Fariha Bhatti 
Dragon Age: The Veilguard finally got an official gameplay reveal, and there are already details about the game’s companions and their status as romance options.
The 20-minute gameplay reveal starts with new protagonist Rook working alongside Varric Tethras, a companion of Hawke in Dragon Age 2. Another familiar face is Solas, who’s an antagonist in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The status of these characters as romance options is currently unknown, but BioWare has introduced new faces who’ll help players spice up their storyline.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard romance options explained
All party members in Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be romance options, regardless of the player’s race or gender.
Creative director John Epler has confirmed that all Veilguard companions are pansexual, which means they will be attracted to Rook regardless of gender. The move follows Baldur’s Gate 3 doing something similar, where the player could romance any of their party members regardless of their character’s race or identity. Epler discussed the distinction, and discussed how the team avoided simply making the characters “playersexual.”
“There’s a difference for us between playersexual and pansexual. Each of these characters is canonically pansexual,” he said in an interview with Inverse.
In Veilguard, characters are not restricted to specific romantic orientations, granting players complete freedom in their romantic choices. Previous Dragon Age games have offered same-sex romance options, but each NPC also had preferences regarding the gender and race of the player character.
This opens up a lot of romance possibilities in Veilguard, but there’s a catch. Players must pick their companions after careful thought. Those who aren’t romanced will pursue other relationships, and won’t be available later. This will make romance a dynamic part of each player’s lore in Veilguard.
All romanceable companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Now that the changes to romance in Veilguard have been addressed, here is the list of characters who have been confirmed as romanceable companions.
- Bellara: Bellara is a new romanceable elf in Veilguard. She’s defined as a creative and “romantic” veil jumper
- Davrin: Davrin, also known as the monster hunter, is a warrior elf and a new romanceable companion
- Emmrich Volkarin: Emmrich was one of the Mourn Watchers in Tevinter Nights short story. He will be available as a romanceable companion alongside his assistant, Manfred
- Lace Harding: Harding first appeared as a dwarven lead scout in Dragon Age: Inquisition but wasn’t available as a romance option or playable character. She’ll return with a bow and
- Lucanis Dellamorte: Lucanis is an expert assassin mentioned in Dragon Age short stories. He’ll be available as an in-game party member for the first time in Veilguard
- Neve Gallus: Neve is a human mage fighting for a better future who also appeared in Dragon Age’s written adaptations.
- Taash: Taash is a brand new warrior companion defined as a risk taker.
These companions will be available as romance options when The Veilguard arrives later this fall. With Solas’ romantic status still uncertain, it’s hard to make any predictions. However, fans are eagerly anticipating confirmation of whether the elf is part of the romance pool in Veilguard.
The excitement likely stems from the fact that romance in Veilguard will be exclusively based on the companion you choose. Instead of a standard experience, intimate scenes will vary depending on the characters. This means that a romantic character like Ballera may offer a more sensual experience, while the risk-taking Taash will provide a spicier experience than others.
