You have control over similar things in DA2 - you can miss companions, companions can leave depending on your actions, and party members and major NPCs can develop differently and make different decisions depending on how you interact with them.
More than likely we have different opinions on what counts as change. For example you say you can miss companions, and yet you actually can't. Generally when I see people missing companions it boils down to either Fenris or Isabella.
Isabella:
The only way you can miss Isabella is if you get caught by a known bug or never visit the Hanging Man after you complete the requirements for her to show up. Considering you're required to visit there numerous times, it'd be almost impossible to miss her unless you were intending to do so (assuming she wasn't bugged). And even then, it's due to user fault, not by some storyline function.
She is also the only one you can actually lose. I'm assuming you also mean your Brother/Sister, which might be valid but they have no impact on the rest of the game if they live or die after the Deep Roads except as a single extra body in the final boss fight, that you can't control and barely contributes
Zevran:
The only way to miss him is to never do the quests you get in the mail.
Neither one is possible to "miss". One is bugged, and one is a choice.
And, what major NPC develops differently due to your choices?
You can miss them just as easily as you could the equivalent characters in DA:O... Sten you can leave in the cage and Zevran you can kill when you meet or just tell him to bug off (IIRC). It'd be pretty hard to "miss" Sten or Zevran in the first game, and you can not recruit Fenris/Isabela the same way: by just ignoring them and not doing their quests.
And (DA2 and DA:O spoilers)
Isabella is the only character you can lose, but in the first game you can only lose Alistair (and replace him with Loghain) as far as I know.
The NPC I was thinking of is Cullen, though I actually don't know how much he changes (I've only done one playthrough all the way).
I actually meant Fenris in my original quote on recruitment, not Zevran. Plus in Dragon Age: Origins you had Wynne (to kill or not to kill when you meet her), the Ashes issue (two possible deaths/companions leaving), the Forge (Oghren/Shale), and Zevran's storyline (which you couldn't just avoid).
As for the recruitment issue, in general, you actually kind of proved my point. When you mentioned missing companions, I was pointing out how it was impossible to actually miss someone in DA2 (which again, it is unless you intentionally skip them or get bugged out with Isabella), whereas in DA1 (as you pointed out) you can miss people (really just Sten and Leiliana). Also, when I say "miss" I mean simply not encounter. You always encounter Zevran whether you like it or not and regardless of what the outcome is. Sten & Lieliana you have to actually search for, but you have to intentionally avoid the quest for Fenris and somehow avoid the tavern for 3/4 of the main quest line in Act 1 to miss Isabella (which I'm not actually sure is even possible and people are just missing her due to one of the two bugs preventing you from getting her).
Edit:
Hypothetically you could say you lose either Anders or Sebastian in DA2, except considering that choice has absolutely no story based impact for the rest of the game - although it might in future DLC - its pretty pointless since we're talking about decisions and differences as they're reflected in-game
I heard one person at least bitch about lack of party members in DA:O.
Turns out they
missed Sten (how do you not talk to the Qunari in the cage? Speed run through? Stupidity?) killed Wynne in the tower, killed Zevran and then defiled the Urn and had to kill Leliana. So they played the game with Alistair, Morrigan and Barkspawn until they finally got Oghren.
Well, I guess if you are kind of a bad player, and you like to roleplay a complete douche, then yeah, I guess DA:O didn't have enough party members. :P
which then crashed during the loading of the next area, which kind of ruined the moment but oh well... makes me wish i had taken Bethany down in the deep roads without anders for a truly tragic story for hawke
1) Do you only unlock 2nd costumes for romance completetion or is it some other metric?
2) can someone summarise the Band of Three, Mysteries of Kirkwall thing. The achievement seems to imply it is something important but there's no quest and it's just codex entries. Aside from lore, is there any tangible reason to pursue it?
1) Do you only unlock 2nd costumes for romance completetion or is it some other metric?
2) can someone summarise the Band of Three, Mysteries of Kirkwall thing. The achievement seems to imply it is something important but there's no quest and it's just codex entries. Aside from lore, is there any tangible reason to pursue it?
1) you get the alternate armor for getting all upgrades.
2) there's something special attached to getting all the enigmas.
Is Anders losing his rune slot when he gets his armor upgrade a bug? I have all four upgrades for his armor, and I had a rune slot before the armor change...
1) Do you only unlock 2nd costumes for romance completetion or is it some other metric?
