Dragon Age

Spell Purge only initially affects enemy barriers, mines and buffs, though it can be specced to do massive Ao E damage when it dispels anything.

The best way to deal with Guard is Shield Bash, which can do either 800% or 1200% Guard damage depending on how you spec it, or the upgrade to Battlemaster's War Horn, which hits for 1200% Guard damage as well as a 20% Sunder. There's also the passive in the 2H tree which grants you an automatic 100% bonus against Guard in all attacks you do. If you have stick and board Cass, just have her initiate with a Shield Bash against a target with Guard. On Casual/Normal, one hit should be enough to take down pretty much most of an enemy's Guard no problem.

And... I don't know if you noticed, but when you finish off first wave of a Rift, you can use Dispel and Spell Purge on the glowy lumps with the lines connecting to the rift to reduce the number of demons you have to deal with.

I use a Sword/Shield Warrior and I thought I was using Shield Bash against the Pride Demon... Maybe my commands got screwed up or something.

Oh well. Thanks for the info about the Rifts and Spell Purge though.

I'm sorry I couldn't save your friend, Solas. But I won't deny you your just vengeance. It's small consolation but it's all I can do for you.

And I don't think you're wrong about the Dalish and you certainly shouldn't revise your view of them because of me. You can't judge all Dalish by me. I'm about as non-Dalish as you can get.

Speaking of which, I still got on well with the clan in the Exalted Plains. That's the difference between me and Sera. I might not have been a fan of Dalish ways but when someone speaks Elven at me I don't make farting noises. There's a world of difference between dislike and discourtesy, being an adult and being an immature shithead. The Dalish way wasn't for me but it's not my place to judge others because of their culture, especially when it's pretty much harmless.

The Exalted Plains overall were one of the best areas. Lots of easy Power Points. Of course, it's all going away in the blink of an eye. That Wicked Hearts quest takes 30 POWER. And the place with the Red Templars takes 20.... And then there are other places too. So much shit to do.

So I was gathering Quarries and Logging Stands to improve Skyhold and I came upon a locked door in the Western Approach. Looked it up and found out how to get passed there. Brought in one of the Tevinter douchebags for judgment. He was running some mining operation with torture and he unleashed darkspawn as well. What a little weasel he was. I gave him back to Corypheus.

Did they really just make up a bullshit magicbabble way to use bugs in medieval fantasy? I mean, I'm all for spying on Cory's little slave lieutenant but it's so...weird. Althugh how the hell did a slave rise to be a magister, even with the help of the Elder One?

lol I did ONE of Blackwall's Memories of the Grey things and he loves me now. I am a woman of integrity and honor and if the rest of Thedas despises me, he'll stand by me. I guess easy to love/easy to hate is a virtue? He doesn't seem so bad. Also when he says the world and he bows at my feet, one of the options was "Good, stay there." What kind of asshole would say that? I won't deny my Inquisitor is a bit egotistical but this isn't some random nobody she's talking to. It's a companion, someone who has risked their life for her many times. Also died a lot against a giant because the AI is stupid and can't handle the slow-moving juggernaut enemy type. Anyway, B Vlackwall, kind of cool guy now he's not being an ass. If he treats me well, I'll treat him well. Maybe I also gained Approval for taking him with me on the Trouble With Darkspawn quest?

I euthanized the magister. And Leliana was none too pleased. I didn't feel there was anything more to be gained from him and my Inquisitor is no sadist. He might have been a mage and a magister but he had clearly suffered and I was in a position to put an end to it.

Leliana is a bit frightening, isn't she? My Inquisitor flirts with everyone but Josie is something special. I won't toy with her, Leliana, don't worry .Not only do I care for her, I want to wake up in the morning.

I got tired of this Timely Intervention quest being on my Skyhold map so I went to the Lion place or whatever it is. The one filled with Red Templars. I discovered that you can just run passed enemies, even in important areas. I just ran passed the giants when taking the Keep because fuck them and fuck this game's AI. Met an interesting fellow at the top of the Keep. Unfortunately for him this was not peace-loving Nikkolas Warden or Nikkolas Hawke. My Inquisitor enjoys a kind word and a civil talk and maybe even some diplomacy but she mainly loves diplomacy in Orlais because there is always the threat of violence. It's just masked behind a...well, a mask, as well as some lovely polite dialogu This demon was in my way so I cut him down. I hadn't mowed through his army just to let him go.

