If you’ve sunk dozens of hours into Dragon Age: Inquisition and you’re now eyeing those high-tier Inquisition perks, there’s a little-known method to quickly build up your influence—and it doesn’t involve endless grinding. This strategy hinges on a particular NPC and a clever exploit involving books. Here’s how to do it, and why it works so well.

Unlocking Ferris the Representative in Skyhold

First things first: to take advantage of this trick, you’ll need access to Ferris the Representative, a vendor who appears in Skyhold. But he’s not there by default. You’ll need to progress through the main storyline until Haven is destroyed and the Inquisition relocates to Skyhold. Once there, you’ll gain access to the war table, and with it, a slew of new operations.

To trigger Ferris’ appearance, you must complete a specific operation in the Exalted Plains. Capture a keep—essentially a stronghold for the Inquisition. Once the keep is secured, a new war table operation called “Power for a Price” will become available. Complete that operation, and Ferris will finally arrive in Skyhold, setting up shop as a vendor of unusual importance.

How the Influence Trick Works

Ferris sells various books, each of which grants a small amount of influence when purchased. Here’s where it gets interesting: if you buy one of these books and then immediately sell it back—without leaving the vendor menu—you can continue buying and selling it over and over to repeatedly gain the influence boost.

The catch? You must stay in the vendor interface. If you exit the menu, the exploit stops working, and you’ll need to move on to a different book if you want to repeat the process. It’s not infinite, but it’s incredibly effective.

In the demonstration, the player was able to buy and sell five books repeatedly with limited gold. In just a few cycles, they maxed out their Inquisition influence level at 20, unlocking the “Peerless” achievement and gaining 70 power in the process. Not bad for a few minutes of menu hopping.

Important Considerations

• Choose Wisely: Once you reach Influence Level 20, that’s it. There’s no going beyond that cap. That means your Inquisition perks should be chosen with care.
• Best Perks to Target Early: One standout perk is Deft Hands, Fine Tools, which allows Rogues in your party to pick masterwork locks. If you’ve been frustrated by locked doors hiding loot, this one’s a game-changer.
• This Is Optional, Not Required: Let’s get this out of the way—yes, this is technically an exploit. But it’s available in the game, and if you’ve already spent 50+ hours adventuring and want to speed things up, you’re not alone. Use it if it fits your playstyle.

What Makes This Trick Worth It

For many players, Inquisition perks can feel like a slow burn, trickling in after dozens of quests, side missions, and requisitions. This method short-circuits that waiting game. It’s perfect for anyone who’s deep into the campaign, looking to optimize without grinding every last war table mission or endlessly farming resources. And best of all—it requires no modding, no third-party software, and no console commands. It’s just smart use of a system that’s already in place.

Final Thoughts

If you’re tired of bouncing between Val Royeaux and Skyhold trying to figure out why Ferris isn’t appearing—don’t worry, it’s not bugged. You just need to finish that keep in the Exalted Plains and wrap up “Power for a Price.” Once Ferris is in position, the rest is smooth sailing.

This isn’t a strategy for everyone. But if you’re the type of player who enjoys experimenting with builds, unlocking everything, and making the most of what the game gives you, then this is a valuable tool in your arsenal. There’s no shame in taking a shortcut when you know what you want—and the game lets you do it.

So get in there, buy those books, ride the influence wave to Level 20, and enjoy the perks you’ve earned—however you chose to get them.