I am thoroughly enjoying Dragon Age: Inquisition – I intend to vacation for all of December in Thedas. However, the inventory can get a bit daunting. With only 60 slots and better loot drops than Destiny, you might find yourself trying to maximize space without losing out on rewards. Here are some tips and insights.
First of all, no, you never get a storage chest. No, this doesn’t make sense especially considering that you have an entire base of operations, but it seems to be the nature of the game at the moment. This might be added later as a paid DLC – I’d honestly pay for the chance to throw everything in storage.
As I already warned you last week, you shouldn’t hit sell all for valuables. There are research and quest items hidden amidst the junk and you don’t want to miss out on cool things because you were trying to clear your inventory or grab extra cash. Instead, here are some things I’d recommend.
Return to your base frequently
At your base of operations, you can cycle through all your companions. I’d recommend returning often so that you can equip everyone with the best possible gear from what you’ve collected, and easily determine which items are junk and can be sold. Be sure to equip something in every accessory slot possible, too – accessories can take up a lot of space and you can always swap them around between players later on down the line.
While at your base, be sure to pop in at the research table to drop off any enemy research that you may have acquired. This will ensure that you don’t accidentally sell them from your valuables tab.
Sell your gear before valuables
You may be inclined to sell off valuables. If you do so, that’s fine, but we are still working hard to get a full guide of every item required for all requisitions and side quests. Numerous valuables are already known to be required for quests, such as the Fereldan Mark of Service or the Fereldan Tome.
Sell all common gear that you can’t currently equip. Common gear is common for a reason and you can usually craft something far superior. Even if you choose not to craft your gear, you can generally pick up enough blues and purples down the line not to worry about common gear. Yes, this includes the cool daggers or swords that you’re not yet high enough level to equip; trust me, but the time you are that level, you will be finding or crafting even better stuff. The same goes for weapon upgrade items – if you aren’t currently using it, you will probably be better off selling any common pommels, arms or other upgrade items.
Don’t have faith in buyback
Many sites are listing buyback as an option for people to use as storage. Beware of the trolls – as soon as you leave the area of the merchant, their memory for buyback disappears. This isn’t an alternative to storage, so be extremely careful if it’s something you normally rely on.
Last Updated: December 2, 2014
I'm really feeling it! (Umar)
December 2, 2014 at 15:10
If you’re playing this and you’re not playing on hard, you’re missing out big time.
ToshZA
December 2, 2014 at 15:14
I’m playing life on hard. Can’t afford this right now 🙁
I'm really feeling it! (Umar)
December 2, 2014 at 15:15
I feel you, mine is slowly ramping up to nightmare. Only noodles in my inventory.
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:32
I thought it was only noodles for me, till I started getting SMS’s (from the bank) from the wifes shopping this morning. For that money, though, I expect steak, egg and chips, with bacon, every night. Somehow I doubt it. Especially cause I do most of the cooking, but not the shopping. Um. I will go to my corner now.
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 15:19
Also unlock the inventory perks by using your skills at the war table. I think its an extra 15 slots added each time.
ALSO THIS. VIV KICK ASS
http://www.ign.com/wikis/dragon-age-inquisition/Vivienne
Willem Swanepoel
December 3, 2014 at 07:05
That is cool, only sucky part, I do not find her very interesting. Dorian is so much more funnier and interesting, AND I AM NOT DOING THE MALE ROMANCE THING just so that you know 😉
Anthony
December 22, 2014 at 23:50
Ha, thanks for clearing that up.
RinceThis
December 2, 2014 at 15:24
So need this game. OvG seems to be enjoying it. Now HE is a bloody troll 😛
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 15:26
Lesbian qunari who shags elves.
RinceThis
December 2, 2014 at 15:27
Isn’t that extra DLC?
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 15:28
A potty mouthed Cockney Elf from East Enders
ToshZA
December 2, 2014 at 15:28
Dramatic Lesbian Character?
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:30
Is that allowed under Qun or are you a true rebel?
the shagging eleves, I mean. Or do you mean Bernadette from Big Bang Theory?
RinceThis
December 2, 2014 at 15:32
Big Bang? 0_O Only with the dwarves…
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:33
Amy?
RinceThis
December 2, 2014 at 15:34
*Any dwarf tehehe
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 15:37
Mercenary Qunari are allowed to do what they want. I love how everybody has to look up to her in cut scenes lol. 9 foot tall.
But yes, off the bat when meeting Sera for the first time she says “Gaw bly me, you are well fit”
lol
20twelve
December 2, 2014 at 15:37
#winning.
