There’s a lot riding on BioWare’sDragon Age: Dreadwolf, especially since it will be the first mainline entry in the series since 2014. Some fans felt the developer mishandled one of its other big franchises after the release ofMass Effect: Andromedain 2017, soDragon Age: Dreadwolfis the studio’s chance to prove that its beloved properties are in safe hands.Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis already looking to shake up the series quite a bit, and players are hoping for some fundamental changes, like improvements to how different classes and races can specialize.
Race has always been a big part ofDragon Agenarratives so far, and with Solas' ultimate goal to reinstate the elvhen and destroy the Veil – potentially to the detriment of otherspecies that call Thedas home– it seems like it will play another prominent role inDragon Age: Dreadwolf. That being said, race has not really been a major factor in classes or combat up until now with a few exceptions like race-specific gear. Not only does it make sense for race to figure more in the specialization options for classes, but it will also help to setDragon Age: Dreadwolfapart from the previous entries in the series as well.
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Class Specializations Based On Dragon Age Races
While players can choose their class at the start of aDragon Ageplaythrough, they have the chance to further refine their skillset through subclasses known as specializations. Not only do they allow gamers to customize their protagonists even more, but they open up new layers to the class-specific abilities for either a Mage, Rogue, or Warrior.Each previous mainlineDragon Agegamehas had its own approach to specializations for main characters and their companions, but many are hoping thatDragon Age: Dreadwolfre-examines the whole system.
Previously,specializations inDragon Agegameshave been purely based on the class, with each race able to access the same specializations depending on their class. While it makes sense that mages might have had similar training and therefore be able to utilize a similar set of spells, there are so many more directionsDragon Age: Dreadwolfcould take this system. One way to innovate it and also add a ton of replay value would be to not only base specializations on class, but also on race, or even on race alone. This way, each class could still have a number of options for players to choose from, but they would all be unique to the race of the protagonist.
Human Class Specializations
Players have already seen a range of specializations in previousDragon Agegames, including some that were specific to certain companions like Vivienne’s Knight-Enchanter moves inDragon Age: Inquisition. Her unique role as an Orlesian mage and personal enchanter to Empress Celene perfectly combines with her formidable fighting skills in the Knight-Enchanter specialization, which includes both magic and melee attacks. Something like a Knight-Enchanter specialization is perfect for human characters, especially ina society like the Tevinter Imperiumwhich prizes magical talent but would also have a use for skilled combatants with melee weaponry.
With what players have seen of Tevinter so far in the brief glimpses ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf, it seems as if the next game will adopt more of a steampunk aesthetic alongside its traditional fantasy themes. This could add new layers of technology like firearms that could be specific to humans of Tevinter origin, which could be a cool way of tying in the new setting to the game’s updated class specializations. There may be rumors of never-before-seen races or groups in the next game, but humans will probably beone ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf’s main focuses, as well as their long and contentious history with elves.
Qunari Class Specializations
The qunari are still a relatively mysterious culture, even thoughDragon Agegames have featured two qunari companions so far.Dragon Age: Dreadwolf’s Tevinter setting may mean that they feature more prominently, and thanks to some early concept art it seems like players may even be getting a female qunari companion for the very first time.Dragon Age: Inquisitionalso allowed players to choose a qunariprotagonist, which was another first for the series, but this didn’t necessarily teach them that much more about qunari history. Class specializations that are tailored specifically to qunari culture would be fascinating, and could reflect aspects like their superior technological advances and ingenious use of the explosive powder gaatlok in a Warrior class.
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Dwarf Class Specializations
Dwarves are well known inDragon Agegames as a non-magical race, butThe DescentDLC forDragon Age: Inquisitionseemed to introduce the possibility of magic-wielding dwarves. Players still don’t know too much about the mysterious Titans – ancient beings that live deep beneath the surface – but it seems like they could be key to dwarves gaining something akin to magic.
Mages tend to be a popular class, and it’s always been a shame that gamers that want toplay as a dwarf character in aDragon Agegamehaven’t had the opportunity to choose that class before. A mage with dwarven specializations that could link to stone shaping and Titan-like powers would be awesome, and definitely a great way to properly introduce magical dwarves to the series inDragon Age: Dreadwolf.
Elf Class Specializations
Although Arcane Warrior may be a specialization inDragon Age: Originsand is reportedly similar to a Knight-Enchanter according to Solas, it’s a role more associated to ancient elves than current ones inDragon Agelore. Thanks toSolas' aim to bring back a lot of old elven culture, featuring this race specific specialization just makes sense forDragon Age: Dreadwolf. Like the Knight-Enchanter, an Arcane Warrior was someone who combined magic and spellcraft with more physicality, inhabiting a space between a Mage and a Warrior. This would not only give players more flexibility when they approach combat, but it also ties in with the franchise’s lore andDragon Age: Dreadwolf’s story in a satisfying way.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis in development.
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