Some of the more useful items in the game must be made by the process of crafting. There are three distinct fields of crafting, each generating different kinds of objects, but the requirements are broadly the same for all disciplines:
- Recipes, Designs and Formulas: Knowledge, in the form of a set of instructions to follow.
- Reagents: The discovery of sufficient raw ingredients, by type and quantity.
- Crafters: The expertise of a professional who must be paid 1 silver for their services in creating each item.
The one thing to understand about crafting is that the ingredients you find will stay with you permanently. They are not spent when you make an item: instead, they add to a growing resource list that increases your capacity to make more complicated combinations.
As an example, an Elfroot Potion recipe asks for 1 Elfroot. When you have found at least one of the game’s 9 Elfroots, you may begin ordering as many Elfroot Potions as you like. Expanding the operation to make a Restoration Potion then demands the acquisition of the new recipe, which will tell you that crafting takes 3 Elfroot and 2 Spindleweed. With only 1 Elfroot on your list, you will need to find another 2 Elfroot and at least 2 Spindleweed to meet the required combination.
Potions
To concoct a Potion or Elixir, you must first discover a Recipe. The herbal ingredients of Elfroot, Spindleweed, Embrium and Ambrosia must then be sourced and picked from the wild reaches of the Free Marches.
Lady Elegant is one of the first characters that Hawke may encounter on an initial visit to Lowtown. She immediately offers her services and provides a complimentary Elfroot Potion Recipe to unlock her Crafting Station.
Potion Recipes
|
Icon |
Name |
Effect |
Acquisition |
Ingredient |
|||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
||||
|
Elfroot Potion |
Restores 80% of health and removes one injury. Cooldown: 30 seconds |
Lady Elegant (Lowtown, Act 1) |
Elfroot (x1) |
- |
- |
- |
|
Elixir of Purity |
Increases damage done to darkspawn by 10%.
|
Elfroot (x2) |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Restoration Potion |
Restores 80% of health and 40% of mana/stamina. Cooldown: 30 seconds |
Formari Herbalist shop, Gallows |
Elfroot (x3) |
Spindleweed (x1) |
- |
- |
|
Life Ward Potion |
Revives the user if taken prior to being knocked unconscious, though an injury is still sustained.
|
Formari Herbalist shop, Gallows |
Elfroot (x2) |
Spindleweed (x2) |
- |
- |
|
Rock Armor Potion |
Improves resistance to all damage types.
|
Lowtown (Act 2) |
Elfroot (x1) |
Spindleweed (x1) |
Embrium (x1) |
- |
|
Mighty Offense Potion |
Increases all forms of damage dealt by 10%.
|
Sundermount (Act 2) |
Elfroot (x2) |
Embrium (x2) |
- |
- |
|
Elixir of Heroism |
Grants the party a bonus level (one-time use) |
Hightown (Act 3) |
Elfroot (x1) |
Spindleweed (x1) |
Embrium (x1) |
Ambrosia (x1) |
* See dragonage.com/da2/addons for further details on this Premium Content.
Potion Ingredients
|
Name |
Aquisition (Act 1) |
Aquisition (Act 2) |
Aquisition (Act 3) |
|
Elfroot |
Sundermount (x2), Wounded Coast (x2), Sundermount Ambush Site (The Way It Should Be quest) |
Sundermount, Wounded Coast |
Wounded Coast |
|
Spindleweed |
Lowtown (x2), Slaver Caverns (Wayward Son quest), Wounded Coast |
Lowtown |
Lowtown |
|
Embrium |
Dead Man’s Pass (Blackpowder Promise quest) |
Sundermount, Wounded Coast (x2), Holding Caves (A Bitter Pill quest) |
Wounded Coast |
|
Ambrosia |
- |
- |
Castillon’s Landing |
Runes
Runes are magical symbols that can be grafted onto other items to enhance their power with a specific enchantment. Weapon Runes can be used to enchant a bow, a staff, a sword or similar sidearm by adding damage and effects to the weapon’s existing attack attributes. Armor Runes can be placed on chain mail, boots, gloves, a helm or even a shield, to add magical protection. Only some of the game’s unique named items (as opposed to randomly generated items – see page 209) have the requisite slots to hold such enchantments. The most prized of all feature more than one Rune slot.
The creation of a Rune first requires a Design. The raw materials of Lyrium, Silverite, Orichalcum and Dragon’s Blood must then be sourced in sufficient quantity and combination. Shortly after gaining entry to Kirkwall, Hawke will catch up with a vendor and artisan by the name of Worthy, who keeps a Crafting Station in Hightown Market. True to his name, the dwarf is eminently qualified to craft Runes to order.
