By zanuffas
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This post will cover the Knight Enchanter Wizard build for Dragon Age: Inquisition. This specialization offers a sturdy layer of protection providing unparalleled survivability. Moreover, you will be able to use all of the mage spells to have full control of the battlefield.
Knight Enchanter - Wizard Mage build
This build variation for Knight Enchanter concentrates on having many elemental spells and keeping a distance from the enemy.
Of course, due to Fade Shield, you can soak a decent amount of damage and fight enemies up close. but we mainly use the barrier to pump up Knight Enchanter's spell damage.
Abilities - before Specialization, Levels 1-10
Just as you reach Haven, you will need to respecialize skills. The reason is, that some of your spells are subpar and they can be put into better ones.
| Order | Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flashpoint | The best mage passive ability throughout the game. After a critical hit, your next spell does not have a cooldown period |
| 2 |  Energy Barrage + Energy Storm | Shoots projectiles that deal with your weapon’s elemental damage. As there will be many projectiles one of them should land a critical hit activating Flashpoint. You can also take any upgrade |
| 3 |  Static Cage + Static Charge | Once you get the upgrade, combo this with Energy Barrage. Each projectile will deal an additional 50% of weapon damage |
| 4 |  Barrier | A good spell to have at the beginning of the game. Increases survivability of the party |
If you have any skill points left choose the ones that fit your playstyle the most.
At levels 10-12, you should reach New Haven. Once there, do a Specialization quest to obtain the Knight-Enchanter class. Respecialize skills again. Now you are ready to fully commit to Knight Enchanter.
Abilities - Overview
Here are the abilities that I had at level 21. The detailed version can be found in the next section.
Winter tree
The idea is to have at least one ice spell in this tree against enemies weak to cold.
Spirit Tree
The last abilities of the tree provide great synergy with the barrier, that you will constantly have on you.
Storm Tree
The crux of the build is Energy Barrage. Any other abilities that you take for this build are complementary.
Inferno Tree
Provides one of the strongest abilities in the game: Fire Mine
Knight-Enchanter Tree
Knight-Protector passive ability will allow you to constantly generate barriers and maximize your damage with Chaotic Focus.
Abilities - progression till Endgame
Once you get Knight Enchanter specialization remember to respecialize skills. The abilities are listed in order of how they should be taken. So once you have a free skill point invest in the next ability.
| Order | Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spirit Blade | Needed to progress further in the tree. As you will avoid melee range, this ability should only be used on rare occasions |
| 2 |  Combat Clarity | Additional MP regeneration in case enemies are close |
| 3 |  Fade Shield | A very good passive ability that will synergize well with Chaotic Focus. Moreover, increases your survivability as you gain a barrier per hit. |
| 4 |  Knight-Protector | Reduces barrier decay, and will synergize well with Chaotic Focus later on |
| 5 |  Immolate | Casts instantly and deals moderate damage |
| 6 | Flashpoint | After a critical hit, the next spell does not have a cooldown |
| 7 | Energy Barrage + Energy Bombardment | Your main spell, because it launches many projectiles, one of it should trigger Flashpoint. Moreover, the element is based on your staff |
| 8 |  Pyromancer | Buffs Flashfire, but we take it as a progression passive |
| 9 |  Fire Mine + Searing Glyph | Extremely good spell. We use Searing Glyph upgrade so that Chaotic Focus would be activated |
| 10 |  Clean Burn | Reduces cooldowns when using a spell by 1 second. |
| 11 |  Chaotic Focus | The cornerstone passive ability of this build. Use it with other fire spells, to increase their damage by draining your barrier. |
| 12 |  Winter's Grasp | Fairly expensive ability to use. However, allows you to use cold spells, allowing you to deal higher damage to Cold weak enemies |
| 13 |  Winter Stillness | You will need every possible way to increase your mana regeneration due to the many spells that you will be using |
| 14 |  Chain Lightning | A great ability to hit multiple enemies, that can be switched to Lightning Bolt |
| 15 |  Conductive Current | Deal more damage with your spells the less mana you have. |
Once you have these spells under your belt there are a few options to prioritize.
