Should You Knock Out or Reason With the First Warden in Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

As the impending threat of Elgar'naan and Ghilain'nain grows, Dragon Age: The Veilguard reaches a boiling point when an archdemon attacks Weisshaupt. Rook and company do their best to aid the Grey Wardens, but there's a stubborn old fool standing in the way of that.

The First Warden continues to deny the possibility that they're at war with gods, and it's only making things worse for those under his command. Before making the critical decision to knock out or reason with the First Warden, it'll help to know how each choice will impact the journey through Dragon Age Veilguard.

Should you knock out the First Warden or reason with him in Veilguard?

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is full of choices, both big and small, that craft the journey each player takes. Some will have massive impacts like choosing to save Minrathous or Treviso leading to a Hardened companion, but others only affect whether each of Rook's companions approve or disapprove of their actions.

When you make it to the First Warden in Weisshaupt, even Evka and Antoine can't get him to face the reality of what's happening right outside. Ghilan'nain and her archdemon are destroying Weisshaupt, killing Grey Wardens, and there's only one way to turn the tide. The dragon trap is brought up, but a prideful and reckless First Warden insists that to retreat into the trap is cowardice he won't allow. At that point, Rook has to make the call.

Knock the First Warden out and take charge.

If this option is chosen, Rook will take a clean swing and knock the First Warden out cold. When he crumbles to the floor, Evka will take lead of the Grey Wardens and give Rook an opportunity to set their plan into motion.

When this is done, Bellara and Emmrich will greatly disapprove of Rook's decision. This puts a bit of a dent in any progress if pursuing a romance with either companion, but that can easily be recouped after Weisshaupt. Lucanis, Davrin, Taash, Harding, and Neve will all greatly approve of knocking the First Warden out.

The other primary impact is that knocking him out makes Rook a sworn enemy of the First Warden. When Weisshaupt reaches a climax against the archdemon, Davrin's attempt at killing it is interrupted when the First Warden suddenly demands Davrin stand down so the Warden can take the glory of this moment for himself. Of course, that idea doesn't really play out like he had hoped.

Talk sense into the First Warden.

Your other option with the First Warden at Weisshaupt in Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be to reason with him. Many attempts have been made up to this point, but players who are going a more pacifist route may prefer to try one last time.

When Rook tries to talk sense into the First Warden, he will finally be convinced. The First Warden actually sides with Rook and proceeds to give new orders to the rest of the Grey Wardens. Bellara, Emmrich, and Harding greatly approve of this choice. It's a good call for anyone pursuing Bellara or Emmrich, but Harding will greatly approve of either decision. Lucanis, Davrin, Taash, and Neve will greatly disapprove in this case.

Trying to reason with him will also make Rook an unexpected ally of the First Warden. When Davrin is ready to go for the kill on the archdemon, the First Warden will return and ask to sacrifice himself to remedy the mistakes he's made. Both potential paths will see the end of the First Warden and Davrin struggling with the way Weisshaupt ended, so make a choice that best fits Rook's character or aligns with Rook's preferred companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.