Welcome back, my beautiful freaks, to the Assassin's Den! Today, I'm going to go into what many consider the worst game in the franchise, Dragon Age 2!
Dragon Age 2 is highly rated by the gaming media, but panned by fans. Why is that? Well, the game had a short development cycle; less than a year, in fact. It reuses the same areas over and over again to compensate for it, and they streamline a lot in order to fit the schedule. I also think that one of the things that a lot of gamers feel that it was build from the console up instead of being a PC focus like Origins was.
But with that said, this is the game that I have the most fun playing. Yes, you can tell that the development time is rushed, but what's in the game is polished. The combat system is fun, and the classes are far more focused, limiting the warrior and rogue to specific combat styles, while still giving the mage a dynamic building ability.
In this game, the warrior is either two handed weapons or sword and shield only, and focuses on 3 stats; strength, constitution and willpower. Armor is tied to the strength and constitution stat, so those are you main stats. Willpower gives more stamina to utilize your skills more often.
Rogue is dual wielding daggers or bow focused, and focuses on dexterity, cunning, willpower and constitution. Now, in this game, you don't have an unlocking skill, so cunning is the stat used to unlock anything, you need to get this as high as possible if you want to be the only party rogue. And since armor focuses on dex and cunning, you'll want to focus on those first. What I do is focus on Cunning primarily until I get to 40, which is what you need to unlock the hardest locks, then go 2 in dex and 1 in the other skills to make up for the character's "squishyness".
Mages are more focused, but also more survivable. Their focus is on magic and willpower, with constitution to buff your hit points. Armor focuses on magic and willpower, so that's where your focus should be. And the best thing about mages this time is that they have a melee attack; when enemies get up and close, they essentially use their magic stat to damage enemies in melee range with your staff.
And honestly? I'm very glad that they streamlined the influence system, giving bonuses to both extremely high and extremely low approval. And, with the exception that is Isabela, whom you have to get halfway through either the Friend or Rivalry meters (which I will cover in my entry about each companion) by the end of act 2 if you want her to return to you, it's pretty easy to get them to max by the end of the game if you're consistent, as no leaves based on approval like they did in Origins.
However, there is one big problem with DA2 that I figured out after watching an episode of Big Bang Theory with my father; in that episode, they pointed out that Indiana Jones had no impact on the plot of Raiders of the Lost Ark, since the Nazis succeeded in getting the ark in the end and were all killed anyway, and I realized that, in DA2, Hawke was pretty much the same way.
Hear me out on this; say that Hawke didn't trust Varric in the beginning. I know that, for the sake of the game, Hawke has to, but let's pretend that Hawke didn't. Varric would go and make the money he needed himself, and get the maps from Anders himself, since he was the one who brought up Anders to Hawke. He'd then go on the expedition into the Deep Roads, get betrayed by Bartrand, and either get out of there himself or not survive the betrayal. As for Hawke, they'd either go back to the one they worked for in the prologue, or, if a mage, they'd in Bethany's shoes if you don't take her into the Deep Roads. In fact, I think Carver would join the Templars regardless.
As for the companions, without Hawke bringing them together, I doubt Varric would have shown any interest in Anders after finding our he's an abomination. Aveline would still end up as Guard Captain, because I doubt she's sit on her hands about her mission if it was up to her. Isabela wouldn't end up in Varric or Hawke's circle, nor would Fenris, as they require assistance from Hawke. That said, Isabela would have still done her "chantry meeting at midnight" thing and gone her own way. Fenris, however, does not raid the mansion, as there's no indication that he does if you refuse the quest.
As for Merrill, I assume Hawke would go to Sundermount, release Flemeth, take Merrill to the city, and then leave her be, as Hawke would be busy trying to either protect themself or Bethany from the Templars.
Now, Act 2 changes very little without Hawke's intervention. The Arishok has no one they respect, so anything that happens around the Qunari would just piss him off without anyone attempting to calm him. Isabela still goes after the Tome of Koslun, and without Hawke giving her a reason to return, she'd be gone, just like she is if you don't have high enough approval. However, there are three important figures that would take on the Arishok at the end of the act; Guard Captain Aveline, First Enchanter Orsino and Knight Commander Meridith. They would marshal their forces, take the Vicount's Keep, and kill the Arishok and his Qunari forces.
Other companions fate would be as follows; Anders would still go after the Templar with the Tranquil Solution, and would still kill the mage girl. Aveline would likely fail to woo Donnic, and Varric, if he lives, would kill his brother when he raids his house. Merrill would go get the Arulin'Holm and finish her mirror, but only after arguing with Marethari.
Interestingly, I can see mage Hawke involved in the attack on the Vicount's keep, since they'd likely be in Bethany's position, along with Carver fighting alongside Meredith. However, Warrior or Rogue Hawke would likely be defending any home they built after Bethany is taken to the Circle, and would have MAYBE gone after Bethany, if they knew she was in danger at all.
Act 3 wouldn't really change at all. Anders still blows up the Chantry, and Meredith still declares the Right of Annulment. The only real difference is that the Templars succeed if Hawke isn't there to defend the mages. And that means that mage Hawke (because it is HIGHLY unlikely that Carver would be right there at the right time) or Bethany dies at this point.
As for the companions, Aveline still deals with her quest, though the events would be the ones where she never married Donnic. Varric would once again raid his brother's former estate, but without Hawke there to influence him, he'd keep the idol. As for Merrill? She'd still go to the demon to activate the Eluvian, and would encounter Abomination Marethari. Without Hawke to help here, there'd be two outcomes; either she'd die at the ends of the demon, who would then attack the Sabrae clan and force them to kill her, or Merrill would kill the demon, and would subsequently be killed by her former clan.
As for DLC, Mark of the Assassin would go off without a hitch, since at the end, Duke Prosper doesn't care for what the Tal-Vashoth Salit gives him and kills him anyway. So truly, nothing Hawke or Tallis did there mattered.
However, Legacy DOES require input from Hawke. In order for Inquisition to happen, Corypheus requires Hawke to release him though that blood ritual at the end. And I can actually think of some easy ways to get Hawke involved; Act 1 is easy. They would use their contacts via Gamlen or their chosen prologue employer to track down the Carta dwarves, and go off to wake Corypheus. In act 2 and 3, it's even easier; the Carta attacks the Circle, either to get Bethany, or Hawke and Carver. If it's Hawke and Carver, the solution is simple; send Hawke and Carver, along with a compliment of Templars to investigate. However, if Hawke is a warrior or rogue, I guarantee that, after being attacked by the Carta themself, they'd be going to check on Bethany.
Even despite its problems, though, DA2 is my favorite game to play, if not experience. It's not a Bioware fan's RPG, but if you keep that in mind, it's a good time throughout the game.
Look forward to my entry on the companions, and stay beautiful freaks!
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