Dragon Age 2 - Here be spoilers.

[stray]

Sten can be funny, but "rp wise", I don't want to bend my back over a character like that.

The easiest way to win Sten's approval is to be a dick to him. He wants a strong leader for the group. If you don't take shit from him, he won't even challenge you, he'll just submit and think you're awesome.

Sten: "why did you do X? that was the wrong decision"
You: "I didn't ask for your opinion"
Sten: "Oh ok  "

Yeah, I know how to get approval.

Either that, or just accept his blunt answers and tell him he's funny. You get big boosts from that.

I just don't want to do it... the game is more fun for me if I just roleplay as best as possible and let chips fall where they may.

[rk47]

There are roughly a zillion games where you Save the World mostly all by your heroic self, I am perfectly fine with one where you don't.

No. I don't want to save anything. I just want to get the fuck out of Kirkwall. It would've made a powerful statement if Hawke just walk out of the city. That's the perfect anti-hero statement.

You both are not worth saving.

And the game quality wouldn't suffer, because ppl who like mages can still defend orsino, kill orsino, and kill meredith. While those who like templars can kill mages, then orsino, then kill meredith.

Isn't choices and consequences wonderful? Huh? Everyone ends up dead anyway. So who cares.

[stray]

There are roughly a zillion games where you Save the World mostly all by your heroic self, I am perfectly fine with one where you don't.

No. I don't want to save anything. I just want to get the fuck out of Kirkwall. It would've made a powerful statement if Hawke just walk out of the city. That's the perfect anti-hero statement.

You both are not worth saving.

And the game quality wouldn't suffer, because ppl who like mages can still defend orsino, kill orsino, and kill meredith. While those who like templars can kill mages, then orsino, then kill meredith.

Isn't choices and consequences wonderful? Huh? Everyone ends up dead anyway. So who cares.

If it makes you feel better (at least, it makes me feel better), this is only the beginning of Hawke's tale apparently. It seems that the only big choice you can make is Who your version of Hawke is.. Not what they can do to the world. Gaider seems to be stressing that here and there.. And that the next game apparently will be more about what he does with the position he's in.

[Ingmar]

The next game won't be Hawke or the Warden, it will be a 3rd character. Possibly you are thinking of one of the statements that they've made about later DLC.

[stray]

The next game won't be Hawke or the Warden, it will be a 3rd character. Possibly you are thinking of one of the statements that they've made about later DLC.

Really? Damn. I thought Hawke was set to be like... the fantasy equivalent to Shepherd. I can understand ending the Warden's story, but this one has barely begun. Gaider called Hawke the most important person in Thedas for what he did.

edit: In any case, they are playing up the whole templar/mage angle for awhile. So they're sticking with this setting. Cassandra is set to be a major character in her own animated movie, plus a book.. Seems only natural to keep Hawke in the games.

[stray]

Ah, I see..

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-11-dragon-age-3-there-are-always-ideas

Sounds like Hawke's importance is simply due to the fact that Circles are gone.. that it opened up the world to include more magic (umm... I guess like most fantasy settings are).

Maybe Hawke doesn't need to be around. I was just under the impression from the last words of Cassandra with Varric, about her needing Hawke to help end the war, would be the premise of the new game.

[Ingmar]

If I had to hazard a guess, 3rd game will be in Orlais, and you'll be a Seeker, along the lines of Cassandra, but really there are a billion different ways they could go with it.

[stray]

If I had to hazard a guess, 3rd game will be in Orlais, and you'll be a Seeker, along the lines of Cassandra, but really there are a billion different ways they could go with it.

That would be cool in my opinion, but it'd probably piss off many. Seems to me that there are a lot of players who like the views expressed by Anders or Avernus. That the Chantry is full of lies.

Even funnier, some project their real hatred for the church on to the Chantry of Dragon Age (perhaps that's partly intended by the writers). Even non Chantry characters who simply believe in the Maker are generally looked down upon (Wynne, Bethany). I don't think being a Seeker would sit well.

[Sjofn]

If I had to hazard a guess, 3rd game will be in Orlais, and you'll be a Seeker, along the lines of Cassandra, but really there are a billion different ways they could go with it.

HEY THAT WAS WHAT I SAID


EDIT: And man, you aren't kidding with people projecting their hate of the Church onto the Chantry. I noticed that myself, but thought maybe it was just me imagining things.

[stray]

On another note, I just finished my Warrior playthrough. That was pretty sweet.

It almost seems like the game was balanced more around it.. the Arishok fight was much harder and drawn out, for example (before it was Force/Elemental mage).

[tmp]

The line I was talking about was when he snaps at you for bugging him to tell you about his people. He says, "People are not simple. They cannot be summarized for easy reference in the manner of: 'The elves are a lithe, pointy eared people who excel at poverty.'" Aside from the "lol elves," he has a good point to boot.