More Cold spells
| Order | Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 16 |  Ice Mine | Although it does not deal damage, you can still use it to protect yourself if enemies are close to you. |
| 17 |  Ice Armor | Progression ability, unfortunately not as useful as some others. |
| 18 |  Blizzard + Winter Winds | I prefer Blizzard with Winter Winds upgrade. This will allow you to be more agile. |
Rejuvenating Barrier
| Order | Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barrier | It is a useful ability to generate a barrier for your party members on demand |
| 2 |  Peaceful Aura | Enemies will attack you less. |
| 3 |  Dispel | Although we take this ability for progression it is still useful. It can one-shot Rift spawning locations, making fewer enemies to spawn. |
| 4 |  Rejuvenating Barrier | Because you will be using some costly spells, having increased mana regeneration, will be beneficial for this build all the time |
Strength of Spirits
A similar approach to the previous option. However, now you will increase the size of the barrier to increase spell damage with Chaotic Focus.
| Order | Skill | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barrier | It is a useful ability to generate a barrier for your party members on demand |
| 2 |  Guardian Spirit | Useful passive ability, when you are close to dying. |
| 3 |  Mind Blast | We are taking this for progression |
| 4 |  Strength of Spirits | Increases your barrier capacity by 50%. This will result in larger bonus damage with Chaotic Focus |
In the end, you should be able to get most of these abilities by the end of the game. However, it is up to you to decide what type of playstyle you want to emphasize.
Main Stats to prioritize
These are the stats that I recommend prioritize:
- Critical chance - reach 35% if you have Ring of Doubt, otherwise 45%+. After that concentrate on other stats
- Critical damage - invest in it once you have a high critical chance. It will drastically increase your damage.
- Cunning (alternative to Magic) - use this stat to increase your critical chance
- Dexterity (alternative to Magic)- invest in this attribute so that your critical damage would be higher. Only worthwhile if you have a 50%+ critical chance.
- Magic - increases the damage for mages.
- Willpower - increases the damage that you deal
- Armor - I recommend having a decent amount of armor until level 10 when you unlock Knight Enchanter abilities.
Equipment
This section covers recommended gear that you should use.
Note: some of the items are not the "best". However, their better versions are only available in Trespasser DLC, which is close to the end of the game. Due to this, they will be useful for a few hours at maximum
I list the gear in obtainable and craftable sections. This way the player can decide the best option available at hand. Generally, crafted items can allow you to maximize the build and in most cases are better.
Weapons - obtainable
Here are some great staves that you can obtain for the Knight Enchanter build
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hakkon's Wisdom | Gives +100% critical damage. Extremely strong staff if you have Ring of Doubt equipped |
| 2 | Isana's Song | This staff can be obtained in The Descent DLC. Provides +41 to magic. In terms of pure damage, it has no equals. It also has a 10% chance to cast Chain Lightning. |
| 3 | Earnest Reprisal | The staff gives a large bonus to critical damage. Use it together with Ring of Doubt for maximum damage |
| 4 | Staff of the Void | Gives a small boost of 6% to critical chance and bonus magic |
Weapons - craftable
This is a list of craftable staves that you can make to maximize the builds' damage
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encore Schematic | One of the best staves in the game as it gives offensive buffs for all party members |
| 2 | Staff of Corruption Schematic | Although this is Tier 4, I would still go for Wrath of Lovias Schematic which provides better slots for the end game. |
| 3 | Wrath of Lovias Schematic | The stave gives leather slots for increased critical chance or critical damage |
Armors - obtainable
Here is a recommended list of obtainable armors that you can wear.
