The Dragon Age: Inquisition War Table is a unique strategic hub that allows players to make impactful decisions, manage resources, and deploy agents across Thedas. Leveraging this feature effectively is essential for success, as it helps players unlock new areas, acquire unique items, and progress through the storyline. This guide will explore how to maximize your use of the War Table, offering insights into missions, perks, and the best strategies to employ for optimal gameplay.
What is the War Table in Dragon Age: Inquisition?
The Dragon Age Inquisition War Table serves as a command center, where players take on the role of the Inquisitor, deploying agents and making critical decisions to shape the world. Accessible within Skyhold, the War Table offers an interactive map of Thedas, where you can choose from various missions and operations. Each task on the War Table is led by one of your three advisors—Josephine, Leliana, and Cullen—each with distinct advantages and unique approaches to missions.
In this guide, we’ll explore how the War Table operates, what missions to prioritize, and tips for optimizing your gameplay. Whether you’re a new player or a seasoned fan of the series, mastering the War Table in Dragon Age Inquisition will elevate your strategic abilities and enrich your experience.
How Does the War Table Work?
The War Table is a strategy-based feature that lets you undertake missions for rewards or progress in the story. Missions vary from simple resource gathering to diplomatic negotiations and espionage. For each mission, you must choose one of your advisors—Josephine, Leliana, or Cullen—based on their strengths:
- Josephine: Skilled in diplomacy and building alliances. Her expertise is valuable for gaining influence, favors, and advancing through negotiations.
- Leliana: A master spy, perfect for uncovering secrets, gathering intelligence, and handling covert operations.
- Cullen: Military-focused, making him ideal for combat missions and establishing military strongholds.
Each mission or operation will indicate the expected time for completion. Therefore, time management is key, as some missions take mere minutes, while others could span several hours.
Understanding Mission Types in Dragon Age Inquisition War Table
Missions are categorized into different types, each serving a unique purpose and offering specific rewards. Here’s a breakdown of the primary mission types you’ll encounter on the Dragon Age Inquisition War Table:
1. Power-Generating Missions
- Power points are essential for progressing the story and unlocking new areas in Thedas. Power-generating missions provide these points, allowing you to initiate main quests and explore new regions.
- Prioritize these missions early on to keep your campaign progressing smoothly.
2. Influence-Generating Missions
- Influence points raise your Inquisition rank, which unlocks Inquisition Perks. Influence missions help you gain faster access to valuable perks, enhancing the Inquisitor’s abilities and improving overall gameplay.
- Missions that increase influence should be chosen consistently, as perks can provide critical advantages.
3. Resource Gathering
- Resources like crafting materials, gold, and other valuable items can be obtained through resource-gathering missions. War Table missions provide a steady stream of these resources, which are essential for upgrading equipment and supplies.
- Deploying agents on these missions when you’re not actively progressing story missions is a good way to build up resources.
4. Character-Specific Missions
- Some missions pertain directly to the lore and background of your companions. Completing these missions can deepen relationships, improve their abilities, or unlock special dialogues.
- This is a great way to explore the game’s rich narrative and add depth to your team members.
5. Timed Operations
- Each mission has a specific completion time, often ranging from minutes to hours. Managing these timed operations efficiently is crucial for achieving optimal results. Missions continue even if you log off, allowing you to maximize efficiency by setting up longer missions before a break.
Best Advisors for Different Missions on the War Table
To ensure success in Dragon Age Inquisition, understanding each advisor’s strengths can significantly influence mission outcomes. Choosing the right advisor for each War Table mission can improve the rewards you receive or reduce the time required to complete the mission.
Choosing Between Josephine, Leliana, and Cullen
- Josephine (Diplomacy): Choose Josephine for diplomacy-based missions. Her abilities shine in situations requiring negotiation or alliance-building, which often yield influence and favor with other factions.
