#tempest is by far the most fun i had with a class in inquisition | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

malaismere · 3 years ago

Text

Campaign 3 Predictions - Compiled

So, as a fan of compiling statistics, I've been keeping track of race/class predictions for campaign 3 for the past...at least a year, from tumblr, reddit, and twitter. with EXU over, and my spreadsheet hitting 400 (?!), I figured I'd share the fandom's current predictions

Travis

Human (30), Dwarf (29), Elf, Shifter (11), Half-Elf (10)

Cleric (103), Bloodhunter (63), Wizard (50), Fighter (49), Druid (46)

Lycan bloodhunter (41), Forge cleric (26), War cleric (16), Eldritch Knight fighter, Bladesinger wizard (14)

Marisha

Elf (16), Genasi, Tiefling (14), Dwarf (13), Dragonborn (11)

Paladin (112), Rogue (53), Fighter (43), Cleric (40), Warlock (37)

Eldritch Knight fighter, Glory paladin (14), Artillerist and Armorer artificer, Battlemaster Fighter (8)

Liam

Dwarf (25), Halfling (18), Tiefling (13), Elf (12), Warforged (11)

Druid (77), Cleric (72), Bard (71), Fighter (59)

Stars druid (16), Dreams druid (10), Eloquence bard (8), Alchemist artificer, Whispers bard, Twilight cleric (7)

Sam

Dwarf (34), Kobold (24), Goliath (17), Warforged (15), Kenku (13)

Sorcerer (106), Cleric (98), Druid (63), Wizard (47)

Wild Magic sorcerer (61), Wild Soul barbarian (14), Twilight cleric (8), Life and Forge cleric, Wildfire druid, Divination wizard (7)

Laura

Elf (21), Human, Tabaxi (19), Genasi (15), Gnome, Aasimar (10)

Barbarian (75), Sorcerer (74), Bard (64), Warlock (60)

Wild Soul barbarian (14), Wild Magic sorcerer (12), Glamour bard (10), Shadow monk (9)

Taliesin

Warforged (16), Elf, Changeling (14), Gnome, Genasi, Tabaxi (8)

Sorcerer (68), Rogue (65), Warlock (55), Bard (45), Wizard (43)

Aberrant Mind sorcerer (18), Whispers bard, Phantom rogue, Soulknife rogue (11), Mastermind rogue, Clockwork sorcerer (9)

Ashley

Elf (26), Human (18), Tiefling (17), Half-Elf (12), Dwarf (11)

Rogue (95), Bard (91), Monk (43), Ranger (41), Warlock (38)

Swashbuckler rogue (21), Glamour bard (13), Mercy monk (9), Drunken monk, Wild Magic sorcerer (8)

I also (although less consistently) collected continent/setting predictions. Marquet was the top (49), then Issylra (29) and the Shattered Teeth (22). For non-continent settings, some form of Spelljammer was the top (19), followed by the Age of Arcanum (17), and Planescape/Planehopping (15). Underdark, Ravenloft, Blightshore, and a return to Tal'Dorei were also suggested multiple times.

Much longer and rambly discussion (and my own predictions) under the break.

Top predicted races were Dwarf, Elf, and Human (~100). Dwarf and Elf haven't been played before, so that tracks, and I don't think it's out there to assume we'll get at least one human again. Also, post the whole thing with Essek and long rests, people really started jumping on Elves (which, fair). Warforged, Dragonborn, Tabaxi, Genasi, Tieflings, and Changelings all are pretty prominent (~50).

Of the races not yet established as existing in Exandria, Warforged and Changeling were the most popular (Warforged now dubiously canon post-Aeor, and Changelings dubiously canon with the LoVM bartender), followed by Shifters, Leonin, Kalashtar, Fairies, Grung, Ravnica races (Loxodon, Simic Hybrid, Vedalken), Van Richten's Races (Dhampir, Reborn, Hexblood). Locathah and the other Feywild/Strixhaven races are the only officially published races at 0 suggestions. The lowest previously seen race is Gobins at 2, one of which was for Sam again, and the lowest PHB race was Half-Orc at 17.

Class wise, Sorcerer was actually the most predicted class (which kind of tracks, as it's the one that hasn't shown up even as multiclass), followed by Cleric (generally assumed as compulsory), Paladin (only as a multiclass), and Rogue (also assumed as compulsory, but way less so. Not surprisingly, Bloodhunter, Ranger, and Artificer were the lowest.

Wild Magic Sorcerer was far and away the most suggested subclass, the only one to break 50, although it hasn't hit 100 quite yet (I think it will by the time the final characters are announced though). EK Fighter, Lycan Blooodhunter, Forge Cleric, Swashbuckler Rogue, Wild Soul Barbarian, Stars Druid, Glamour Bard, Bladesinger Wizard, Eloquence Bard, and Echo Knight Fighter are the other top subclasses.

Every official subclass has been suggested except for Berserker Barbarian, Grave Cleric, and Transmutation Wizard (previously played), Battlerager Barbarian and Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight (SCAG subclasses, which are widely unpopular), and the dubiously-official Planeshift subclasses. Open Seas Paladin is the only Matt homebrew to not be suggested at least once. For dead UA, Satire Bard, Brute Fighter, Giant Soul and Stone Sorcerer, and Raven Queen Warlock have all been suggested, usually only once, although many of the suggestions were collected while classes were in UA for Tasha's, Van Richten's, and Fizban's which is technically still UA but announced so...

With Travis, the predictions bounce between two main ideas - a melee spellcaster (Forge/War/Tempest cleric, Bladesinger/War wizard), or going back to a melee class (Bloodhunter, Fighter) but with a bit more mechanical interest (Lycan, EK/Echo/Rune/Battlemaster). I think those are both solid predictions, and while I really, really doubt we'll see a Lycan bloodhunter or a Forge cleric, I think the general vibe is probably spot on.