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Skin That Stalks | Obtainable only in the Trespasser DLC. Boosts Critical Damage, Critical Chance, and Attack. |
| 2 | Vestments of the Pure | Similar to the craftable version. So choose the one that you prefer. Gives 45 points to willpower |
| 3 | Masterwork Battlemage Armor | Reduces the cost of the abilities and spells. |
| 4 | Robes of the High Keeper | If you are an elf this armor is also a good option |
Armors - craftable
This section covers a list of schematics to craft armor
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superior Battlemage Armor Schematic | Best craftable Armor. This version has one Cloth and a leather utility slot. Quite powerful and can be bought in Hissing Wastes. Moreover, you can add Arms and Legs upgrades to have an even larger boost to damage |
| 2 | Superb Antaam-saar Schematic | For this armor, you will need Spoils of the Qunari DLC pack. However, the schematic gives 3 Utility slots to increase offensive stats |
| 3 | Vestments of the Pure Schematic | The armor is not as powerful as the options above. However, it can be a good alternative if you think that the second option does not have enough armor |
Helmets - obtainable
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stone Stalker Mask | Gives a large boost to offensive stats and also increases armor |
| 2 | Helm of the Drasca | Provides bonuses to dexterity resulting in +8% increased critical damage. Gives a higher armor rating than Winter Palace masks |
| 3 |  Ambassador's Mask | This mask provides a large boost to critical damage |
| 4 | Mask of the Grand duch*ess | Gives a large bonus to critical chance |
Helmets - craftable
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superior Skirmisher Hat Schematic | Great slots for increasing critical stats |
| 2 | Battlemage Cowl Schematic | Gives a Cloth Utility slot to increase magic related stats |
| 3 | Skirmisher Hat Schematic | Can be obtained earlier in the game with a leather utility slot. |
Amulets
Try to find and obtain amulets that have higher priority. They are better for this build
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andraste’s Sacrifice | The best amulet for a mage. Gives higher mana regeneration and decreases ability cooldown. However, you will constantly taunt enemies, so it can be risky without a good Tank. |
| 2 | Amulet of the Mage | A cheap amulet that can be bought in Black Emporium. Definitely recommend it when you have 3k gold |
| 3 |  Superb Amulet of Dexterity | Boosts dexterity, which increases your critical damage |
| 4 | Superb Amulet of Cunning | Equip this amulet if you do not have Ring of Doubt. This way you can increase the critical chance of naturally |
| 5 | Superb Amulet of Willpower | Boosts willpower which increases your damage |
Belts
Try to find and obtain belts that have higher priority. They are better for this build
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bind That Guides | Great belt, unfortunately, available only in the late game during Trespasser DLC. |
| 2 |  Master Belt of Focus | More Focus results in more often Mark of the Rift for the Inquisitor |
| 3 | Superior Belt of Focus | A weaker version of the above belt. |
| 4 | Superb Belt of Staggering | The belt will give a higher chance to temporarily stun enemies with normal attacks |
Rings
Try to find and obtain rings that have higher priority. They are better for this build
| Priority | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ring of Doubt | Probably the best ring for a mage. Guarantees a critical hit after attacking from stealth |
| 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 Damage | Boosts critical damage by 20%, equip it Knight Enchanter either has Ring of Doubt equipped or 50%+ critical chance |
| 5 | Superb Ring of Critical Chance | Boosts critical chance by 10%, use it if Knight Enchanter has less than 50% critical chance |
Tactics
Here are the tactics that I use:
Cast Chain Lightning/Lightning Bolt to set up a barrier
Use Energy Barrage
Now depending on the situation, I would do this:
If the tank is surrounded by enemies cast Fire Mine near him, which will activate after 3 seconds. You need to have enemies in place for it to work well (if you did not take Flaming Array)
- Cast Fire Mine near yourself if enemies start running toward you
Otherwise, use Immolate
Cast Winter’s Grasp if enemies are weak to Cold
Repeat from the start
I also change staves based on the enemies I fight. So if an enemy is weak to Fire take out Fire staff, so that Energy Barrage would to Fire damage. I recommend having a few of these items
Conclusion
Thank you for reading the Knight Enchanter Wizard Mage Build. This is an extremely powerful setup in Dragon Age: Inquisition, giving unparalleled survivability and a wide arsenal of spells.
