The RPG goes beyond pronoun and gender options to let you solidify your hero’s identity

Image: BioWare

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s character creator is easily the most expansive that developer BioWare has ever put in one of its RPGs, with its most notable additions this time around including options to select your character’s gender and pronouns independent of any aspects of their body, and top surgery scars to signify protagonist Rook’s possible trans identity. However, the game’s handling of trans identity goes beyond just options you can choose in the character creator that may support your own personal headcanon. In The Veilguard, BioWare has given you the option to actively declare in-game that your hero is transgender, in a way that’s reflected in dialogue throughout the game. Historically this has been the kind of thing that players have had to just apply to a game’s hero through their own imaginations, so I was happy to see BioWare went the extra step to codify it for those who want to play a trans Rook.

The three options include “I’m getting there,” “I love who I am,” and “Feels good to see the real me,” so you can designate your trans identity and also color in where you think they are in their personal journey. This will unlock some dialogue options throughout The Veilguard that allow you to discuss this aspect of your identity with other characters, so it’s not just a thing you have to internalize. However, as far as I can tell after finishing the game, if you don’t pick this option when you’re setting up Rook’s room, it doesn’t come up again later. So be sure to go down this dialogue path when you’re examining the mirror if you want to play as a trans Rook and have it be recognized in dialogue. It just might give you a point of common connection with some characters that will enrich your story throughout.