My own prediction is one of the more out there, but still in line with the general thinking - Artillerist Artificer. Travis is definitely a very tactical player, and it would be cool to see him get a turret for the battlefield, plus all the general utility/versatility of the artificer. Alternatively, I really could see a rogue, although more like what Mastermind or Inquisitive is trying for as opposed to how they actually turned out, if that makes sense.

Race wise, the top guesses are fairly plain, outside of shifter (which is mostly tied into the "werewolf" vibe). None of them would shock me, but I don't have any predictions.

I think that everyone's right on the money with Marisha as a paladin. Her next character being high charisma seems spot on, and I think moving to a half-caster also tracks. EK/Echo/Rune/Psi fighters would also fit, although they don't lean towards high charisma, or a warlock, maybe a more melee one.

Rogue seems unlikely purely due to the fact she's played one before, kind of. Matt and Marisha have both talked some, but her first game wasn't Vox Machina, but a previous game Matt had run where she'd played an assassin. You can do non-assassiny rogues, but still.

(Other fun facts about this game because it's wild: apparently the session she sat in on before playing involved half the party getting eaten by ghouls. the party joined up with another half-tpk'd party (marisha and the replacement characters) to get the raven queen to bring their dead friends back, and a fate-touched rogue swore service to the Raven Queen in order to bring the last party member back.)

My prediction for Marisha is also paladin, although I don't have any thoughts on the subclass, with genie warlock as a second because they are fun. No real thoughts on race other than I too would love to see tiefling Marisha.

Most people are going with a support caster for Liam, which I totally buy. Caleb definitely leaned towards support caster, even if he usually did end up played as DPS. Druid has taken the top given the polymorph->wildshape vibe, although it's still very yclose with Bard and Cleric. Suggestions for fighter dropped after EXU, and while Liam does play a lot of fighters, I doubt we'll see it for C3.

Honestly, Liam is the one I have no predictions for outside of 'support caster'. I'd lean away from Cleric and towards Druid or Bard, but it's hard to say. I also think Artificer deserves to be in the running, as it seems like something Liam would really enjoy, but also...might not want to go Int-caster to Int-caster. My only real thought on race is that I want to see whether Marisha and Liam choose the same again.

Top guesses for Sam is, far and away, Wild Magic Sorcerer. This was also the top guess for C2. I do not think Sam will play a Wild Magic Sorcerer. In general, though, the vibe is going back to fullcaster - Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Wizard. I think full caster is probably right.

Sam is so hard to predict because it isn't what he'd choose, but what Liam chose for him. I think it's either something really standard or something really out there, and since I can't guess the really out there, I'll go for the standard - Elf Wizard or Dwarf Cleric, leaning towards Dwarf Cleric, due to the support class and the fact that Sam's mentioned never playing a religious character.

The main vibe for Laura is definitely "DPS" which is understandable. I don't know if I agree with it, but I understand it. Aside from Barbarian, the rest of the vibe is spellcaster - and I don't think we'll see a completely no magic character from her either.

Prediction wise...I understand barbarian, but I'd actually go with Ancestor or Beast over Wild Soul. I could actually see a Bloodhunter from her too, although leaning away from Vex vibes. I think I'd want to go with Wizard, though I'm not certain on that. I would bet Tabaxi but idk, I could see her avoiding that for Travis' sake.

Everyone always names Taliesin as the hardest to predict (he had the lowest count at 354, under even Ashley at 365, to everyone else's ~380/400) but I don't think he's harder to predict than Sam. The thing that makes him hard to predict is that he likes to build characters to fit the party, which he (probably) won't be doing, same as with Molly. The other main thing he tends towards is mechanical complexity in a way that suits his characters.

The main driving influence in the top suggestions is Eldritch Weirdness. Aberrant Sorc, Whispers Bard, Phantom Rogue, Warlock in general. I don't disagree with any of the subclasses, but I really don't think he'd go eldritch for eldritch sake, if for at the very least being...he has always been this weird and it's yet to be a driving force behind any of his characters before. Like the Taliesin-is-an-elder-god thing, I think this is mostly people who don't hang out around occultists. Look, I've had multiple people sell me their actual souls, and you don't see all my characters being warlocks.

That being said, I don't think I disagree with the top classes, just the subclasses. I definitely agree with Sorcerer as a good choice for him, although I'd actually go Clockwork, as I think it has a fuck-with-the-DM vibe. Taliesin is the most heavily suggested for dunamancy subclasses, which wouldn't surprise me, but I think he might avoid on the sole point of not wanting something too tied with the last campaign. A lot of people also name the psionic subclasses, which I'd be more likely to second if they had kept the weird mechanic from the UA, but don't disagree with, excepting my issue with Aberrant Mind.

My out there guess is that he's going to choose a multiclass build. He definitely enjoys playing around with weird builds (Owlbear, he did a non-CR oneshot as a monk/stars druid). On the one hand, a lot of these builds work best for oneshots or starting at higher levels, as they can take a bit of time to come online, but with such a large party, I think it will still function.

(my actual prediction for Taliesin is that his character is weirdly reminiscent of either the aasimar echo knight or the elf blood cleric from the exandria game I'm running.)

Ashley is being predicted as a Dex/Cha build, and I'm totally here for it. Pre-Fearne, I was leaning Ranger, especially Fey Wanderer for a fey build, but post-Fearne, I'm going Rogue, especially Swashbuckler. I agree that seeing a high Cha Ashley would be great, especially to let her be more center-focused than Yasha had been, and swashbucklers are just...really fun. Also, the whole Aeor arc really left me wanting to see Ashley as the go-ahead-and-scout character, just to watch her push buttons.

For continents...I understand why people are guessing Marquet, since it's currently the most explored. I think that if they're going to do Marquet, then Matt will sit down with a cultural consultant. I say will over should, because I won't make any value judgements, but I think it's in line with what Matt and CR would do in that situation.

I can't really tell whether this is a prediction or what I'd like to see (the two are distinct but often difficult to untangle) but I'd actually go with Issylra, and specifically playing up the (at least initial) set up of explorers and adventurers heading out into the wilds. I will also place my bets on them having some sort of more steady home base, and my hopes on that they get an airship. My wildest out there guess is that the plot will move towards either planescape/spelljammer in the upper levels, tying into some of the seeds from the end of C2.

