I’m really loving Dragon Age, but it’s massive! So, here’s another guide to help you make sense of everything. A big part of the Dragon Age: Inquisition experience is the war table. It opens up new areas, unlocks all kinds of extras and gives you access to your Inquisition Perks. But it can get a bit daunting. Here are all the perks in one place to help you make decisions.
Inquisition Perks are gained by garnering enough influence. Influence can be earned in a variety of ways, from killing dragons and claiming landmarks to establishing camps and completing story missions. There is no way to reset perks, so be sure to be confident about your perk choices. There are also additional perks that can be gained by recruiting agents to your cause rather than spending influence. As some perks require a minimum number of points spent, these agents can be helpful in unlocking your perk of choice earlier on.
Forces
- Underworld Knowledge: Detailed study of underworld customs and their brutal practical applications. Opens up new dialogue options related to criminal activities and grants +50% XP for each codex entry unlocked.
- Massache’s Method: A methodology developed by an Orlesian blademaster and used by chevaliers to analyze their own performance in combat. Grants a 5% increase in XP earned from killing foes.
- Rider’s Posture: Training in proper weight distribution during hard riding significantly increases resistance to being unseated. Requirement: 2 points needed in a category.
- Antivan-Stitched Saddle: Proper tack of fine Antivan leather, custom-fitted to both horse and rider, significantly increases resistance to being unseated. Requirement: Rider’s Posture.
- Advanced Focus: Increase maximum focus from 100 to 200. Second-tier focus effect for abilities can now be triggered. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
- Master Focus: Increase maximum focus for all party members from 200 to 300. Third-tier focus effect for abilities can now be triggered. Requirement: Advanced Focus.
- True Grit: Harsh environment training can be dangerous, but will harden anyone into a survivor. All party members gain a 10% increase to all defenses. Requirement: capture any keep.
- More Healing Potions: Increase the maximum number of potions the party can carry by 4. Requirement: 3 points needed in a category.
- Mage Schematics: Many mages from all over Thedas have joined the Inquisition, hoping for some degree of order and protection. Reverse engineering their robes and staves will provide new, rare schematics. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
- Rogue Schematics: Many of Leliana’s new agents bring gear from their previous employers. Gathering their collective gains will provide new, rare schematics. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
- Warrior Schematics: Sellswords, templars, chevaliers: the Inquisition’s forces come from wide-ranging backgrounds. Scour the troops’ arms and armors for new, rare schematics. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
Secrets
- Arcane Knowledge: A detailed study of magic and the places and creatures that interact with it. Opens up new dialogue options related to the Fade or arcane studies. Grants +50% XP for each codex entry unlocked.
- Optimal Cutting: Detailed studies show how to get the maximum harvest from each plant. Grants a 10% chance to receive extra herbs with each harvest.
- Eagle-Eyed: Training in spotting where the pattern breaks, in nature or in civilization. Grants a significant increase to the discovery range of the searching action.
- Enhanced studies: Bolster the number of researchers working to study those who stand against the Inquisition. Grants an additional +50% XP for each foe studied, including those already completed (applied retroactively). Requirement: 2 points needed in a category.
- Deft Hands, Fine Tools: The training, gear, and experience working with master locksmiths needed to tackle the toughest and most ingenious locking mechanisms. Allows all rogues in the party to open masterwork locks. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
- Forward Scouts: With access to a forward training camp, the Inquisition’s scout can receive training to cover a wider area and identify items of interest to the Inquisitor. Reveals additional landmarks and points of interest on the maps of every area. Requirement: capture any keep.
- Trainee Herbalists: Gain a collection of Tier 1 herbs.
- Veteran Herbalists: Survival and harsh environment training will push Inquisition herbalists to gather more exotic and rare plants. As part of the training push, a large collection of uncommon herbs will be delivered for personal use. Requirement: Trainee Herbalists.
- Master Herbalists: Combat training, top-line equipment, and experience in both allows Inquisition herbalists to find the rarest specimens. A large collection of rare herbs will be delivered for personal use. Requirement: Veteran Herbalists.
Connections
- Nobility Knowledge: Detailed study of politics, rhetoric, and those who wield them to best effect. Opens up new dialogue options related to nobles and politics. Grants +50% XP from each codex entry unlocked.
- Sterling Reputation: Thanks to a few well-placed acquaintances and a carefully crafted reputation, merchants will pay the Inquisition 10% more for items sold to them.