2) can someone summarise the Band of Three, Mysteries of Kirkwall thing. The achievement seems to imply it is something important but there's no quest and it's just codex entries. Aside from lore, is there any tangible reason to pursue it?
1) you get the alternate armor for getting all upgrades.
I don't think that's correct. I had all the upgrades for Merril but did not romance her, and her armor did not update. Conversely, Ander's upgraded, and I neither romanced or fully upgraded him. I think the criteria varies from companion to companion. Anders you have to support at key points in his personal quests I believe (Act 3 for me at least), and Merril you need to romance fully I've read. Beyond that, I'm not sure.
Merrill's armor upgraded right after she moved in, I was a dick to Anders the whole time but his armor randomly upgraded in the middle of act 3. I didn't fully upgrade either of them.
2) can someone summarise the Band of Three, Mysteries of Kirkwall thing. The achievement seems to imply it is something important but there's no quest and it's just codex entries. Aside from lore, is there any tangible reason to pursue it?
Sure.
There's twelve codex entries, four per act. Collect three per act, you get an achievement. The entries summarized:
Act 1:
1) Three gentlemen vow to uncover the ancient Tevinter lore hidden beneath Kirkwall.
2) Kirkwall was founded before the quarries were discovered.
3) A vast amount of Tevinter relics and tomes can be found in the shadier parts of Kirkwall. This is because there's a large amount of unlooted chambers and passages underneath the city.
4) The Band of Three bribe the Viscount to gain access to restricted files. When Tevinter fell, three magisters and their retinues were sent to Kirkwall, but they never arrived.
Act 2:
1) Tevinter had hundreds of mages residing and working underneath the city, in full secrecy.
2) Kirkwall was apparently designed to correspond to ancient symbols of power revered by some Tevinter magisters.
3) For every thousand slaves that passed through Kirkwall over the years, one hundred simply disappeared.
4) A greater percentage of Circle Mages in Kirkwall fail their Harrowing, and a larger percentage dabble in Blood Magic.
Act 3:
1) Thousands of slaves were killed beneath the city for some sort of blood magic ritual.
2) The magisters were deliberately thinning the Veil beneath the city.
3) Someone found a large, unlooted chamber. It contained a great deal of tomes, including the Fell Grimoire (Xebenkeck's whole deal).
4) The Band goes to the "center of it all". Two die, and the survivor speaks of a "Forgotten One" that he has to go back to stop.
does anyone have some concrete evidence on which stat to push as an archer?
Cunning with a modest amount of Dex.
Many buffs increase crit chance by a flat rate, making it quite easy to hit 90%+.
Pumping Crit Damage only helps from then on out.
Is the number it shows with the stats the base, or adjusted rate?
Depends, and no one rightly knows.
Sometimes your character sheet shows you with buffs. Other times it doesn't. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, and it makes it extremely aggravating.
It definitely did have the best twist out of all the Bioware games.
Bioware is like the M Night of crpgs with how they always have that big twist. (not a bad thing though)
True that, I throughly wanted to punch that asshat in the face when I found out what was going on.
Jade Empire was also the only game that actually making me feel dirty for taking the "evil" path. I ended up breaking down halfway into the last part and reloading to an earlier, because I just couldn't support that level of douchebaggery.
(wow, I'm totally replying to some shit from a page ago. Go me!)
(to make it more on topic... errrr, ummm.... so who else wishes Barkspawn had more dialogue?)
I think you will always have to have Loghian or Alistair#
'Or' being the operative word
well you can cheese it apparently.
but considering DA3 will very likely be about the fereldan-orlesian war, I'm sorta bummed i won't have loghain around to kick some frenchie ass
For my own part I'm not fond of listening to a game rife with constant French accents. Nothing against the french, it's just hard for me to listen to accents that aren't natively English.
I think you will always have to have Loghian or Alistair#
'Or' being the operative word
well you can cheese it apparently.
but considering DA3 will very likely be about the fereldan-orlesian war, I'm sorta bummed i won't have loghain around to kick some frenchie ass
For my own part I'm not fond of listening to a game rife with constant French accents. Nothing against the french, it's just hard for me to listen to accents that aren't natively English.
weud yew laik a croissant wiz yeur drink, messere?
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
DomhnallMinty D. Vision!ScotlandRegistered Userregular
edited March 2011
DA: O companions:
spoilers, I guess.
