Dragon Age: The Veilguard -- Controls (PS5)
You unlock more abilities about 10 minutes into the game you get to use the "Player Ability 1" a running jump kick, which is hold L2 and Square. But you need to assign it in the menu, and have some meter to use it. Then there appears to be a variety of other moves you can unlock with all the "slots" that exist in the menu (quick menu), then it shows you get to use Ability 2 and 3 and Ultimate Ability, see the image above in the middle under the sticks lists "Player Ability" 1, 2, 3, and Ultimate.
By default just jumping into the game you get a sword to swing and a shield to throw and block with. See Heavy Attack and Light Attack (Square and Triangle) and you can swap your sword for a large hammer "Mallet" weapon on the fly.
I picked the sword character but there are other options for your character class which might not be the same sword and shield. Don't know or remember but I think there is other weapons for each different type of character you pick to play as. As in, the game intro is "create your character" and then pick a class.