Throughout the three Dragon Age games, there are dozens of choices players must make. Some are as simple as harvest this herb or don't; but others tax gamer emotions far, far more. Anyone who has played any of the games instantly conjured at least three choices in their head just now.
Though players can revisit these choices in the Dragon Age Keep, the Keep only captures a small fraction of what these choices really cost.
From saving Branka or the Anvil to deciding who rules Orlais, Dragon Age puts people in difficult spots again and again. That's one aspect that enhances the games' replayability so much. But which choices stick with gamers the most throughout the Dragon Age franchise?
Updated on August 20, 2021, by Juliet Childers: News about DA4 developments continues to trickle in, but fans are rabid for more lore and more stories from the franchise. In honor of TG's Dragon Age week, let's take a look at yet more of the series' most difficult decisions that fans still aren't sure about even after making the same decision 12 times.
15 We Need To Talk About Connor
Fans of the series will remember the epically tragic Arl of Redcliffe quest from Origins. Not only do Darkspawn constantly assault the town, but there are also many quests for the townsfolk in addition to the main quest involving the Arl and his Mage son Connor.
Fun fact: Connor gets possessed thanks to his Mage tutor who happens to be Jowan — the blood Mage from the Circle Tower, and Jowan poisoned the Arl.
The Warden must decide how to approach the delicate situation since so many people could die. The Arl is fighting poison, Connor is possessed by a Desire Demon, the townspeople are beset by Darkspawn; it might seem unwinnable. But one of the five outcomes sees the Arl, Connor, and Lady Isolde (Connor's mum) all survive.
But the Warden could also just let the Desire Demon have Connor or kill him, too.
14 Deciding Who Should Rule The Imperial Court Of Orlais
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In one of the most intriguing, detective-like missions in the franchise, the Inquisitor completes quests that ultimately decide the fate of the royal Orlesian Court. While diplomacy-focused Empress Celene currently rules, her militaristic cousin and Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons wants the throne for his own. Yet still, Celene's spurned Elven lover would see the Elves control a puppet government in Orlais that actually does good things for Elves.
The Inquisitor's actions and decisions all influence who comes out on top. If you gather the right evidence, however, you can make it so that all three of them must rule in an uneasy peace.
13 Should The Warden Use The Dark Ritual?
Speaking of possessed children, we also need to talk about Kieran. Fans who followed their playthroughs all the way to Inquisition will recall that the Inquisitor can meet Morrigan's son. He may or may not have the soul of an Old God in him.
In Origins, the Warden can choose not to sacrifice themselves or Alistair to defeat the Arch Demon. Instead, one of them can lay with Morrigan to complete a "Dark Ritual" and create an Old God baby. Basically, the soul of the Arch Demon Urthemiel goes into the baby and saves the Warden who would be sacrificed during the killing blow.
Many players delighted in making Alistair and Morrigan knock boots.
12 Cursed Werewolves Or A Guy Who Looks Like Solas?
That Dalish Elf on the left that looks suspiciously similar to Solas is Zathrian. And yes: that's a Werewolf next to him. For fans who may not have played Origins, there's a quest that involves a Dalish clan afflicted by a disease that turns the Elves into Werewolves.
It turns out that Zathrian had abused the power of a forest spirit to take revenge on humans who attacked his children. He bound the spirit to a wolf and created the curse that keeps these Werewolves. As the Warden progresses in the "Nature of the Beast" quest, they must decide who to side with or try to broker peace.
11 Should The Inquisitor Make Criminal Mages Tranquil?
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Throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition, the player can make judgements on any captured criminals such as Erimond, Florianne, and a Chasind goat thrower. But, when it comes to the mages, the Inquisitor can choose the ultimate punishment and make them Tranquil (taking away their connection to the Fade).
Mages in your party will automatically disapprove of this while companions like Iron Bull and Cassandra might greatly approve. Deciding what to do all depends on the severity of the crime and whose approval you care most.
10 Should You Support Mages Or Templars In Inquisition?
This is a general question you always ask yourself as the player in a Dragon Age title. After all, the main conflict is not, in fact, dragons, but how magic should be regulated and magic users are treated. But with Inquisition, the choice is not just a moral one; it affects the entire game.
Here's a quick run down: the more interesting villain pops up if you choose the Templars and you can save one of the best tertiary characters ever: Ser Barris. However, the main mission if you choose the Mages include TIME MAGIC and you get to meet Dorian sooner.
Ultimately, it's just one more reason to play the game again and again (and again and again...)
9 Should The Hero Of Ferelden Protect The Anvil Of The Void?
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Typically, a device that creates war machines at the cost of living souls is treated as a bad thing, right? Well, in Dragon Age Origins, the player character has the opportunity to make just such a decision regarding Branka and the Anvil of the Void. A Dwarven Paragon once used this device to create war golems to fight off Darkspawn. But the willing sacrifices became unwilling prisoners who lost their lives to the Anvil.
Branka, a would-be Dwarven Paragon, seeks the Anvil in order to use it to improve Dwarven society somehow. The Hero of Ferelden must decide whether to side with Branka or Caridin and whether or not to save or destroy the Anvil of the Void.