Mages:
Wynne - Can't be missed. Can be killed when you meet her, turns on you 100% if you defile the urn of scared ashes.
Morrigan - Can't be missed. Can leave you before the battle of Denerim if you don't agree with her.
Rogues:
Leilana - In the pub in Lothering and can be missed. Turns on you if you defile the urn, can be persuaded to stick with you though.
Zevran - Can't be missed. Can be killed when you meet him, can turn on you for the Antivan Crows.
Warriors:
Sten - Can be missed by people who don't pay any attention at all.
Alistair: Sticks with you all the way unless you spare Loghain.
Loghain: Replaces Alistair if you spare him.
Oghren: Can't be missed. Pretty sure he always stays with you.
Shale - Can be missed if you don't go to the golden map markers. Turns on if you support Branka and not Caridan.
Dog - Can be missed if you don't heal him. Only Human noble 100% gets the dog. 9I think, I could never let the wee guy die)
So you can go to the final battle with you, Oghren and Loghain. Is that right? Oh God I may have to do that one day. Not sure if people leave you if they disapprove too much. Never had it happen to me.
I did like at the end of DA 2 though when:
Prologue my brother died, act 1 my sister died, act 2 Isabella left me permenantly, act 3 at the end Anders was sent away for being a dick but I was playing a super nice guy so Sebastian left because I wouldn't kill him and then Fenris left because I sided with the mages. I love it how despite my constantly trying to play the nice, diplomatic guy everything went to shit and I was left with me, Varric, Merril and Aveline.
Domhnall on
Xbox Live - Minty D Vision Steam - Minty D. Vision! Origin/BF3 - MintyDVision
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
The quest actually doesn't resolve until Act 2- so don't fret.
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
The quest actually doesn't resolve until Act 2- so don't fret.
Uhm, so are you saying that the first meeting with the Arishok in Act 1 has no effect on the achievement? Because that's what I'm questioning. I'm pretty sure I know what to do/say in Act 2 to impress him.
Fenris- Only if you romance- just a red scarf around his wrist
Anders- Fully friendship or Rival- Green outfit
Merrill- Only if you romance- White Elven armor
Isabela- Full friendship or rival- black corset
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
The quest actually doesn't resolve until Act 2- so don't fret.
Uhm, so are you saying that the first meeting with the Arishok in Act 1 has no effect on the achievement? Because that's what I'm questioning. I'm pretty sure I know what to do/say in Act 2 to impress him.
The only thing that matters in Act 1 (as far as I can tell from the Prima guide):
After Shepherding Wolves, let the Arishok know you killed his men.
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
The quest actually doesn't resolve until Act 2- so don't fret.
Uhm, so are you saying that the first meeting with the Arishok in Act 1 has no effect on the achievement? Because that's what I'm questioning. I'm pretty sure I know what to do/say in Act 2 to impress him.
The only thing that matters in Act 1 (as far as I can tell from the Prima guide):
After Shepherding Wolves, let the Arishok know you killed his men.
Ahhhh, alright thanks.
My confusion was over the fact that no matter what i say during Blackpowder Promise, the Arishok calls me greedy and random.
Fenris- Only if you romance- just a red scarf around his wrist
Anders- Fully friendship or Rival- Green outfit
Merrill- Only if you romance- White Elven armor
Isabela- Full friendship or rival- black corset
My Anders had a black robe. Does he advance again if you get it full?
Domhnall on
Xbox Live - Minty D Vision Steam - Minty D. Vision! Origin/BF3 - MintyDVision
If he's that pissed off about Anders, he shouldn't run away and try to raise an army to kill Anders. He should just whip out his bow and arrow right then and there and take him out.
And why didn't Meredith just execute Anders right after the Chantry blew up? It seems like he'd be a good place to start.
He wasn't gonna raise an army against Anders, but rather all of Kirkwall. It's funny though, if you kill Anders, he'll have absolutely no problem siding with the mages, as he knew very well that it was Anders' fault, not the mages in general.
EDIT: Plus, the Mages and Anders were trying to get their distance away from the Templars once Meredith called forth the Right of Annulment, which is why she couldn't kill him right then and there, as they had already fled.
So I took Bethany, and she died, but right before she died i equipped her with some pretty nice mage stuff. Do I just not get any of that shit back? I mean right before she dies they give you a nice mage staff that I'd imagine a lot of people gave to her. Am I screwed?
