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InDragon Age: The Veilguard, many side quests are extended journeys that often conclude with a boss fight. One such quest centers on a demon that preys on the desperate citizens of Minrathous, with its story wrapping up in the Desperate in Dock Town side quest.
This quest primarily involves locating the Demon of Desperation and preparing for a challenging battle. The boss fight can feel intense as you’re confined to a small area while battling the demon and its minions. In this guide, we’ll walk you through locating the Demon of Desperation and completing the “Desperate in Dock Town” side quest.
How To Get Desperate In Dock Town Side Quest
Aftercompleting theA Hidden Hoardside quest, you’llimmediately receive the Desperate in Dock Townside quest.
A Hidden Hoard wraps upin a room within the Catacombs, and you can start Desperate in Dock Town right away from there.
Finding Demon of Desperation
Tofind the Demon of Desperation, start at thefast travel pointeither justoutside the catacombsor in the room where you used theheavy bronze keyand completed the A Hidden Hoard side quest. Thisroom is behind the fast travel point, so reaching the Demon of Desperation from either starting point is easy.
Exit the roomand head left up the stairs andcontinue along the path. Skip the closed door you encounter; instead, follow the road andclimb over the debrison the right.
Take another left to discover a lyrium crystal on the left, which has already summoned a bridge. Don’t take this bridge. Instead,keep going straight from here—you’ll notice a red exploding barrel along this route as well.
Next,take a right, and you’llspot an openingin the wall that was previously sealed. As you enter, you’llnotice bodies and blood scattered across the floor.If you’ve been here before, Rook may even remark, “Nothing in our way now.”
Pass through the gapin the wall toreach the Demon of Desperation, who has been plotting demonic schemes against the desperate citizens of Minrathous for a long time.
TheDemon of Desperation will speak for a few momentsbefore summoning itself into the area, along withthree other enemies namedIsolation, Despondence, and Remorse.
How To Defeat Desperation
The Demon of Desperation isprimarily a melee-type boss, but it does have afew ranged attacks. When you’re too close, it will use itsclaws to perform two or three-hit combos.
If you keep your distance, itwill summon a bladeand launch severalranged slashesyour way. Additionally, itcasts a purple orb, which it uses toconjure AoE attacksthat cover almost the whole arena. This is alsovisible through the red circleson the floor.
While theDemon of Desperation is a significant threaton its own, thenamed enemiesin the area add to the challenge byfiring homing orbsthat explode on impact,dealing cold damagewhen they hit.
At times, theDemon of Desperation boss will disappearfrom the arena, surrounding you in darkness. During this phase, you’lllose sight of your companionsand won’t be able touse their skills. Meanwhile, thenamed enemies become even more aggressive,unleashing a barrage of cold-damage orbs.
Toexit the darkness phase, focus on quicklyeliminating all the named enemies. Once they’re defeated, the Demon of Desperation will reappear in the arena. With no additional enemies around, thefight becomes much more manageable.
Fire damage is highly effectiveagainst the Demon of Desperation and its minions, as itsburn effect gradually drains healthover time. With multiple stacks of burn, the damage dealt increases significantly.
If you plan to face the Demon of Desperation with a fire weapon, be sure to enchant it with afire enchantment at the Caretaker.
Companion Recommendation
Bringing a companion who candeal high damage to the armorand provide healing,like Lucanis, will be a huge asset in taking down the Demon of Desperation. HisDebilitate and Eviscerate abilitiesare excellent for damaging armor and staggering the named enemies in the boss arena. Additionally, theSoothing Potion is invaluable for healingduring the fight.
To handle the named enemies, consider a companion withstrong area control abilities. Neve’sBlizzard ability, for instance, freezes enemies,applies cold, and inflicts continuous damageover a large area—making it ideal for managing multiple foes at once.
Desperate In Dock Town Side Quest Rewards
Once you have defeated the Demon of Desperation, you willget 250 Shadows Dragons Strength, and can loot the arena to get the following rewards:
