Varric build - Best detailed Guide - Dragon Age: Inquisition (DAI)

Varric is one of the first companions to join the Inquisitor. He is a charming Dwarf always full of interesting banter. In this Dragon Age Inquisition Varric build guide I will try to cover all you need to know for this companion

Even though you can build Varric as a Dual wielding rogue. I do not recommend this. AI is simply not clever enough to handle all the micromanaging that this type of build needs.

Due to this, I recommend Varric + Bianca build

Important! The companion build is compatible with Nightmare difficulty, however, to pull it off correctly, be sure to have a good Inquisitor build

Varric level 1-10

Before reaching level 11 I suggest using the same build, doesn't matter if you like daggers or bows. The reason being is that if you play on Hard difficulties it is easier for Varric to survive with Bianca. Moreover, not having good gear will make you weak in close combat.

Order	Skill	Description
1	Stealth	With this skill, Varric can easily avoid danger
2	Long Shot + Eagle Eye	Great skill for openers. I recommend using this with Varric at the start of the fight
3	Death From Above	Ability is taken just for progression
4	Leaping Shot + Shot from the Shadows	Extremely strong ability if used when enemies come close by
5	Poisoned Weapons	I would say this is optional, but it increases overall DPS for Varric, good skill that AI can use
6	Looked Like It Hurt	Restores Stamina on critical hits, works great with Leaping Shot
7	Evasion	Increases survivability

Once you reach about level 11 start working on the build below

Varric Archer build

This build concentrates on playing Varric as a rogue archer with his bow/crossbow Bianca. This is the only crossbow in the game.

Remember that you will need to respecialize skills before making this build

Abilities investment - short version

This section is a short version of abilities that I recommend getting to create this build

IMPORTANT: Get relevant Amulet of Power for Varric to maximize the number of ability points

Sabotage tree

Not a mandatory tree, but gives a few perks to maximize Varric damage.

Archery tree

Will give you Leaping Shot, strongest bow user shooting ability and Pincushion

Artificer tree

This tree has extremely strong Focus ability and passive skills

Subterfuge tree

Our aim is to get Shadow strike + upgrade

Abilities investment - long version

IMPORTANT: Get relevant Amulet of Power for Varric to maximize the number of ability points

Order	Skill	Description
1	Spike Trap + Pyrotechnics	Great ability with Crowd control capabilities
2	Opportunity Knocks	One of the best passive talents in the game. When you or your allies do a critical hit they reduce your cooldowns.
3	Set Them Up	Gives 25% damage boost to traps
4	Hail of Arrows	Extremely strong Focus ability. With it + Leaping Shot Varric can take down dragons solo
5	Elemental Mines	I take this ability just for progression
6	And Take Them Down	Boosts entire party critical hit chance by 5%
7	Death from Above	We take this ability just for progression
8	Leaping Shot + Shot from the Shadows	Best offensive archer skill. Shoots multiple projectiles from short range. With the upgrade, Varric will also enter stealth after the attack
9	Stealth	Good ability to use so Varric could escape danger
10	Evasion	Passive ability increases odds of survival for Varric
11	Evade	We take it just for progression
12	Shadow Strike + Long Shadows	This ability is important as it allows Varric to restore stamina. The upgrade also enables it to be ranged ability
13	Caltrops	We take this ability for Progression
14	Looked Like It Hurt	Each critical hit will restore your stamina by 10

Late game skill investments

At this point, you will maximize Varric damage output by getting a few more necessary talents

Order	Skill	Description
15	First Blood	We take this ability for progression
16	Explosive Shot	We take this ability for progression
17	Pincushion	Each consecutive hit with a bow (in this case Bianca) will increase your damage by 5%
18	Fallback Plan	We take this ability for progression
19	Tricks of the Trade	Boosts the duration and status effects of all skills that your party members use
20	Poisoned Weapons + Infected Wounds	For a short period of time coat your weapons with poison increasing your damage
21	Fighting Dirty	The poison effect lasts longer

Stats and Attributes

In this section, I go through the recommended stats that you should look at when choosing what equipment to equip. This will ensure that you make the best Varric build:

• Critical chance – I recommend having at least 60%. It will ensure that you both have fast cooldowns and an almost full stamina bar.

• Critical Damage – After you have a high critical rate (50 %+), invest in critical damage. This should be your priority investment as it gives the biggest damage boost.

• Cunning – if you are not able to get direct investment to critical chance get Cunning bonuses

• Attack – provides larger damage bonus, better than dexterity as you usually get much higher bonuses for Attack

• Dexterity – alternative to critical damage, but usually you get less of it compared to direct boost to Critical Damage

Equipment guide

In this section, I will cover what gear should you use for this build

Bianca

The only Weapon that Varric will use for the build is Bianca.

The main point is to upgrade it as soon as you have better components. Moreover, do not forget to put ruins

Bianca - obtainable upgrades

Type	Item	Description
Aiming Module	Aiming Module III	Provides the largest bonus +8% to critical chance
Arms	Superb Crossbow Arms	The Trespasser DLC alternative is available in the Winter Palace
Arms	Bianca Arms VI	Although not the best by pure damage, it gives a large bonus to critical damage.
Grip	Firm Bianca Grip	Provides +8 Cunning, the largest amount for obtainable Grip.