I have seen a handful of people predicting table seating order, which is both very minor and also the thing that I may be most interested in. A while back, someone made a post pointing out that the main romantic relationships were all cross-table, while the strongest platonic relationships were same-table or side by side. Because I am the sort of person that I am, I did statistical analysis on ao3 fics....and it's statistically significant. So I am trying to see whether or not, based purely on C3E1, I'll be able to predict what the top ships for the campaign will be.

This rambling has mostly gotten out of hand because I don't have much opportunity to talk about this, but, you know. If you send me predictions I will give you the current odds gambling style, so that you'd know how much you'd win if you'd place a bet, because I did the tables up as a joke for something else and now I kind of want them to be used for something.

#critical role #critical role campaign 3 #cr campaign 3 #critical role predictions #critcal role meta #cr meta #cr stats

59 notes · View notes

hawkepockets · 5 years ago

Text

Inquisitor as Companion: Fionn

art by @lavanderlavellan / text meme by @dextronoms

Companion guide below the cut!

Inquisitor's Name: Fionn Cadash (born Fionn McCandless)

Race, Class, & Specialization: Dwarf / Rogue Archer / Tempest

Varric's Nickname for them: Cowboy, Lone Ranger, Kid, Son (when emotional)

Default Tarot Card: The Fool

Summary: A casteless dwarf who “joined” the Carta as child, Fionn is known for his rustic charm and relentless optimism, but as a companion he is reluctant to share details about his past or admit to any negative feelings, which makes him difficult to get to know. His companion quest can only be triggered late in the second act of the game, and is the most complex.

He is notable for being apparently friendly and apolitical regardless of his actual approval score, much like Varric, who he treats like a father.

Fionn’s companion quest reveals that his real father, the casteless Brody, sold him to the Carta’s House Cadash when he was 10 years old to make up a debt of one silver. Fionn grew up alone in the Deep Roads, working as a “lyrium crawler” squeezing into small fissures to find unclaimed lyrium veins. His only comforts were Varric’s adventure serials and an overactive imagination, so he has a fondness for tall tales… although his past can’t explain the love of plaidweave and cowboy hats.

Fionn is a skilled archer, but struggles in long fights due to his lyrium-addled short attention span and habit of cheating with alchemy.

How they are recruited: Fionn was smuggling Carta lyrium into the Conclave and had just made his last delivery and taken off for Valammar when the Temple of Sacred Ashes blew up. Fionn was caught seeming to flee the scene by Leliana and questioned before the Inquisitor’s flashy entrance, which knocks him far down the priority list.

Leliana recruits him to the Inquisition as a scout, and he appears with Scout Harding in each new map until “In Your Heart Shall Burn.” Fionn and Harding are fast friends, prone to slapstick humor and pranks, and will poke fun at each other during area briefings. If the Inquisitor is not rude to them they will both whoop and holler encouragement as the party leaves camp.

As a scout, Fionn will not answer personal questions from the Inquisitor, but they can ask him if he remembers seeing them at the Conclave. He will tell Lavellan/Adaar that he can’t remember, with a good-natured compliment on their stealth abilities. He will tell Cadash (“salroka”) that he lost track of them during the lyrium run and figured the Seekers had caught them and baked them into a pie, but he’s happy to be wrong. He will tell Travelyan that he doesn’t know or care; “You big hats all look the same to me. Why don’t you describe one of the servants to me, huh?”

Fionn becomes available as a party member after the Inquisition moves to Skyhold. In Leliana’s follow-up dialogue she will agonize over the scouts she lost in Haven, including Fionn, and the Inquisitor may either comfort or criticize her. This opens a war table operation, “Last Rites for Leliana’s Scouts,” where Inquisition forces will find and honor the dead agents. They will report back that several scouts were missing and may have either deserted or been taken to a nearby Red Templar/Venatori camp. Scout Harding writes on the advisor’s memo, “No sign of Fionn’s body. I really hate to beg, Inquisitor, but I’m begging. Let me find my friend.”

The Inquisitor can take a party (and Harding) to raid the enemy camp. When they arrive, the Red Templars/Venatori are already in chaos. Fionn has broken loose and is wreaking havoc with improvised bottles of fire and lightning. The party helps him clear out the camp. In the cutscene that follows, Harding tackles him in a hug, then notices he is injured and calls for the Inquisitor to help him. The Inquisitor can question Fionn about his uncanny good luck in escaping both the Conclave and Haven, about his alchemy, and/or about the deaths of the other scouts, all of which prompt impatient responses from Harding.

The Inquisitor is then given the choice between “Get to a medic, then back to your post” (keeps Fionn as a scout), “You seem useful” (Fionn joins as a companion), or “This is all too convenient” (Fionn is charged with desertion and leaves the Inquisition, triggering hurt & angry dialogue from Harding and blocking her romance route).

Where they are in Skyhold: Andraste shrine in Leliana’s rookery

Things they Generally Approve of: Funny and friendly dialogue. Kindness to servants, Tranquil, and low-ranking members of the Inquisition. Merciful judgments, or sufficiently funny ones (gibbet for Movran, community service for Florianne). Being rude to nobles. Killing slavers. Saving Hawke in the Fade. Treating Wardens respectfully—having grown up in the Deep Roads, he naturally hero worships them. Embracing the role of Herald, though he doesn’t disapprove of rejecting it.

Things they Generally Disapprove of: Insensitive or violent dialogue. Executing prisoners, unless they own slaves. Disregarding people of lower status and buttering up nobles. Leaving Hawke in the fade—he loves Varric and holds his grief against the Inquisitor. Criticizing the Wardens in any way. Servitude or pardon for Blackwall—he will only Approve of giving him to the Wardens. Driving Cole, Sera, or Varric out of the Inquisition.

Travelyans start with -5 approval, and Cadashes with +5.