To use the Runes so acquired, you must also apply them to the slot of an accommodating weapon, shield or piece of armor by hiring the services of an enchanter. Bodahn Feddic’s son, Sandal, offers enchantment services in Hightown from Act 1. He relocates to the Deep Roads during the expedition and can be found at the Hawke Estate from Act 2 onwards.
Although the attribute of a Rune is determined by its Design, its potency derives from the power of the item to which it is attached. The Weapon Rune’s bonus is 20% of the weapon’s base damage rating. The resistance bonus Rune of Warding is derived from the armor value. So a Rune is always best used on powerful equipment. And in case you were wondering, the effects of the Rune of Fortune do not stack with similar items.
Rune Designs
|
Icon |
Name |
Type |
Effect |
Aquisition |
Ingredient |
||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
|||||
|
Rune of Protection |
Armor |
Improves physical damage resistance |
Worthy shop (Hightown, Act 1) |
Lyrium (x1) |
- |
- |
|
Rune of Fortune |
Armor |
Increases money dropped by creatures |
Lyrium (x2) |
- |
- |
|
|
Rune of Frost Warding |
Armor |
Improves cold damage resistance |
Enemies Among Us quest, Sanctuary (see page 32) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Fire Warding |
Armor |
Improves fire damage resistance |
Wounded Coast (Act 1) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Lightning Warding |
Armor |
Improves electricity damage resistance |
Mage Goods shop (Gallows, Acts 1 & 3) |
Lyrium (x2) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Nature Warding |
Armor |
Improves nature damage resistance |
Blackpower Courtesy quest, Smuggler’s Cut (see page 36) |
Lyrium (x2) |
Silverite (x2) |
- |
|
Rune of Spirit Warding |
Armor |
Improves spirit damage resistance |
Mage Goods shop (Gallows, Acts 2 & 3) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x1) |
Orichalcum (x1) |
|
Rune of Defense |
Armor |
Improves defense |
Wounded Coast (Act 2) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x2) |
Orichalcum (x1) |
|
Rune of Valiance |
Armor |
Applies Valiance, a non-stacking effect that improves all attributes |
Sundermount (Act 3) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Dragon’s Blood (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Impact |
Weapon |
Adds a physical damage bonus |
Enemies Among Us quest, Wilmod’s Camp (see page 32) |
Lyrium (x1) |
- |
- |
|
Rune of Frost |
Weapon |
Adds a cold damage bonus |
Lirene’s Fereldan Imports shop (Lowtown) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Fire |
Weapon |
Adds a fire damage bonus |
The First Sacrifice quest, Dark Foundry (see page 62) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Lightning |
Weapon |
Adds an electricity damage bonus |
Sundermount (Act 1) |
Lyrium (x2) |
Silverite (x1) |
- |
|
|
Rune of Nature |
Weapon |
Adds a nature damage bonus |
Ilene’s Crafts shop (Sundermount, Acts 2 & 3) |
Lyrium (x2) |
Silverite (x1) |
Orichalcum (x1) |
|
Rune of Spirit |
Weapon |
Adds a spirit damage bonus |
Inside Job quest, Brekker’s Hideaway (see page 79) |
Lyrium (x3) |
Orichalcum (x1) |
- |
|
Rune of Striking |
Weapon |
Increases critical strike chance |
Prime Suspect quest, DuPuis Estate (see page 38) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Orichalcum (x2) |
- |
|
Rune of Devastation |
Weapon |
Applies Devastation, a non-stacking effect that improves all forms of damage |
On the Loose quest, Sewer Passage (see page 42) |
Lyrium (x1) |
Dragon’s Blood (x1) |
- |
|
Torpor’s Barrier Rune |
Armor |
Increases magic resistance |
Night Terrors quest (see page 76) |
- |
- |
- |
|
Sandal’s Special Rune |
Weapon |
Enchants a weapon with Knockback |
Reward from Sandal at the beginning of Act 2 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Primeval Lyrium Rune |
Weapon |
Increases attack speed |
Reward from Sandal in the Haunted quest (see page 101) |
- |
- |
- |
Rune Ingredients
|
Name |
Aquisition (Act 1) |
Aquisition (Act 2) |
Aquisition (Act 3) |
|
Lyrium |
Bone Pit Mines (The Bone Pit quest), Runaways’ Cavern (Act of Mercy quest), Deep Roads (x2), Tal-Vashoth Cavern (Blackpowder Promise quest) |
Bone Pit Mines (Cavern of Dead quest), Dank Cave (x2) (Forbidden Knowledge quest) |
|
|
Silverite |
Vimmark Mountain Pass (Shepherding Wolves quest), Deep Roads, Tal‑Vashoth Cavern (Blackpowder Promise quest), Sundermount Caverns (Long Way Home quest) |
Sundermount Caverns, Smuggler’s Cut (Blackpowder Courtesy quest) |
- |
|
Orichalcum |
Primeval Ruins (Deep Roads Expedition quest) |
Deep Roads, Varterral Hunting Ground (Mirror Image quest), Sundermount Caverns, The Killer’s Lair (All That Remains quest) |
|
|
Dragon’s Blood |
- |
- |
High Dragon (Mine Massacre quest) |
Poisons & Bombs
Poisons and Bombs require a Formula to obtain the correct toxic or combustible reagents. Such substances are extracted from Deep Mushroom, Deathroot, Glitterdust and Felandaris, which tend to thrive when nature finds a foothold in some dark, insalubrious corner.
