Characters wishing to focus on fighting with a weapon and shield will benefit from using weapon and shield talents. Only warriors can use these talents.
Shield Bash tree[]
 Shield Bash |
Activated Range: Personal Activation: 25 Cooldown: 20s Requires: 11 strength Requires: Combat Training |
The character shield-bashes a target, dealing normal damage as well as knocking the target off its feet unless it passes a physical resistance check. Shield Mastery adds an additional attack with the shield. |
 Shield Pummel |
Activated Range: Personal Activation: 30 Cooldown: 20s Requires: 15 strength Requires: Improved Combat Training |
The character follows up an attack with two hits from the shield, dealing normal damage with each attack. If the target fails a physical resistance check, it is stunned. Shield Mastery adds an additional attack with the shield. |
 Overpower |
Activated Range: Personal Activation: 30 Cooldown: 20s Requires: 25 strength Requires: Expert Combat Training |
The character lashes out with the shield three times. The first two hits inflict normal damage. The last strike is a critical hit if it connects, knocking the target down unless it passes a physical resistance check. Shield Mastery increases the damage. |
 Assault |
Activated Range: Personal Activation: 40 Cooldown: 20s Requires: 32 strength Requires: Master Combat Training |
The character quickly strikes a target four times, but dealing reduced damage with each hit. If the character has Shield Mastery, the damage from each hit increases. |
Shield Defense tree[]
 Shield Defense |
Sustained Range: Personal Upkeep: 35 Fatigue: 5% Cooldown: 0.5s Requires: 11 strength Requires: Combat Training |
While this mode is active, the character drops into a defensive stance that favors the shield, gaining a bonus defense and chance to shrug off missile attacks, but taking a penalty to attack. With Shield Balance, the attack penalty is removed. With Shield Expertise, the defense bonus increases. With Shield Mastery, the defense bonus increases further. |
 Shield Balance |
Passive Requires: 14 strength Requires: Improved Combat Training |
The character has learned to compensate for the weight of a shield in combat and no longer suffers an attack penalty while using Shield Defense. |
 Shield Wall |
Sustained Range: Personal Upkeep: 55 Fatigue: 5% Cooldown: 15s Requires: 20 strength Requires: Expert Combat Training |
In this mode, the character's shield becomes nearly a fortress, adding a significant bonus to armor and a greater likelihood of shrugging off missile attacks, but at the cost of reduced damage. Shield Expertise makes the character immune to direct knockdown attacks while in this mode, and Shield Mastery gives a bonus to defense. |
 Shield Expertise |
Passive Requires: Level 12 Requires: 26 strength Requires: Master Combat Training |
The character's experience using a shield in combat has made certain abilities more efficient, increasing the defense bonus for Shield Defense and making the character immune to direct knockdown attacks while using Shield Wall. |
Shield Block tree[]
 Shield Block |
Passive Requires: 10 dexterity Requires: Combat Training |
Practice fighting with a shield improves the character's guard. Enemies can no longer flank the character on the shield-carrying side. |
 Shield Cover |
Sustained Range: Personal Upkeep: 20 Fatigue: 5% Cooldown: 15s Requires: 16 dexterity Requires: Improved Combat Training |
While in this mode, the warrior's shield provides a greater chance of deflecting missile attacks. Shield Mastery increases this bonus further. |
 Shield Tactics |
Passive Requires: Level 9 Requires: 20 dexterity Requires: Expert Combat Training |
The character is proficient enough with a shield to defend from all angles, so that attackers no longer benefit from flanking strikes. |
 Shield Mastery |
Passive Requires: Level 12 Requires: 26 dexterity Requires: Master Combat Training |
The character has mastered the use of the shield for both offense and defense, and receives additional benefits when using Shield Bash, Shield Pummel, Assault, Overpower, Shield Defense, Shield Wall, and Shield Cover. |
Juggernaut tree[]
The following are only available in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.
 Juggernaut |
Sustained Range: Personal Upkeep: 60 Fatigue: 10% Cooldown: 10s Requires: Level 20 Requires: 26 strength Requires: Combat Training |
A powerful physique allows the character to knock aside any enemies who are in the way while this mode is active and the character is moving. Each knockback drains a small amount of stamina. |
 Carapace |
Activated Range: Personal Activation: 40 Cooldown: 60s Requires: 32 strength Requires: Improved Combat Training |
No attack gets past this shield completely. For a moderate duration, all damage is reduced by an amount proportional to the character's constitution modifier. Bulwark of the Ages improves the protection, making the character completely immune to damage for the first half of this effect. |
 Air of Insolence |
Sustained Range: Personal Upkeep: 100 Fatigue: 10% Cooldown: 10s Requires: 36 strength Expert Combat Training |
While this mode is active, the character adopts an intimidating posture that continuously draws the attention of nearby enemies, consuming stamina constantly. |
 Bulwark of the Ages |
Passive Requires: 40 strength Requires: Master Combat Training |
The warrior is one with the shield. This talent improves the effect of Carapace, now making the character completely immune to damage for the first half of that effect. |
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