Mages, Templars, Other?: Fionn will tell the Inquisitor he’d rather help the mages, since he’s optimistic about them being able to keep themselves safe and has heard they’re treated badly in the Circle, but he won’t disapprove of favoring the Templars, as he admits the Chantry is different than he imagined and he doesn’t really get how it works on the Surface.

Friends in the Inquisition: Scout Harding, Dagna, Varric, Cole, Sera. Gets along well with nearly everyone.

Fionn and Harding have a chaotic brother-sister dynamic as the Inquisition’s two most talented and mischievous scouts.

Fionn and Dagna knew each other as children in Orzammar. They are almost never seen together outside of the workshop, but when they’re messing around with alchemy together they get along like a barn on fire. Fionn admires Dagna’s work, and she happily soaks up his questions and flattery.

Varric is a father figure to Fionn, who grew up on his books. Neither dwarf likes to talk openly about their feelings without the mask of humor, but they love each other dearly.

Cole and Fionn have an easy friendship. Cole finds it much easier to communicate his thoughts to a lyrium-addled dwarf than anyone else, and Fionn is relieved at not having to explain himself out loud.

Sera and Fionn are lesbian/gay working class solidarity and responsible for all of Josephine’s gray hairs.

Rivals in the Inquisition: Vivienne, Dorian (at first), Blackwall (after Revelations).

Fionn does not like rich and powerful people, and Vivienne is patronizing to him at best.

He clashes with Dorian over his privilege and initial air of carelessness. Dorian attempts to rationalize slavery in Tevinter as equivalent or better than poverty in the South, which angers Fionn—as a casteless dwarf who was sold to the Carta, he couldn’t be less interested in playing devil’s advocate. After Fionn’s companion quest, Dorian apologizes and says his views have changed. Fionn becomes much warmer with him, even flirting while they are both unromanced.

Fionn hero worships Blackwall for being a Grey Warden and is hurt and disappointed by Revelations.

Romanceable?: Yes, for any male Inquisitor. His romance is slow-burning, with an emphasis on acts of service and loving deliberately. Fionn will freely admit that he expects the Inquisitor to leave him for someone smarter and more vibrant, and it isn’t easy for them to prove him wrong. He is very devoted, but says it in few words. Fionn’s romance route is most similar to Merrill’s.

Small side mission: “Handle” a number of Carta enforcers trying to bring him back into the fold. He will Approve if you kill them, but Greatly Approve if you intimidate or trick them instead.

Companion quest: “Mightiest of Arm and Warmest of Heart”

After the Battle of Adamant, the Inquisitor goes for drinks with Fionn, Dagna, Sera, and Harding. A tipsy Fionn reveals himself as an enthusiastic and funny storyteller. After a tall tale about smuggling dragon eggs for the Carta, Harding asks him if he’s sure he couldn’t be Varric’s son. Fionn tells the story of how his real father, Brody, sold him to the Carta for one silver, which is why he always keeps one on him—to remind himself what he’s worth. The group laughs at first, assuming it’s an elaborate joke, until the Inquisitor asks how much of it is true (or accuses him of lying) and he pulls out the one silver, which he wears as a pendant.

The Inquisitor can then complete the war table operation “Find Fionn’s Pa” and find out where Brody is living in Dust Town. The Inquisitor can accompany Fionn (and ideally Varric) to Orzammar, where he finds out that Brody is a broken man who sold his youngest child, Clodagh, to the Carta ten years after Fionn, was left by his wife and remaining sons, and kept sinking deeper into alcoholism and debt to the Carta. He says he expects to die soon, but is nonetheless hateful to Fionn. Fionn does not forgive Brody, but doesn’t kill him either, taking what information he has on both Clodagh and the Carta and leaving him with the silver coin pendant.

Fionn reunites with Clodagh, a bitter and violent young lyrium crawler who wants to kill Pa Cadash, the Carta patriarch who bought both siblings from Brody. Pa Cadash “employs” a small army of lyrium crawlers purchased from casteless families. At this point the Inquisitor and Fionn can either help her take over the Carta clan (hardening Fionn and gaining Clo as an agent) or liberate the lyrium crawlers (softening Fionn and making an enemy of the Carta).

Depending on their choices, the Inquisitor may trigger Fionn’s crisis scene and drive him out of the Inquisition. This can happen if they kill either Brody or Clodagh against his wishes, or if they tell Brody he was right to trade in his children for what they were worth.

Fionn reacts best to the Inquisitor saying that all the tragedy in his life was Orzammar’s fault for driving the casteless to cruelty and addiction, even if it isn’t the most nuanced take.

If Varric is in the party, he will break Brody’s nose on sight and open hidden dialogue options (as well as opportunities to gain or lose large amounts of his approval based on the Inquisitor’s treatment of Fionn). He will be consoling Fionn when the party returns to Skyhold regardless of the outcome or whether he was present.

A hardened Fionn will continue to be uncommunicative in dialogue and return to the Carta at the end of the game, while a softened Fionn will be more talkative and joyful and join the Red Jennies in the epilogue.

Tarot card change

Romance/Soften: The Sun

Harden: Ten of Wands

Banter

Cole’s reflection on their thoughts: “Blue light, bright and bitter. Seeping in through the pads of your fingers. Stays staining under the skin. Started so young. They never gave you gloves. Not worth the coin. You handled it raw.”

Comments on Mages/Templars: “I don’t know how things are supposed to work on the Surface, but what I’ve heard about the Circles, how Templars watch ‘em and beat on ‘em all the time… It just don’t sit right.”

When the Inquisitor is looking for something: “Lose a button or somethin’? I got extras. And a sewing kit.”

When finding a campsite: “Can we camp here? I got aches where I don’t have muscles.”

When they are low on health: “Hoo… Dizzy…”

When they see a Dragon: “I don’t know about that.”

Default saying: “Howdy.” / “Mornin’.”

Friendship greeting: “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”

Rival greeting: “Bless your heart.”

Leaving the Inquisition: “I know how much I’ve disappointed you. I don’t think it’s half as much as you’ve disappointed me. Frankly, Inquisitor, I wouldn’t climb up here to piss on Skyhold if it was on fire.”

