In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you may have noticed that some of the skills you’ve unlocked for Rook or your companions are marked as Hardened Skills in the Skills menu. This condition shows that the affected companion has become more distrustful of you, feeling somewhat betrayed after a specific decision you made. Since it can impact both gameplay and the story, it’s important to understand how to handle it. In this article, we will discuss what is Hardened Skill and how to restore it in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
What are Hardened Skills in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
If a character becomes Hardened, it means their relationship with Rook and the rest of the group suffers due to a specific choice. They’ll grow more distrustful and independent, which impacts their role in the team. While their damage-dealing abilities get stronger, they’ll stop using support skills like healing or buffs. So, while they can be a powerhouse in combat if you even manage to include them in your party, they won’t help keep the group alive in the same way. Additionally, relationship progress slows down while they’re Hardened. If you keep them in your party for quests, you won’t unlock new gear or abilities with them as quickly as you would with other characters.
For example, after you make a tough choice about which town to save from the Dragons – either Neve’s or Lucanis’ – the town you don’t choose will suffer. If you don’t help one of the towns, the people there will become hardened by the experience. This will make them stronger fighters but more distant and less trusting. They’ll focus on themselves and won’t be as helpful to the group. While they’ll be powerful in battles, it’ll be harder to work with them and build a strong bond. You’ll also have to wait longer to see them grow and learn new skills.
How to Remove Hardened Skills in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Luckily, as you move forward in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the Hardened characters will gradually return to their normal selves. To help this process along, you’ll need to make the right dialogue choices and treat them well. While they might be a bit behind your other companions in terms of relationship progress once they’re back to normal, at least you won’t have to worry about their effectiveness in combat anymore.
