The Veilguard Needs the Golden Nug More Than Ever

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 18, 2024 14 Views 7 Min Read
The Veilguard Needs the Golden Nug More Than Ever



Dragon Age: The Veilguard embraces transmog, deeper customization, and player-driven fashion, but it still lacks one crucial feature from Dragon Age: Inquisition—the Golden Nug. For completionists and style enthusiasts, the absence of this feature is glaring. Without it, players must start from scratch with every playthrough, losing access to armor, weapons, and collectible upgrades they’ve already earned.




Due to the expanded transmog system in Dragon Age: The Veilguard and its focus on player expression, the absence of a Golden Nug is even more noticeable. Players can create distinct looks with unique armor, but without a way to carry forward collected gear, they are forced to re-collect and re-customize everything from scratch.

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One Cut Dragon Age: The Veilguard Feature Shouldn’t Be Left in The Dust For The Next Mass Effect

Mass Effect is still early in development which means it isn’t too late to include a crucial feature that was cut from Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The Veilguard’s Transmog System Deserves The Golden Nug

Dragon Age’s Golden Nug Explained

The Golden Nug, introduced in Dragon Age: Inquisition via Patch 10, allowed players to sync their collectible items across all playthroughs. This included weapon schematics, armor schematics, mounts, and Skyhold customization items. By activating the Golden Nug in Haven or Skyhold, players could reclaim these items in future playthroughs. This quality-of-life feature turned the grind-heavy nature of Inquisition into a more rewarding experience, allowing players to focus on fresh story choices while keeping their visual identity intact. It’s arguably one of the reasons why, ten years later, Dragon Age: Inquisition is still a memorable journey.


The Golden Nug is Sorely Missed In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Customization in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is deeper than ever. The game’s transmog system allows players to modify their character’s appearance, applying the look of one item to the stats of another. This mechanic invites creativity, encouraging players to create personalized looks for their characters.

However, the absence of the Golden Nug makes this process tedious for replay-focused players. Dragon Age: Inquisition offers a point of reference. In Inquisition, players could craft some of the best schematics around Thedas. Without the Golden Nug, these sets had to be re-earned on every new playthrough. The Golden Nug eliminated that grind, giving players access to every schematic they’d already unlocked.


Imagine completing a playthrough with a character wearing a striking transmogged set of armor that perfectly fits their role in the story. Without a Golden Nug system, starting a new playthrough means that look is gone. Players must track down armor again, wait for specific story beats to pass, and repeat the entire transmog process. This small change would give players a stronger incentive to replay Dragon Age: The Veilguard and experiment with new character builds, romance options, or story paths—without feeling like they’ve lost their hard-earned identity.

Progression-Driven Players Benefit From Gear Carryover

Transmog isn’t the only system that would benefit from the Golden Nug. Completionists and build enthusiasts would also see massive value in carrying forward gear progression. The Veilguard expands on Inquisition’s level cap and shifts the progression system. Players can continue to use weapons they love and acquire and upgrade them so that they remain viable in their game progression. But without the Golden Nug, much of that progress is erased when starting a new playthrough.


It can be quite annoying when trying to look for the next upgrade to the specific ring when trying to craft a specific build, like an ice mage. It’s very rewarding when it’s found, but it remains frustrating when getting near the end of the game, and the final upgrade to said ring still isn’t available. With the Golden Nug system, players may feel a sense of relief knowing that even if they didn’t get the final upgrade to that specific ring, they’ll find it in a subsequent playthrough with the Golden Nug’s help.

The Veilguard’s Replayability Without New Game Plus Needs Reinforcement

The Veilguard, like previous Dragon Age games, does not have a New Game Plus mode. While this design philosophy isn’t new for the franchise, it does leave a gap in replayability. New Game Plus modes in RPGs typically let players carry over their levels, gear, and collectibles into a new playthrough. Dragon Age games have never done this, but Inquisition’s Golden Nug feature offered a compromise. It allowed players to bring forward essential collectibles while still experiencing the fresh, story-driven journey of a new playthrough.


The Veilguard needs this compromise more than ever. Without it, players are stuck in a loop of “earn, lose, repeat.” Every new playthrough resets their hard-earned progress, whether it’s weapon upgrades, glamours, or unique gear. This not only extends the grind but also lessens the sense of accomplishment. With a Golden Nug, many players may feel more inclined to replay The Veilguard‘s story.

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