Fionn is a dwarf of few words, but has warm and playful travel banter with Cole, Sera, and Varric:

Fionn: [whistling melody]

Cole: Love!

Fionn: Love?

Cole: “What is greener than the grass and what is smoother than the glass, what is louder than a horn and what is sharper than a thorn, what is deeper than the sea and what is longer than the way?" The song is a riddle.

Fionn: That’s right.

Cole: I like your singing.

Sera: Whatcha got there?

Fionn: Banana rum. Found it on a dead guy.

Sera: Ooh! Share!

Fionn: [laugh] Loot your own.

Sera: [fart noise]

Fionn: [fart noise]

Varric: So… Hard in Hightown. Hear you’re a fan, Cowboy. Got a favorite part?

Fionn: Oh. Uh. Fightin’ Arishok.

Varric: Ah, that’s what everyone says.

Fionn: Don’t disrespect the classics.

Varric: “Classics.” I don’t write classics. Now dare I ask... favorite character?

Fionn: Captain Belladonna.

Varric: Bela?!

Fionn: She’s a diamond in a lyrium mine. Always wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

Varric: You always wanted to be — Bela?!

Fionn: What?

Varric: [laughter]

Although often monosyllabic in banter with other party members, Fionn is the only companion to remark every time the Inquisitor discovers a new area. He has a range of cheerful comments:

Fionn: I like it here.

Fionn: Nice view.

Fionn: I could build a cabin right here. With a garden. And some horses.

Fionn: It’s pretty here.

Fionn: Ah, sunny skies.

Fionn: I’d like to just lay down on that rock in the sun.

Fionn: Man, smell those trees! Smell those Fereldan firs!

Fionn: I like traveling with you.

Fionn: I love the Surface.

Fionn: I’ve never seen so many trees in my life. As the dasher would say, I’d rather be here than Denerim.

Fionn: Thanks for bringin’ me here.

Fionn: I’ll never go back to the Deep Roads.

Fionn: Gotta find out what kind of trees these are.

Fionn: Before I die I wanna see every great landscape ever made and hear every great story ever told! … Or something.

Fionn: If a bear eats me, tell Harding I loved her. (Hinterlands)

Fionn: Yeehaw!! (Western Approach)

#dai #dragon age #dragon age: inquisition #cadash #oc: fionn #pocket talk #long post cw #alcoholism cw #child abuse cw

104 notes · View notes

hurl-a-can · 6 years ago

Text

Dragon Age Questions

If I remember correctly, I was tagged for this by @nerdierholler , @red-wardens and @enchantment1385 ... Sorry it took me ages. Went travelling for a couple of weeks & got distracted.

1. Favourite game of the series? I've spent the most time with Inquisition, but it's a tie between that and Origins. Can't choose. Both have their strengths and weaknesses – but I really love the story in both and, for me personally, they both do a great job creating that sense of connection with your character. DA2 is brilliant in its own way and I love it to bits – but it's the one that I feel the least compelled to revisit – and as much as I love my Hawke, I'm not as attached to him as I am to my Warden and my Inquisitor.

2. How did you discover Dragon Age? Origins was on offer for a special price at GOG. Can't remember how much exactly, but it was really dirt cheap – a couple of bucks or so. And it was the Ultimate Edition, too! I'd heard about it before, so I gave it a shot – and I got hooked immediately.

3. How many times have you’ve played the games? Not sure. I've finished Origins at least 5 times, DA2 2 times – and it's 2 times for Inquisition as well. Got a bunch of other playthroughs going right now. I'm a slow player.

4. Favourite race to play as?

Elves. City elves, if possible. (If the game doesn't give me a city elf protagonist, I just headcanon a city elf protagonist into existence. ;-p)

5. Favourite class? DAO: No clear favourite. But my canon Warden was a DW warrior (berserker/champion) – and he preferred longsword + dagger. DA2: Mage (not necessarily more fun than warrior or rogue – but I have a very strong preference for Carver). DAI: DW rogue. (Tempest. Tempest is so much fun!!)

6. Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time? I like to try out new routes and approaches. But I do have trouble leaving my comfort zone. Background stories help with that, but so far, most of my protags have been good-willed, sensible people – just with a bit of religious, political or some other kind of bias tossed in to spice things up a bit. There are many, many decisions and routes I've yet to take (and of course, they tend to be the darker, more confrontational ones).

7. Go-to adventuring group? DAO: Zevran is the only constant, to be honest. Otherwise I switch it up a lot. But Wynne, Shale and Morrigan are my favourites. Sten is pretty cool, too. (I love the dog – but no banter, so he stays guarding the camp...:-)) DA2: Fenris/Anders, Varric, Merrill. DAI: It really depends on my character, the current quest/location – and my mood. But I tend to favour Dorian, Bull, Blackwall, Solas, Sera, and Varric.

8. Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

That would be Dasahngaris. I've spent a lot of time figuring out both him and Lennan – and they are both still works in progress. But Lenn dies at the end of his adventure, so there's a much shorter span of years to cover.

9. Favourite romance? I have quite a few faves, but if I absolutely had to choose just one, I'd choose Zevran.

10. Have you read any of the novels or comics/?? Not yet. But I plan to.

11. If you read them, which was your favourite ?? Ask me again once I've read them.

12. Favourite DLCs? I've enjoyed most DLCs for both Origins and Inquisition immensely (I still need to play the DA2 ones). But it's gotta be Trespasser.

13. Things that annoy you? Not being able to jump in Origins and DA2. Relative lack of cool hair and eyebrow options. (No, they're not ALL horrible, but I guess we can all agree that especially Inquisition could have done a lot better in that department.) No city elf protagonist in DAI. All those bloody human nobles. FUCK HUMAN NOBLES, gimme a peasant/mercenary/slum apostate/a perfectly ordinary templar/Chasind hunter... (I mean I get why that option is there but why it's gotta be the only option for every single human character? Even the damned human mage is a sodding aristocrat. Even Hawke is, on his mum's side. I swear if DA4 gives us a fucking human noble again, I'm gonna scream.)

