Abyssal High Dragon

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The Abyssal High Dragon is one of the ten high dragons encountered in Dragon Age: Inquisition. It can be found in the south area of the Western Approach, in "The Wastes" (south of Nazaire's pass). Prerequisites to fight the dragon include The Abyssal High Dragon quest chain for Frederic.

Strategy

The dragon's stats are as follows:

Level 14 Boss

135703 HP (Nightmare difficulty)

44 Armor

Greater Fire Resistance

Cold Vulnerability

Immunity: All Disabling Effects

Immunity: Slowed

Perceptive

The Abyssal High Dragon breathes fire, dealing fire damage. It is therefore resistant to fire damage, but vulnerable to cold. Bringing Fire resistance potions is a must on higher difficulties, particularily for your tank. Regeneration potions can also help. Equip your mage or mages with an ice staff (like the Grand Enchanter's Staff, found in the still ruins in the Western Approach). Dragon-Slaying and ice runes can also help somewhat, but it's not required.
In preparation for the incoming Abyssal High Dragon, spread your party out, so that not everyone gets hit by her when she lands. Once she lands, she will stay on the ground for the entirety of the fight, except for some small "jumps" to cover distance at times.

The Abyssal High Dragon moves around alot, so abilities like Evade, Fade Step and Combat Roll will be useful to keep your non-tanks out of harms way.

Regularily, The Abyssal High Dragon will generate a full guard bar that you will have to wear down. Abilities that do extra damage against guard, such as upgraded shield bash will therefore help in this battle.

Every time the dragon lifts its wings high up over her body, she's about to use her "Maelstrom" ability, an ability all or nearly all dragons in the game have. She will flap her's wings 4 times, and every time, she will suck your party closer to her and do high damage to them. The ability has a extremly long range so it's doubtful you can outrun it. There are 3 ways to deal with this ability:

With high enough dps you can just weather it, since you will see this ability no more than a couple of times. Nuke the dragon down, popping potions, although you will burn through them quickly.
You can hide behind obstacles. This can be difficult because of poor Ai pathfinding, AI unwillingness to stand where ordered even when "holding position", dragon constantly moving and destroying obstacles.
Lastly, and the best way, is to get into melee range (inside the maelstrom circle). Inside it you will take no damage. As soon as you see the dragon's wings rise high, use your Evade (Rogues) & Fade Step (mages) to help get them inside the circle as fast as possible. Having your ranged party members stand not to far from the dragon at all times will help prepare for the maelstrom. Your melee companions will already be where they should. When the dragons stops flapping it's wings, get your ranged party members out again quick, so they don't get hit by the dragons melee attacks.

The Abyssal High Dragon will also use it's fireball ability if a party member that is not in melee range gets aggro. it will shoot a ball of fire in a straight line which will explode on the ground and set it aflame for a while. Any party member that walks over this, will get the "Burning" damage-over-time debuff. Avoid this ability with Fade Step/Evade/Combat Roll.
Focusing your party's damage on the dragons legs can make the dragon fall to the ground helplessly for a short while when you have damaged all four legs enough. A dragon which has a damaged leg will be bleeding severely from it. It will also show a "pain" animation and jump away if you have damaged a leg enough. Focus your damage on one leg at a time, after you see that leg start to bleed, change to another leg. When the dragon is lying on the ground, it is a very good time to use many of the party's ground-targeted focus abilities, like the Inquisitor's Mark of the Rift or Solas' Firestorm, since you know the dragon will not move for a short while. Typically it will take a very long time to damage the dragons legs enough for it to fall, often taking almost the whole battle for it to occur.