- A Favor for a Favor: From an expanding network of contacts among artisans, suppliers, and noble patrons, merchants will offer the Inquisition a 10% discount on their goods.
- Elite Clientele: Every merchant wants to say they once did business with the Inquisition. Shops offer to buy and sell for 15% better prices. Requires: Sterling Reputation, A Favor for a Favor.
- The Rare Stocks: Inquisition procurers can leverage the organization’s reputation to purchase a shipment of rare and valuable raw materials for crafting.
- Exacting Buyers: A little shrewd negotiation will allow Inquisition procurers to buy a shipment of high-quality materials for their craftsmen. Requirement: The Rare Stocks.
- Only the Finest: A word to the right people, and our Inquisition procurers can bid at auction on the very highest-quality, rare materials for their craftsmen. Requirement: Exacting Buyers.
- The Short List: Merchants eager to win favor from the Inquisition will give access to special offers for rare inventory. Requirement: 5 points needed in a category.
- Friends in High Places: Where the Inquisition deigns to spend its coin, people take notice. Merchants will send messengers when they have sales at their stores in hopes the Inquisitor will put in an appearance. Requirement: capture any keep.
Inquisition
- History Knowledge: Detailed history of Thedas’s past. Opens up new dialogue options related to history and the Chantry. Grants an additional +50% XP for each codex entry found.
- Antivan tailoring: Antivan tailors are famed for their ability to hide pockets seamlessly in garments. A few words to the Inquisition’s friends to the north, and its forces can carry more items in the field. Increases inventory capacity by 15.
- Imperial Court Tailoring: The best tailors in Val Royeaux, experienced in the intricacies of the Grand Game, can add hidden compartments to armor and clothing, allowing even more items to be carried at once. Increases inventory capacity by 15. Requirement: Antivan Tailoring.
- Tempered Glass Flasks: Better techniques in glassworking make more durable flasks, allowing more potions to be carried safely at one time. Adds one more potion slot for all party members.
- Exclusive Training: Gain 1 combat ability point, for the Inquisitor only. Requirement: 4 points needed in a category.
Tips and tricks
I highly recommend recruiting as many agents as possible to help with your perks. As for the order of perks, that depends entirely on your play style. However, I found that leveling went a lot faster by grabbing the first perk from each category. Additionally, Forward Scouts is an excellent perk for finding quarries and lumber mills.
If you’re struggling with your inventory, of course the Antivan and Imperial Court Tailoring perks are ideal as they will expand your inventory to 90 slots. I haven’t touched any of the monetary reward perks as of yet – while money is helpful there are plenty of other ways to get it rather than spending precious perks to ensure merchants pay out more on sales or give better prices on goods.
Last Updated: December 3, 2014
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 3, 2014 at 15:33
MY EYES!
ToshZA
December 3, 2014 at 15:41
Ok so I didn’t read because spoilers, but I imagine you can find both perks on her chest.
Hammersteyn
December 3, 2014 at 15:44
XD
William Francis
December 3, 2014 at 15:54
wow
Brady miaau
December 3, 2014 at 15:44
Hi. Thanks, Zoe.
Where are my Agents. I think I recruited two, a mercenary leader and some mage, both in Hinterlands. At least, the game gave a message “Agent Recruited”. But when I send my people on missions, is only the three starting peoples. Am I missing something?
Alien Emperor Trevor
December 3, 2014 at 15:53
“Am I missing something?” …well yes, your agents. *runnnnnnnnnn*
Brady miaau
December 3, 2014 at 16:53
Ha
William Francis
December 3, 2014 at 15:54
The agents don’t actually do anything on the war table as far as I know, they are more like extra things to collect. The 3 you have are the only ones being liliana?(spelling), lady montilyet and cullen
Brady miaau
December 3, 2014 at 16:53
And thank ye kindly too
Her Highness the Hipster
December 3, 2014 at 16:10
As @disqus_JVgE03JFbi:disqus says below, you won’t see them when you gather around your war table. However, they each offer buffs to your missions, such as making Cullen do his quests faster, or yielding greater rewards for Leliana. I will try to do a guide for them, too 🙂
Brady miaau
December 3, 2014 at 16:50
Awesome, thanks
Charezon
December 3, 2014 at 16:52
Awesome post, thank you Zoe! 🙂
Fenrisfil
December 3, 2014 at 22:02
I’ve experimented a bit so here’s my conclusions: I consider extra healing potions the only absolutely vital perk, you’ll always see a benefit from this especially when fighting dragons. Extra potion slot is handy but depends how much you like tactical potion use. I picked that up fairly late on. If you do like potions you may want to pick up optimal cutting too, if only for the insane amount of elfroot your likely to go through. Focus perks are very useful too, perhaps not enough to call it vital but I can’t see me ever skipping it.
