When Dragon Age: The Veilguard drops on October 31, one of the first major decisions you’ll face, aside from character customization, is selecting which Faction your protagonist, Rook, belongs to. This choice goes beyond defining your character’s origins—it will have subtle but significant impacts on your relationships throughout the game. As you recruit new party members, you’ll discover that each Faction is tied to a specific character, adding layers of shared history to your interactions. However, while this connection may add depth to your relationships, it won’t block off any friendships or romantic paths.

During a hands-on preview at EA’s Redwood City studio, I had the opportunity to dive into the game. As I crafted my character, the question arose: would choosing the same Faction as a particular teammate help me build a stronger connection with them? After all, shared backgrounds could lead to shared understanding. When I asked BioWare’s team about this, they explained that while being from the same Faction opens up different dialogue options, it won’t restrict relationships. In other words, your Faction won’t dictate who you can or can’t bond with, but it will offer unique flavors to those bonds.

In my playthrough, I chose to join the Shadow Dragons, a resistance group dedicated to overthrowing the corrupt, magic-obsessed rulers of Tevinter. Given that the game’s opening is set in the Tevinter capital of Minrathous, this felt like a fitting choice. As I progressed, I encountered Neve Gallus, a detective who is also a member of the Shadow Dragons. Our first private conversation was laced with familiarity, as she remarked, “you know me,” even though our characters had only just met. The bond of being Shadow Dragons made the conversation richer, as we connected over our mutual fight against the oppressive system in Tevinter. These kinds of moments—where faction backgrounds open up new layers of interaction—are a hallmark of Dragon Age games. It reminded me of similar interactions in Inquisition, where playing as a mage or elf unlocked unique conversations with characters like Solas or Sera.

This dynamic made me curious about how deep these Faction-based interactions would go in The Veilguard. In past Dragon Age games, certain romances or storylines were locked behind specific choices, like the Solas romance being exclusive to elven characters in Inquisition. To get some clarity, I spoke with John Epler, the game’s creative director, and he emphasized that while your Faction adds nuance to relationships, it won’t block any content or limit your options.

“We never wanted players to feel like they had to be from a specific Faction to romance or build relationships with certain characters,” Epler explained. “It’s less about creating deeper relationships because you share a Faction and more about giving players different ways to connect. If you’re an elf, for example, and you talk to Bellara, your shared heritage will influence the conversation around the elven gods in ways that wouldn’t resonate with a human or dwarf. But it’s important to note that it’s not more content—it’s just different content.”

So, your Faction choice will certainly affect how certain interactions unfold, but it won’t cut you off from forming meaningful relationships with other characters. My experience with Neve, for instance, was enriched by our shared history, but I could just as easily have chosen a different Faction and still explored her story from a new angle. The Faction you align with will shape your journey, but it won’t define your path or limit your ability to explore the narrative’s full breadth.

As Epler put it, “We wanted to make the world feel responsive to your character’s choices, but we didn’t want those choices to become barriers to experiencing the game’s content.”

Ultimately, Dragon Age: The Veilguard aims to offer variety and flexibility, ensuring that every player’s experience feels unique, without restricting access to important storylines or relationships. Whether you choose the Shadow Dragons, Grey Wardens, or another Faction, your journey will be shaped by your character’s background, but not constrained by it.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches on October 31 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, so get ready to step into the world of Tevinter and craft your own story.