Belinda Darrow has only sworn her oaths to the Templar order months before the whole Order ditched the Chantry. Loyal to the Chantry and the Divine, this brought Belinda heartache and turmoil. With the whole sky opening thing occurring and the Inquisition coming in order, the Templar decided to fight by their side.
The Templar is the ‘other’ tank who isn’t the Legionnaire in Dragon Age Inquisition. Much like the Legionnaire, the Templar doesn’t have to played like a tank but well, it’s just for the best. You got a shield, you have party wide buffs, you got heavy armor, and you got mitigation. Granted, you can focus those skills on damage, holy prowess, and smites but, you know. Templars are basically the Paladins of Dragon Age.
These abilities rock holy might:
Divine:
Tier 1:
Blessed Blades – 15% bonus AoE, 24 secs duration, 24 secs cooldown, 10 sta
- -Lights in the Shadow – attacks while under effect reduce cooldown by 0.5 secs for spell purge and wrath of heaven
Tier 2:
Payback Strike – 200% damage after taking within 5 secs after being hit for extra 200% damage, 8 secs cooldown, 35 sta
- -Sweet Revenge – 200% damage bonus, stun 2 secs
Champion of the Just – 10% damage bonus, +3 Strength
Shield Bash – 300% damage, 800% vs guard, 8 sec cooldown, 35 sta
- -Ring the Bell – 400% bonus damage vs guard
Tier 3:
Crippling Blows – crits weaken foes by 15% for 10 secs, stacks, +3 Str
Mage Slayer – anti-demon abilities also work on magical creatures and mages, +3 Willpower
Marker’s Will – party has a 5% chance to weaken for 6 secs, +3 Willpower
Valiant – +5 Willpower, +4 Con
Guard-Smasher – 100% damage vs guard, +3 Con
Tier 4:
Spell Purge – removes hostile effects in 5 meters radius, 24 sec cooldown, 35 sta
- -Spell Shatter – 600% weapon damage
There is No Darkness – party receives 10% elemental resistance, +3 Willpower
Horn of Valor – party gains 15% damage and armor bonus, duration 10 secs, 18 cooldown, 35 sta
- -That’s the Spirit – 35% damage
Tier 5:
Flow of Battle – Crits reduce cooldowns by 1, +3 str
Bear Mauls the Wolves – can’t be flanked, +3 Con
Deep Reserves – under 50% stamina gain 50% stamina regen, +3 str
Tier 6:
The Last Sacrifice – when you fall party gains 100% HP, 50% damage, 10 secs duration, 60 secs cooldown, +3 Con
Tier 7:
Wrath of Heaven – 700% weapon damage, 4 meters, stuns for 6 sec, 24 sec, 65 sta
- -Embrace the Light – 300% damage, 2 secs
Sentinel:
Tier 1:
Turn the Bolt – 50% damage reduction from frontal ranged attacks, +3 Con
Shield Wall – toggle, sacrifice stamina for guard, don’t take damage
- -Chevalier’s Step – 4 meters, 30% armor
Bulwark – 25% maximum guard, +3 Con
Tier 2:
Cutting Words – 20% damage bonus to taunted foes, +3 str
Challenge – taunt a target for 8 secs, gain 10% guard, 16 sec cooldown, 20 sta
- -Throw the Gauntlet – 15 sta per sec
Trust the Steel – 20% armor bonus, +3 Con
Combat Roll – Roll in direction of choice, 2 sec cooldown, 20 sta
- -Roll with It – can roll out of disabling conditions
Untouchable Defense – 25% max guard, +3 Con
Tier 3:
Adamant – 20% armor bonus, +3 Con
Turn the Blade – 20% resistance, +3 Con
Resilience – 5% stun chance after hitting you for 2 secs, +3 Con
Tier 4:
Unbowed – Guard per enemy 10%, 32 sec cooldown
- -Still Standing – 100% guard Generation Bonus
Biggest Threat – 25% threat increase, +3 Con
Line in the Sand – 6 meters, 12 sec duration, 20 sec cooldown, 35 sta
- -And No Further – 3 meters size boost
Tier 5:
Bodyguard – 50% damage transfer, 15 sec duration, 24 sec cooldown, 35 sta
- -Not Today – 50% damage resistance
Tier 6:
Unyielding – revive after dying becoming invulnerable for 5 secs, 5% HP threshold, 60 sec cooldown, +3 Con
I’m going to ignore the DPS prowess and talk about being a super tank. For the most part, I prefer the Templar over the Legionnaire for my tank of choice. She lacks the AoE taunt (deep sadness) and the ability to just be immune to damage for 8 seconds. Those are damn good abilities. The Templar focuses more on buffs, party wide resistances, and party wide damage soaking.
My build takes you all over the place and only becomes ‘right’ at level 20. For abilities, I go Shield Wall (necessary), Challenge (to taunt), Bodyguard (to soak party wide damage), and Wrath of Heaven ( to stun massive foes, grab aggro, and hurt demons). These are some lovely tanky skills. For passives, reach for skills that buff, increase armor, better taunting, and party wide survivability. These include: There is No Darkness, Bear Mauls the Wolves, Deep Reserves, Bulwark, Adamant, and Biggest Threat. These offer mad self-buffs and keep foes taunted with just auto attacks. Unyielding is will make you invulnerable for a bit while saving your life, but the fact that you have to die and that it was a minute cooldown is rough.
If you don’t like the free Legionnaire and you want to tank, this is your best alternative option. There are other tanking options but these two are the best. On Routine who cares really, but on higher difficulties you’re going to want one of these two. Use the Templar to mess up the Demon Commander, bolster your allies, use all the power The Maker has to offer – go Templar. Best of luck out there!
