Discussion: Tough Choices?

[violacea]

We're planning to post random DA topics for discussion on a regular basis, and since we got a suggestion, we decided to go with a version of it!

As a player, you make a lot of choices in the Dragon Age games, some tougher than others. So tell us - what is the hardest decision you (the player) have to make in-game? Which one sticks with you, or makes you pause to think every time you play? Which one makes you think the most, or makes you wonder about the in-game consequences no matter what way you go? Is it one of the major decisions, or a small one that could have lasting consequences?

(Bonus points if you pick something that doesn't boil down to mages vs. Templars. Because, well, that's the easy one. ;))

Comments

[shadoedseptmbr]

Bhelen vs. Harrowmont is one of my hardest choices, every time I run through DAO. I want to promote the stability of the dwarves, I hate to reward Bhelen for his familial betrayal, but I can't ignore the casteless.

[violacea]

That would be my first choice, too. The first time I played, I chose Harrowmont, no question, because he was more pleasant. But once I started learning more about Orzammar and each candidate's leanings, I started leaning more towards Bhelen. But Bhelen is a murdering jackass, so it's a little painful to reward him. It's a tough decision!

[norwood]

This is a really small one that may be silly--but in DA2 along the Wounded Coast at one point, you meet a couple of elves surrounding a human man. They claim he killed some of them, and he claims he's cursed as a werewolf. For being such an insignificant choice, I always have a hard time choosing whether to side with the elves or the human/werewolf, as want to give each the benefit of the doubt.

I'm sure there are others I've gotten stuck on, but I need to refresh myself in playing the games again...!

[shadoedseptmbr]

Ooh, that's a good one. It's linked, I think, to the nature of the beast quest in DAO.

[norwood]

Oh--is it? It's hard for me to tell what's linked between the games as I didn't get to import Aele when I did my first playthrough of DA2 with Maebh, and my other Hawkes don't have Wardens yet, either!

[shadoedseptmbr]

I think so...I could be wrong!

[norwood]

I should keep an eye out for it as I (eventually) go through Iain Cousland's playthrough--maybe I'll redo Aeron's again up to that point with the imported Iain save so I can get the full effect of imported data.

[fragilespark]

With a diplomatic Hawke, it's possible to resolve the situation peacefully, but otherwise you are right. You have to side with them and it's pretty tough to see the outcome, for example if you defend the human.

[norwood]

Yeah--now that you mention that, I think Aeron (my diplomatic mage) got them to resolve peacefully.

[nausikaa]

The last time I played Awakening, I spent about half an hour reading through other people's thoughts on whether or not to kill the Architect. I almost always kill him and plan on doing so for my first world state for Inquisition, and I'm sure this is going to come back to haunt me, but I just can't spare someone who's basically claiming to be a scientific expert but was inept enough to accidentally jump-start the Fifth Blight.

On a smaller scale, telling Filda about Ruck is one that bothers me. I always used to tell the truth because it felt like the right thing to do, but lately I've been like "wow yeah I probably shouldn't send a woman down into the Deep Roads alone since I just killed the Broodmother and presumably the darkspawn are going to want a new one." :/

[fragilespark]

oh wow, that is such a good point. scary!

[nausikaa]

It creeps me out just to think about it now. D:

[ex_tklivory319]

The respective fates of Loghain and Alistair in the Landsmeet. It depends entirely on which Warden I'm evaluating the situation with.

I don't think there's a single decision I make the same all the way through with every Warden, but that one is always one I view with dread.

[norwood]

My Warden, Aelethenn, wanted to recruit Loghain--it makes the most sense, and would be fitting with her personality to recruit as many Wardens as she could. But I wasn't anticipating that Alistair would LEAVE, and my first playthrough, I went back and killed Loghain instead. But… thinking about it, I think when I play her again I wil let Alistair leave. It is a tough decision!

[phdfan]

At the moment I'm stuck on how to resolve the situation in Redcliffe in DA:O. In my first playthrough, I took the whole "omg we need to do something NOW" very seriously, and sacrificed Isolde. Playing with my canon character again, I'm hesitating about making the same decision again, even though I think it was in character, because there's absolutely no negative consequences to going to the Circle and getting their help (despite the supposed urgency). So I guess this is more of a meta-gaming decision, but I'm stumped on it at the moment!

[cherith]

I am horrible about metagaming that decision. Since there's no real time constraint in place, it's easiest to just say... uh, brb I'll bring the mages. Of course the circle is a mess, but you have to go there anyway, you know? So might as well keep Isolde and Connor both, if you can. (Unless your Warden is an asshole, which can be kind of freeing in a way.)

[fragilespark]

The first DA2 playthrough was mages vs templars question at the end. It really was so difficult for my first Hawke :)

I can't really remember much of my first DAO playthrough but I really knew nothing about the world or the consequences.

I would say the one I usually struggle with now is how to deal with Gascard in DA2. There are so many outcomes and alternatives with different characters, and I'm also trying to roleplay it with each Hawke without getting too meta.

[rowex3yourboat]

In DAO, one of the choices that was hard for me (especially in my current playthrough) is whether or not to let the demon come back for Connor or not. I wanted the blood magic specialization and I know that my warden would feel that it would help her to defeat the blight. In my own grey morality, I always think that I'm buying him time to learn how to better defend himself, instead of just handing him over then and there. But that may just be a justification.

Also, whether or not to make Feynriel Tranquil or not.