Dragon Age II

[AndreaDraco]

WTF.

Andrea, have you done the quest with the abducted Quanari or however you spell it?

I've done it yesterday.

I obviously chose to battle the loathsome Ser Varnell and then I told Viscount Dumar that he shouldn't burn the bodies. The Arishok must know. I'm horrified by these zealots. I would have liked to much an option to cut Sister Petrice's head, though. She's easily the character I hate the most in the entire game: she's a manipulative, baleful and bigoted b!tch.

Why WTF? Did you like it? Or are you thinking about the insane combat that comes afterwards? At the third waves of zealots I almost banged my head on the desk screaming "Enough!"

[AndreaDraco]

Oh, I just saw your post on the social site!

Here's what I did.

Aveline in full Tank mode (that is with some damage-resisting modes activated) engages Ser Varnell and Varric and Anders run right away at the two extremes of the room. Then my DPS mage casted, in rapid succession, Firestorm on the area and then tempest. These two spells combined are enough to get rid of the first wave. When the second appears, I casted a Force Mage spell - can't remember the name - at the center of the two AoE spells, so that the enemies where drawn at the center of the area, suffering heavy damage, and then Fireball and whatever damaging spell I got. In the mean time, Varric and Anders always select the same enemy to attack and, starting for the easiest one, pick them off one by one. It took me almost twenty minutes to beat the fight and it was really hard, but eventually I did.

What is your current party?

[AndreaDraco]

Sorry for the triple post... DPX, I don't know if you know, but the patch is out!

[Tawmis]

My party is ill prepared for that fight... it's me (Warrior), Isabella, Varric and Merrill (or however you spell her name). And what sucks is that you can't go back out the way you came in - it's gated off. So I have to go to a previous restore.

[AndreaDraco]

What type of warrior are you Tawmis? Sword & Shield or Two-Handed?

Anyway, I don't what spells you gave Merrill but the fight should still be doable, if you have a lot of health and stamina potions. It's pivotal to use some heavy AoE spells, though, since the second wave of enemies is composed of thugs with very scarce health and a single tempest should get rid of them all. The problem is the three Achers -- but maybe if Varric and Isabela can dish enough damage on these, you can do it. Merrill could also root Ser Vernell in place with Petrify.

If it can be helpful, as I said, I beat the fight with Hawke (Mage DPS), Anders (Healer), Varric (Ranged DPS) and Aveline (Tank). If you built her right, Ser Vernell can barely scratch her.

[Tawmis]

What type of warrior are you Tawmis? Sword & Shield or Two-Handed?

Anyway, I don't what spells you gave Merrill but the fight should still be doable, if you have a lot of health and stamina potions. It's pivotal to use some heavy AoE spells, though, since the second wave of enemies is composed of thugs with very scarce health and a single tempest should get rid of them all. The problem is the three Achers -- but maybe if Varric and Isabela can dish enough damage on these, you can do it. Merrill could also root Ser Vernell in place with Petrify.

If it can be helpful, as I said, I beat the fight with Hawke (Mage DPS), Anders (Healer), Varric (Ranged DPS) and Aveline (Tank). If you built her right, Ser Vernell can barely scratch her.

Well I have like a KAZILLION gold on me... So I am going to restore and fill up on potions. One thing that pisses me off, that I didn't realize till just before this fight - after you beat the stone guardian in Deep Roads, there's a treasure chest with a great staff in there. I immediately gave it to Bethany - who died - and the item did not return to my inventory.

[DeadPoolX]

Sorry for the triple post... DPX, I don't know if you know, but the patch is out!

Maia told me about this earlier today, but thanks anyway.

I downloaded it, but I'll probably wait another week to see if they make a patch to fix the importation issues. If they don't, well... then they probably won't do it at all (which would be extremely poor service considering an RPG is all about choices and decisions), in which case I'll play the game anyway.

[AndreaDraco]

DPX, I'm now near the end of Act 2 and I didn't stumble upon any import issue: the game correctly recognizes what I did in DA:O and, more importantly, what I did earlier in DA2 itself. Even on the official boards, the ones who experience this kind of problem are not only very few but they often have in common very particular and unusual flags, like defiling the Ashes with Leliana in the party, thus being forced to battle her. It seems that DA2 has only problems in recognizing this kind of extreme choices.

