Takedowns are a key combat feature in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. They deal significant damage and can be especially helpful when facing tough enemies. Mastering the takedown mechanic is definitely something you’ll want to focus on as you progress through the game. Takedowns can really influence how you build and play your character in The Veilguard. In this guide, we will discuss how to execute takedown in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
What are Takedowns in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Takedowns are a special type of attack that can only be used on Staggered enemies. They deal a lot of damage, but they don’t always guarantee a kill. Because of this, it’s important to keep an eye on the enemy’s health even after landing a Takedown, just to make sure they’re truly finished off. You wouldn’t want to perform a Takedown only to have the enemy come back and stab you in the back.
How to Execute Takedown in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
To perform a Takedown, you need to fill up an enemy’s Stagger bar, which is the purple bar above their health. Every attack you land with your weapons, as well as most offensive abilities, will add Stagger damage in addition to regular damage. Once the bar is full, the enemy will be staggered. When that happens, just press the button prompt that appears above their head, and Rook will deliver a powerful finishing blow. Takedowns don’t always finish off an enemy, and they don’t require the target to be low on health. That means you can use Takedowns on larger enemies like Hurlocks, Ogres, and other elite or miniboss-type foes without needing to drain their health completely.
Regular attacks will steadily build up an enemy’s Stagger meter with each hit, but the amount of Stagger damage you deal can vary based on several factors. For example, charged attacks deal more Stagger and health damage than regular ones. Some weapons are naturally better at dealing Stagger damage than others, and certain Weapon and Armor Traits can increase the Stagger damage you inflict. Additionally, abilities like Driving Kick can deliver huge amounts of Stagger damage all at once.
When an enemy is Staggered, they take bonus damage from all sources. You don’t have to immediately perform a Takedown once they’re Staggered, since they’ll remain in that state until their Stagger bar runs out. This gives you a few extra seconds to deal more damage with your attacks. It’s a good time to take advantage of effects like Precision to maximize your damage during this window. If you’re playing as a Warrior or Mage, you can switch weapons before performing a Takedown. This is helpful if your other weapon offers bonus Takedown damage, counters the enemy’s elemental resistance, or triggers any weapon buffs.
