Dragon Age: Origins.

[Maiandra]

Strange, because I have done the Urn, the initial part of the city (name is slipping my mind because I am at work uninstalling McAfee on this guy's machine - and been on this call for over 1.5 hours) - Denerum (sp I am sure) - did the Forest with the Dalish - did Flemeth part, did the Tower, did Haven... all that's left is Redcliff to finish (initial attack done), Deep Roads, and the second half of Denerum - and I still haven't fully romanced her. (And I go to camp frequently and speak with her frequently).

Really? Odd. She was hitting on my female rogue early on in the game, even before Alistair got particularly serious! I was actually surprised. Of course, I didn't pursue the romance with her, but it could have started fairly early. Did you find her personal gifts yet or do her companion quest? That's essential.

[DeadPoolX]

Depending on how often you go back to camp initially and when you do the companion quests, you can uncover a lot of dialogue fairly early on in the game and sometimes more than one section of it at a camp visit. I certainly felt like the dialogue options were exhausted earlier than I would have liked, even with Alistair and the romance. For a large part of DA:O it felt like main characters had little to say about seemingly important events.

I personally think that major events in the game should have special dialogue and that, in some ways, it is better to space it out a bit more. For the last third of DA:O or so I felt like my companions had very little to say, even when critical events occurred, which seemed odd. It's kind of difficult to allow the dialogues at camp to last for the entire game, when you don't know how many their are.

Strange, because I have done the Urn, the initial part of the city (name is slipping my mind because I am at work uninstalling McAfee on this guy's machine - and been on this call for over 1.5 hours) - Denerum (sp I am sure) - did the Forest with the Dalish - did Flemeth part, did the Tower, did Haven... all that's left is Redcliff to finish (initial attack done), Deep Roads, and the second half of Denerum - and I still haven't fully romanced her. (And I go to camp frequently and speak with her frequently).

I'm not sure what you're doing (or not doing), but it was easy for me to romance Leliana. Her personal quest also speeds things up; if you want Leliana to stay with you after you've finished the game and go onto DA:A, make sure to kill Marjolaine.

I don't think giving her a ton of gifts really help. Each time you give someone a gift, it reduces their "appreciation" of gits overall, so the next one you give will have less effect.

Unfortunately, I can't give you any tips here. I've only played through DA:O once and it's been quite a while since I played it.

[Tawmis]

I mean every time I talk to her, she's got dialogue for the most part. But I just did that little side personal quest of hers, where you learn someone's after her. I don't mind a slow romance (I had romanced her with my mage; and managed to even romance Zev with the mage as well). So I am just romancing her with the rogue, just to romance her (because I like the sound of her voice).

[AndreaDraco]

I find it strange too. Leliana is quite known for her quick approval of... well, almost everything (apart from defiling the Ashes, of course), and it's pretty easy to win her over. Do you travel with her or do you only talk with her at camp?

[Tawmis]

I find it strange too. Leliana is quite known for her quick approval of... well, almost everything (apart from defiling the Ashes, of course), and it's pretty easy to win her over. Do you travel with her or do you only talk with her at camp?

With this game on the PC, I am doing both (taking her from time to time, and camp). I am constantly swapping out people this play through, because I have officially gone through with everyone (except for the Dog) from start to finish; and with the Dog mod, this time Dog's with me from start to finish. But some legs of the adventure I will take different people, just to hear their dialogue with other people as I am walking around (so this isn't even based off their usefulness anymore...) With a party of five (the four you get, plus the dog mod) - there hasn't been much to stand in my way, other than my first fight with Flemeth. But once I beat the High Dragon by switching my Rogue to use the bow and arrow (though he has only like two skills in Archery) - and beating the High Dragon. I knew then I could take out Flemeth (which I did). So yeah, the party I take with me is utterly random almost every time (except for Dog, who is always with me).

The Deep Roads, when I get there, may be a different story, considering how long that is.

[Tawmis]

Ah, so there's the Locket (with the picture) and the Amulet (which is in Redcliff). The amulet goes to Alistar.

[Tawmis]

Amazing what play throughs bring back...

So I have been playing Origins - and just got to the part where Wynne collapses (now either I never saw this in my previous play throughs, or I just don't remember)... Anyway, she talks about how she died in Tower, defending her apprentice... and that there are benevolent spirits in the Fade (they just never make their presence known really, because they want nothing from humans; unlike the demons of the Fade). It's that benevolent spirit that keeps Wynne alive.

It could be said, when you fall in battle (should at least one person survive), it's benevolent spirits from the Fade that prevent you from actually dying.

Just a thought.

[Maiandra]

Amazing what play throughs bring back...

So I have been playing Origins - and just got to the part where Wynne collapses (now either I never saw this in my previous play throughs, or I just don't remember)... Anyway, she talks about how she died in Tower, defending her apprentice... and that there are benevolent spirits in the Fade (they just never make their presence known really, because they want nothing from humans; unlike the demons of the Fade). It's that benevolent spirit that keeps Wynne alive.

It could be said, when you fall in battle (should at least one person survive), it's benevolent spirits from the Fade that prevent you from actually dying.

Just a thought.

I always had the impression that people who fell were just incapacitated and not necessarily dying, but I could certainly see benevolent fade spirits watching over them until they got help. Maybe that was all they could do without possessing them and perhaps most weren't willing to risk that.

