Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Bloodbath Solution

Early in Dragon Age: The Veilguardtwo cities are under attack and you can only defend one of them yourself. The city you skip takes a hit, and the companion in that city becomes Fortified.

Later, you have a chance to start completing companion quests, helping them solve their problems to make them more useful. However, a few side quests are important enough to become main story quests and you must complete them to continue with the game. If you choose to protect Treviso earlier in the game, this mission is “Case of the Cobblestone Swans”. If you choose Minrathous, the mandatory companion quest is “Bloodbath”.

Where to find collectibles in Bloodbath

Whether mandatory or optional, Bloodbath plays out largely the same. Start your quest by going to a location in southeast Treviso, in the Streets of Coin Financials area. There are plenty of chests and souvenirs to collect as you approach and explore the palace. Here's where to start:

• Go up the first ladder and open the large chest to your left.
• Exit through the broken window, then go around the boxes to the left. Break the wooden planks, cross the balance beam and look to the right for another large chest.
• Back outside, climb onto the blue roof in the center of the area. It's a Memento between the baskets.

Follow the quest marker to continue. Illario appears, surprising Lucanis. Say “Lucanis said no” for an approval. After the conversation, continue across the rooftops and down the ladder into the front yard of the courtyard.

• Go directly south from the ladder and take the stairs down and around. Break the wooden boards to open a small chest.
• There is a Memento near the large gate in the southeast corner of the courtyard.
• Go up the stairs to the front door, but turn right to find a large chest. Next, go left from the door to pick up a small chest.

Go through the front door and run to fight a large group of Venators led by Porcia (more on her and the other mini-bosses below).

• Check Portia's body to get an item.
• The southeast corner of this room holds a small chest.

You can continue by opening the door in the northeast corner, then interacting with the trick shelf. Doing so reveals a ladder. Walk forward from the base of the stairs, then look to the right to spot a large chest in a cage.

This path eventually leads to an inner courtyard, where you'll find more Venatori and Faustus.

• Like Porcia, Faustus also drops a chest.
• Go through the double doors into a prayer room. There is a small chest just ahead, through the door on the far side of the prayer room.
• The next miniboss fight is against Nonus and Decimus. The second one that falls drops a chest.
• Head south out of the battle to find a small chest.
• To the west of the chest are two rooms: one to the south, one to the north. The north room has a small chest inside.
• Enter the south room and climb the ladder. Use the broken window to get to the second floor of the north room and open the ladder, then open the small chest on the north wall.
• Jump from the broken window in the north wall to land next to a large chest. Open it, then jump over the railing to get back on the path.

Once you return to the south room, Zara is just a hallway away.

How to beat the Bloodbath mini-bosses

As you make your way through the Falen Chantry, you'll encounter some of Zara's lieutenants, Venatori cultists, who look like normal enemies but have more health and special traits. Here's what to expect from each.

pork

Porcia is a Venatori mage with the Traits Enhanced by Necrotic, Necromancer and Rejuvenation. This means her barrier can flip if you don't attack her for too long and she can summon an armored undead warrior. She can only control one warrior at a time, but she can summon a new one as soon as you destroy the existing one. Your best bet is to focus all of your attention on her first, then wipe out the other cultists when you're done.

Faustus

Faustus is a Venatori warrior with Physically enhanced and exploding. This makes physical attacks less effective, and every ten seconds or so he deals damage to a large area around him. For this combat encounter, take out his supporting mages first, then try to keep Faustus at bay using elemental ranged weapons.

Nonus and Decimus

These two are a pair of Venatori defenders. Nonus has Armor, Juggernaut and Seing Tetherwhile Decimus has Frenzy, glass cannon and spiked bond. Juggernaut means Nonus is harder to knock down or break, plus he doesn't have a Stagger bar. Frenzy and Glass Cannon combine to give Decimus more attacks and more damage, but no more health. Finally, Searing Tether connects the two and will damage Rook if you stand between them.

Due to his offensive combat traits, target Decimus first and only worry about Nonus after he's down. Like other shield enemies, you can bypass their defenses by using charged attacks, abilities, and using your companions to draw their attention.

How to beat Zara Renata

Zara acts as an assassin enemy, meaning she attacks quickly and can stop uncharged attacks coming from the front. Like other Hunters, she is resistant to fire and vulnerable to cold, and has the Improved Physical trait. However, she also has some unique conditions that make this fight more of a puzzle than a straight fight.

• Zara doesn't want to leave the blood pool. If you stay out of it, all she can do is attack you with her three projectile move and teleport you around.
• If you enter the pool, her attacks include a blood nova, teleport shots, a long melee combo, and a drill charge.
• At three points during the fight, Zara will summon three Venator minions. Two will attack Rook and their companions, while the third will stay put and generate a barrier for Zara. As long as the generator is alive, Zara's barrier will regenerate if you don't hit her often enough. If you defeat each generator, Zara's barrier will fall.
• Multiple waves of minions can appear at the same time, so get rid of them as soon as they appear. Don't worry about Zara until they're all gone.

When Zara's health drops to zero, her death occurs in one scene. A lot happens, then Rook and Lucanis go back to the Lighthouse to talk. Your rewards for this quest include 2,250 XP, armor for Lucanis, 400 gold and +100 strength Antivan Crows.