Combos (Inquisition)

Combos are a combat mechanic in Dragon Age: Inquisition, consisting of two attacks combining to create a more powerful effect.

Basics

A combo is a two-step process. The first step is a disabling attack and the second is a detonator attack on the same target that sets off the combo. Note that this means that enemies which are immune to disabling attacks are immune to combos based on that immunity. E.g., Gurns are immune to freezing and paralysis, so they are only susceptible to combos based on sleep and stun. Creatures such as dragons and giants, which are immune to all disabling effects are thus also immune to all combos.

It should also be noted that combos produce a significantly greater focus gain than normal attacks.

Disablers

• Freeze
  • Flask of Frost, Winter's Grasp, Ice Mine, Ice Storm, Mana Surge
• Paralyze
  • Lightning Bolt, Static Charge, Static Cage
• Sleep
  • Knockout Powder, Knockout Bomb, Stunning Shot
  • Sleep can also be caused by applying Weakened status to Shocked enemies, for example, by following Chain Lightning with an upgraded Veilstrike

Note: This special combo will not work if Shock is applied to Weakened enemies, only if Weaken is inflicted on Shocked enemies. Also, the Weakened combo detonation (Stun + Eldritch) does not follow the same rules as the Weakened status effect, in that affected enemies will not restore a Rift Mage's mana via Restorative Veil, for example, nor can it be used to trigger the Sleep condition

• Stun
  • Pommel Strike, Sweet Revenge, Wrath of Heaven, Stagger on Hit and Stagger When Hit attributes, disrupting Fade rifts

Detonators

• Eldritch
  • Dispel, Energy Barrage, Immolate, Mind Blast, Spell Purge
• Impact
  • Lunge and Slash, Mighty Blow, Shield Bash, Whirlwind, Stonefist
• Precision
  • Deathblow, Long Shot, Shadow Strike, Twin Fangs

Effects

Note that many of the damage bonuses are keyed to elements which may or may not be related to the abilities that triggered them. Furthermore, the damage bonus is relative to the detonator ability used, not the disabling ability.

• Basic combo
  • Damage bonus, no other effects
• Discharge
  • Large electricity damage bonus, area of effect (friendly fire-proof when enabled), inflicts Shock
• Nightmare
  • Large spirit damage bonus, inflicts Panic
• Rupture
  • Large damage bonus with a duration
• Shatter
  • Large cold damage bonus
• Weakness
  • Large spirit damage bonus, inflicts weakness

The following table shows the effects generated by each combination of disablers and detonators:

	Impact	Precision	Eldritch
Freeze	Shatter	Shatter	Basic Combo
Paralyze	Discharge	Discharge	Basic Combo
Sleep	Rupture	Basic Combo	Nightmare
Stun	Basic Combo	Rupture	Weaken