Neve Gallus Guide in Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Recruiting and Maximizing This Powerful Ice Mage Companion

Key Takeaways

1. Neve Gallus, an ice mage with ties to the Shadow Dragons, brings unique battlefield control and frost magic to your team in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
2. Early recruitment allows for a deep bond with Neve, unlocking additional quests, abilities, and potential romance options.
3. Neve’s specialized abilities, from healing to crowd control, make her indispensable in strategic combat scenarios.

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Neve Gallus emerges as one of the most compelling and powerful companions you can recruit. Unlike other allies like Taash and Emmrich, Neve joins your journey early on, providing ample opportunity to explore her background and abilities. As a member of the secretive Shadow Dragons, Neve is a fierce private investigator from Minrathous, intent on rooting out corruption. With her specialty in ice magic, she can decisively shift battles in your favor by controlling the battlefield, making her a versatile and valuable ally.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Neve Gallus, from recruitment and abilities to recommended equipment and best combat strategies.

Who is Neve Gallus?

Neve Gallus is a human mage from the shadowy streets of Minrathous, where she serves as both a detective and a vigilante. She is deeply committed to her cause, belonging to the Shadow Dragons, an underground faction aiming to restore justice in Tevinter. Her exposure to the city’s harsh environment has made her wary and determined, shaping her into a formidable ally with a strong moral compass.

Key Characteristics of Neve Gallus

• Race: Human
• Class: Mage
• Specialization: Evoker, focusing on ice-based magic
• Faction: Shadow Dragons
• Romance Option: Yes

Neve’s skillset makes her a natural support character. With ice spells that can chill and control enemies, she effectively weakens opponents and slows their attacks, creating a tactical advantage. Her abilities make her indispensable in team-based combat, especially when paired with melee or DPS characters who can capitalize on her crowd-control effects.

How to Recruit Neve Gallus

Meeting Neve in the Prologue

Neve’s recruitment is woven into the game’s opening quest. During the prologue, while tracking Solas through Minrathous, you’ll encounter Neve in a mission titled “The End of the Beginning.” This meeting is scripted as part of the main storyline, so you won’t miss her. In the quest, she’ll join your party after you assist her with an investigation linked to Solas, and she’ll immediately become available as a playable companion.

Recruitment Steps

1. Start the Prologue: During your journey through Minrathous, you’ll receive an objective to locate Neve Gallus.
2. Meet Neve: Progressing through the mission, you’ll find Neve investigating a lead. Impressed by your shared mission to protect Minrathous, she’ll join forces with you.
3. Combat Companion: Once recruited, Neve can be deployed in combat, bringing her powerful ice spells to your team.

Neve’s role in the prologue establishes her as one of the earliest companions available, allowing you to build a strong relationship with her from the beginning.

Abilities and Skill Set

Neve’s magic specializes in control spells and cold-based damage, perfect for managing large groups of enemies. Her starting abilities include both offensive and defensive spells, creating a balanced and versatile skillset.

Key Abilities

1. Icebreaker
   • Effect: Fires six icy projectiles, dealing significant cold damage and detonating the Sundered status effect.
   • Cooldown: 40 seconds
2. Blizzard
   • Effect: Summons a vortex of ice, dealing damage over time to enemies caught within the radius.
   • Cooldown: 36 seconds
3. Glacial Pace
   • Effect: Fires a concentrated ice bolt, applying the Chilled status to slow enemies and reduce their damage.
   • Cooldown: 30 seconds
4. Time Slow
   • Effect: Temporarily slows all enemies and allies within range, except for Rook.
   • Cooldown: 48 seconds
5. Replenish
   • Effect: Heals Rook instantly, providing a crucial health boost during intense battles.
   • Cooldown: 36 seconds

Each ability is designed to provide Neve with battlefield control, making her ideal for slowing enemies and boosting the team’s survival rate.