14. Orlais or Ferelden? I love them both, actually. Ferelden for all the obvious reasons (dogs, cool weather, a *relatively* egalitarian society) - and Orlais for its French baroque inspirations, elite culture and the Game. (I mean yeah, the Game is kinda appalling in many respects, but it makes for a great story/gameplay. (If it came down to war, I'd definitely side with whoever didn't start it. And let's be real here, that would probably be Ferelden.)

15. Templar’s or Mages? Moderately pro-Mage. I am not necessarily anti-Templar and I do maintain there are shades of grey to the whole conflict – but let's just say I'm certainly not pro-Templar either.

16. If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one? Lennan Tabris, Keenan Hawke and Das Davarris exist in the same world state. Most of my Inquisitors are, in fact, Inquisitor!AUs for supporting characters in Das's backstory. (Fennas, Ranna and Salshira are all prominent members of clan Lavellan in Das's timeline. Sheva is part of his Rivaini family. Yevren is one of the chief researchers at the Soldier's Peak.) Then there's the alternative world state with a Warden that survives: Dionn Mahariel shares that timeline with Abarran Hawke. I've yet to decide who will be the Inquisitor – but it's not going to be any of the prominent players from Das's story. It's probably going to be Qerim or Kaigal... But I might also make a new one.

17. What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc.) Lennan's mabari is called Tickles. Keenan Hawke's dog is named Baryk (it's kinda funny if you're Czech). I hardly ever use the mounts in Inquisition. I think Das does use them for longer trips – but I suspect he uses different ones for different destinations (wouldn't make much sense to ride a hart into Hissing Wastes, I guess) and doesn't have a clear favourite. They either already have names when they are bought by or gifted to the Inquisition – or it's Dennet who names them. (Das likes to hang around the stables, bond with the animals and help Dennet take care of them if he can – but he's a very busy elf.)

8. Have you installed any mods? Yes. Many. Usually cosmetic ones. But I also have the 99 potions mod for Inquisition (Is it cheating? Yeah. Does that bother me? Nah.) - and the shortcut mods for Origins (Fade and Deep Roads are awesome, but I've spent enough time running around both on my first couple of playthroughs – and I prefer to skip them now). I also have that mod that adds a cutscene with the Warden's LI after the battle of Denerim. I don't enjoy playing females much, so I've installed bi Alistair and equal opportunity Solas – but I have uninstalled them both. Alistair just doesn't give me bi vibes (if you headcanon him as bi, go ahead and power to you, but I don't feel it), so it felt odd. And while I totally headcanon Solas as bi, there are all those little immersion-breaking details like the missing sound files and the animation issues. I figured I'd better play the vanilla romance first. I need to play girls a bit more often anyway.

19. Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden? Lennan didn't mind. It was better than the alternative. But that was before he was more or less put in charge. He sure didn't want THAT. Dionn was not a fan of the idea at first, but he came to terms with it pretty fast. Again – it was better than the alternative. And he actually enjoyed leading.

20. Hawke’s personality? Keenan was very purple with the occasional flashes of red – and a broad blue streak (though in his case it generally meant being a smooth talker rather than being genuinely nice). Abarran is mostly blue, with a bit of red tossed in for good measure and some purple-coating for fun.

21. Did you make matching armour for your companions in Inquisition? Hell no!

22. If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change? Lennan Tabris: *chuckles bitterly* (He wouldn’t know where to start.) Keenan Hawke: "I can’t go back, so what is even the point of asking such questions..." (You can’t possibly ask him to choose between the three family members he believes he failed. Also, as much as he hates himself for it, he would be equally tempted to use such opportunity to kill Petrice the first time she crossed him.) Das Davarris: "I'm done with that kind of fuckery. Time travel, I mean. Even if I could, I wouldn't."

23. Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon? Yep. Most of them minor. The bigger ones: Loghain is recruited and Alistair ends up a drunk – but Loghain eventually dies in the Deep Roads (loyal to his duty as a Warden till the bitter end). Alistair manages to pull himself together – just in time for a meet up with the Inquisitor. It is a fairly recent change in my canon timeline. Keenan Hawke finds out he is terminally ill sometime in Act III. My Lavellan is actually city-born and Andrastian. Sheva is a non-Dalish Rivaini elf. Neither of my Trevelyans is actually a Trevelyan. One of them is an elf-blooded peasant girl, the other is a Chasind warrior.

24. Are any of your character(s) based on someone? Well, it's complicated... Lennan started out being vaguely based on another character of mine, from a different setting. He's pretty much shed that old skin a long time ago. So I'd say that no, he's not. Not anymore. Keenan wasn't at the beginning – but as I started to figure him out, he got heavily influenced by the cast of Withnail & I (I love that movie too bloody much). Mostly he's an even mix of Withnail and Marwood, but there's a lot of Danny in there as well. (If you don't know Withnail & I, google it.) Das was very loosely based on an old D&D character I used to play during my first two years at university. He's got the name and the most prominent physical traits (red hair, dark skin, amber eyes, scarred face) – but that's about it. None of my main protagonists has a face-claim. Some of my secondary characters do – but I made none of those with their current face claims in mind.

25. Who did you leave in the Fade? I've left both Hawke and the Warden in the past, but on my canon run I left Hawke behind.

26. Favourite mount? Bog unicorn! (It may not be my Inky's favourite mount, but it is MY favourite mount.)

Tagging: Nobody in particular and anybody who wants to participate!

#ask meme #dragon age questions

4 notes · View notes

sassylavellen · 6 years ago

Text

Inquisitor as a Companion

I was tagged by the ever wonderful @shannaraisles! This one looks like a lot of fun! (Post filling this out, THIS WAS HARD AS HECK. But I loved it.)

As it happens, Moira is one of three headcanon companions to my canon Inquisitor Evelyn Lavellan, and everyone loves Moira so I’ll fill this out for her..

