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[Xeteh]

Bought and started playing this game today, so far so good. I picked Hard though, but I am starting to believe I'm regretting that choice; every regular encounter with the Templars in the Hinterlands feels like a prolonged boss battle. I keep chewing through my potions and the battles just go on and on and on and on and on.

Is the game supposed to be this hard this early, or am I doing something very wrong? I went for a 2-hander warrior, if that makes any difference.

Melee characters are in a tough spot at the start. Enemy swings seem to hit in such a wide arc around them so you're constantly taking damage and with your two hand swings you're likely getting a lot of aggro. Make sure Cassandra (I assume you're still using her) has both taunts in the Vanguard tree. Also make sure to get your character Charging Bull for your warrior. It has a low cooldown, generates guard and sets up knockdowns for Mighty Blow. Use it constantly, CB is amazing. Don't bother getting it on your tank... the AI has no idea how to use it.

You'll want to try picking up the defensive passives in the S&B tree for both your tank and yourself, too. Your warrior will end up with some skills it can't use (requires shield) but the passives are godly. Turn the Bolt and Turn the Blade specifically.

 

[supergiz]

Can you have sex with Josephine as a make dwarf? Farthest I'm getting is that

Spoiler

kissing scene

. What am I missing here?

 

[AnathemicOne]

Can you have sex with Josephine as a make dwarf? Farthest I'm getting is that

Spoiler

kissing scene

. What am I missing here?

Josephine doesn't have a sex scene, though she still has a romance scene at the end of her romance plot like other romance-able characters.

 

[jgwhiteus]

I put the game down after beating it a week ago and the idea of getting back into it is really intimidating to me. There's just soooo much to each map. It's a wonderful accomplishment (there's more on one map in this game than all of dragon age 2), and I think they really nailed a perfect balance of lore/exploration/conversation/story, but it's just so much to take on again. Also, i feel like the story for the hero isn't specific enough to what you choose to make yourself in the beginning like it was in Origins, to the point which I feel like regardless of what I make myself it'd be the same experience over again. Not saying that's a bad thing, but I think it's going to lead me to stay away for a few months before giving the game another go. Also, I think I missed picking up a character on my playthrough. I never got that female mage in my group. There were also a few quest bugs that stopped my romance arc I had going. Other than that, amazing amazing game.

I'm kind of in the same boat with a second playthrough. I generally like the first half of the game, but there are just some areas (Exalted Plains, Hissing Wastes) which I'm really not looking forward to going through again. So now I'm thinking of setting it aside and playing Origins and maybe even DA2 again, since I haven't touched those in a while, and waiting for patches / updates to DA:I before finishing it a second time.

 

[leng jai]

Finally got around to killing my first dragon at level 17. It was the Minstrel in Emerald Graves. Definitely felt good - love how the dragon fights in this game are far better than the ones in Skyrim. They should have integrated them into the main storyline more.

Iron Bull was dead for literally 95% of the fight which is ironic because of his reaction afterwards.

 

[supergiz]

Josephine doesn't have a sex scene, though she still has a romance scene at the end of her romance plot like other romance-able characters.

It didn't trigger the achievement? Is there something else I have to do to trigger the achievement?

 

[painey]

when I did the choose the mages/templars main quest I had to do it from start to end.. I couldn't fast travel somewhere else during it and fo other stuff. Will the next main story mission be the same, or can I bounce around? I'm scared of being stuck in a mission where I'm under levelled and cant proceed without dropping the difficulty

 

[Xeteh]

when I did the choose the mages/templars main quest I had to do it from start to end.. I couldn't fast travel somewhere else during it and fo other stuff. Will the next main story mission be the same, or can I bounce around? I'm scared of being stuck in a mission where I'm under levelled and cant proceed without dropping the difficulty

All the main missions that behave like that are indicated with a glowing rift over the icon on the war table. They also have a recommended level range in the quest description.