Bianca - craftable upgrades

I list two options for the upgrades. Usually, one of them can be obtained easily and another requires having high-level characters.

Type	Item	Description
Aiming Module	Bianca Aiming IV Schematic	The best schematic with the highest number of slots. You get it in The Descent DLC.
Aiming Module	Bianca Aiming III (Enhanced) Schematic	The best schematic available in the base game
Arms	Bianca Arms VII Schematic	The strongest Arms option that gives 16 offensive leather slots and 10 offensive metal slots
Arms	Bianca Arms III (Enhanced) Schematic	A great option for the base game, before you reach any DLC content.
Grip	Masterwork Gilded Bianca Grip Schematic	Gives 14 leather utility slots, the best that you can get for the crossbow.
Grip	Masterwork Firm Bianca Grip Schematic	The best grip that you can get in the base game.

Armors - obtainable

Priority	Item	Description
1	Stone Stalker Coat	This armor is a perfect match for this build as it provides a large boost to of 45 Cunning resulting in a much higher critical chance
2	The Skin That Stalks	Obtainable only in the Trespasser DLC. Boosts Critical Damage, Critical Chance, and Attack.
3	Masterwork Prowler Armor	This armor reduces ability stamina cost by 20% if not attacked for 5 seconds. This should be easy for Varric as he will be avoiding enemies most of the time.

Armors - craftable

Priority	Item	Description
1	Superior Prowler Armor Schematic	This armor has 23 utility leather slots if you include upgrades. Feel free to increase either dexterity or cunning based on what Varric needs more.
2	Sturdy Prowler Armor Schematic	This is a cheaper alternative to Superior Prowler Armor Schematic. It also gives less defense and 22 utility leather slots.
3	Stone Stalker Coat Schematic	Can be obtained from The Descent DLC. Has decent slots, but is worse compared to the options above.

Helmets - obtainable

Priority	Item	Description
1	Stone Stalker Mask	Has both good bonus stats and armor rating. Can be obtained in The Descent DLC
2	Helm of the Drasca	A decent mid-game option that gives a good boost to critical damage by increasing Dexterity.
3	Ambassador's Mask	Alternative to Mask of the Grand Duchess if you have a high critical chance (50%+)
4	Mask of the Grand Duchess	Alternative to Ambassador's Mask if you have a low critical chance

Helmets - craftable

Priority	Item	Description
1	Superior Skirmisher Hat Schematic	The best craftable helmet that gives 10 leather utility slots and is easy to obtain
2	Skirmisher Hat Schematic	A cheaper alternative of the Superior Skirmisher Hat Schematic. Has only 8 leather utility slots
3	Superior Adventurer Hat Schematic	Costs only 182 Sovereigns and gives 7 leather utility slots. Get it if you are short on money.

Amulets

Priority	Item	Description
-	Amulet of Power	Gives Varric a single ability point. It is consumed once you use it.
1	Malika's Guard	As Varric will not concentrate on flanking damage this amulet will greatly increase the overall attack power.
2	Superb Amulet of Dexterity	This amulet will increase dexterity resulting in higher critical damage.
3	Amulet of the Rogue	This amulet will increase both critical chance and critical damage
4	Superb Amulet of Cunning	The amulet will increase the critical chance, allowing to reduce ability cooldowns.

Belts

Priority	Item	Description
1	The Bind That Guides	This belt boosts the critical chance. Only obtainable in the Trespasser DLC.
2	Superb Belt of Staggering	This belt will allow Varric to stagger enemies
3	Superb Belt of Sunder	Gives a chance to decrease the enemy's armor.

Rings

Priority	Item	Description
1	Superb Ring of Critical Damage	Provides a large boost to critical damage, especially powerful once you have 50%+ critical chance
2	The Hand That Cuts	Only obtainable in Trespasser DLC. However, provides large offensive bonuses
3	Ring of Slicing	Expensive ring bought in Black Emporium. Boosts your critical damage and critical rate.
4	Superb Ring of Critical Chance	Increases Critical chance allowing Opportunity knocks ability to activate more often
5	Superb Ring of Attack	Increases overall Varric damage

Best Tactics

Here is my recommendation on how you should set up your Tactics:

• Shadow Strike - Preferred or Active. Varric should use this as often as possible to restore MP
• Leaping shot - Active. This ability will deal the most damage for Varric
• Poisoned Weapons - Preferred or Active. You want this skill to be always active
• Spike Trap - Active. Varric should place the trap at least once below his feet until enemies come by. This way he can ensure that enemies are knocked back
• Elemental Mines (Optional) Disable or Active. Try out this ability and see if you prefer its usage
• Stealth - Active. Should be used in case Varric gets attacked by enemies.

All other abilities should be set to Disabled.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading this Dragon Age Inquisition Varric build. This guide should help you understand how to make your companion as strong as possible.

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