Dragon Age: Inquisition wouldn't live up to its name without there being dragons involved, and there are ten optional High Dragons in total that can be found throughout Thedas. Killing your first High Dragon will earn you the "Wyrmslayer" achievement/trophy while killing all ten will earn you "Dragon's Bane".

All of the High Dragons share most of their abilities and moves with each other, such as their melee attacks, so many battle mechanics will be the same. Each dragon will drop a load of loot, with many also dropping items that are specific to sidequests, so there's more than one reason to hunt these guys down.

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There are other High Dragons in the game related to the storyline, such as Corypheus's dragon and the Guardian of Mythal, but these do not count toward the accolades mentioned above. The Jaws of Hakkon DLC added another High Dragon, and this one does count, meaning you could skip another dragon if you wish. Just below we have the location of each of the High Dragons in the recommended level order, as well as how best to defeat them.

11 Hinterlands — Fereldan Frostback

Dragon Age Inquisition Fereldan Frostback

The first High Dragon that you will likely come across is in the Hinterlands, in Lady Shayna's Valley. The closest fast travel point is Dusklight Camp. It's recommended that the player is level 12 or above. The Fereldan Frostback has a resistance to fire but is weak to cold damage, so you should equip suitable weapons for your team, such as frost staves or adding frost runes for other weapons.

There are also a whole bunch of dragonlings in the area too, with the Frostback periodically summoning more too. You should kill these quickly so they don't overwhelm your party, especially if they are stunned. The Frostback will move location twice and you will have to follow.

When she is airborne you can avoid fireball attacks by hiding behind pillars, but the fire breath is more deadly, so keep moving. When on the ground, she will flap her wings and draw everyone in towards her, causing damage to anyone who isn't immediately next to her. You should have a warrior tanking the front, then aim to keep your other party members on her sides. She will sweep her tail to attack anyone that is behind her. Additionally, she will raise her leg prior to an attack, so you know when to dodge it or warriors can block it. Damaging all four legs of a dragon can make it fall to the floor, allowing a perfect opportunity to go all out with attacks; keep this in mind for all dragons.

Her roar can stun the entire party, which is why all adds should be dealt with as soon as possible. In the final area, it is easier for her to hit you with her fire attacks, so keep your party spread out so casualties are kept to a minimum.

10 Crestwood — Northern Hunter

Dragon Age Inquisition Northern Hunter

The next High Dragon can be found in Crestwood, but can only be fought once you have progressed the area's plotline enough to have drained the lake. The nearest fast travel point is Caer Bronach. The recommended player level is 13 or above, but the Northern Hunter is considered to be the easiest High Dragon to defeat in the game.

She has resistance to electricity but is weak to spirit attacks. The reason that the Northern Hunter is considered easy is that she does not summon any adds, move areas mid-battle, or have a guard bar to protect her health. Her melee attacks are just like the Frostback, as with all the High Dragons, so be careful of tail and leg attacks.

The Hunter uses an electric breath attack, but she will rear her head up in front of the party member she plans to attack, so you can easily move them out of the way. She also hits all party members with lightning rings that damage them and anyone close to them, so spread your party out so they are only hurt by their own rings and keep on top of healing.

9 Exalted Plains — Gamordan Stormrider

Dragon Age Inquisition Gamordan Stormrider

In the north-east area of the Exalted Plains, in the Crow Fens, you will find the Gamordan Stormrider. The nearest fast travel point is the Fens Camp. The recommended player level should be 13 or higher according to the official guide, but others recommend 15 or above due to the unique environment that makes this trickier. The Stormrider has resistance to electricity but is weak to all spirit attacks.

The most important thing about this dragon encounter is that you need to try to keep all of your party members out of the water, which is difficult as you're in a marshy area. The Stormrider can electrify the water and this will cause some serious damage and stun anyone who is stood in it. As a result, the more long-range party members you can bring, apart from the tank, of course, will be beneficial to help damage the Stormrider from a distance.

The downside to the long-range DPS party members is that they will fall victim to the dragon wing move that pulls the whole party in. Hiding behind obstacles can help, but you might just need to keep on top of healing. Additionally, the Stormrider will shoot electric balls at those out of melee range occasionally.