It's especially good when you happen to play a city elf

In other news, there's new "story DLC" planned on October 11th. Revolves around Felicia Day's self-insertion. (and in the game)

trailer

[stray]

My favorite line is from Dywn, the Dwarf in Redcliffe... if you try to persuade him to fight.

Warden: How about if I pay you?
Dywn: Are you serious? I'll go no lower than a sovereign.
Warden: 50 silvers, and that's my final offer.
Dywn: What do I look like, an elf?

[Sjofn]

Haha, I always just paid him the first amount he asked or bullied him, so I never heard that line. Hoo.

[koro]

Started my DAO two-hander Warrior attempt number two. Got done with Ostagar and collected Leliana, and now I'm already agonizing over what I want my party makeup to look like. Do I want two mages? And if I don't do two mages, who should I take? A respecced Morrigan, or ol' Wynne? Dedicated tank like Alistair or Shale, or just have my Warden up front hacking away with either Zevran backstabbing or Leliana pew pewing with arrows? Arrrgh.

I spend hours agonizing over this stuff, and I can't help it. It's even worse in Baldur's Gate.

[rk47]

Started my DAO two-hander Warrior attempt number two. Got done with Ostagar and collected Leliana, and now I'm already agonizing over what I want my party makeup to look like. Do I want two mages? And if I don't do two mages, who should I take? A respecced Morrigan, or ol' Wynne? Dedicated tank like Alistair or Shale, or just have my Warden up front hacking away with either Zevran backstabbing or Leliana pew pewing with arrows? Arrrgh.

I spend hours agonizing over this stuff, and I can't help it. It's even worse in Baldur's Gate.

I agree with you on the agonizing part.

Leliana is the better lockpicker. HOWEVER, if you can actually re-spec...she makes the best rogue of choice IMO since she has cunning bonus. If you bone her, you'll probably get them all. Bard/Assassin is pretty strong with dual daggers build with minimal stam usage.

Sten vs Alistair vs Oghren - Alistair & Oghren is better with CON bonus, Sten cannot dual specialize unfortunately. But since you got Alistair MUCH earlier, you can probably respec him into a formidable dual wield guy or tank capable of taking or dishing hurt.


You - Rogue - two mages wouldn't hurt with all the crowd control spells available. Don't rely on buffs that lower their mana store all the time. Do an alpha strike with their CC, THEN use the support buffs.

Or

You - Rogue - One Mage - One Shield / Dual Warrior is pretty balanced.

[stray]

Two mages is silly. You're doing something wrong if you can't get by with one.

Personally, I'd just go with Wynne since you can climb up to Haste quicker - and it's uber for a 2h warrior.

If you're a warrior and taking champion, best to fit in two other melee, as the buffs work well this way (it's a close area of effect).

Leliana as an archer doesn't really mesh well with Champion, but it doesn't exactly hurt if you kept her a melee rogue either. If you really want to min/max, you'd keep her as an archer, but I've played with it enough and it isn't that big of a difference. The real question is, can you stomach watching sweet Leliana lob off heads. "I tried to be merciful!"

[rk47]

yeah, but the two mages really enhance the gameplay cause he gets to try out twice the spells in every fight. Melee fighters are just mincing machine chop chop. Kinda boring after a while. The Rogue is pretty involved in a fight, though. If you take the trouble to maneuver Leliana with daggers to get the backstab...oooh. So much tasty crits popping out. And they're pretty much automatic. Shaming dual wield warriors everytime.

[stray]

The only reason where I might play two is if I was a mage myself, and wanted automated healing.

If he plays with two as a 2h, it works, but he probably should forgo champion in that case. It works better as a team melee spec. Go with Reaver and Beserker then. And get double haste from both Wynne and Morrigan. lol

[stray]

Oh, I forgot to add that the often useless Earthquake spell Wynne is working towards is perfect for a 2hander around. It'll knock everyone on their ass except your character, and you basically just wipe everything down.

[koro]

Oh, and one other thing. I see here that some of the DLC I have with the Ultimate Edition of DAO I got on Steam has stuff that can transfer to the OC and Awakenings, depending on the DLC. If I do, say, Darkspawn Chronicles or Leliana's Song, both of which have stuff that import over to the OC, will they be able to be brought to a campaign in progress, or can they only be brought to a new one?

[stray]

Oh, and one other thing. I see here that some of the DLC I have with the Ultimate Edition of DAO I got on Steam has stuff that can transfer to the OC and Awakenings, depending on the DLC. If I do, say, Darkspawn Chronicles or Leliana's Song, both of which have stuff that import over to the OC, will they be able to be brought to a campaign in progress, or can they only be brought to a new one?