 

[Varna]

Is it true that 2-handed Warriors blow on nightmare? I was thinking of having Cassandra or Blackwall as 2-hander...

 

[Xeteh]

Is it true that 2-handed Warriors blow on nightmare? I was thinking of having Cassandra or Blackwall as 2-hander...

When controlled by the AI? Absolutely. AI companions can't figure out how not to avoid damage. One of the best skills they have is Charging Bull and they can't use it properly. They just die constantly.

 

[Schweinehund]

Is it true that 2-handed Warriors blow on nightmare? I was thinking of having Cassandra or Blackwall as 2-hander...

I dunno, ironbull is doing fine in my group but he has a few vanguatrd skills that give him guard, and I have double barrier in my group. Cole seems to die really quick. So I guess the easiest way to play is to do 3 ranged/ 1 melee, but you can definitely get a 2 hand warrior to work.

 

[AnathemicOne]

It didn't trigger the achievement? Is there something else I have to do to trigger the achievement?

Are you sure you're at the end of the romance plot? Usually they give a dialogue screen and under the options the highlighted description is "Commit to a relationship with X" which is different from "Start a romance with X" at the beginning.

when I did the choose the mages/templars main quest I had to do it from start to end.. I couldn't fast travel somewhere else during it and fo other stuff. Will the next main story mission be the same, or can I bounce around? I'm scared of being stuck in a mission where I'm under levelled and cant proceed without dropping the difficulty

In story/plot missions you are locked into its specific instance, so no you can't bounce around during it. If you're worried about difficulty just look at the level thresholds recommended on the war table before you go and do them. Usually I engage the plot missions when I'm at the max level recommended or a level below the max (though due to me exploring all the time I'm usually 2 levels above the max recommended).

 

[Damerman]

Crestwood, the Emprise, the Western Approach are standouts to me. Hinterlands is too big, Hissing Wastes and Oasis are primarily loot zones, Storm Coast has really no story once you deal with the Bandits which is fairly early in the zone. Exalted Plains was a missed opportunity to flesh out the three sides of the Civil War in more than just an ambient way so that the Winter Palace feels more contextualized.

this is 99.99% spot on... you forgot emerald graves, which i don't fault you for considering how... forgettable it was. i liked exploring the haunted mansion, but you can tell they ran out of steam in terms of writing. the storyline with the noble who says he isn't noble and the haunted mansion were very bare bones... other than that i very much agree with what you said.

 

[Damerman]

BioWare had some ideas regarding power but they didn't make the cut I fear. One of them was that by amassing enough power you could declare yourself divine. Quote from an art director at BioWare:

thedas would explode... why did they not include this?

 

[Ivory Samoan]

QuestionDragonGAF: That Crestwood stuff that was in the demo (Varric putting his hand on peoples faces etc), was that still in the game somewhere (ie: Burning the red templar boats etc) or is that gonski?

 

[MartyStu]

this is 99.99% spot on... you forgot emerald graves, which i don't fault you for considering how... forgettable it was. i liked exploring the haunted mansion, but you can tell they ran out of steam in terms of writing. the storyline with the noble who says he isn't noble and the haunted mansion were very bare bones... other than that i very much agree with what you said.

The only area that I truly like is Fallow Mire, and that is mostly because it reminds me of the Bog area from Witcher 1.

There is very little reason not to just critical path your way through zones and ignore most of the side content.

Unless you play the game on Nightmare. Then you may need to do some questing/exploring.

 

[Jibbajabbawockky]

QuestionDragonGAF: That Crestwood stuff that was in the demo (Varric putting his hand on peoples faces etc), was that still in the game somewhere (ie: Burning the red templar boats etc) or is that gonski?

Nope, seems like they pretty much totally overhauled Crestwood from that demo.

 

[Ashodin]

thedas would explode... why did they not include this?