Kagutsuchi
December 2, 2014 at 21:49
You rang?
I'm really feeling it! (Umar)
December 2, 2014 at 15:24
So…Who’s banging Iron Bull?
Her Highness the Hipster
December 2, 2014 at 15:33
MEEEE!!! at least, that’s my plan 🙂
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:34
Perhaps I am not far enought into the game, but I hope that is a euphemism.
More seriously, I so did not like Sten. At all. Annoying and inflexible. I can get that in real life, thanks.
GooseZA
December 2, 2014 at 15:52
Now hang on just a minute. Sten was awesome.
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:56
Hmm. Ok. But I kept on avoiding him in subsequent playthroughs. Got him in my party, but no further.
Perhaps actually seeing Iron Bull and talking to him in game, may make me like the char a bit more, but I am afraid I have prejudged a video game character, based on a five minute video I saw two months ago.
Wow.
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 16:31
Freddie Prinze, Jr. FOR THE WIN Also Mass Effect 3.
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 15:42
That dude is MASSIVE 😛
20twelve
December 2, 2014 at 15:38
Got drunk with him… was pretty rad.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 16:21
iron bull?
OH, you mean freddie prince jnr? (thanks zoe, i will never be able to see him as the iron bull again)
metal
January 9, 2015 at 10:59
My male dwarf loooool.
Brady miaau
December 2, 2014 at 15:35
Thanks for guides and tips AND keep them coming. It is actually quite a big game!
Some parts I am not liking very much, but only played several hours. The items and equipment. Not seeing the point yet, keep looking at stuff, but is all no good rubbish.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 16:00
the game has a long build up and the stats and scaling is also pretty gradual, so gear wont be all that fantastic at the start.
currently 70 hours in.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 16:06
best tips for dragon age:
visit the war table often, and avoid the main quests untill you want to do them.
completing war table missions gains you rewards of herbs, metals and other resources, as well as opening up certain areas of other maps.
best tip about managing your inventory:
only items count in your inventory, weapons armours, schematics and accesories.
crafting materials etc do not add to your inventory count, so go wild on that
./care about valuables, sell that shit but do it individually, so you keep the gold stuff for missions.
ONLY THE GOLD STUFF IS RELEVANT IN THERE. turn in the gold stuff to the creature research table whenever your gold stuff gets a bit too much, it doesnt get rid of your mission specific research items, so dont stress.
there are 2 inquisitor perks that you can get to increase your backpack by 15 each time.
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 16:16
Never underestimate the power of Elfroot.
Matthew Holliday
December 2, 2014 at 16:17
regen potions are life savers.
except on blackwall. blackwall dont need no potions. what even is death?
oVg elfroot addict
December 2, 2014 at 16:26
What is your team?
Im thinking about using Blackwall, he seems bad ass.
Im throwing the Ice spells to freeze followed up by archer Sera while Bull charges around with Casandra.
After getting the extra abilities Im going for the Knight Enchanter path for myself and Vivienne then replacing Bull with another Tank, as Bull is only good early on.
What is a good combo?
Willem Swanepoel
December 3, 2014 at 07:14
Cassandra is good tank (she is my romance option and Josephine, cannot resist woman from Antiva), Dorian is the mage and Varric my range dps. I am playing as a Rogue melee dps. I like this setup because I can have a high burst on casters which is my worst enemy. Melee is pretty easy with a tank.
It is just a lot of micro manage work, I constantly have to go tactical view to get my shit sorted. Playing on hard, I cannot just let them do whatever they want.
Varric is doing is own thing, he casts all his abilities except when I start a fight. Dorian does not auto cast any spell, I do it manually. My main rogue is also doing his own thing except if I have to focus on range. Tank is just shield walling auto…
Still have not killed a dragon yet, too weak .. i am on lvl 15 .. ;-(
I was thinking next play through, 2 warriors and 2 mages.
