By zanuffas
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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
Contents
- Varric level 1-10
- Varric Archer build
- Abilities investment - short version
- Abilities investment - long version
- Stats and Attributes
- Equipment guide
- Best Tactics
- Conclusion
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 duch*ess if you have a high critical chance (50%+) |
| 4 | Mask of the Grand duch*ess | 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.
Feel free to leave feedback below