The XP/Dialogue options are a must for a first playthrough and probably nightmare difficulty. If your doing side missions and exploring you’ll easily outlevel most areas anyway so the XP isn’t so vital. The dialogue options can mostly be covered by having the right companion in your party at the right time so none of that is vital (but it does give flexibility that is for sure). I recommend picking up at least one or two of these (especially whichever seems most relevant to your class and therefore less likely to be covered by a companion, e.g. If your a rogue archer definitely pick up the criminal knowledge). The other XP related perks are debatable, but perhaps on harder difficulties you may want to be higher levels than areas recommend (definitely skip on normal).
Deft Hands is also a must if you want to get absolutely everything done, but again it isn’t vital for any major quest. The schematics are useful in early/mid game and useless late on. I recommend picking up your classes schematics fairly early and skipping the rest. The herbs/crafting perks are probably more useful for those focusing on the main questline and not doing much exploring as you can pick it all up fairly easily. Potentially picking up all the crafting perks first thing could give you an advantage, but not sure it could be considered useful long term.
Price reduction/increase perks are nominal value IMHO. They’ll always give you something early/late true, but ultimately they don’t do anything but save you some time picking up junk to sell and sending your people on money missions. The Shortlist gets you one overpriced but good item per vendor. Debatable use, but may be worth it as a late perk. Not seen any effect of picking up friends in high places yet so no idea on that one. Pockets basically work out to the same as the money perks as you’ll only end up losing out on selling a few junk items by not picking that and it only really affects plot missions anyway (where you can’t just pop back to a shop to flog stuff). If your impatient on waiting to recruit agents it won’t hurt to have the first level of pockets to help you reach the focus perks.
Forward scouts are useful but not vital. I recommend picking them up as it does indeed save you a lot of time looking for Quarries and logging stands. Never ever ever ever ever ever pick up Eagle Eyed! The something nearby indicator goes off too much as it is and not being able to search properly due to a ladder being somewhere on the same map is no fun at all.
I have no interest in the mount perks. If you intend to skip a lot of stuff it may make sense to let you just speed on through zones to get to the important stuff but really it’s not that hard to do with a basic mount and you get no companion banter when your on a horse! Finally, “True Grit” is a great perk on paper but apparently it’s bugged and only gives the protagonist the 10%. Even then I would still pick it up at some point.
Avi
December 4, 2014 at 10:19
Thanks for that useful info, much appericated
Fenrisfil
December 18, 2014 at 23:45
Happy to help. 🙂
Ryumoau
December 3, 2014 at 23:01
Thank you Zoe. For awhile i was wondering how you even earn points to unlock inquisition perks, but i see that the influence bar earns that.
I made sure to get the two perks that increase inventory size first, then the perk that adds more experience from killing enemies. Now i’m leaning heavily into putting all my next couple points into the ‘Secrets’ category so i can unlock the Deft Hands perk. I’ve encountered alot of locked doors in my explorations that have bugged me not being able to open them.
Zerro
December 4, 2014 at 06:51
Do not put points into a category just to unlock another perk. You will waste too many. Each agent you collect counts as a perk point in the category they show up in. So if you recruit 4 agents for Leliana, you can get deft hands by only investing one point in secrets. (I think Leliana is secrets, but this is true for all categories.) So for instance, if you recruit Horsemaster Dennet as an agent. He will appear in one of the perk lists with a checkmark. You dont use a point to unlock him. He will also count as one point towards whichever category he shows up in. Most agents are assigned one specific category. Others have an option of 1/2. So they might be able to be put in forces or secrets. Hope this helps.
Ryumoau
December 4, 2014 at 20:36
oh, i see. Thanks.
Zerro
December 5, 2014 at 03:58
As a side note, agents can be very tricky to recruit and have very strict conditions. There are only 20 in the game, roughly 4-5 for each category. You should consult an online guide to make sure you get them. I missed one in the hinterlands because you can do a quest for her at the start of the game. The catch is at the end, you need to be either a mage or have vivienne(which most people most likely wont unless you skip the quest and come back) in your party to recruit her. Once you finish the quest and leave the zone, she is gone for good.
Charl van der Merwe
December 4, 2014 at 08:52
the inventory and potion increase perks are NUMBER 1 choice, why rush the leveling ?