Best Equipment for Neve

Maximizing Neve’s effectiveness depends on selecting gear that complements her frost magic and control abilities. Unlike Rook, who has more equipment slots, Neve has only four slots, so every piece of gear should be chosen carefully.

Recommended Equipment

• Weapon Slot:Wand
  • Prioritize wands that increase cold damage or reduce cooldowns. The Frostbranch wand is an ideal choice.
• Armor Set
  • Equip armor that boosts Magic Resistance and Cooldown Reduction, allowing Neve to cast spells more frequently and withstand longer battles.
• Accessory Item
  • Accessories that increase Ice Damage or Mana Regeneration are recommended to keep her spells active.

By focusing on cold damage, cooldown reduction, and mana management, you can ensure Neve’s skills are always at the ready, enhancing her battlefield presence and longevity.

Neve Gallus Skill Tree and Advanced Abilities

As Neve levels up, her abilities evolve, granting new skills and upgrades that increase her potency in battle. Here’s a look at some of her most impactful upgrades:

1. Glacial Pace – Adds critical effects like Chilled and Frozen to enemies, extending crowd control duration.
2. Icebreaker – Gains options like Critical Shot, Deep Freeze, and Ice Cold, enhancing damage and detonation effects.
3. Replenish – Adds benefits like increased health and cooldown reduction, boosting her healing capacity.
4. Time Slow – Enhanced by abilities like Seize the Moment, Time Leak, and Quick Thinking, which improve her combat efficiency and control.

Neve’s skill tree unlocks her full potential, with abilities that grant unique advantages such as increased critical damage, cooldown reduction, and crowd control effects.

Neve’s Personal Quest and Exploration Perks

Neve’s personal quest, “A Study of Dock Town,” dives deeper into her past, unlocking lore and enhancing her abilities. Completing this quest unlocks additional story elements and bonuses that strengthen her powers, making her an even more valuable asset.

Exploration Perks

Neve’s role as a detective means she possesses unique exploration perks. She can activate wards, interact with spirit echoes, and uncover hidden secrets throughout the game. These exploration abilities add to the depth of gameplay, allowing you to unlock secret areas and gain additional rewards.

Romance Options with Neve

Yes, Neve is a romanceable character. Establishing a romantic connection with her requires consistent, supportive actions that align with her ideals. Being by her side during pivotal missions, like “On Blighted Wings,” will also strengthen your bond, making her one of the deeper and more rewarding relationships to pursue in The Veilguard.

Should You Recruit Neve?

Neve Gallus is a game-changer. Not only does she add unique frost and time manipulation magic to your team, but her dedication to justice and complex personality also enrich the story. Her background, powerful spells, and detective skills make her a versatile and interesting companion. Plus, her expertise in crowd control makes her an essential ally when facing hordes of enemies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can Neve’s abilities be customized further in the skill tree?

• Yes, Neve’s abilities have various upgrades available in her skill tree, allowing you to enhance effects like cooldown reduction, damage, and control duration.

2. What’s the best way to equip Neve for battle?

• Equip her with items that boost Ice Damage, Cooldown Reduction, and Mana Regeneration. Wands like the Frostbranch and armor with magic resistance are ideal.

3. Is Neve’s romance route difficult to unlock?

• Neve’s romance requires you to make choices that align with her ideals. Being consistent and supportive, especially during her personal quests, will increase your chances of romancing her.

4. Can Neve’s exploration perks unlock hidden areas?

• Yes, Neve’s exploration abilities, like activating wards and interacting with spirit echoes, can uncover hidden secrets and areas across the game.

5. How early in the game can you recruit Neve?

• You can recruit Neve during the prologue, in the mission “The End of the Beginning.” She becomes one of the first companions available to you.

6. How does Neve compare to other mages in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

• Neve’s specialization in ice-based control magic sets her apart, making her an expert in crowd control and a perfect support character for handling groups of enemies.

7. Does Neve’s recruitment affect other story outcomes?

• Yes, Neve’s presence can impact certain quests, and her choices during these missions will influence her relationship with other characters, as well as story progression.