Dragon Age Veilguard: Should you choose Harding or Neve?
Here are all outcomes from choosing between Neve and Harding
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Electronic Arts
Guide
by
Kiera Mills
Guides Writer Published on Oct. 31, 2024 Follow Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Wondering if you should choose Neve or Harding in Dragon Age Veilguard? During the opening 'The End of the Beginning' main questline, you'll face the first of many choices. Should you take Harding or Neve with you when attempting to destroy Solas's ritual.
Dragon Age Veilguard will warn you that either option will put them in harm's way but beyond this, it's difficult knowing what's at risk. If you want more information on the consequences of this choice and the best option to pick, see below.
Choose Neve or Harding: All outcomes
Whichever person you pick, the main quest will result in the same outcome. That being, the ritual will get interrupted, the group will be taken to The Lighthouse and Varric will be injured and will have to stay put for now.
What will differ, however, is who features in the cutscene with Rook. Additionally, whoever gets picked will become injured, preventing them from accompanying Rook in the next major questline, 'In Entropy's Grasp'.
That person will also receive bruising and slight scarring to the left side of their face. As the game progresses, this bruising will subside but a small scar will remain.
You'll see the physical consequences of this choice for a while on either Harding or Neve. |
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Electronic Arts
Which is the best choice?
As mentioned above, whoever you choose will be injured and will have to stay out of the field for the next quest, 'In Entropy's Grasp' (don't worry, they'll return for the next one though). This means your choice boils down to the following: do you want a mage or rogue by your side?
This is the first story choice you'll encounter in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. |
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Electronic Arts
I personally preferred choosing Harding to take with me and help stop Solas's ritual, leaving Neve free to participate in the next quest by my side. I was playing as a warrior build, however, so you may feel differently if you are a mage with access to these magics.
Both characters offer ranged support, so it's worthwhile looking deeper into each of their skills. At this point in the game, Harding will have access to Adrenaline Rush (which offers a buff to attack damage) and Soothing Potion (heals 600 and grants rejuvenation).
However, you should have access to another skill called Replenish (offered by Bellara) which instantly restores health. That skill, along with your regular health pouch should be more than enough HP to carry you through the mission regardless of your choice.
Additionally, Neve has access to some potent magic. She will have Ice Breaker (which fires 6 ice projectiles at targets that explode after a delay) and Time Slow (slows down enemies for a duration but allows you to attack them at normal speed). Time slow is particularly effective at getting in multiple hits on enemies without taking damage and the projectiles she shoots can emit some serious damage if they all land on one target.
It's worth noting that whoever you have with you for this quest will receive some approval rating after it concludes, so bear this in mind if you want to get a head start nurturing a relationship with a specific character. Although, you'll soon have the opportunity to earn more.
That rounds up our guide on choosing between Neve and Harding in Dragon Age Veilguard. Now you should be all set to progress and dive deeper into the game.
