The quest culminates in a challenging three-phase boss battle against Calivan, an elven mage who shifts between his human form and a powerful demonic manifestation, Calivan’s Pride. The fight tests players’ party management skills, as Calivan constantly summons additional mages and fills the area with damaging AoE (area-of-effect) attacks. Rook should keep the party focused on Calivan while clearing out distractions to minimize incoming damage. Players may find Lucanis’ DPS helpful here, as he excels at cutting through Calivan’s summoned minions.

Rewards for Completing “Sea of Blood”

Aside from the immediate experience points and loot, completing “Sea of Blood” provides a lasting advantage by recruiting Lucanis early. His skills can prove useful in nearly all subsequent quests. Once he’s freed and Caterina grants her permission, Lucanis becomes available as a permanent party member, ready for most missions that follow.

Dock Town: Investigating “The Smuggled Relic Case”

Opting to visit Dock Town first takes players into Minrathous’ harbour district, where they tackle “The Smuggled Relic Case.” This quest introduces players to the Shadow Dragons, a local resistance group allied with Neve, a fierce Minrathous native who insists on joining the quest. Dock Town is a bustling, industrialized harbour filled with shadowy alleys, creating an immersive atmosphere where players track down a stolen relic critical to the resistance.

Companion Strategy and Battle Dynamics

In this quest, Neve brings unique tactical abilities, especially her Sundered skill, which synergizes well with another character’s Permafrost ability for combo attacks. Rook’s choice of companions should complement Neve’s skills ideally, selecting someone who can heal, like Harding or Bellara, to provide balance.

The “Smuggled Relic Case” leads players through puzzles similar to those in “Sea of Blood,” such as breaking red crystals to unlock paths. However, Dock Town’s puzzles are generally more complex, requiring careful attention to environmental cues and thorough exploration.

Boss Battle and Rewards

The Dock Town quest concludes with a boss fight against Albin Bataris, a smuggler whose combat style mirrors Calivan’s with his own AoEs and minion summons. However, Albin is notably less powerful than Calivan, making this boss encounter easier in comparison. Completing this mission rewards players with gold, experience points, and new items, though it does not unlock any new party members. Following this, players can proceed to Treviso and take on “Sea of Blood” without any changes to the quest or additional consequences.

Choosing the Optimal Path: Treviso First

While both quests are valuable, choosing Treviso first is generally recommended. By rescuing Lucanis early, players gain access to a strong new companion with formidable combat abilities, making subsequent missions easier. Lucanis is an engaging character both narratively and strategically, enhancing team dynamics and offering intriguing interactions, especially for those pursuing a romantic storyline.

That said, the choice remains largely a matter of preference. Players will revisit each area to complete both quests, with no lasting consequences for choosing one over the other. While starting with Treviso aligns with optimizing party strength, Dock Town offers greater puzzle variety and rewards players willing to tackle harder puzzle elements early.

FAQ: Dragon Age Veilguard’s Treviso or Dock Town Decision

1. Does it matter if I go to Treviso or Dock Town first? No, there are no long-term consequences for choosing one area over the other first. Each location offers unique experiences, but you will visit both during the main storyline.

2. Why is it recommended to go to Treviso first? Starting with Treviso enables players to recruit Lucanis, a powerful DPS character, early in the game. This can make upcoming missions easier and provides a new party member with unique abilities that enhance combat and exploration.

3. What are the main differences between the quests? Treviso’s “Sea of Blood” focuses on rescuing Lucanis, offering intense combat and platforming puzzles, while Dock Town’s “The Smuggled Relic Case” emphasizes puzzle-solving and tracking down a smuggler. Dock Town’s puzzles tend to be harder, though the final boss fight is easier than in Treviso.

4. Will choosing one quest first lock me out of the other? No, both quests will be available regardless of which you choose first. Completing all side quests in each area before moving forward is recommended to avoid missing any content or rewards.

5. How do Lucanis and Neve differ as companions? Lucanis excels in high-DPS attacks and can summon the demon Spite for combat and puzzles. Neve, on the other hand, is a skilled strategist with Sundered abilities that combine effectively with ice-based skills like Permafrost. Both characters bring distinct advantages to their respective quests.

In summary, your choice between Treviso and Dock Town in Dragon Age: The Veilguard ultimately shapes the pacing of your adventure and introduces unique experiences in each quest. While Treviso is often the preferred choice for those looking to recruit Lucanis quickly, exploring Dock Town first presents its own challenging puzzles and enriches the game’s storyline.