I LOVE JOSEPHINE SO MUCH! And her little sister too. "She still plays with her doll collection!" "Preopostorous!"

Ooh ooh ooh, this Orlais masquerade is everything I wanted it to be. Mysteries upon mysteries upon mysteries. I wonder what happened to the servants? There must be something dark going on... They were elven servants too I think.

THE FUCK? Morrigan? I gotta say I didn't see that one coming. Actually, I don't have a clue what's going on. I found a note from Gaspard saying this Briala chick was the real threat and he and Celene should ally against her. Why? Isn't she an elf? And now Morrigan is here... Why the hell she or Corypheus care about the Empress of Orlais is beyond me.

It was certainly a night to remember. Nasty business in a way but also glorious. Orlais will be revitalized into a stronger country that doesn't waste all its time on parties. Its new Emperor will be eternally grateful and he will turn this military power to our service. Cassandra, my most trusted companion, also supported Gaspard. My Inquisitor and Cass both respect strength and straightforwardness. It sucks about Celene but me and Josie forgot about all that with a lovely waltz which was truly the highlight of the night. I'd ask what became of the elven skank but I don't really care. I don't even know why she mattered or existed. Got her to shut up fast when I told her I had a servant who could expose what an opportunistic two-faced bitch she was.

Could it be? Is it even possible? I like Morrigan now? Madness. I talked to her for a bit and met her and Al's kid, the Old God Baby all grown up. He's not the only one either. I'm glad to see the years have helped Morrigan mature. She's actually rather sweet.

So new Divine... I told her as such and I'll tell all of you, I throw my lot in behind Cassandra. The thing is that the other two candidates kind of unnerve me. I guess I could deal with Leliana's ruthlessness if she was going to put it towards better ends but she's not. My Inquisitor doesn't care about the future of mages that much while Leliana makes it clear that is her entire platform. And Vivienne is...well, let's just say that while I appreciate courtesy and etiquette no one says "my dear" or "my darling" every sentence and means it. She's nice and I respect her but in charge of the Chantry? No. Cass is the only option who is "what you see is what you get." That is what Rhaenyra likes about her. She will do all in her power to see Cass emerge victorious.

And finally, judging Lady Florianna was the most hilarious thing to happen all game. The flies buzzing around her corpse were sadly the best rebuttal I've heard yet.

edited 11th Oct '15 2:32:21 PM by Nikkolas

Looking at the DA Wiki

Gaspard rules alone - Blackwall and Cole Greatly Disapprove ; Dorian Disapproves ; Sera Slightly Approves ; Cassandra Greatly Approves

These are interesting results. Weill Cass' I understand but why are Blackwall and Cole so angry? And SERA agrees?

I'm confused. I dunno if party members have to be there to gain lose Approval. Blackwall wasn't there but Cole was so I better go see if he hates me now.

Blackwall and Cole generally want you to do the right thing and you just let the Empress get assassinated. I think.

I did let Celene die but this is Orlais. I learned enough of their politics and this power struggle to know that a peaceful resolution wasn't really possible. Whoever sits the throne will live in constant fear of their enemies as those enemies will never stop plotting so long as they live.

Whoever you choose, the only logical course of action after that is to execute their opponents. Now I think on it I believe Gaspard says that was the fate that awaited Briala after the ending.

Well, you let someone get murdered. You already called Blackwall simplistic in his morality, right? And Cole can hardly help seeing the world in terms of black and white, even if he's better than most spirits about it. It's only natural that they wouldn't approve of allowing someone to be assassinated to further your own agenda.

Well, I suppose it bears noting that neither Blackwall nor Cole are especially fond of Orlesian politics, and letting the Empress get assassinated is pretty much the epitome of such.

I'm inclined to agree, really. Can't they think of better things to do than assassinating each other in some sort of sick game?