Inquisitor’s Name: Moira Lavellan

Race / Class / Specialisation: Dalish Elf/Rogue/Tempest

Gender Identity: Female

Varric’s Nickname for them: Bubbles

Short bio: The youngest daughter of Clan Lavellan’s former Keeper Revan’nain, Moira grew up with a wide-eyed innocence that she retained with her into her adulthood. Always optimistic, her uplifting personality is a boon to all who know her. She loves her family, even though she doesn’t always agree with her father’s iron grip on the ancient traditions. Moira was an extremely smart child, and by the time she was in her late teens, she was not only lead huntress for the clan, but one of their most skilled craftsmasters. Her ability to recall intricate details for weapons, armor, and other supplies was an invaluable asset to the clan. She is very knowledgable about metals and minerals. Moira will join the Inquisition after learning that her long lost sister/brother had become Inquisitor. This would have been after the Inquisition had taken up residence in Skyhold after Corypheus’s attack on Haven. She would only be an obtainable companion if the Inquisitor is Dalish.

What would their companion card look like? A leaping shot of her with an arrow set to her bow

Recruitment mission: “Family Ties”, unlocked by unlocking the Emerald Graves. Upon reaching The Emerald Graves, Scout Harding gives the Inquisitor a report about an unknown Dalish encampment nearby, and that one of their hunters was attempting to make contact with her team before being attacked by Venetori raiders who are hunting the clan. Unlocks the war table operation “Find The Dalish Camp”. Josephine does not participate in the mission, Leliana recommends sending some of her elven agents to seek out the camp, not wishing to give the wrong impression. Cullen says his soldiers can handle the raiders and help find the clan. Cullen’s option is quicker, but will result in the clan being less receptive to the Inquisition. Certain agent opportunities will become unavailable. Leliana’s option will increase favor with the clan and open up opportunities for the Inquisitor to acquire more agents.

Upon completing the war table operation, the camp is now accessible on the map. The clan turns out to be Clan Lavellan, and a group of Dalish hunters escort you to the Keeper who, no matter who you choose to complete the war table operation, is not interested in gaining the Inquisition’s help. Moira comes in and will tell the Inquisitor that he/she should try to impress the clan and gives a series of quests to do in an attempt to gain their favor.

The Inquisitor will need to help collect Dalish artifacts in the Exalted Planes guarded by a Varteral. The Keeper remains unimpressed and Moira is frustrated by this. After this section of the quest is completed, Moira will visit the first camp settled in the Emerald Graves and inform the Inquisitor that she wants to join.

Dialogue -

Moira: (Brother/Sister), I am sorry for what happened with The Keeper. I really thought that... well, I was wrong. I wasted your time and I’m sorry.

Inquisitor: It’s alright, Moira. You were just trying to help, and I appreciate it.

Moira: I’m the only one trying to help, and I am ashamed that our clan does not realize the threat we face. You say it’s elvhen magic, I thought that would be enough to sway them. But they still have their heads stuck so far up their...!

Inquisitor: Moira, calm down!

Moira: I’m sorry. What I’m trying to say is... I want to join you. I don’t know if you want me as a fighter or as a crafter, but I can’t just stand by while the world falls apart around me.

Inquisitor: Are you sure about this, Moira? You’re willing to turn your back on your clan to fight with me?

Moira: I am sure.

Moira: (Alternate: If the Inquisitor told Josephine that he/she was not on good terms with her clan) That’s what you did, brother/sister. I could do no less.

The Inquisitor will have three options: 1) Moira joins as a companion, 2) Moira joins as an agent, or 3) Moira does not join. If she becomes an agent, she will give access to a series of otherwise unobtainable war table operations.

Inquisitor: (Moira joins as companion) Welcome aboard, baby sis.

Moira: Please don’t call me that, is it too late to change my mind?

Inquisitor: (laughs) I’m afraid it is.

Moira: Thanks, brother/sister. I’m ready to do my part.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inquisitor: (Moira joins as an agent) Alright. You can join. I could really put your skills to use as a scout.

Moira: (chuckles) I see how it is, you don’t want your little sister following you around everywhere, don’t you?

Inquisitor: I didn’t say that!

Moira: I’m just teasing you. Thanks, brother/sister. I’m ready to do my part.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inquisitor: (Moira does not join) I’m sorry, Moira... but your place is here with our people. Help them, see if you can convince them of the threat.

Moira: Oh... of... of course. I’ll... I’ll do my best, brother/sister.

Inquisitor: Take care, Moira. May Mythal’s blessing be upon you.

Moira: You too, brother/sister. And may Ghilan’nain guide your way.

Where they would be in Skyhold / Haven: Moira is not available early enough in the game to be in Haven.

In Skyhold, she can be found in the undercroft, by the balcony.

Personal quests: Quest 1: An Iron Grasp: Shortly after she is recruited, Moira will ask the Inquisitor for a favor. She has been working with Dagna and wants to try and craft a new type of armor for the Inquisitor. The schematic requires several fade-touched materials which the Inquisitor must obtain in The Hinterlands (Fade-Touched Iron), The Emerald Graves (Fade-touched August Ram Leather), and The Fallow Mire (Fade-Touched Avaar Cotton). The Inquisitor will also have the option to give her non-fade-touched materials and lie that they are what she needs.

If the Inquisitor lies, Moira and Dagna’s experiment does not work and Moira is disappointed in their results. The Inquisitor can admit they lied, and will lose approval.

If the Inquisitor collects all the correct materials, their experiment explodes in the undercarriage and breaks Harret’s crafting bench, but it works, and The Inquisitor gains a permanent 20% percentage boost to crafting masterworks for armor or weapons. Moira approves.

Quest 2: A final plee: Moira receives news that their clan is going to Wycome, and another report about the unrest regarding elves in that territory. She will beg the Inquisitor to go with her to help try to prevent a mass slaughter. This will unlock the (repurposed) war table operation Defend Clan Lavellan, where the Inquisitor must make contact before they venture forth. Upon arriving in Wycome, Harding informs the Inquisitor that an attack has already begun. The Inquisitor and Moira must save as many elves from the onslaught as possible.��If they manage to save all or most of the elves, The Inquisitor will have three options: 1) Make a plee to the nobles to end the conflict, 2) fend off the raiders to buy time for the elves to escape, or 3) surrender and attempt to negotiate.

