Veilguard’s decision makes little sense and seems forced

RPGs are a matter of choice and very early Dragon Age: The Veil Guard throws situations at Rook that force him to make difficult decisions. As Rook seeks to save Thedas, it makes sense that they will have to make some difficult choices and not all decisions will be well received by companions or factions. However, the first big decision thrown at Rook feels unnatural, forcing Rook to choose between two options that are seemingly similar but in reality not at all the same.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard.]

Decisions form the backbone of any RPG and place the protagonist at the center of shaping the world around them, dictating how the branching narrative will progress based on choices made along the way. Previous Dragon Age the games excelled at this, with previous choices influencing Thedas and everything that leads to events in The Veil Guard. Sometimes these choices can be clear, while others may have no right or wrong answer, and when done well, encourage repeat play to explore all the paths not taken.

The choice of Veilguard between Minrathous or Treviso is not the same

Big decisions are fun when they make sense in the environment

The first big decision Rook must make comes shortly after recruiting Davrin and traveling back to Crossroads, when news arrives of two dragons terrorizing cities in Thedas. Rook is faced with the choice of helping Minrathous or Treviso, with the unchosen city suffering from Rook’s choice. However, although the choice appears to be balanced simply between two cities or perhaps two companions, realistically, they are not equal and make little sense in the world of Dragon Agewhich makes the decision feel forced for the sake of the dramatic narrative.

Why choosing Minrathous over Treviso makes no sense

Occupied Merchant City vs. Capital of a Wizard Empire

While the companions rush to tell Rook about the dragons, Neve and Lucanis will rush to their respective homes to help the Shadow Dragons or the Antivan Crows in their attacks. Rook is faced with what is presented as an impossible decision about which city they should go to as they send their remaining companions to help each other. However, when we look at the choice from the perspective of the world of Thedas, the choice is not impossible. In fact, the choice is simple: Rook must help Treviso.

The differences between the options presented to Rook are stark when viewed through the lens of Thedas as a real, breathing world. On the one hand, Minrathous is the capital of the Tevinter Empirewith an army, city guards, mages and Templars to defend it alongside the Shadow Dragons. Floating above them all is the Archon’s Palace, which is shown in Dragon Age: The Veil Guardopening sequence to be able to defend the city if necessary. On the other hand, there is Treviso, a market town that is already occupied, with no army or municipal guards.

Perhaps if Minrathous was in a worse state, with crumbling infrastructure or under siege, this choice would make more sense. But as seen in its current state, the city should be reasonably capable of fighting a dragon. However, to add to the tension, all of this is thrown out the window, with Minrathous seemingly in as much danger as Treviso. The result is a bad binary choice that it boils down much more to the favor of the companion and the faction than treating Thedas as a living world with a rich tradition built over fifteen years in games, books and comics.

Choosing between Minrathous or Treviso seems forced

The choice of Veilguard is not based on tradition

The result of either decision sees a city ruined by the allies of the Evanuris, but again there is an imbalance, with Treviso will likely suffer much more in the long term. If Treviso is chosen, the Venatori take control of Minrathous and the Shadow Dragons suffer significantly. However, the city is practically intact. There are deaths, with people being rounded up for sacrifices, and people live in fear as the Venatori focus on political enemies. However, if Minrathous is chosen, Treviso will be ravaged by plague. This is a civilian city already under occupation and it is terrible.

Even if the Antaam are expelled and the gods defeated, Treviso’s canals were invaded by Prague after the attack. This will undoubtedly affect the area for decades to come, poisoning the water and land around the city and leaving it looking more like Anderfels than Antiva. Wandering through the busy market of Treviso, which later turns into a field hospital, there is a strange feeling as there is a clear and correct answer to this choice, which is very strange for an RPG.

Typically, any choice in an RPG will have good and bad merits, with the choice between mages and Templars in Dragon Age: Inquisition being a good example. Although people may have certain preferences, in general, When asked to choose between a rock and a difficult position in a game, the options given will have their pros and cons. However, the Minrathous/Treviso choice comes too early to have earned the level of laziness it exhibits, with only one Raven or Shadow Dragon Tower in the universe realistically having a preference at that point.

Rook’s has the illusion of choice

Less choice in narrative and more about faction resources

In the end, the choice between two cities so early in the game is a forced plot point based on which companion and faction Rook seeks to gain favor with. Neither the choice nor the results have any basis in the reality of the environmentas Rook divides his small forces equally between Minrathous and Treviso. However, only the city served personally by Rook will emerge unscathed, further emphasizing that this decision consists of clumsily settling what is at stake.

The result is that the blame for the outcome is placed solely on Rook’s shouldersdespite being leaders of a small group and not a large force like the Inquisition. This makes the entire quest and choice feel like an excuse to reintroduce the hardening a companion mechanic. Hardened companions are nothing new The Veil Guard and they’re a good concept that can influence the narrative in interesting ways.

However, the choice between Treviso and Minrathous is heavy and occurs too early in the Dragon Age: The Veil Guard so that it makes sense in terms of tradition and so that the search has the impact it intends. It would have been a much better idea to have him appear later in act 2 after several missions in the respective cities. This way, the team would have more ties and each city could swing between improvement and ruin to make them a more equal choice.