[Tawmis]

I did discover something else I dislike.

That when you try to drain all the dialogue out of your companions - sometimes, it forces ROMANTIC responses - where all three or four choices are ROMANTIC (or Heart Breaking) responses. For example, I was talking to Anders, to get as much out of him as I could, in terms of story and convo, and he eventually says, "There's a spirit in me, but I am still a man. Soon I won't be able to resist." And the responses were like "Kiss Me" (Romantic), "I Love A Bad Boy" (Romantic), and "Get A Hold Of Yourself!" (Heat Breaker). Why isn't there a neutral response of, "I am flattered, but we can only be friends." Especially since EVERYONE - even my character's mother - recognizes my relationship with Isabella (we had already "done the deed!") So as a result I suffered a -15 on Anders, because of that (because I didn't want to jeopardize anything with Isabella).

[AndreaDraco]

But there's nothing wrong with that, Tawmis.

In fact, Anders is a particular case. If Hawke's a man, Anders will always be entirely gay - subjective sexuality - and in fact I believe he also told you about Karl being his "first." I don't know how Hawke delivers that line - maybe he's too much of a jerk - but it's appropriate that you have only one option to turn him down, if you don't want to flirt with him or romance him. Anyway, 15 Rivalry is not like - 15 Approval. You can still develop a meaningful relationship with Anders on the rivalry path or you'll have plenty of chances to befriend him, if you're taking a pro-Mage stance.

[Tawmis]

But there's nothing wrong with that, Tawmis.
In fact, Anders is a particular case. If Hawke's a man, Anders will always be entirely gay - subjective sexuality - and in fact I believe he also told you about Karl being his "first." I don't know how Hawke delivers that line - maybe he's too much of a jerk - but it's appropriate that you have only one option to turn him down, if you don't want to flirt with him or romance him. Anyway, 15 Rivalry is not like - 15 Approval. You can still develop a meaningful relationship with Anders on the rivalry path or you'll have plenty of chances to befriend him, if you're taking a pro-Mage stance.

I get that. But if everyone else - even the female-warrior-guard-person-whose-name-I-can't-remember-because-I-never-use-her knows of the relationship with Isabella, and has made several comments... so why would Anders pursue it? In an attempt to get dialogue from Anders, now I have a -15. Not a big deal, as you said, but I was painted into a corner, that I don't think I should have been. In Origins, companions recognize relationships with other people, when you pursue it (like if you're trying to romance Zevaran and Leilana or Morigan and Leilana, etc).

I just thought it was a crappy way to handle it, that there was no "Hey, let's slow down a step here. I am with someone" kind of response.

[AndreaDraco]

Well, it's kind of like when Zevran hits on you even if you're in a relationship with someone else. Turning down his attentions always elicits an approval loss.

With that being said, I just reached a point in Act 2 where I actually cried. I don't remember crying for DA:O or DA:O:A, or ME/ME2 for that matter. There is one scene that... well, I was really, really sad.

[Tawmis]

Well, it's kind of like when Zevran hits on you even if you're in a relationship with someone else. Turning down his attentions always elicits an approval loss.

With that being said, I just reached a point in Act 2 where I actually cried. I don't remember crying for DA:O or DA:O:A, or ME/ME2 for that matter. There is one scene that... well, I was really, really sad.

Right, but with Zev, you have non heart breaking options, that don't really adjust his stance with you. This time, you don't. You either flirt, or do a heart breaker. No, "I am flattered but no thanks." type...

[Tawmis]

With that being said, I just reached a point in Act 2 where I actually cried. I don't remember crying for DA:O or DA:O:A, or ME/ME2 for that matter. There is one scene that... well, I was really, really sad.

DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'RE ON ACT III:
Does it have to do with Hawk's mother? If so - this is why I hate the social forum - because someone mentioned it in a non spoiler forum...

[AndreaDraco]

DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU'RE ON ACT III:

Does it have to do with Hawk's mother? If so - this is why I hate the social forum - because someone mentioned it in a non spoiler forum...

Yes.