This guide explains how endings work in Dragon Age The Veilguard and how to trigger all endings. Getting the best ending where everyone survives unlocks The Ones That Last trophy/achievement, and unlocking the secret ending unlocks The Storm Quelled trophy/achievement. Both endings can be combined in one go.
How Endings Work
There are lots of different ending combinations based on who survives and who dies, but the general mission structure and endboss will always be the same. Any combination of characters can survive or die. This includes faction leaders as well as your companions.
This is determined by 3 things:
- What star-rating you have with the factions. 3 stars is the best, it’s increased by doing their quests and selling valuables to their faction merchant.
- If your companions have become “Heroes of the Veilguard”. This happens when you complete their questlines, all of which are started by talking to the companions in the lighthouse.
- Companion assignments during the Ending. In Chapters 12 to 14 you must plan strategically which task to assign to which companion, if you assign the wrong person it can lead to faction NPCs dying or the companion dying.
How to Get Best Ending – Everyone Survives:
The best ending is when all possible Companions and all Faction Leaders survive. To do this, you will need to have done all quests in the game so that all companions are upgraded to Heroes of the Veilguard, and all regional quests so that you have 3 stars with all factions. You can sell items to the faction merchants to increase the star rating after having exhausted all quests.
At the Point of No Return, in Chapter 11 during quest “When Plans Align”, you will be shown a screen of your companion and faction strength. This must say they will all support you from a position of strength:
The only choices that matter for this are that you saved Dock Town in Chapter 6, and then the only choices that matter are who you assign which role during the ending in Chapter 12 to 14. Any other choices in the game have no impact on this, you can’t pick anything wrong and none of the companions can die before the ending.
During the Ending from Chapter 12 to 14 you can assign teammates to certain positions. You must assign them based on their strengths so that none of them die, and none of the faction leaders die. Save regularly in a different slot and watch the cutscenes, if someone dies or isn’t successful in protecting the faction leaders you must reload and make different choices.
One companion will always die which can’t be avoided. Whoever you select in Chapter 12 to lead the distraction team is going to sacrifice themself after the boss fight against “Ghilan’nain’s Blight Shield”. This will be either Harding or Davrin, one of the two is guaranteed to die based on your choice. This is okay and won’t void the trophy.
Also in Chapter 12 shortly after this boss fight you must choose who should take down the wards: Neve or Bellara. Whoever you choose will be taken away and temporarily leaves the team. This can’t be avoided. They will show as dead in the companion screen, but you rescue that person later in Chapter 13. They have to be Hero of the Veilguard (by having completed their companion questline) to survive this.
Here’s the full list of ending choices so that everyone survives for The Ones That Last trophy/achievement.
Chapter 6 – A Warden’s Best Friend:
- Choose to save MINRATHOUS (Dock Town). NOT Treviso. – this is mandatory to reach at least 2-3 stars with all factions. If you chose Treviso, then Dock Town will get stuck at 1 star / 1900 points and one of their faction leaders will die which voids the trophy.
Chapter 12 – Isle of the Gods:
- Choose DAVRIN to lead distraction team – he dies after boss “Ghilan’nain’s Blight Shield” (this is okay, can’t avoid it). Harding will be safe.
- Choose BELLARA to take down the wards – she gets taken away, temporarily leaves the team but you rescue her later
- Take HARDING + NEVE with you on the next mission (probably doesn’t matter but this is what’s confirmed to work for the trophy)
Chapter 13 – The Last Gambit:
Back in the lighthouse, after you interact with the table in Lucanis’s quarters, you must assign your companions to specific roles in the upcoming fight. Pick the following:
- Companions who have experience dealing with magical wards or protecting others in battle: TAASH (protects Veil Jumpers)
- Companions who have experience fighting mages or attacking by surprise: LUCANIS (protects Antvian Crows)
- Companions who have experience fighting massive enemies or constructs: HARDING (protects Grey Wardens/Mourn Watch)
- After escorting Solas and arriving in the safe town where lots of NPCs are, do the optional objective to honor the fallen (it will have a blue quest marker).
Chapter 14 – The Dread Wolf Rises:
At the start of this quest you must again assign your companions, pick this:
- Companions who have experience fighting in front-line combat or sieges: TAASH (defends Divine Manor)
- Take HARDING + NEVE with you on the mission (probably doesn’t matter but this is what’s confirmed to work for the trophy)
- After defeating the Endboss pick dialogues: Let’s try this your way > I wish things were different
- Final Cutscene: You see Bellara survives. Then you see the sun over Dock Town, people emerge from the rubble, the last scene shows all 6 companions alive and standing together. Everyone except Davrin survives: Bellara, Emmrich, Harding, Lucanis, Neve, Taash, Yourself. Camera zooms in on the sun, then the results cutscene triggers.
- The Ones That Last unlocked!
How to Get Worst Ending – Maximum Deaths:
Basically do the opposite of the best ending. Go into the ending with only 1-star rating on all factions and have not completed any companion’s questline. Assign companions to the wrong roles in Chapters 12 to 14. This will lead to maximum casualties.
How to Get Secret Ending – Post Credits Cutscene:
This requires obtaining the secret ending, then it will unlock after the secret cutscene after the credits. You must finish a few prerequisites before the Point of No Return (before Chapter 11 Story Quest “When Plans Align”). You will need to finish the side quest “Regrets of the Dread Wolf” and collect 3 “Mysterious Circles”.
Step 1: Finish the side quest “Regrets of the Dread Wolf” to obtain Mythal’s Essence (automatic quest reward). See Clear Minds and Open Hearts for this questline.
Step 2: Find the first Mysterious Circle – found in Arlathan forest on a small island. To reach it you must shine all lasers in the area at the crystals on the island. Then a bridge appears to reach the island. There are 4 lasers total, 3 of which you must shine at the pillars on the island (see the video guide for laser puzzle).
Step 3: Find the second Mysterious Circle – found in Necropolis Halls. First you must have done the trophy The Unbound. In the room where you fought “The Formless One” dragon check on the left side.
Step 4: Find the third Mysterious Circle – found in Crossroads. You must finish the Crossroads quest “The Heart of Corruption”. All waypoints will be marked, it requires opening doors and defeating 3 champions, then you can unlock the door at the start of the Crossroads. After completing the quest, check in the room where you fought the “Revenant Dragon”. The Circle will be on the left side where you can climb up.
Step 5: Finish the ending. After the credits, you now unlock a secret bonus cutscene that unlocks this trophy. If you have previously finished the ending you can replay it any time.