Darkspawn and Leliana's song are standalone, but you unlock some stuff that will always be in your inventory once you play through (it reads this from an achievement you get I think). Leliana's song gives some great rogue armor.. one of the best in the game, in fact. It's even good for a noob warrior. Darkspawn gives a decent sword in the same fashion, but it's easily outclassed.. or good for a rogue later. You don't necessarily need it right away.

Best way to go about it is play Leliana's song first, then Origins. It fits storywise too, since it's a prequel.

edit: I'm not answering your question.. sorry. Y'know, I don't really know if you play later and if it will unlock in a mid game Origins playthrough.

[koro]

I guess I'll find out soon enough, since I'm trying Leliana's now. If it works, cool. If not, I'm not too terribly far in, so it's no real huge deal to restart.

[stray]

Hey is it me or is Meredith pretty hot?.. for a granny.

It kind of sucks that they don't delve into her character more. If anything, because she's cool looking.

[koro]

Hrm. No wonder Leliana's Song is so hard. Tug's supposed to have a bunch of sword and shield abilities, but starts with a bunch of two-hander ones.

I assume a mod I have's fucking it up, but disabling all of them still gives him the wrong skills.

Edit: And likewise Sketch has a completely wrong set of skills and no Spirit Healer spec.

[Sjofn]

It'll drop into your inventory no matter what point you're at, koro. Also, having mages at all is for pussies. No mage nightmare forever!

Actually, I should see if I can get away with no mage in DA2. Ooh ooh ooh, maybe do an ALL ROGUES ALL THE TIME party. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.



Fuck, what is wrong with me. :(

[stray]

Yeah, one mage is overkill as it is. Not that I'm some snobby l33t player, but I think the game's too easy to ruin it like that.

Not sure what's up with nug's and sketches talents, but Leliana's song is a bit harder in places than typical DAO encounters.

[koro]

Enabled and disabled mods and restarted it a few times and finally they ended up with the right stuff. Dunno what was up with that, but it was kind of stupid having no healing and Tug being essentially worthless.

[stray]

Not sure where to put this...

I finally decided to play through Witch Hunt. I kept hearing how it was worthless unless you romanced Morrigan. I just thought it'd be funny to kill her.. but.. I didn't. I couldn't bring myself to do that in the end. I felt sorry for her...

Anyways, not a great DLC, but I thought it was a good lead in to DA2. I wish I'd played it earlier. I get the feeling letting Morrigan live might make a powerful ally later on. Flemeth's story is definitely not fully told yet.

[tmp]

Anyways, not a great DLC, but I thought it was a good lead in to DA2. I wish I'd played it earlier. I get the feeling letting Morrigan live might make a powerful ally later on.

Morrigan has been pretty much confirmed to appear in DA3, so it may take that into account, yeah. On the other hand your warden character won't be playable if shows up at all, so who knows.

[stray]

Anyways, not a great DLC, but I thought it was a good lead in to DA2. I wish I'd played it earlier. I get the feeling letting Morrigan live might make a powerful ally later on.

Morrigan has been pretty much confirmed to appear in DA3, so it may take that into account, yeah. On the other hand your warden character won't be playable if shows up at all, so who knows.

Is she? Hmm.. I don't mind an unplayable Warden though. I'm more interested in what Flemeth is up to actually. I had this story in my head at first that she always knew there'd be a diaster at Ostagar - but only because she herself was responsible for poisoning Loghain's mind. With the ultimate goal of getting Morrigan pregnant with the Warden, so she could eventually prolong her life. An elaborate plan that took everything into account from the very beginning, down to the Warden fighting the archdemon.

But Morrigan says now that Flemeth's goal wasn't immortality.. that she was wrong about her. And it apparently, she's even worse.

[eldaec]

I can just about put up with the nickel and diming if the dlc website bioware use wasn't completely retarded. As it stands I cannot be bothered with DA2 for that reason alone.

Also day 0 dlc is bullshit price obfuscation and nothing more. But I'd put up with it if it wasn't such a fucking ballache to work out which dlc is actual content and which is thinly veiled cheat mode gear or horse armour, then download the relevant shit without needing three separate passwords, navigation of a bullshit 'points' website, then a 1gig download from some pos website with no download manager. Oh, also bioware need to sort out their shit re: international cards, against which the site sometimes randomly reserves credit but then doesn't take payment, screwing up the transaction and setting off fraud alarms in the process.

[Ingmar]

Yeah I really don't understand why they switched from the in-game store/download in DA:O to the retarded Mass Effect style go-to-website method for DLC.

[eldaec]

The in game thing in DAO never worked for me anyway because I live in a socialist paradise or something.

So my rage at bioware dlc has been building up throughout DAO and ME2.

At this point I give zero fucks about ME3 because of it.

[Ingmar]

The Xbox DLC method is normal (for the xbox) instead of retarded, if you have that platform option.

[eldaec]

I have trouble differentiating between the pernicious effects of consoles on modern gaming, and actual terrorism, so I don't have an xbox.