More than once she will take to the sky and fire electric balls at your party, as well as dealing damage when she lands back down. You need to keep your party spread out during this portion of the fight to reduce the amount of damage taken. For the most part, she will be grounded and her melee attacks are the same as all the High Dragons. You also need to be careful not to walk into bubbling pools of water, as these will damage you.

8 Western Approach — Abyssal High Dragon

Dragon Age Inquisition Abyssal High Dragon

In the west of the map, in an area called The Wastes, you can find the Abyssal High Dragon. You will be able to summon it once you complete Frederic's questline. The nearest fast travel point is Nazaire's Pass Camp. Players should be level 14 or above and it has a resistance to fire but is weak to cold damage, so prepare your team accordingly.

Keeping your party spread out is a must to reduce the amount of damage, especially when the High Dragon initially lands, but also because it moves around a lot during the battle. Periodically, she will replenish her guard bar, which you will have to deplete before you do any further damage to her actual health.

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Watch out for the usual melee dragon attacks, as well as the flapping wing attack that draws party members in. The easiest way to deal with the latter is to keep them close to the dragon, on the sides, so that this attack does not damage them. Keeping them all in melee range will also prevent the High Dragon from using her fireball attack on anyone out of range.

She will also use a fire breath attack after raising her head back, it will hit anyone in front of and to the side of her, so be sure to combat roll out of the way as anyone hit with this will have burning damage also.

7 Storm Coast — Vinsomer

Dragon Age Inquisition Vinsomer

The Vinsomer is found in the Storm Coast, but you can't reach the area it is in until you have completed the Red Templars on the Storm Coast war table operation, and then begun the Red Water quest to open the route required. The nearest fast travel point is Daerwin's Mouth, then you travel by boat to the small island north of the mainland. A player level of 15 or above is recommended by the official guide, but a lot of fans recommended 19 or above as it can be a tough fight. The Vinsomer is resistant to electric attacks but is weak to spirit damage.

It's important to keep your party spread out as the Vinsomer will move around a lot and can deal a lot of damage with the usual melee attacks. Additionally, she will summon dragonling adds periodically, and you should take these down as soon as possible as the worst thing to happen is to get stunned by the dragon's roar while her babies eat you.

She will also replenish her guard bar throughout the fight, so you'll have to keep wearing it down again to keep depleting her health. The Vinsomer will also shoot electric balls at people, which can be easily dodged, whereas her electric breath is much harder to evade, as it damages all those in front of and to the side of her.

6 Emerald Graves — Greater Mistral

Dragon Age Inquisition Greater Mistral

In the Southfinger Watch region that is in the north of the Emerald Graves, you can find the Greater Mistral. The nearest fast travel point is Din'an Hanin. The recommended player level is 17 or above, and this High Dragon is resistant to cold damage but weak to fire.

Periodically, the Greater Mistral will replenish her guard bar, so you will have to wear it down in order to deplete her HP once more. She does this shortly after you have just depleted the last bar, so make sure to do as much damage in those short intervals as you can. As a result of her constant guard bars, this dragon fight can take far longer than the others.

Though she will stay on the ground for the most part and inflict the usual dragon melee attacks and wing flapping move, there are certain points of the battle where the Greater Mistral will take to the air. During this time, she will breathe ice at your party, as well as damaging anyone that she lands near, so once again — keep your party spread out.

The Greater Mistal will also use an ice breath attack, indicated by her raising her head back just before she strikes. It damages all those in front of her and to the side of her, so make sure you avoid this as it also causes chilled damage to those it hits.

5 Emprise du Lion — Hivernal

Dragon Age Inquisition Hivernal

The Hivernal is the first of three High Dragons that can be found in Emprise du Lion, and to access the location of all of them, you must first complete the Restore Judicael's Crossing war table operation. The nearest fast travel point is Tower Camp. The Hivernal is found in Etienne's Ring, the first building you come to once you cross the bridge. The recommended player level is 19 or above and the Hivernal has a resistance to cold but is weak to fire damage.

The battle will play out much the same as it did with the Greater Mistral, though the Hivernal does not have a guard bar. While you might think that will make this fight easier, the Hivernal is noticeably tougher.