Who you decide to be the Divine makes huge consequences on the world, ones that make writing books about Thedas from here on out hard.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

Who you decide to be the Divine makes huge consequences on the world, ones that make writing books about Thedas from here on out hard.

The already-existing options are wildly different enough both in principle and in position. What's adding the leader of the Inquisition to the pool?

 

[Mikey Jr.]

The zones tell the story. But you don't interact with it in a meaningful way. There are no choices to be made, no consequences for your actions. You just do what random NPC's and letters tell you to do. The Exalted Plains is an interesting window into the Orlesian Civil War but all you do is defeat undead, blow a horn and move onto the next camp to do the same. There is no 'big quest' to tackle, just a series of dull tasks to complete which are part of the overarching story of the zone.

Yep, those zones were a huge disappointment.

You would go into one, and think "Now what?"

Except the "now what?" is actually "Do random side quests of no actual significance to the story till you get 100% and then move on".

 

[Dresden]

The already-existing options are wildly different enough both in principle and in position. What's adding the leader of the Inquisition to the pool?

Getting a man (or qunari, or both) up as Divine would actually require them to address it with something more substantial than a mention here and there.

Also reminds me that I really wanted Tevinter as the next game.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

Getting a man (or qunari, or both) up as Divine would actually require them to address it with something more substantial than a mention here and there.

Also reminds me that I really wanted Tevinter as the next game.

Aaa yes, I completely forgot about the character-creator part of the game...

Tevinter would be like Suikoden's Harmonia. An important country that seems to be the source of many problems but is never visited apart from in some spin-off games.

 

[texhnolyze]

Early downloadable mod. Skyhold outfit color changer.

 

[Ashodin]

Getting a man (or qunari, or both) up as Divine would actually require them to address it with something more substantial than a mention here and there.

Also reminds me that I really wanted Tevinter as the next game.

Tevinter or Par Vollen would be great

 

[neurophd]

Just reached Skyhold and I am still having trouble wrapping my head around the War Table. Is there a strategy or consequence to Missions and Scouting, seeing that you are given different options? Why is the War Table used for quest structure, why not just have the Journal for quest tabulation. Hopefully someone can enlighten me on this as a game mechanic. Enjoying the game a lot but this aspect confuses me.

 

[Laughing Banana]

Bought and started playing this game today, so far so good. I picked Hard though, but I am starting to believe I'm regretting that choice; every regular encounter with the Templars in the Hinterlands feels like a prolonged boss battle. I keep chewing through my potions and the battles just go on and on and on and on and on.

Is the game supposed to be this hard this early, or am I doing something very wrong? I went for a 2-hander warrior, if that makes any difference.

Get the charging bull move STAT. It is seriously, IMO, one of the best warrior moves when dealing with mobs. Also the Rolling move to evade those Horror fuckers and many other attacks. And the chain pull move to deal with those Archers/Spellbinders.

Also make sure to get Solas learn Dispel to help you with the Rifts. Also make sure you clear out *both* the Templar near the waterfall and Rebel Mage in the Witchwood--doing so will cut down random encounters with both of them significantly on the Hinterlands. If you don't do them, be prepared to be pissed off with random enemies appearing every 5 seconds or so when you're out adventuring there--often right on top of your own characters, even!

Just reached Skyhold and I am still having trouble wrapping my head around the War Table. Is there a strategy or consequence to Missions and Scouting, seeing that you are given different options? Why is the War Table used for quest structure, why not just have the Journal for quest tabulation. Hopefully someone can enlighten me on this as a game mechanic. Enjoying the game a lot but this aspect confuses me.

Yes there are various results depending on which advisor you sent on what mission--the one with the shortest amount of time is not always necessarily the best one. Sometimes you get different rewards, and sometimes you get no rewards at all if you don't pick the correct advisor.

But they're largely inconsequential to the overall story outside of role-playing purposes.

 

[luxarific]

Really hope there's some focus on the Tevinter-Qunari tensions next time. Time to visit Dorian in Minrathous, methinks!