Poisons enjoy a lengthy duration, potentially lasting many battles, and are applied to the weapon of every party member when used. They can be considered as a purchased form of additional combat buff.
Bombs require no special skill to deliver and can be thought of as an additional attack or ability available to any and every party member. Though costly if used to excess, they can be kept in reserve for times of trouble. The revival grenade of Mythal’s Favor is a perfect example, turning the last man or woman standing into an ad hoc Spirit Healer.
City elf Tomwise operates a stall near the western exit of Darktown. Another of the acquaintances met by Hawke in the year spent gaining entry to Kirkwall, the dabbler is happy to provide his services and offers the Formula of Debilitating Poison to unlock his Crafting Station.
Poison and Bomb Formulas
|
Icon |
Name |
Type |
Effect |
Aquisition |
Ingredient |
||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
|||||
|
Combustion Grenade |
Bomb |
Inflicts fire damage and stuns targets in range |
Tal-Vashoth Leader, Blackpowder Courtesy quest, Tal-Vashoth Cavern (see page 72) |
Deep Mushroom (x1) |
- |
- |
|
Tar Bomb |
Bomb |
Immobilizes targets in range |
Shady Merchandise shop |
Deep Mushroom (x1) |
Deathroot (x1) |
- |
|
Mythal’s Favor |
Bomb |
Resuscitates friendly targets in
|
Wounded Coast (Act 2) |
Deep Mushroom (x1) |
Deathroot (x1) |
Glitterdust (x1) |
|
Fel Grenade |
Bomb |
Causes significant damage |
Wounded Coast (Act 3) |
Glitterdust (x2) |
Felandaris (x1) |
- |
|
Debilitating Poison |
Poison |
Decreases by 15% the damage a targeted enemy inflicts. Duration: 30 minutes |
Tomwise (Darktown, Act 1) |
Deep Mushroom (x1) |
- |
- |
|
Crow Venom |
Poison |
Slows a targeted enemy’s movement speed and attack speed by 25%.
|
Deep Mushroom (x2) |
- |
- |
|
|
Deathroot Toxin |
Poison |
Deals +4 nature damage per hit to targets |
Shady Merchandise shop (Docks) |
Deathroot (x2) |
- |
- |
|
Arcane Poison |
Poison |
Decreases a target’s magic resistance by 15%.
|
Elven Fanatic, Blackpowder Courtesy quest (see page 36) |
Deathroot (x1) |
Glitterdust (x1) |
- |
|
Fel Poison |
Poison |
Leeches health from its targets (+1% of the user’s maximum health). Duration: 5 minutes |
Huon (Lowtown at night, see page 42) |
Deep Mushroom (x3) |
Felandaris (x1) |
|
* See dragonage.com/da2/addons for further details on this Premium Content.
Poison & Bomb Ingredients
|
Name |
Aquisition (Act 1) |
Aquisition (Act 2) |
Aquisition (Act 3) |
|
Deep Mushroom |
Slaver Caverns (Wayward Son quest), Deep Roads (x2), Sundermount, Bone Pit Mines (The Bone Pit quest) |
Smuggler’s Cut (Blackpowder Courtesy quest),
|
Drakestone Mines (Mine Massacre quest) |
|
Deathroot |
Darktown, Holding Caves (A Bitter Pill quest) |
||
|
Glitterdust |
Wounded Coast |
Sundermount, Bone Pit, Varterral Hunting Ground (Mirror Image quest),
|
|
|
Felandaris |
- |
- |
Pride’s End (A New Path quest) |