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.

[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...!

[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." :/

[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.

[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!

[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.