- Leliana (Espionage): Known as the spymaster, Leliana’s expertise lies in espionage. Missions requiring secrecy, reconnaissance, or intelligence gathering are ideal for her skillset. She often reveals hidden items or opportunities, making her invaluable.
- Cullen (Military): If a mission requires a show of force or military precision, Cullen is the go-to choice. His background in combat ensures the efficient handling of missions that involve soldiers or fortifying strongholds.
Sample Missions and Advisor Recommendations
Here’s a look at some common mission types on the War Table and which advisor is most suited:
- Alliance Negotiations – Josephine
- Enemy Reconnaissance – Leliana
- Fortification and Defense – Cullen
- Gathering Secrets – Leliana
- Strengthening Alliances – Josephine
- Defending Settlements – Cullen
By aligning each mission with the most suitable advisor, you can improve success rates and maximize rewards.
Tips for Mastering the Dragon Age Inquisition War Table
Mastering the Dragon Age Inquisition War Table involves balancing time management, mission selection, and strategic thinking. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
1. Prioritize Long Missions When You’re Away
Since many missions take hours to complete, assign these longer missions right before you log out or when you know you’ll be away from the game. By the time you return, these missions will be complete, allowing you to gather the rewards without waiting.
2. Use Influence Missions to Unlock Inquisition Perks Early
Inquisition Perks provide bonuses that can significantly enhance gameplay. From increased experience points to faster resource gathering, these perks help the Inquisitor become more powerful. Influence missions boost your Inquisition rank, making it easier to acquire perks quickly.
3. Regularly Check for Completed Missions
Missions on the War Table in Dragon Age Inquisition continue even while you’re not logged in. Checking frequently for completed missions allows you to keep your agents constantly engaged, maximizing your gains.
4. Mix Up Missions to Balance Power, Influence, and Resources
While it’s tempting to focus on a single type of mission, it’s essential to balance power, influence, and resources. Diversifying mission choices ensures you don’t lack crucial points for progression and keeps your inventory well-stocked.
5. Focus on Character Missions for Bonus Content
If you want to deepen the narrative experience, complete character-specific missions. These missions often unlock exclusive dialogues, additional backstories, or special equipment for companions, adding to the game’s rich lore.
Common Challenges in the War Table and How to Overcome Them
The Dragon Age Inquisition War Table provides strategic depth, but it can also present challenges. Some players find missions aren’t progressing as expected, or they miss out on certain rewards. Below are solutions to some common challenges:
- Problem: Missions aren’t tracking progress
- Solution: Ensure you save frequently, especially if playing on console, as sometimes missions can glitch. Restarting the game or reloading can reset the mission tracker.
- Problem: Difficulty choosing between multiple mission options
- Solution: When in doubt, prioritize missions that provide power or influence early in the game. Resources are often more readily available later, but power is essential for progression.
- Problem: Insufficient resources for upgrades
- Solution: Set aside time to send agents on resource-gathering missions. This will ensure a steady supply of materials for crafting and upgrades.
The Importance of the War Table in Dragon Age: Inquisition Gameplay
The War Table adds a unique layer to Dragon Age: Inquisition, going beyond simple action or dialogue options. The War Table reflects the larger world, allowing you to interact with factions, resolve political disputes, and gain support from allies. By understanding the intricacies of the War Table and making thoughtful decisions, you can guide the Inquisition’s path, shape alliances, and enhance your gameplay experience.
Final Thoughts on the Dragon Age Inquisition War Table
Mastering the War Table in Dragon Age Inquisition allows players to experience the game fully, utilizing strategy to shape the world of Thedas. From gathering power points to completing influence missions, each decision on the War Table can alter the story and provide rich rewards.
Whether you’re a newcomer to Dragon Age or a veteran seeking the best tactics, this guide provides everything you need to maximize the War Table’s potential. Balancing missions, using the right advisors, and managing resources will help you shape your unique path in Dragon Age: Inquisition. Dive in, command the Inquisition, and let the War Table guide your way to victory.