Ugh... I can't even play this game right now. I'm so pissed that Ander's thinks he can move into my home. Why is there not a heart break option! Or a cheat on him option!
I can't stand his party banter either. He doesn't seem to understand that he's the healer and he should shut up!
Sorry my rage has been building for a while. Just started act 3. Think I'm too far gone on changing romance options. I just yell at him whenever I get the chance now (like a real relationship).
Ugh... I can't even play this game right now. I'm so pissed that Ander's thinks he can move into my home. Why is there not a heart break option! Or a cheat on him option!
I can't stand his party banter either. He doesn't seem to understand that he's the healer and he should shut up!
Sorry my rage has been building for a while. Just started act 3. Think I'm too far gone on changing romance options. I just yell at him whenever I get the chance now (like a real relationship).
Most romance characters will opt to move in with you after the "love scene". The exception is Isabela and Fenris, though Fenris can opt to move in during his Act 3 version of "Questioning Beliefs".
Ugh... I can't even play this game right now. I'm so pissed that Ander's thinks he can move into my home. Why is there not a heart break option! Or a cheat on him option!
I can't stand his party banter either. He doesn't seem to understand that he's the healer and he should shut up!
Sorry my rage has been building for a while. Just started act 3. Think I'm too far gone on changing romance options. I just yell at him whenever I get the chance now (like a real relationship).
Don't worry. I think you'll appreciate an opportunity soon to be available to you.
Posts
I actually meant Fenris in my original quote on recruitment, not Zevran. Plus in Dragon Age: Origins you had Wynne (to kill or not to kill when you meet her), the Ashes issue (two possible deaths/companions leaving), the Forge (Oghren/Shale), and Zevran's storyline (which you couldn't just avoid).
As for the recruitment issue, in general, you actually kind of proved my point. When you mentioned missing companions, I was pointing out how it was impossible to actually miss someone in DA2 (which again, it is unless you intentionally skip them or get bugged out with Isabella), whereas in DA1 (as you pointed out) you can miss people (really just Sten and Leiliana). Also, when I say "miss" I mean simply not encounter. You always encounter Zevran whether you like it or not and regardless of what the outcome is. Sten & Lieliana you have to actually search for, but you have to intentionally avoid the quest for Fenris and somehow avoid the tavern for 3/4 of the main quest line in Act 1 to miss Isabella (which I'm not actually sure is even possible and people are just missing her due to one of the two bugs preventing you from getting her).
Edit:
And, for the record, Cullen doesn't change.
Turns out they
Well, I guess if you are kind of a bad player, and you like to roleplay a complete douche, then yeah, I guess DA:O didn't have enough party members. :P
2) can someone summarise the Band of Three, Mysteries of Kirkwall thing. The achievement seems to imply it is something important but there's no quest and it's just codex entries. Aside from lore, is there any tangible reason to pursue it?
1) you get the alternate armor for getting all upgrades.
2) there's something special attached to getting all the enigmas.
I don't think that's correct. I had all the upgrades for Merril but did not romance her, and her armor did not update. Conversely, Ander's upgraded, and I neither romanced or fully upgraded him. I think the criteria varies from companion to companion. Anders you have to support at key points in his personal quests I believe (Act 3 for me at least), and Merril you need to romance fully I've read. Beyond that, I'm not sure.
does anyone have some concrete evidence on which stat to push as an archer?
Cunning with a modest amount of Dex.
Many buffs increase crit chance by a flat rate, making it quite easy to hit 90%+.
Pumping Crit Damage only helps from then on out.
Act 1:
1) Three gentlemen vow to uncover the ancient Tevinter lore hidden beneath Kirkwall.
2) Kirkwall was founded before the quarries were discovered.
3) A vast amount of Tevinter relics and tomes can be found in the shadier parts of Kirkwall. This is because there's a large amount of unlooted chambers and passages underneath the city.
4) The Band of Three bribe the Viscount to gain access to restricted files. When Tevinter fell, three magisters and their retinues were sent to Kirkwall, but they never arrived.
Act 2:
1) Tevinter had hundreds of mages residing and working underneath the city, in full secrecy.
2) Kirkwall was apparently designed to correspond to ancient symbols of power revered by some Tevinter magisters.
3) For every thousand slaves that passed through Kirkwall over the years, one hundred simply disappeared.
4) A greater percentage of Circle Mages in Kirkwall fail their Harrowing, and a larger percentage dabble in Blood Magic.