I'd encourage a rebellion, but that's probably not the best course of action with Corypheus on the horizon.

Edit:

Actually, I don't think that's entirely unheard of in Tevinter. Didn't something similar happen with Fenris' sister?

edited 11th Oct '15 11:45:29 PM by KarkatTheDalek

She was nearly there IIRC when Fenris killed Danarius.

EDIT: She was promised the job of being his apprentice, not a spot on the magisterium.

edited 12th Oct '15 3:34:12 AM by TheCuriousFan

Oh God, Nikkolas and Blackwall's personal quest is going to be the greatest thing ever.

Cole is actually pro-Briala. If you save Celene and get Briala executed, he greatly disapproves.

Sera and Blackwall don't like you murdering people for the greater good. Blackwall also has a personal grudge against Gaspard.

I gotta make sure I have high enough Approval with Blackwall to get his personal quest. I can only hope that all the Memories of the Grey can undo the times I've made him hate me.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:05:48 AM by Nikkolas

Gaspard makes a really different impression depending on whether you've read the book about the Orlais civil war. The first time I played the game, all three contestants for the throne seemed roughly morally equal to me. When I replayed it after reading the book, I wanted to rip off Gaspard's arms and use them to beat him to death.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:07:48 AM by Cozzer

I got Vivienne's quest, and I couldn't give less of a shit about her and only interacted with her like twice after recruiting. Companion fetch quests seem to give stupid amounts of approval from what I can tell.

My understanding is that people who've read the book tend to want to do that to all three candidates.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:11:34 AM by TheAirman

Mmm.

I reunited Briala and Celene, not quite on purpose actually. I just realized that the way I distributed those halla made it the most feasible choice part-way through.

Which became slightly amusing in Trespasser as the gossip behind Lord Cyril complained about them cavorting "like lovers half their age" and that the new carpeting had the worst colours.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:13:54 AM by joergenjetsam

Masked Empire makes Celene look terrible, makes Briala look much more sympathetic than in DAI, and makes Gaspard look just about the same.

Sorta-same, my Lavellen is of course pro-elf and pushed for reconciliation between the two both out of convenience and personal interest.

But if I had a save to restart the mission when I learned what Celene did, things would have ended very differently.

And that guarantees that things would have ended differently had I had the information in question.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:19:32 AM by TheAirman

I don't know, during the Empire book I always felt like Celene kept doing shitty things because everybody else in the freaking country was making it so she only had shitty options. Which is sort of how politics works when you're opposition and want to ruin the public image of your rival so you can take their place, but bleh. I get how people can hate her, but I can't fault her for choosing the The Needs of the Many options.

On the other hand, Gaspard engineered the whole situation, including the bad things he pushed Celene towards doing, in order to gain power and use it to start more war and tragedy. So yeah, rip off his arms and use them to beat him to death.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:22:18 AM by Cozzer

My Lavellan both claims to be Andraste's chosen and to only believe in the Elven gods. I've yet to figure that one out.

Note, she's yet to recruit either Templars or Mages.

I made her after the Golden Nug became a thing so I could address the Chantry in Val Royeux in full Keeper regalia. And a First Enchanter staff I guess. Bless that nug.

edited 12th Oct '15 6:22:45 AM by joergenjetsam

Gaspard is the only Orlesian that I don't find to be a weak, effeminate, and untrustworthy homosexual, so he definitely lives, but I keep Celene and Briala alive as well, because they will create chaos in Orlais after the end of the war.

I have my limits with you Crimson.

Even if he hates The Game, one needs to be at least a competent player if they're going to be a ruler of a nation that revels in the damn thing. Gaspard, from what the other players say of him, is a piss-poor player at best, and I highly doubt he'd last long on the throne, despite what his epilogue slide says.

PS: out of curiosity, what did crimson say this time?

My problem is not really with Gaspard's skill. The point is, as much as the Game sucks, it's still a step forward from a state ruled by a militaristic regime that keeps the power by mantaining a constant state of warfare.

Eh, I don't really care about arguing this as much as I though. No one's going to change their minds and we are all set in our ways.

edited 12th Oct '15 8:04:34 AM by VeryMelon