Spoiler

Maybe a quest to make him Archon

?

 

[jim2point0]

Early downloadable mod. Skyhold outfit color changer.

I guess that's neat, but I prefer most armors to the pajamas they give you for Skyhold. You can even wear the formal outfit from the party if you don't like the idea of wearing full armor when you're "home."

 

[texhnolyze]

I guess that's neat, but I prefer most armors to the pajamas they give you for Skyhold. You can even wear the formal outfit from the party if you don't like the idea of wearing full armor when you're "home."

It's just a start.
You can already swap skyhold outfit with armor, but you have to use CheatEngine. I haven't tried it myself though.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

Just had a giant in my multiplayer match. Dragons are on the table for sure, and I'm ready.

 

[bearythebear]

Getting a man (or qunari, or both) up as Divine would actually require them to address it with something more substantial than a mention here and there.

Also reminds me that I really wanted Tevinter as the next game.

Tevinter and Qunari war for next game would be great. Except. I don't wanna be fantasy/space Jesus again Bioware...

 

[Goldenroad]

Help me GAF!

I'm playing the PS4 version and just downloaded the update. I try to continue my game and it keeps telling me:

Unable to load save data as required. Download able content is missing. Please check download list and download the content again. Flames of the Inquisition Weapons.

So I check my download list on the PS4 and it's not there. I log into the Sony website and I can see it but it won't let me download it again.

I'm stuck here. Did EA really just screw up 80 hours of progress for me in one shot? Has anyone else run into this? Any solutions?

 

[painey]

godamnit. After just under 40 hours I am still only level 10 and the level suggestion for the next story mission is 8-11. I did the last one as the max level they suggested and SCRAPED through.. sick of grinding in the the Hinterlands for XP so I can get the main missions going

 

[jim2point0]

It's just a start.
You can already swap skyhold outfit with armor, but you have to use CheatEngine. I haven't tried it myself though.

I know. I posted about that in this thread twice. It works rather well.

 

[texhnolyze]

I know. I posted about that in this thread twice. It works rather well.

That's pretty neat. Looks like an Assassin's Creed shot lol. I might give it a try later.
Oh, I also have been using your cinematic tools lately, thanks a lot it works wonderful.

 

[Laughing Banana]

Help me GAF!

I'm playing the PS4 version and just downloaded the update. I try to continue my game and it keeps telling me:

Unable to load save data as required. Download able content is missing. Please check download list and download the content again. Flames of the Inquisition Weapons.

So I check my download list on the PS4 and it's not there. I log into the Sony website and I can see it but it won't let me download it again.

I'm stuck here. Did EA really just screw up 80 hours of progress for me in one shot? Has anyone else run into this? Any solutions?

You would be better posting this at the Feedback & Suggestion forum on BSN instead of here. I suggest you do this.

godamnit. After just under 40 hours I am still only level 10 and the level suggestion for the next story mission is 8-11. I did the last one as the max level they suggested and SCRAPED through.. sick of grinding in the the Hinterlands for XP so I can get the main missions going

What the actual bloody hell? Hahaha. Really? What were you doing all those hours? 40 hours and still not passing level 10.........?

What is your next story mission?

 

[Goldenroad]

I figured out how to download that DLC again, but still it's weird that it disappeared with that update.

 

[Xeteh]

What the actual bloody hell? Hahaha. Really? What were you doing all those hours? 40 hours and still not passing level 10.........?

What is your next story mission?

Yeah, I was about to ask what mission he was on. I just figured he really likes reading all of the codex stuff. Though I'd have to imagine there's some idle time in there.

 

[Tom Penny]

Are load times just stupid long on PC? They have been minutes. I can't fuck with that shit.

 

[painey]

What the actual bloody hell? Hahaha. Really? What were you doing all those hours? 40 hours and still not passing level 10.........?