Act 3:
1) Thousands of slaves were killed beneath the city for some sort of blood magic ritual.
2) The magisters were deliberately thinning the Veil beneath the city.
3) Someone found a large, unlooted chamber. It contained a great deal of tomes, including the Fell Grimoire (Xebenkeck's whole deal).
4) The Band goes to the "center of it all". Two die, and the survivor speaks of a "Forgotten One" that he has to go back to stop.
It's actually kind of intriguing stuff.
Is the number it shows with the stats the base, or adjusted rate?
Depends, and no one rightly knows.
Sometimes your character sheet shows you with buffs. Other times it doesn't. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, and it makes it extremely aggravating.
True that, I throughly wanted to punch that asshat in the face when I found out what was going on.
Jade Empire was also the only game that actually making me feel dirty for taking the "evil" path. I ended up breaking down halfway into the last part and reloading to an earlier, because I just couldn't support that level of douchebaggery.
(wow, I'm totally replying to some shit from a page ago. Go me!)
(to make it more on topic... errrr, ummm.... so who else wishes Barkspawn had more dialogue?)
'Or' being the operative word
well you can cheese it apparently.
but considering DA3 will very likely be about the fereldan-orlesian war, I'm sorta bummed i won't have loghain around to kick some frenchie ass
For my own part I'm not fond of listening to a game rife with constant French accents. Nothing against the french, it's just hard for me to listen to accents that aren't natively English.
weud yew laik a croissant wiz yeur drink, messere?
Does anyone know how to resolve Blackpowder Promise in Act 1 if you're going for Worthy Rival cheevo?
Can't find anything online except a long and incredibly nerdy voiced over video guide, which I quite frankly refuse to watch.
(What is up with video guides anyway? Is literacy really that dead that someone would rather make a 10 minute video than type up a couple fucking paragraphs?)
spoilers, I guess.
Wynne - Can't be missed. Can be killed when you meet her, turns on you 100% if you defile the urn of scared ashes.
Morrigan - Can't be missed. Can leave you before the battle of Denerim if you don't agree with her.
Rogues:
Leilana - In the pub in Lothering and can be missed. Turns on you if you defile the urn, can be persuaded to stick with you though.
Zevran - Can't be missed. Can be killed when you meet him, can turn on you for the Antivan Crows.
Warriors:
Sten - Can be missed by people who don't pay any attention at all.
Alistair: Sticks with you all the way unless you spare Loghain.
Loghain: Replaces Alistair if you spare him.
Oghren: Can't be missed. Pretty sure he always stays with you.
Shale - Can be missed if you don't go to the golden map markers. Turns on if you support Branka and not Caridan.
Dog - Can be missed if you don't heal him. Only Human noble 100% gets the dog. 9I think, I could never let the wee guy die)
So you can go to the final battle with you, Oghren and Loghain. Is that right? Oh God I may have to do that one day. Not sure if people leave you if they disapprove too much. Never had it happen to me.
I did like at the end of DA 2 though when:
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The quest actually doesn't resolve until Act 2- so don't fret.
Uhm, so are you saying that the first meeting with the Arishok in Act 1 has no effect on the achievement? Because that's what I'm questioning. I'm pretty sure I know what to do/say in Act 2 to impress him.
Fenris- Only if you romance- just a red scarf around his wrist
Anders- Fully friendship or Rival- Green outfit
Merrill- Only if you romance- White Elven armor
Isabela- Full friendship or rival- black corset
Ahhhh, alright thanks.
My confusion was over the fact that no matter what i say during Blackpowder Promise, the Arishok calls me greedy and random.
My Anders had a black robe. Does he advance again if you get it full?
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EDIT: Plus, the Mages and Anders were trying to get their distance away from the Templars once Meredith called forth the Right of Annulment, which is why she couldn't kill him right then and there, as they had already fled.
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I can't stand his party banter either. He doesn't seem to understand that he's the healer and he should shut up!
Sorry my rage has been building for a while. Just started act 3. Think I'm too far gone on changing romance options. I just yell at him whenever I get the chance now (like a real relationship).
Most romance characters will opt to move in with you after the "love scene". The exception is Isabela and Fenris, though Fenris can opt to move in during his Act 3 version of "Questioning Beliefs".
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PSN: GamingFreak1234
Don't worry. I think you'll appreciate an opportunity soon to be available to you.
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What are the stats on that hat?