Right now, Dragon Age is in everyone's minds in anticipation of the fourth entry in the series. The last game, Inquisition, came out eight years ago, but it remains a fan favorite thanks to its intricate storytelling and undeniable re-playability.
The game features multiple memorable and menacing enemies, making things more interesting for players. However, a few stand out because of how challenging they are to defeat, especially in the higher difficulties. Whether it's because of the many tricks up their sleeves or their considerable raw power, defeating these foes is no walk in the park.
The Rifts At The Reach - Emerald Graves
Rifts are a constant enemy throughout the game. Players deal with these messy and annoying obstacles in every quest, and most locations have rifts everywhere. However, some are considerably more challenging than others, especially when entering the last locations in the game.
The Emerald Graves is one of the most hostile regions in Dragon Age: Inquisition, and many dangerous enemies will wait for their chance to end the Inquisitor. The rifts at the Reach will spawn various demons, including two Despair Demons and one Pride Demon. These two foes are sufficiently challenging alone, but they can be deadly working in tandem.
The Rifts In The Springs - Emprise Du Lion
Emprise du Lion is one of the best locations in Dragon Age: Inquisition. As dangerous as it is beautiful, the Emprise is home to countless threats, including a whopping three high dragons. The rifts in the Springs will be one of the last obstacles players face when exploring the region, and there's a reason the game saves them for last.
By that point in the game, players will already have plenty of practice dealing with demons. However, the enemies that spawn from these rifts will be particularly relentless. They'll also be considerable, coming in groups of five or even six. Players who believe they know everything about rifts will surely eat a piece of humble pie after arriving at the rifts unprepared.
Corypheus
The primary antagonist of the game -- also known as the Elder One -- is a constant threat throughout every main quest. Corypheus operates mainly from the background, manipulating every major faction in Thedas in his quest to tear down the Veil and physically enter the Fade.
Corypheus might be one of the best villains in modern video games, but his bark is stronger than his bite. The final battle against him is challenging, especially the part where players battle his lyrium dragon. However, fans were expecting more, considering he is the game's big bad. In the end, Corypheus is a great villain, but his boss battle is underwhelming.
Imshael - Emprise Du Lion
Imshael is a desire demon who takes over Suledin Keep before the Inquisitor arrives at the Emprise. Michel de Chevin, Empress Celine's former champion, tells the Inquisitor about Imshael, asking them to deal with the demon.
Unlike other foes in the game, Imshael is quite a funny character. He'll try to tempt the Inquisitor with gifts, including virgins he doesn't actually have -- however, if Cole is in the party, Imshael will consider him a virgin and offer him to the Inquisitor. The battle is not necessarily tough, but it is long, with Imshael becoming fear, rage, and pride demons before finally going down.
The Elven Spirits - Treser
Treser is one of the best DLCs of the 2010s, thanks to its blend of intricate lore, non-stop action, and good old-fashioned mystery. The DLC involves a qunari plot to subdue the south foiled by the efforts of the agent of Fen'Harel. The Inquisitor gets caught in the middle, and their choices ultimately decide the Inquisition's fate.
Among the many enemies in the DLC are the elven spirits, beings made of lightning that oppose the Inquisitor once they enter sacred elven grounds. These tricky foes have countless resistances and pack quite a punch, meaning their battle will be long and potentially grueling. The qunari will also participate, adding an extra layer of difficulty to the conflict.
The High Dragons - Multiple Locations
Dragons are a staple of high fantasy; whether they're friends or foes, they have a place of honor in the genre. Dragon Age: Inquisition features eleven high dragons that players can challenge as they see fit. Players first encounter a high dragon at the Hinterlands, where the Fereldan Frostback lives. There's usually a high dragon in every major location.
Like Crestwood's Northern Hunter, some dragons can be very easy to defeat. However, the Frostback, along with the three dragons at Emprise du Lion and the Hissing Waste's Sandy Howler, can be a real pain. They are highly resistant and might call for the aid of dragonlings. Players need to equip weapons and gear to exploit the dragons' weaknesses and give it their all during the battle.
Knight-Captain Denam/Grand Enchanter Fiona - Haven
In Your Heart Shall Burn is arguably the most challenging main quest in Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's also one of the most important, effectively separating the game's first act from everything else that follows. The quest involves Corypheus' invasion and destruction of Haven, aided by whichever faction the Herald didn't side with -- mages or templars.
During the last portion of the quest, players face large swarms of enemies as the Herald tries to load the trebuchets. These enemies will be ruthless, offering players a real challenge. The final boss of the quest is the faction's leader -- either Knight-Captain Denam or Grand Enchanter Fiona -- will come at a time when the Herald and his allies have already faced countless enemies. Players need to save their potions and distribute their team intelligently if they expect to make it out of Haven alive.
The Librarians - Treser
The DLCs pose a significant spike in difficulty compared to the main game. Treser features multiple dangerous enemies, including the qunari and the previously-mentioned elven spirits. However, the Librarians near the end of the DLC are particularly challenging.
There are four Librarians, each assuming the form of a fear demon. They'll spawn spiders throughout the battle and seek each other, concentrating the fight in one place. The Librarians can take players by surprise and defeat them quickly; the Inquisitor and their allies need to fight intelligently, taking on a Librarian each and dealing with the many spiders without neglecting the main threat.
The Rifts At The Frostback Basin - Jaws Of Hakkon
The Jaws of Hakkon DLC sends the Inquisitor searching for clues about the original Inquisitor, Ameridan. The mission opens a new area, the Frostback Basin, full of new dangers, including several rifts.
One of these rifts is particularly grueling, spawning four pride demons for its second wave. The Inquisitor's mark of the rift will do considerable damage, but it won't be enough to end them. The battle is considerably harder than any previous rift encounter, and some players might die on their first attempt. Indeed, it might take them a few tries before they close this rift.
The Darkspawn Swarms - The Descent
If Jaws of Hakkon's enemies are hard, then The Descent's foes can seem outright impossible. The DLC sends the Inquisitor and their party to the Deep Roads, where they learn the truth about the mysterious Titans. However, they stumble upon waves upon waves of darkspawn, making things near impossible.
The darkspawn swarms are brutal. Enemies keep coming from left and right, overflowing the space and subduing the Inquisitor and their party with little effort. There are two major swarms, one near the DLC's beginning and one near the end. The latter is particularly grueling, and it might even seem like there's a bug in the game that keeps enemies coming. Vivienne is particularly helpful in this DLC, as her Resurgence ability can heal the entire party at once.
