Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Choosing Whether to Advise Harding to Embrace the Titan’s Anger

The highly anticipated Dragon Age: The Veilguard not only enriches the lore of Thedas with new characters but also sees the return of beloved figures from previous titles. One standout companion is Lace Harding, a character familiar to fans from Dragon Age: Inquisition, where she served as a scout for the organization. In this latest installment, players can engage in a compelling personal quest with Harding that explores intricate dwarven lore, as well as profound themes of forgiveness and compassion.

[Spoiler Alert: This article reveals key plot details from Dragon Age: The Veilguard.]

Throughout Dragon Age: The Veilguard, each of Rook’s companions has an individual quest line that unfolds throughout the game, addressing personal challenges and growth. Completing these quests not only deepens players’ understanding of the characters but also rewards them with the prestigious Hero of the Veilguard status. This status unlocks new armor and abilities for each companion and ensures their survival in the climactic final battle.

Harding’s Quest Deepens Dwarven Lore

A Questline that Addresses Old Questions while Posing New Ones

The personal journey of Harding begins early in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, as she and Rook seek to retrieve Solas’ precious lyrium dagger from a ritual site. When Harding touches the mystical artifact, it activates a latent magical ability within her, surprising both her and the players. A significant part of Harding’s quest involves her grappling with this newfound power and its origins. Her journey ultimately leads her to Kal-Sharok, the fabled dwarven thaig, where she encounters Valta, a character now one with the stone after events from The Descent DLC.

In the Dragon Age universe, dwarves are predominantly depicted as being devoid of magic and lacking a connection to the Fade, making Harding’s revelations particularly striking. Previously, Sandal, a character from Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, was the only exception, but the origins of his abilities remained enigmatic—attributed either to childhood exposure to lyrium or his mother’s mysterious heritage.

However, chaos ensues when Harding learns of a group from Kal-Sharok that has mysteriously vanished. Following this lead, she and Rook descend into the perilous Deep Roads, where they discover the lost mining group encased in red lyrium—not blighted, but linked to the wrath of a Titan. Deep within the Titan’s heart, Harding confronts an embodiment of its rage that has taken her own form. As she battles to manage the anger stemming from her newfound understanding of the Evanuris’ impact on Titans, Rook faces a critical decision about how to guide Harding.

Consequences of Harding Embracing the Titan’s Anger

Harding Learns to Channel Her Anger and Use It

If Rook advises Harding to honor the Titan’s anger, this moment becomes a pivotal point in her personal journey. Recognizing the injustices inflicted upon the Titans by the Evanuris, Harding begins to fuel her anguish into something productive. This decision empowers Harding to leverage her emotions rather than succumb to them, culminating in her acceptance that the Titans, in their transformed state, still endure.

By embracing this anger, Harding acquires the Titan’s Vengeance armor and the Hero of the Veilguard skill, The Stone’s Vengeance. This enhances her damage-per-second (DPS) capabilities, particularly in inflicting Bleeding effects on adversaries, as her weapon attacks may be substituted by Titan Stones that also induce this condition. However, although useful, there are potentially stronger DPS companions available at this point in the game, while the Titan’s Vengeance armor design may not be particularly appealing.

Ability	Harding’s weapon attacks are sometimes replaced by Titan Stones, which deal 20% more damage and apply Bleeding.
Armor	Detonations will now also apply Bleeding, dealing +25% physical damage when targeting enemies that are already Bleeding.

Choosing to honor the Titan’s anger does not overwhelmingly change Harding’s character, though she admits later in the Lighthouse that she has previously feared her own fury. The most noticeable impact is on the conclusion of her quest, particularly as she and Rook make their way back to Isana Negat to bid farewell to the Titans. Harding becomes less effusive, allowing her frustration and anger to surface, and although she hears Valta’s voice again, she feels a chill that marks a departure from her usual joyful demeanor.

Consequences of Harding Choosing Compassion

Harding Remains True to Her Core Values

Stalgard and Durra seeking guidance from Harding

Alternatively, Rook can guide Harding to draw from her compassion instead of surrendering to the Titan’s pain. Reminding her of her intrinsic values—optimism, kindness, and the pursuit of goodness—Rook empowers Harding to honor her authentic self while acknowledging the hurt of the Titans without allowing it to dictate her future. Later, in the Lighthouse, she confides in Rook about her fears of losing her identity to the Titan’s wrath.

When Harding opts for the compassionate route, she acquires the Inquisition Spotter armor and the Hero of the Veilguard skill, Heart of the Titan. This equips her with a balanced skill set emphasizing both DPS and support roles, including an increased likelihood of interrupting enemy attacks and a reduction in ability cooldowns. Notably, the armor features intricate embroidery with elements reminding players of past adventures, such as motifs associated with Cole, Sera, and Cullen.

Ability	Cooldown for Soothing Potion reduced by 15%; Harding gains a 15% increase in detonation damage, while Rook and her companions benefit from a 20% damage bonus and a 15% cooldown reduction.
Armor	All detonations are more likely to disrupt enemies, with a chance for disruption extending to nearby foes.

Opting for compassion allows Harding to find forgiveness for Solas’ past actions and alters the narrative during her farewell to the Titans. As they reach Isana Negat, Harding and Rook are welcomed warmly by Stalgard and his sister, Durra, eager to learn from Harding’s experiences. In a touching moment, Harding shares a glimpse of the Titans’ song with them, enhancing the bond between her and the dwarven lineage.

In conclusion, advising Harding to embrace her compassionate side yields not only the best outcome for gameplay, with superior roleplay options and improved gear, but also supports her emotional journey toward closure within Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This choice allows her to foster meaningful connections with the inhabitants of Kal-Sharok and solidify her place in a complex, ever-evolving world of fantasy.

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