8 Should Hawke Save Or Kill Anders?
Every Dragon Age fan just heaved a gargantuan sigh for this choice. It comes after the dopey and endearing introduction of Anders and Justice in the Origins DLC Awakening. Anders is a mage/Grey Warden and Justice is a spirit of... well, Justice. But the events of the DLC result in Justice leaving the body he had inhabited. Where did it go?
Anders absorbed the spirit of course! Unfortunately for them both, Anders' anger against the Templars corrupted Justice into a spirit of revenge. He spends a decent amount of time in Dragon Age II keeping the spirit at bay until he commits an unthinkable act: blowing up a Chantry.
The endlessly quotable Hawke must then decide whether to kill or save this person they have become close to as a friend or a lover; someone who has worked so hard for the people of Lowtown. It is heart-wrenching, to say the least.
7 Should The Warden Kill Leliana For The Urn?
This is another choice that some fans may not recall or know about. And yes, the Warden can choose to kill Leliana in the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest. Though this gets immediately retconned as Leliana appears in the subsequent games, the choice remains.
In summary, there's a cult hoarding this urn supposedly full of Andraste's ashes and a spirit (a dragon) protecting it. In order to unlock the Reaver specialization, the Warden must side with the Cult and spoil the urn with a vial of Andraste's blood. Leliana will vehemently oppose this, forcing the Warden to kill her.
Wynne will also attack upon the spoilage, but the Warden just really needs that specialization, okay?
6 Should Hawke Save Or Sacrifice Isabela?
As one of the most interesting parts of Dragon Age II, the Arishok still stands out as one of the best quasi-villains of the series. But in this quest called "Demands of the Qun," the teammate (Isabela) was the "bad guy".
She straight-up stole a sacred Qunari relic and wanted to sell it. So Hawke is presented with quite the dilemma: surrender Isabela to the Arishok for punishment or fight the Arishok to save her.
If the player ends up sacrificing Isabela, this betrayal makes Hawke dead to Isabela forever. Then the Qunari leave peacefully. In some instances, the Arishok will also offer Hawke a one-on-one duel as opposed to fighting all of the Qunari.
5 Who Should You Support At The Landsmeet?
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This might be one of the most memorable scenes in all of Dragon Age history. Picture it: the Fereldan gentry and feudal lords gathered for a ruling and a fight. After all, Loghain will preside over it and it is rumored that a bastard royal will show up. Scandalous!
Alistair or Loghain's fate gets fans caught in their feelings -- and for good reason. If Loghain is not executed right then and there, he is recruited into the Grey Wardens and Alistair leaves the party forever and becomes a wandering drunk.
But truly, the Warden must make an agonizing decision that affects all of Ferelden for years to come. It also acts as a zenith for all the past quests including the Urn of Sacred Ashes and the Arl of Redcliffe. The denouement involves choosing a new monarch for all of Ferelden, as well.
Deciding who should rule is daunting at first, but TG delivers with a guide on how to make Alistair King and even how to make your Warden Queen.
4 Here Lies The Abyss Full Of Tears
The now infamous quest "Here Lies The Abyss" did so much more than expose everyone's latent fear of giant spiders. It forced players to make a tragically calamitous choice about who must stay in the Fade to save the rest of the team.
The main reason why this quest hits so hard involves a player's history with the franchise. If someone has been playing since Dragon Age II, it might be easy to pick Hawke over Stroud. After all, no one makes Varric sad. But if a player imported their choices from Origins, they might not encounter Stroud as the Grey Warden.
They might instead get Loghain or Alistair instead which makes the choice infinitely more difficult.
3 Should You Save Or Kill The Architect?
Okay, so this decision doesn't seem to have had any impact on the story so far, but who knows what might be coming next? After all, the character bears too striking a resemblance to Corypheus and fans know that there were other magisters who entered and defiled the Golden City with him.
The intelligent Darkspawn appears in a DLC for Origins called Awakening and is an incredibly memorable part of it (even if the writers haven't followed up on him yet).
2 Who Should Players Romance in Dragon Age?
Especially in Inquisition, there are just so many romance options in Dragon Age games. That's one more thing that amps up the replayability of the games. Each time, the player can romance someone new and uncover conversations and facts about all of the companions.
In Origins, the player can romance multiple people, but Leliana will eventually call them on it and ask for a bigger commitment or a "break-up." DAII has a unique Friendship/Rivalry dynamic while Inquisition lets the Inquisitor get married in some cases.
As a result of its robust romance options, every Dragon Age fan has their own fierce love (and it's always Dorian, Alistair, or Isabela).
1 Mages Or Templars?
This choice is almost as classic as white bread or wheat bread when it comes to sandwiches. Except, in this case, both sides have committed huge atrocities against the other and players can't eat them for lunch (probably).
Again, fans replay the games countless times because siding with one faction creates a totally unique story each time. There are entire characters and plots someone might miss if they side with the Templars vs. the Mages. This is exemplified best in Inquisition with the time travel magic vs. the Envy demon.
Ultimately, however, the player must decide which faction to help (but it'll probably be the Mages).