Categories: Originals

Dragon Age Inquisition: Reaver Multiplayer Guide

Tamar became a Reaver by drinking Dragon Blood. This turned the mighty warrior into a force to be reckoned with. The cultist successfully escaped the Chantry in Haven. She was later captured by members of the Inquisition. In captivity, she was given the opportunity to fight for the Inquisition in exchange for her freedom. Tamar accepted, dying in battle is far more glorious than dying in a cell.

The Reaver has a very unique playstyle in Dragon Age Inquisition multiplayer. While she is capable of doing tremendous damage, to maximize her efficiency you have to play her high risk / high reward. As the term suggests, this is a gamble. Many of Tamar’s abilities do more or do better when her hit points are lower. So as she fight near death, she becomes  a whirlwind of death. Yet, when she’s running around at maximized HP and safe, she plays more standard. The ability to steal health from foes opens all sorts of options in builds.

Here are her unique abilities:

Bloodlust:

Tier 1:

Devour – 100% damage, restore 0.2% HP for %1 dealt, 2% damage bonus for every 1% missing HP, 12 secs cooldown, 65 sta, 0.4% HP restored for every 1% missing HP with Ring of Pain up

  • -Consume – 25% crit chance

Tier 2:

Fervor – enemy deaths 10 meters near you grant 30% damage boost for 5 secs, +3 Cun

Ring of Pain – toggled, 15 meters, 15% weapon damage per sec, 1% bonus for 1% missing HP, 10 sta per sec

  • -Torrent of Pain –4 cooldown, 20% less cost

Warrior’s Resolve – 10% stamina restored for every 10% HP lost, +3 Con

Tier 3:

Bloodbath – Devour and Dragon-Rage have a 20% weaken chance, +3 Con

Blood Frenzy – 5% extra damage per 10% missing HP, +3 Str

Wrathful – +6 Str, +3 Con

Tier 4:

Flow of Battle – Crits reduce cooldowns by 1 sec, +3 Str

War Horn – 8 meter AoE, feared for 6 secs, 25 sec cooldown, 35 sta

  • -Break their Spirit – 20% armor reduction, 1,200% damage vs Guard

Scenting Blood – when 10 meters from a foe under 35% HP gain 50% speed and 10% crit bonus, +3 Con

Challenge – Duration 8 secs, Guard amount 10%, Cooldown reduction 16 secs, Cost 20 sta

  • -Throw the Gauntlet 15 Sta per sec

Biggest Threat – Threat Increase 25%, Con +3

Tier 5:

Relentless Attack – attacks add 1% crit resetting after crit, +3 Str

Terrifying Fury – Crits cause 25% fear, 10 meters, for 6 secs

Deathblow – Auto crit foes feared or sleeping, +3 Cun

Tier 6:

Dragon-Rage – 150% damage, 1% damage for each 1% missing HP, cost 2% HP, 50% Ring of Pain bonus

  • -Ravage – 50% bonus damage, -2 cooldown

Rampage – 10% bonus, speed, and HP for 10 secs, 30 sec cooldown, 65 sta


Assault:

Tier 1:

Mighty Blow – 200% damage, 200% bonus, 16 sec cooldown, 50 sta

  • -Easy Target 15 sta, 300% damage bonus

Tier 2:

Block and Slash – 150% damage, 10 sta, 5 sta a sec

  • -Flawless Defense – 50% damage bonus, 15% guard

Coup de Grace – 30% damage vs stunned or knocked down, +3 Str

Combat Roll – roll out of danger, 2 sec cooldown, 20 Sta

  • -Roll With It – rolling gets out of disabling effects

Tier 3:

It’ll Cost You – 15% damaged returned to attacker, +3 Str

Adamant – 20% armor bonus, +3 Con

Resilience – 5% stun chance for 2 secs, +3 Con

Tier 4:

Crippling Blows – Crits cause 15% damage reduction in target for 10 secs, stacks, +3 Str

Deep Reserves – under 50% sta, gain 50% bonus to sta regen, +3 Str

Hamstring – attacking behind target reduces speed by 50% for 3 secs, +3 str

Tier 5:

Pommel Strike – 300% damage, 3 sec stun, 20 sec cooldown, 35 sta

  • -Lighting Jab – -4 sec cooldown, 1 more sec stun

Clear a Path – hitting multiple targets gain 10% sta, +3 str

Earthshaking Strike – 2 Hits, 150% damage, 12 meter AoE, 20 sec cooldown, 50 sta

  • -Shattered Ground – 8 sec cooldown, 20% burning damage, burning last 8 secs

Tier 6:

Shield-Breaker – 20% Armor Reduction, 6 secs,Str +3

Bear Mauls the Wolves – can’t be flanked. +3 Con

Guard-Smasher – 100% bonus damage vs guard, +3 Str

The bread and butter of the Reaven is her very first ability, Devour. This melee range attack takes HP away from your target and heals her. The upgrade grants a 25% crit rate. This ability does more less HP you have when you use it. So while you can use this power to top off your HP it’s better saved for when the Reaver is lower. The high chance to crit offers more HP gained since it is a percentage of damage dealt. I strongly recommend keeping this ability for nearly every build.

The two big options for Reaver builds are pure DPS or an annoying hard to kill non tanky tank. For pure gamble DPS, go for the passives that make you just hurt as foes as humanly possible. Ring of Pain (use), Warrior’s Resolve, Dragon-Rage (use), and Clear a Path. The combination of these on use abilities and passives will make your low HP Reaver hit like a truck while gaining stamina back at a rapid rate. You’ll want stamina regen abilities if you plan on having Ring of Pain up often – which you’ll want to do to get full efficiency out of hard hitting abilities.

For the very technical non tanky tank, the Assault tree will be more of your friend. The skills It’ll Cost You, Adamant, Resilience, Bear Mauls the Wolves, and Biggest Threat will be your allies. Depending on just how tanky you want to go, feel free to pick out Challenge. You don’t have a shield but you have life steal. If you’re throwing around Ring of Pain, there is a good chance you’re going to get unwanted attention anyway. You’re a plate user but you don’t have any escapes or aggro drops. Combat Roll isn’t a horrible choice for mobility and survivability.

The Reaver is really about what you want out of the class. These two examples are a bit on the extreme side. A hybrid path or simply choosing the four actives you want accompanied by passives that fit into your play style will ultimately be what is best for you. The Reaver has lots of speed moves if you really want to just be all over the place crushing everything in your path. Just be careful doing this on harder difficulties than routine. Beeeest of luck. Dat dragon blood.

Andrew Clouther

Human, historian, teacher, writer, reviewer, gamer, League of Pralay, Persona fanboy, and GameZone paragon - no super powers as of yet. Message me on the Twitters: @AndrewC_GZ

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Andrew Clouther

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