Matthew Holliday
December 3, 2014 at 09:29
cassandra has nothing on blackwall.
cassandra seems weak in comparison when I keep on having to waste potions on her.
oVg elfroot addict
December 3, 2014 at 09:55
I love how Bioware have giving the player CHOICE. From choosing an English speaking cast to American. Or the well balanced difficulty settings from 400hour stop pause ultra difficult to the well balanced casual mid range.
thelegend2113
April 5, 2015 at 20:29
I beat a dragon at 11 the yellow one in hinterlands it was hell but ice staffs and Cassandra kickings ass won the dragonlings are what sucked
Matthew Holliday
December 3, 2014 at 09:38
depends, speccing mages for disables in the early stages is great, your tanks really need the help early, but midgame, once the tanks have their spec up, i switch to an offensive mage, even if its just by speccing one or two points into the fire tree, 300% weapon damage aoe burn as a first pick spell is >>
and one you hit the late game, rogue archers wreck face.
blackwall is the best tank, no comparison, he takes no damage, and even when he hits zero HP, he doesnt die.
i usually run with blackwall, solas and cassandra, switching cassandra out for the iron bull every now and then. double tanks drawing agro while i shout and swear from the back.
as for mages, solas’ skill tree is pretty much the tits, that vacuum, with stone fist and immolate on top and meteors if you can, ouch.
knight enchanter is ok, that rematerialise inside a person thing is pretty cool, and the spirit sword barrier bug seems OP but not all that fun. other than that, it seems a bit too supporty for a main character.
oVg elfroot addict
December 3, 2014 at 09:49
Sweet, from what Ive seen from the forums not one combo is the same as the other . Everybody is doing different things. A sign of Bioware at its finest.
Matthew Holliday
December 3, 2014 at 09:57
yeah, once you break level 20 or so, the party fights are less relevant, i just run around invis, pop out full draw with an automatic crit, 800% weapon damage + a guaranteed crit, you’re looking at 10k damage, not much will survive that.
with all the debuffs on a dragon, i managed to hit a 21k crit, that was pretty cool.
Reiden219
December 4, 2014 at 06:32
Uh.. Once you unlock specializations, even on Nightmare the game is extremely easy with the right party comp. Champion Inquisitor, Vivienne, 2H Cassandra, Archer Sera. 90ish hours on my Nightmare playthrough, still have a lot to do sidequest-wise.. Knight Enchanters and Champions will never die, when Templars die the heal the party to full on 60 second CD, and as long as you switch over to your archer every now and then to make sure they’re not too close and don’t have aggro on anything, they stay up perfectly fine.
After I reached Skyhold, I didn’t have to use the tactical camera ever again for the most part, think I only used it on Dragon fights to move people out of the way of fire when the dragon did strafe runs.
But yeah, Champion will never drop Guard, Knight Enchanter will never lose barrier, I put a 15% chance to rez to 50% life on my Templar (Cassandra), and that seemed to be about a 95% proc rate in actuality. So on a 60 second CD she’d full heal the rest of my party and heal herself back up to 50%. 5 Guard on hit on Sera + Golden Halla Hide (Stealth when not attacking) made it so she built guard constantly, as well as dumped aggro constantly.
I’m currently doing another Nightmare run as an Archer, with Blackwall, Solas, and Bull since I like their personalities the most, it’s fun to hear their little party banter. But yeah, Vivienne makes dragon fights incredibly easy since she can just stand right on top of them spamming Spirit Blade non stop.
Champion had +15 guard per hit + some pretty good CDR, so I was able to keep almost permanent uptime on that ability to make it where the tank takes half the parties damage, and deals 25% of it to himself instead of them, and pretty good uptime on the invulnerability one.. At the same time, I was able to use mostly just my attacks with charge and be just fine. Kept the range taunt for snap aggro.
Overall, Nightmare is tough to start, but easy once you get specs. Hard is a joke.
Matthew Holliday
December 4, 2014 at 09:55
specialisations might be it, whatever, same result, damage scaling from buffs etc in the late game is a tad OP.
i finished the game last night, pretty much 100%
final boss fight was a walk in the park.
that last scene though, wtf mang?
champions are the future, blackwall doesnt know how to die, doesnt even need a shield.
i dont think the lifesteal perks on bulls skilltree works though, so he drops to low super fast and is just a waste of potions, you’re better off with cassandra instead.
didnt bother with the bodyguard perk, with 2 tanks forcing agro and always taking the damage, i didnt feel the need to share, great with a melee rogue though.
Never understood Seras skills, her specialisation is all about knives, but her characters an archer.
i consider vivienes sword thingy + barrier is a bit of an exploit, wasnt a fan of using it.
for party banter, blackwall and viviene bitch CONSTANTLY.
but iron bull, varric & sera make for some fun.
Reiden219
December 4, 2014 at 18:14
The problem with Bull, is that the A.I. doesn’t know how to properly play anything.Devour does work, just the A.I. doesn’t know how to use it to heal itself, and generally messes up Reavers. Reaver is a high risk/high reward class that needs careful management. And Idk, even with 5 guard/hit, Cassandra died non-stop. Not that it mattered, since she auto-rezzed with the masterwork I gave her.
