Best Returning Characters In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Key Takeaways

• Returning characters enrich Dragon Age: The Veilguard, adding depth to the plot and expanding the series’ continuity.
• Neve Gallus, Isabela, and the Inquisitor make impactful appearances in the game, appealing to longtime fans with familiar faces.
• Solas’s role gains depth in The Veilguard, further exploring his past and motivations, while Varric ties up the narrative.

One of the most popular traditions in the Dragon Age franchise is for certain characters to return throughout the games. This aspect has been explored in different titles, with familiar faces reappearing to expand their stories and assist the new protagonist in their missions.

In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the developer continues this practice by bringing back a memorable selection of characters, from companions of the first game to the protagonist of Inquisition. For longtime fans, re-encountering these characters is an enriching experience that allows players to relive iconic moments and stories alongside them.

8 Neve Gallus

From The Expanded Universe, Not From The Games

• First Appearance: Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

Although she has never appeared in the Dragon Age games, Neve Gallus was not a character created exclusively for The Veilguard; she has already appeared in BioWare’s expanded universe, which includes short stories, comic books, and podcasts. So, for fans who follow only the games, she is new, but for those who enjoy other content, Neve will be a familiar face.

In The Veilguard, Neve plays an even more important role in the plot. Alongside Varric and Harding, she is committed to stopping Solas’s plans. Additionally, Neve faces internal challenges with the Shadow Dragons, the faction she is part of, while fighting against the Venatori.

7 Inquisitor

An Excellent Addition For Longtime Fans

• First Appearance: Dragon Age: Inquisition

The presence of protagonists between games is not new in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, as in Inquisition, Hawke, who was the main character of the second game, also had an important role in the plot. Now, it’s the Inquisitor’s turn to be a fundamental piece for Rook in the battle to protect the Veil.

This makes the Inquisitor’s participation impactful and relevant, especially for those who have been following the franchise for a long time, as seeing an old character return can bring great weight to the story, just like seeing how the key decisions made during the previous game impacted the narrative. For those who are just starting the series now, however, it does not have the same depth.

6 Isabela

The Pirate Queen Returns In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

• First Appearance: Dragon Age 2

Isabela is a recurring character in the Dragon Age franchise, mentioned in all three previous games. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, she returns with the same charisma and personality as always, assuming an important role in the plot. Now leader of the Lords of Fortune, Isabela also shows evolution via her status and the relationships she has with some characters.

Her presence in The Veilguard is a gift for longtime fans, allowing them to re-experience her charismatic and fearless personality. Isabela is more than willing to face the elven gods alongside Rook, enriching the narrative and expanding the continuity of the series.

5 Dorian Pavus

A Familiar Face For Dragon Age: Inquisition Players

• First Appearance: Heroes of Dragon Age

Despite the redesign of the character’s appearance not completely pleasing all fans of Dorian Pavus, the character who is an important companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition returns in The Veilguard, but this time, he does not join Rook’s battle (at least not on the front lines). As a representative of the Shadow Dragons, many of his motivations from the previous game remain intact.

Despite being more experienced, Dorian Pavus maintains the same charismatic and sharp personality that captivated players in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The character’s sharp intellect, combined with irreverent humor, remains intact, ensuring memorable moments for fans to enjoy. Even away from the front lines, Dorian continues to be an essential and fascinating presence in The Veilguard.

4 Lady Morrigan

The Witch Of The Wilds Plays A Fundamental Role In This Game

• First Appearance: Dragon Age (Penny Arcade comics)

Being one of the most intriguing characters in Dragon Age and also one of the first companions to join players in the franchise, Morrigan is a witch who lives isolated in the forest alongside her mother, Flemeth. Through a sharp-humored personality and being a difficult ally to deal with, with questionable moral choices, she also became a fan favorite.

Present in Origins and in Inquisition, Morrigan returns in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and is a fundamental piece in Rook’s fight against the elven gods. Older and more experienced, players can notice a slight change in the character’s personality, but nothing erases the essence that made her one of the most complex individuals in BioWare’s universe.

3 Lace Harding

Role Reversal In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

• First Appearance: Heroes of Dragon Age

While many characters who return in Dragon Age: The Veilguard abandon the front lines and help the protagonist in other ways, Lace Harding took a different path in the game. When she appeared in Inquisition, she was a scout who helped to recognize the area before missions, but now it is possible to see her combat abilities.

Being a more active character, both in the party and in the story, Lace Harding gained a bit more depth in the game’s plot, being a fundamental piece in various missions. So, seeing her again is not only fun, but – following the character’s evolution – it shows how the world of Dragon Age has progressed between games.

2 Solas

After Years, Players Finally Learn More About The Plot Twist

• First Appearance: Heroes of Dragon Age

The post-credit scenes of Dragon Age: Inquisition reveal a big plot twist about Solas, which took years to be explored further, only happening when he returned as a central character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Despite his motivations being ambiguous, Solas’s storyline gained more depth.

The character plays a fundamental role in the unfolding of the main events of the fourth game of the franchise, guiding the protagonist in an attempt to combat the problems that plague the characters. Furthermore, the interactions with Solas in the Fade are interesting, as he always finds a way to respond to Rook’s provocations in kind.

1 Varric Tethras

One Of The Best Characters In The Dragon Age Franchise

• First Appearance: Dragon Age 2

Since his introduction in Dragon Age 2, accompanying Hawke on the journey through Kirkwall, Varric has become one of the fans’ favorite characters and has also earned an important place in the plot of the games. He is also a returning character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, having a fundamental role to play in the story.

Despite the majority of the choices that players made in Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition, which shaped the character’s entire personality, Varric’s charisma remains intact. He is one of the best companions that BioWare has created for the franchise and manages to tie up the entire narrative of the fourth game, which is sometimes told from his point of view.