The Hivernal will mainly stay on the ground but will move around and cause a lot of damage so be on the lookout for her melee attacks and keep your health topped up. It's best to keep your party spread out to reduce the amount of damage taken when she lands. However, don't put party members too far away from her, or her wing-flapping move will pull them in and cause damage, additionally, she will sometimes fire ice balls at those out of range. Be careful of her ice breath, as this will leave party members chilled. You'll know when she's about to unleash her breath as she will raise her head just beforehand.

4 Hissing Wastes — Sandy Howler

Dragon Age Inquisition Sandy Howler

In the Hissing Wastes, you can find the Sandy Howler near the Tomb of Fairel. The nearest fast travel point is Sand Crags Camp, then you just have to travel east. The recommended player level is 20 or above, and this dragon is resistant to fire but is weak to cold attacks.

The Sandy Howler will remain on the ground throughout the battle, but will occasionally jump about, so keep your party spread out. The main High Dragon attacks are the same as always, so avoid melee attacks and keep your party close to her to avoid being drawn in by her wings or targeted by fireballs.

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Throughout the fight, she will roar and stun the entire party and simultaneously summon some dragonling adds, so defeat these quickly. She also replenishes her guard bar throughout, so you'll need to keep wearing her down. Lastly, watch out for her fire breath attack as it will damage all those around her, but you'll know when she's about to do this as she will raise her head back.

3 Emprise du Lion — Kaltenzahn

Dragon Age Inquisition Kaltenzahn

The next High Dragon found in Emprise du Lion is the Kaltenzahn, it's close to the location of the other two dragons in this area and is found in Judicael's Ring, the middle building in this area. Players are recommended to be level 21 or above, and this dragon has a resistance to cold but a vulnerability to fire damage.

Periodically throughout the battle, the Kaltenzahn will take flight and rain ice balls, and her deadly ice breath blasts down on the party. Whenever she lands, she will also cause damage to anyone she lands close to, so try to keep your party spread out. She will also replenish her guard bar throughout the fight, so you will have to wear it down more than once to damage her health properly.

As well as the usual melee attacks, roars, and wing attacks, the Hivernal will also summon dragonling adds occasionally, and these should be dealt with quickly to avoid them overwhelming your party. When she is grounded, avoid her ice ball attacks by keeping party members relatively close, and just watch out for her ice breath attacks so you can evade them.

2 Emprise du Lion — Highland Ravager

Dragon Age Inquisition Highland Ravager

The final High Dragon in the base game is the Highland Ravager. It's found near to the other two dragons in this area and it has a recommended player level of 22 or above. The Ravager has a resistance to fire but is vulnerable to cold damage.

Because this dragon is in the very base of the building it calls home, it limits party movement as it's a small area, meaning that you have to be even more careful about trying to avoid attacks. The Ravager will stay on the ground throughout the fight, but will occasionally jump around, so try and keep your party spread out around her, but not too far from the dragon itself.

This High Dragon has a unique attack that will cause her AoE to explode. You will know when she is about to perform this as she rises on her back legs and then drops back to all four, causing orange circles to appear wherever the party members are. You need to move your party out of these immediately, as after a couple of seconds the Ravager will stomp and cause these circles to explode into fire, damaging anyone still inside.

Once you have depleted about half of her health, the Ravager will summon dragonling adds periodically and stun your party with her roars too. You should be used to this by now, so just watch out for the usual melee attacks, but more importantly, be careful of her fire breath attack.

1 (DLC) Frostback Basin — Hakkon Wintersbreath

Dragon Age Inquisition Hakkon Wintersbreath

This final High Dragon is only available if you purchase the Jaws of Hakkon DLC. Though the map above shows the location of Hakkon Wintersbreath, she will only appear here after you have progressed the Jaws of Hakkon storyline far enough. The recommended player level is 25 and she is vulnerable to fire damage.

The big difference with this dragon is that the adds she spawns are Frosted Gibbering horrors, but they should be dealt with just as quickly as the dragonlings. She will start with these adds and then summon them again whenever she lands on the higher platform. Usual dragon tactics and attacks apply, so keep your party spread out from one another, but still close to the dragon to avoid ice balls and being drawn in by her flapping her wings.

Hakkon Wintersbreath will occasionally take flight and breathe ice at the party, so do your best to avoid this. Once you have depleted her health enough, she will move to the higher platform and you will have to follow to complete the fight.

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