Seras skills, the Tempest, is about managing your flasks. Frost doesn’t really matter since she shouldn’t me in melee range, Fire makes it so your abilities have no cost or CD (which includes Focus abilities), Lightning works like Haste.. Tempest is extremely overpowered if you use it as your Champion, because you could pop Flask of Fire, then drop a 3 bar focus Rift, 3 bar focus Thousand Cuts, and not lose any of your focus. I’m not doing that for my Archer though.. Just doesn’t seem enjoyable to me.
Also, Knight Enchanter really isn’t an exploit.. They built the class around it honestly when you look at it.. Mana regen when in melee range, low cost on spirit blade.. The only real thing they could change to make it less OP is to A. increase mana cost on spirit blade by double, or B. lower the barrier amount.
I used Bodyguard to make it so that in case archers tagged anybody, or Cass got hit with aoes, they were taking minimal damage.
Also, Bull and Solas.. Holy fucking shit… Solas hates the Qun, and constantly bitches Bull out for following it. Blackwall and Bull have some pretty funny conversations. Maybe when I make my mage, I’ll do bull varric and sera to see how that is.
Yeah, Cory was stupidly easy.. I’d have to say the Envy demon you fight on the Templar quest was harder than that lol. And yeah, I thought the last scene was pretty cool, the ending to it was a bit confusing though. I hope they clear it up in DLC.
Matthew, what system are you on?
Matthew Holliday
December 4, 2014 at 23:08
its funny you mention the bull and solas relationship, solas has no problem with qunari, just the qun, so depending on what decision you make during bulls loyalty mission, solas either hates him for it or likes him for it, resulting in different responses from solas, which i think is pretty cool.
i still think bodyguard is a waste, between stealth and leaping shot, you can avoid most threats. to be getting the most out of long shot, you need to be quite far out, bodyguard is an aoe effect, you have to be inside the aoe to share the damage, so if you’re relying on the burst of stealth leaping shot and long shot, you’re generally out of that aoe.
frost flasks on sera are pretty cool if you build her around daggers instead of archery, the damage output from daggers is crazy high, so with that thousand cuts thing, you could probably one combo cory dead.
Im on PC, played DA2 on PS3, but i didnt like the controls, controlling 8 skills while managing your team, with a controller was a bit fiddly.
Reiden219
December 5, 2014 at 02:06
I built my dagger rogue as an assassin, but I could see Tempest as being equally powerful. As an assassin, I mainly would target weaker enemies and hit them with poisoned twin fangs from the flank, upgraded Flank attack to go back into stealth, and a Death Blow would usually finish them off and killing an enemy would pop refresh the CD on stealth.
Tempest is broken if you choose to exploit it, as your Focus abilities have no cost with Fire Flash. You can pop a 3rd tier rift and thousand cuts every time it’s up.. I mainly use fire flask to do 2-3 Leaping shots followed by a long shot. I didn’t realize Bodyguard worked like Ring of Blood, I never noticed a circle around it so I assumed it was for everyone.
Regardless of whether you built as dagger or archer, rogue dps is insane either way.
I didn’t know that if you go the other route on Bulls loyalty mission that Solas’s opinion on him is different. That’s cool to know though! Man, Sera and Vivienne is also a riot with Viv always belittling her.
Ah gotcha, I’m on XB1. Was PS4 but all my buddys stayed with Xbox, thinking of switching to PC once I get a better graphics card.
Nikola
December 3, 2014 at 07:15
I am absolutely loving the game put in 55 hours in now 4 dragons down loving the interactions with character and choices I can make in the story. Only thing I would say that I do not like is lack of armors and unique weapons Dragon Age Origins had some really cool items and I feel this one is missing that however this still might be one of if not my favorite game ever it’s that good:)
Ryumoau
December 3, 2014 at 22:56
Thank you so much Zoe! I really wish this game had a better item management system though. Not sure why they got rid of the junk section from past games or why they decided to include some important items in the valuable section. 🙁
Anthony
December 22, 2014 at 23:49
Awesome tips, thank you!
paramitch
February 5, 2017 at 01:35
Great piece on a wonderful game, but one correction — you DO get a storage chest in DAI. It’s a substantial one, in the Undercroft at your headquarters in Skyhold, about 1/4 through the game. And from then on inventory becomes a non-issue.
Also, in case it helps, on distinguishing valuables — yellow valuables are the ones you should hold onto without exception, as they’re the ones you’ll more likely need for research, potions or upgrades. As a rule of thumb, never sell ore, wood, or herbs — you’ll need them!