Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Workshop Guide

Here's how to make the best use of the Workshop in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Game Guide by Nine_toes on Nov 19, 2024

Whether you're upgrading gear, hunting for unique items, or trying to track down the Black Emporium, there's a lot to think about when it comes to builds and equipment in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Here’s everything you need to know about the Workshop.

Workshop

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Workshop Guide, Screenshots, NoobFeed

It’s best to start with the workshop since it's one of the most important places in the game.

Where To Find the Workshop

You'll find the workshop at the Lighthouse, and it's run by the caretaker. To upgrade the workshop—which lets you boost your gear to higher ranks—you need caretaker power. You can earn caretaker power in two ways: by buying mementos from random vendors or faction vendors or by finding them out in the world. These mementos usually have a blue glow, so they’re pretty easy to spot.

Spend Gold on Mementos

The higher workshop ranks take ages to unlock, so unless you want to grind forever, you’ll need to spend gold on those momentos. Keep in mind that the workshop's level ties directly to the maximum gear level you can find in the game. Upgrading it is pretty important, but don’t rush to max it out early on. In the early game, it’s better to focus your gold on improving your character rather than dumping it into workshop upgrades.

Focus On The Faction Vendors

Another thing to think about is the materials you use at the workshop. You’ll need the same materials to upgrade faction vendors, so there’s a balance to strike. Do you upgrade vendors to access better gear, or do you improve your workshop and upgrade the stats on the pieces you’ve already got? In the early game, I’d recommend spending your resources on gear from faction vendors until you’re more certain about your build—whether that’s focusing on a specific damage type or leaning into a specialization.

Uniques

Uniques you find in the world can’t be upgraded. Their stats are locked in, though they often have powerful effects. The trade-off is usually lower base stats compared to fully upgraded legendary gear. You’ll need to decide what works best for your build—higher base damage or unique effects.

Enchanting

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Workshop Guide, Screenshots, NoobFeed

Enchanting is another important feature of the workshop. You’ll unlock it a little later in the story after talking to the caretaker. While uniques can’t be upgraded, they can be enchanted, which adds another layer of customization. As you increase your workshop rank, you’ll unlock better enchantments for your gear and your companions' gear.

Best Enchantments

The best enchantments depend on your build. For armor, I like the flat 10% boosts to health and defense—they’re solid choices for almost any setup. For weapons and other gear, it really depends on your playstyle. For example, my ranged rogue benefits from enchantments that increase arrow regeneration, while my necrotic build thrives on extra necrotic damage.

Companion’s Gear

Don’t forget to enchant your companions’ gear to complement your build. Higher workshop levels even let you add effects that trigger when your companions attack your target, like burning enemies or taunting them.

Enchant Your Abilities

You can also enchant your abilities too! In the Enchant screen, tab over to the abilities section, where you can add effects like reduced cooldowns or increased radius for AoE spells.

How To Get The Workshop Discount

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Workshop Guide, Screenshots, NoobFeed

Before you go all-in on upgrading your gear, there’s a way to unlock a discount at the workshop. It involves solving a puzzle at the Lighthouse, which requires positioning certain statues to face each other.

Once you’ve done all that, a door will open in the main hallway. Inside, you’ll find two wisps you need to activate—one in the room itself and the other near the statues you just adjusted. Bring them back, and the big floaty thing in the Lighthouse will light up, unlocking your workshop discount.

The Black Emporium Vendor

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Workshop Guide, Screenshots, NoobFeed

The Black Emporium vendor is back in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. You’ll unlock access to it after a conversation with the caretaker, which happens about midway through the story. Once unlocked, you’ll get an invite that directs you to Docktown.

The Black Emporium has unique items, including Harding’s gift, rare materials, and other goodies. The best part? You don’t need gold to buy them! Instead, you’ll use ethereal currency, which you can find throughout the world. This means you can save your precious gold for other things like faction vendor upgrades.

How to Farm Specific Gear

Finding gear that perfectly fits your build can be tricky. For example, if you’re running a necrotic damage rogue, you’ll want to focus on faction vendors like the Mour Watch, as they specialize in necrotic-based gear. Spend time doing their side quests and leveling up your faction reputation to unlock better items.

Faction vendors help a lot with rounding out your build, so make sure you’re selling your valuables to the vendors you want to upgrade. This boosts your faction strength and helps you access higher-quality gear faster.

How to Get Uniques

Unique chests, which are marked differently on the map, are usually locked behind bosses or puzzles. Don’t stress about hunting these down early in the game, as many of them are tied to later quests or faction storylines.

While hunting for uniques can take time, the rewards are worth it. These items often have powerful effects that can make a huge difference in combat.

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