Oftentimes it can seem like warrior classes in tabletop RPGs get the short end of the stick when it comes to magic. They cannot cast or wield it, and in the world of Dragon Age, unless born with it, they never will. Most of the time they are also more susceptible to magical attacks, which hardly seems fair. However, that’s where magic items come into play.
No self-respecting warrior is going to let some puny mage tell them they can’t wield magic, and when that magic comes in the form of a giant enchanted sword or impenetrable armor, there aren’t many mages who would try to stop them. So leave the confusing politics of Thedas to someone else, pick up a magical weapon, and go forth and fight.
10 Aodh – The Burning Axe
When the main legend behind a burning axe is that the fire comes from the volcanic metal used to forge it, you know you’re onto a winner. However, when the same axe also has another legend claiming that it burns bright with the blood of the first demon it slew, then you know you’ve got something really special.
Aodh is one of the most powerful axes a party can find in Dragon Age. With the ability to give the wielder three levels in any talent associated with Axes and a +3 penetrative damage on any hit, it’s sure to do some damage. Just imagine the number of trees you could chop down with this thing!
9 Asturian’s Might – The Darkspawns Bane
Darkspawn are a massive part of the world of Dragon Age, being the main antagonists of Dragon Age: Origins, as well as being formidable foes in Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Anyone getting into the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG is bound to encounter these blighted beasts eventually and when that happens, Asturian’s Might will send them running back to the deep roads.
You get a +2 to all attacks and damage dealt, and if that’s not enough, all damage against Darkspawn is penetrating, which means their armor might as well be made of paper.
8 Centurion’s Cuirass – The Magic Shield
Along with having some of the strongest magical users in RPG history in their ranks, mages in the Dragon Age Table Top RPG have one major advantage over warriors: their magic deals penetrating damage. This means a warrior’s armor rating is made basically worthless. A pitiful weakness if there ever was one. If only there were a way to combat this.
Enter the Centurion’s Cuirass. With an armor rating of 11, anyone wearing it becomes a walking castle. But where this armor really shines is in its ability to shield against magic damage. Specifically, anyone wearing this piece gets to add half their armor rating against penetrating spells – just enough of an advantage that any attacking mage might think twice about staying in combat.
7 Dragonbone Cleaver – The Damager
Stunt points are a major addition to combat in the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG. Rolling doubles on dice lets players know how many points they have to spend, and the stunt table tell them what they can spend them on.
The Dragonbone Cleaver comes into its own here, letting players deal +5 damage to an enemy whenever these points are generated. If this is combined with the Lethal Blow stunt, which adds two extra damage dice into the equation, the cleaver has the possibility of causing a massive hit.
6 High Constable’s Mace – The Pretender
A mace wielded by the High Constable for the Grey Wardens, the handler for the Gryphon mounts, sounds cool enough on its own that any enchantment added to this weapon seems unnecessary. However, the Grey Wardens were never a group known for subtlety.
Wielding this white steel mace lets players attempt to sneak, undetected, past any nearby Darkspawn. By succeeding on a contested Magic (Spirit) vs Perception (Empathy) test, Darkspawn will see the wielder as one of their own corrupted comrades, allowing them to pass safely by, with the armies of the Archdemon none the wiser. Much better than a ring.
5 Maetashear War Axe – The Axe of Control
What’s better than two massive polearms? How about one enormous two-handed axe forged by combining two massive polearms? The Maetashear War Axe would like to introduce itself.
Supposedly forged by Tenvinter Magisters (the big bad magic folk to the north of the Dragon Age setting), the war axe is covered in ancient magic runes that allow the wielder to influence the minds of spirits and Demons. This Axe grants users a +4 to any communication tests used to command creatures of the Fade.
And mages thought they could have all the fun.
4 Meteor Sword – The Sword That Fell From Another World
A weapon forged for and by a master, the Meteor Sword fell from another world to provide legendary warriors with something a bit more challenging. In the hands of a player with a master’s degree in the Two-Handed weapon talent, the sword allows them to add a +2 bonus to both attack and damage rolls.
In addition, a free rune slot allows some flexibility on just how players will kill things with it. Should they use an ice rune to freeze or a fire rune to burn? Either way, enemies will drop to the floor, dead, long before the runes magic kicks in.
3 Precision-Geared Recurve – The Ol’ Reliable
Dwarves in fantasy settings are well known for their technological marvels, and the ones in Dragon Age are no exception. Constructed by the dwarves of Orzammar with Sylvanwood, the Precision-Geared Recurve crossbow sacrifices nothing to deliver a far-reaching, high damaging, and easy re-loading weapon.
By requiring only a minor action to reload, players can let loose a powerful bolt every single round of combat, without ever tiring. Mages, on the other hand, could learn a thing or two from this reliable weapon for when they run out of mana and aren’t able to cast any more spells.
2 Shield Of The Legion – The Unflinching
Most warriors in Dragon Age aren’t used to seeing magic, demons, and all things unholy. It can be a cause of some concern when demonic possession and Abominations could be around any corner. The Shield of the Legion counters this. The shield is usually wielded by a member of the Legion of the Dead – a group of dwarves who dedicate their lives to fighting Darkspawn, going so far as having their own funeral before they join the ranks to demonstrate their complete devotion to the cause.
Someone doesn’t go through that unchanged. Wielded by a player, the shield provides a +4 bonus to any willpower (self-discipline) tests, presumably because even the shield has seen some crazy things.
1 Yusaris – The Dragon Killer
What is the first thing you think of when you hear Dragon Age? That’s right – Dragons. It’s in the title after all, so it’s likely a party playing the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG will encounter one eventually. When this happens, they will need to be prepared.
The Silverite greatsword Yusaris is said to have been wielded by the greatest heroes of legend to strike down Dragons, werewolves, and anything else that needed killing. Whether or not any of that is true, the sword is still one of the most powerful weapons in the game. Anyone in control of Yusaris gains a +5 bonus to their armor rating against any fire-based attacks, as well as the ability to deal +3 bonus damage to all Dragona types.
NEXT: Dragon Age: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Bards
