Should Bellara Keep or Free the Archive in Dragon Age: The Veilguard? A Complete Guide

Key Takeaways

1. The choice to keep or free the Archive in Dragon Age: The Veilguard significantly affects Bellara’s skills and your gameplay strategy, not the storyline or romance options.
2. Keeping the Archive rewards players with Lingering Strike and the Archivist’s Mail, ideal for Warrior Rook builds.
3. Freeing the Archive provides Chain Lightning and Reborn Leathers, boosting Bellara’s DPS for handling groups of enemies effectively.

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, players encounter critical decisions that shape their journey. One significant choice involves Bellara and the Archive should she keep it, safeguarding its knowledge, or free it, letting go of its power? While this decision doesn’t alter the main storyline or romance paths, it heavily impacts Bellara’s abilities and the rewards she gains. If you’re uncertain about which route to take, this guide provides an in-depth analysis of the rewards, consequences, and gameplay impact of both choices. Let’s dive in and see which option might suit your playstyle best.

The Choice: Keep or Free the Archive?

This decision arises during Bellara’s quest, “Through the Shadows,” which culminates at the Lighthouse. After completing this personal mission, Bellara asks Rook’s advice, leading to a choice with distinct rewards that influence gameplay. Below, we break down the consequences, rewards, and how each decision might fit into your overall strategy.

What Happens If Bellara Keeps the Archive?

Story Consequences
If Bellara keeps the Archive, she chooses to safeguard the Elves’ ancient knowledge from potential misuse. By keeping it, Bellara aligns with a path of preservation and responsibility, reinforcing her role as a guardian figure.

“You’ve persuaded Bellara that she should preserve the Archive.”

Gameplay Rewards
Opting to keep the Archive grants two key items that support a defensive, support-oriented playstyle:

1. Lingering Strike (Veilguard Skill):
   • Upon casting Replenish, Bellara applies Weakened to enemies within a 6-meter radius, dealing +200 Electric Damage.
   • This effect triggers Shock, dealing significant damage to enemies and applying status effects that set them up for subsequent detonation attacks.
2. Archivist’s Mail (Legendary Armor):
   • When Bellara detonates an enemy with the Sundered status, nearby Sundered enemies will also detonate, with a cooldown of 30 seconds.
   • The second detonation renders nearby enemies more vulnerable to electric damage.

Ideal for
This setup is advantageous for those playing as Warrior Rook, as Lingering Strike enables Bellara to weaken and stagger enemies with her Replenish ability, allowing for easier detonation with Rook’s Driving Kick. The ability to apply sustained AoE weakening and to trigger chain detonations makes this setup a strong choice for players who prioritize a controlled, strategic approach to combat, especially in crowd-heavy scenarios.

What Happens If Bellara Frees the Archive?

Story Consequences
Choosing to free the Archive allows Bellara to relinquish its knowledge, focusing instead on her immediate battles rather than safeguarding ancient information. This decision reflects a stance of letting go and perhaps emphasizes agility and swift action over preservation.

“You’ve persuaded Bellara that it’s best to let go of the Archive.”

Gameplay Rewards
Freeing the Archive provides Bellara with potent DPS-boosting items designed for high-damage, rapid-response combat styles:

1. Chain Lightning (Veilguard Skill):
   • Bellara’s weapon attacks now deal chain lightning on shocked enemies, delivering +100 Electric damage to each linked target.
   • The shock effect gains an additional 10% strength, making it even more lethal in group encounters.
2. Reborn Leathers (Legendary Armor):
   • Enemies affected by shock detonate, dealing an additional +200 Electric damage to nearby targets.
   • This armor allows each detonation to spread Shocked status and amplify the electric damage, making Bellara’s attacks even more effective against multiple foes.

Ideal for
This setup is perfect for players looking to maximize Bellara’s damage output and her ability to clear groups of enemies. Chain Lightning combined with the Reborn Leathers ensures a lethal response to tightly packed enemies, enabling Bellara to eliminate mobs swiftly and efficiently. This combination works well for aggressive, DPS-focused playstyles that prioritize fast combat resolutions and high-damage output.

Comparing Rewards: Which Option to Choose?

1. For Defensive/Support Playstyles: Keep the Archive

• The Lingering Strike skill paired with Archivist’s Mail is tailored for players who want to provide steady support while handling a variety of enemies. The Weakened effect from Replenish helps reduce the strength of enemies, while the armor’s chain detonation mechanic makes it effective for controlling waves in a methodical fashion.

2. For Offensive/DPS Playstyles: Free the Archive

• Freeing the Archive enhances Bellara’s damage capabilities, allowing her to become a DPS powerhouse. Chain Lightning and Reborn Leathers together allow for continuous electric damage to numerous enemies. This setup excels in situations where overwhelming numbers are an issue, as the shock spreads and strengthens with every successful detonation.

When Does the Choice Appear?

The opportunity to make this choice emerges after completing Bellara’s personal quest, “Through the Shadows.” Following the mission, speak to Bellara at the Lighthouse to initiate the decision. After this event, Bellara attains the “Hero of the Veilguard” status, which is essential for unlocking the game’s secret ending.

Our Recommendation: Best Choice for Most Players

In general, freeing the Archive provides the best balance of utility and damage potential, particularly for those looking to optimize Bellara’s effectiveness in combat-heavy scenarios. The Chain Lightning and Reborn Leathers setup is invaluable for players wanting to leverage Bellara’s DPS to deal with mobs of enemies effectively. However, for players who enjoy a more calculated, strategic approach especially those playing as a Warrior Rook keeping the Archive offers useful support abilities that can help control the battlefield with more finesse.

Summary of Choice Outcomes

FAQs

Q: Does choosing to keep or free the Archive impact Bellara’s romance?
A: No, this decision does not influence romance possibilities with Bellara or the main storyline. It only impacts the skills and rewards Bellara receives.

Q: Which decision offers the highest DPS?
A: Freeing the Archive provides Bellara with Chain Lightning and Reborn Leathers, which significantly enhance her DPS, especially against groups of enemies.

Q: Is there a “right” choice in terms of the storyline?
A: Both choices are valid and do not alter the main plot. The “right” choice depends on your preferred combat style and whether you prioritize support abilities or DPS.

Q: Can I change my decision later in the game?
A: No, this is a one-time choice, so consider which set of skills and rewards aligns best with your playstyle before making the decision.

Q: What is required to trigger this choice?
A: Complete Bellara’s personal quest, “Through the Shadows.” Afterward, speak to her at the Lighthouse to decide.