[AndreaDraco]

I always had the impression that people who fell were just incapacitated and not necessarily dying [...]

I agree. This is the most believable explanation, given the injuries and all.

[Rath Darkblade]

Depending on how often you go back to camp initially and when you do the companion quests, you can uncover a lot of dialogue fairly early on in the game and sometimes more than one section of it at a camp visit. I certainly felt like the dialogue options were exhausted earlier than I would have liked, even with Alistair and the romance. For a large part of DA:O it felt like main characters had little to say about seemingly important events.

I personally think that major events in the game should have special dialogue and that, in some ways, it is better to space it out a bit more. For the last third of DA:O or so I felt like my companions had very little to say, even when critical events occurred, which seemed odd. It's kind of difficult to allow the dialogues at camp to last for the entire game, when you don't know how many their are.

Strange, because I have done the Urn, the initial part of the city (name is slipping my mind because I am at work uninstalling McAfee on this guy's machine - and been on this call for over 1.5 hours) - Denerum (sp I am sure) - did the Forest with the Dalish - did Flemeth part, did the Tower, did Haven... all that's left is Redcliff to finish (initial attack done), Deep Roads, and the second half of Denerum - and I still haven't fully romanced her. (And I go to camp frequently and speak with her frequently).

I'm not sure what you're doing (or not doing), but it was easy for me to romance Leliana. Her personal quest also speeds things up; if you want Leliana to stay with you after you've finished the game and go onto DA:A, make sure to kill Marjolaine.

...Each time you give someone a gift, it reduces their "appreciation" of gits overall...

Are you saying that all the heroes all just gits? *runs and hides*

[DeadPoolX]

So... I was wondering how many companions could you kill or piss off in DA:O.

I've never tried this, so most of what I've written is based off what seems possible and not what I've actually done. Based on the approval sliders, I also imagine you can get someone to leave if they hate you.

I don't think you can do any of this with companions in DA:A or any of the DLC. I might be mistaken about DA:A, so if you guys know anything, speak up!

Here's what I've come up with so far...

ALISTAIR:
1. Choose to spare Loghain.
2. Make him King.
3. He kills the Archdemon (although that doesn't really count since it's the end of the game)

LELIANA:
1. Leave her to die at Lothering.
2. Kill during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest.
3. Piss her off to the point she leaves.

MORRIGAN:
1. Piss her off to the point she leaves.
2. Refuse her "hey-let's-make-a-baby!" option (this is only temporary, but still annoying if you rely on her as your Mage).

STEN:
1. Leave him to die at Lothering.
2. Piss him off to the point he leaves.

WYNNE:
1. Piss her off to the point she leaves.
2. Kill her during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest.

OGHREN:
1. Piss him off to the point he leaves.

ZEVRAN:
1. Piss him off to the point he leaves.
2. Tell him to "f*ck off" after beating him when he tries to assassinate you.
3. Kill him after beating him when he tries to assassinate you.

SHALE: (DLC for DA:O)
1. Don't revive her.
2. Piss her off to the point she leaves.

THE SECRET COMPANION (aka LOGHAIN):
1. Kill him yourself at the Landsmeet.
2. Let Alistair fight and kill him at the Landsmeet.
3. He kills the Archdemon (although that doesn't really count since it's the end of the game).

MABARI WARHOUND: -- Not possible when using the Human Noble origin.
1. Kill when first meeting him at the kennel at Ostagar.
2. Don't do the quest to heal him up.

[AndreaDraco]

In Awakening, you could choose to kill Nathaniel for Arl Howe's crimes, give Anders to the Templars and piss Velanna off by constantly taking an anti-elf stance. I don't know abou the other characters in the expansion.

[Rath Darkblade]

Huzzah! In Origins, I have just killed the High Dragon for the first time! First my character (a rogue) went down, then Alistair, but Morrigan and Wynne kept bombarding the dragon (who was down to about quarter health) and running away and drinking lots of health potions (which I'd been saving), so just as both M & W were down to about quarter health, the dragon went down...

...so I suppose it figures that I only have one free spot in my inventory to grab all that stuff from the dragon. Dammit!

[Tawmis]

Just beat Dragon Age: Origins on what will probably be my final play through in a very long time...

Just beat it as a Rogue, and for the first time, used Morigan's (or however you spell her name) - and... wow! There's quite a bit of talking to do at the end - considering my Warrior and Mage both did the ultimate sacrifice - my rogue was far more into looking out for himself. Pretty cool with the extra "Rogue" only missions in Denerum.

[AndreaDraco]

Just beat it as a Rogue, and for the first time, used Morigan's (or however you spell her name) - and... wow!

The Dark Ritual has to be my favorite ending. There are so many storytelling opportunities that can come from it. Especially if you convince Alistair to do the deed. If you haven't done so, I suggest that you replay Witch Hunt importing this save. Morrigan has some very interesting stuff to say about the Old God Baby.

Pretty cool with the extra "Rogue" only missions in Denerum.

The Slim Couldry's ones? They were great fun. On the other hand, I never really liked the "Favors for Certain Interested Parties" that you can acquire from the bartender in the Denerim Market's tavern. The love letters one was painful