What is your next story mission?

The one after choose the mages/templars. I don't read any codecs. I spend 50% of my time in combat, but the XP gains are lousy so I don't level up quickly.

 

[wolfhowwl]

Just had a giant in my multiplayer match. Dragons are on the table for sure, and I'm ready.

I had one the other night. We killed him and then a minute later he just stood back up and stopped us from progressing the match. Seriously, BioWare?

But yeah, having a dragon in multiplayer would be great.

 

[Laughing Banana]

Are load times just stupid long on PC? They have been minutes. I can't fuck with that shit.

The PS4 is very quick but I do know that it is something that some PC players in BSN are complaining about.

Yeah, I was about to ask what mission he was on. I just figured he really likes reading all of the codex stuff. Though I'd have to imagine there's some idle time in there.

It is extraordinary

The one after choose the mages/templars. I don't read any codecs. I spend 50% of my time in combat, but the XP gains are lousy so I don't level up quickly.

What difficulty? Because people did finish the game at 40 hours. For you to play at 40 hours and not reaching 10 is, like I said, rather extraordinary.

Hell, I'm currently re-roll a character in Hard and managed to be at level 7 at what, 6 hours-ish? And that's just from exploring and running around back and forth from Haven and Hinterlands. Not even touching Storm Coast yet.

The templar side will involve a lot more combat and is generally more difficult especially in higher difficulties... depending on your setup and difficulty though.

 

[Schweinehund]

Tevinter or Par Vollen would be great

I'd really like to touch base with the Kossith or do more deep roads exploring. There has to be atleast one other thaig that's still alive. Maybe magic dwarves or dwarves that know more about the past than orzammar.

 

[TheVampire]

Am I near the end of the game?

I've mainly been just clearing the Hinterlands but now I went back to the main quest and did that one where you choose the mages and then get involved in that time travel thing where you recruit the mages.

But after that it says my next main quest is:
In Your Heart Shall Burn
With the inquisitions hard won allies its time to march on the breach and close it.

So is that the final quest already?

I didnt think I had gathered that many allies like it said.

 

[wolfhowwl]

Am I near the end of the game?

I've mainly been just clearing the Hinterlands but now I went back to the main quest and did that one where you choose the mages and then get involved in that time travel thing where you recruit the mages.

But after that it says my next main quest is:
In Your Heart Shall Burn
With the inquisitions hard won allies its time to march on the breach and close it.

So is that the final quest already?

I didnt think I had gathered that many allies like it said.

No.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Am I near the end of the game?

I've mainly been just clearing the Hinterlands but now I went back to the main quest and did that one where you choose the mages and then get involved in that time travel thing where you recruit the mages.

But after that it says my next main quest is:
In Your Heart Shall Burn
With the inquisitions hard won allies its time to march on the breach and close it.

So is that the final quest already?

I didnt think I had gathered that many allies like it said.

You're at the 20-25% mark, I'd say.

Seriously.

 

[Ashodin]

Am I near the end of the game?

I've mainly been just clearing the Hinterlands but now I went back to the main quest and did that one where you choose the mages and then get involved in that time travel thing where you recruit the mages.

But after that it says my next main quest is:
In Your Heart Shall Burn
With the inquisitions hard won allies its time to march on the breach and close it.

So is that the final quest already?

I didnt think I had gathered that many allies like it said.

Get ready for another 80+ hours you only just starting!

 

[TheVampire]

Get ready for another 80+ hours you only just starting!

Huh....that quest description makes it sound like its the end haha

 

[SuperSonic1305]

So here I was thinking wouldn't it be great if

Spoiler

the box of Florianne's remains was placed in one of Skyhold's cells. I went to check anyway thinking they would never do something like that and lo and behold.

Bioware you beautiful bastards.

 

[texhnolyze]

Huh....that quest description makes it sound like its the end haha

Well, it's quite true.
It's the end of the first arc.