If the Inquisitor makes the plee, the nobles will hear out the Inquisitor and depending on dialogue choices will either agree to end the violence or continue the slaughter. Moira will approve if they end the violence, but will have no approval change if they continue the slaughter at this point (she says in a follow-up dialogue, “I can’t be mad at you, you at least tried to stop them. I thought it would work, too.”)

If the Inquisitor stands and fights, Moira greatly approves.

If the Inquisitor surrenders, Moira greatly disapproves. A small amount of approval can be gained back depending on dialogue choices.

How to get their approval:

Moira approves of kind-hearted actions, so helping refugees is an easy way to gain influence.

She also approves when the Inquisitor uses knowledge perks in dialogues.

She will also slightly approve if the Inquisitor fills a geological survey requisition while she is in the party.

How to get their disapproval: Dialogue options about her past before you gain high enough approval; siding with nobles or bowing to their demands at the war table. Aggressive dialogue when she is in the party gains disapproval.

Are they romanceable? No.

Can you have sex with them? Ew no! She’s your sister!

Are they open to polyamoury? No.

If they can be romanced and are not, will they begin a relationship / relationships with other character(s)? If so, who? She will begin a relationship with another scout if she becomes an agent instead of a companion.

Who are they friendly with? Varric, Sera, Dorian, and Cole. She loves Varric’s stories and most of their party banter is her asking Varric to tell her more stories while they are walking. She likes playing along with Sera’s jokes. One particular banter has them comparing their bows and ends with Moira saying “Mine’s bigger” and Sera laughs so hard she snorts.

Who do they dislike? She only really doesn’t like Vivienne, because Vivienne treats her like she’s lesser than she is.

Special note: She doesn’t know what to think of Solas. On one hand, she is fascinated by his knowledge, but she’s also weary of his love for spirits and demons.

Companion card changes: (use a text descrip. if you have no images) Post companion quest (good result): Head lifted with a wreath of flowers surrounding her

Post companion quest (bad result): slumped beside a bed, dark clouds above her head.

Side Missions: There can also be a cutscene mission where she and the Inquisitor go to Val Royeux to go shopping and to get away from it all. Approval can be gained depending on dialogue choices.

Opinions on mages / templars / how the world is going to shit? Since she becomes a companion after The Inquisitor has already chosen, she does not have much of an opinion. She will have special dialogue depending on which side was chosen which shows she is more supportive of the mages, but either way will say she trusts her sibling’s decision.

Something guaranteed to make them leave the party: After her companion quest, if the Inquisitor surrendered, there will be a cutscene back at Skyhold where Moira will confront him/her about their decision. The Inquisitor can either convince her to stay (must have high approval) or to send her back to her clan.

Special Events:

Imprisoned at Redcliffe: How are they holding up in Redcliffe, being slowly infected with red lyrium over the course of a year? Moira is not available during this part of the story.

At the Winter Palace: Do they enjoy the party, any special events with them at the Palace? Moira is excited to be at the Winter Palace and to see the Orlesian culture in action. She will clumsily attempt to play along with the game and can possibly cause the Inquisitor to lose court approval if he/she does not head it off at the beginning of the quest after the first dialogue with Leliana about Morrigan.

In the Fade: Their reaction upon entering the Fade? Nightmare demon’s taunt, and their response? Fear on their grave? Reaction upon entering - *panic* "Wait... Did you say the fade... This can’t... We can’t be dead!” Taunt and response - “What of you, little Dalish girl? There is no weapon, no design that can save you now. (if her companion quest has been complete) After all you’ve done to save your clan, now you cannot even save yourself.” - "This isn’t real, this isn’t real, this isn’t real!!” Greatest fear - Being the lone survivor

Trespasser: What were they up to two years after Corypheus’ defeat? Any special events with them over the events of Trespasser? If the Inquisitor’s approval with her is high, she will remain with the Inquisition for the two year period. She doesn’t want to attend the council, but will do it for her sibling.

If she was made an agent, she has gotten engaged to her scout lover and is pregnant. She will only have dialogue at the beginning before the council and one before the final mission begins.

If she was never recruited, or if The Inquisitor had a low approval with her as a companion, she will not attend the council.

Other Major Events: Any other major events that happen with them over the course of the main game? None that I can think of.

#Moira Lavellan

19 notes · View notes

sammgreer · 8 years ago

Text

Mass Effect Andromeda - Review

Despite being a huge fan of the original games, I wasn't expecting too much from this. I felt they had concluded nicely and the universe didn't really seem suited for new stories. How could anything compare to Commander Shepard and crew's fight against the Reapers? On top of that Bioware's last game Dragon Age Inquisition, whilst enjoyable, was mired in the tedium of open world fetch quests and busy work. So when Andromeda marketed its massive worlds and seemed to emphasise combat over the kind of storytelling that had made the originals so successful, I was very cautious.

But against all the odds I really enjoyed Mass Effect Andromeda. A lot. It has numerous flaws, it's a bit of a mess but in reaching for new heights it manages to breathe life into a setting I had convinced myself was finished. Make no mistake though, compared with modern RPG heavy weights like The Witcher 3, Mass Effect Andromeda is a rougher, less elegant game. However it is a lot more accomplished than it may seem.

Its relation to the original games is pretty irrelevant, Andromeda wisely adopts a clean break from that trilogy by removing its story completely from that setting and time. We play as Ryder, part of an initiative to establish colonies in the distant Andromeda galaxy. Cryogenically frozen we awake over six hundred years after leaving the milky way.

Andromeda doesn't put its best foot forward. Instead of introducing us to a thrilling new galaxy, it spends the opening hours introducing a host of characters, many of whom won't reappear after this introductory mission. Those who will are your human companions, also the game's flattest or most irritating characters. The mission itself is a closed, linear affair that deprives you of many of the interesting features that define the majority of the game. It is also where we're introduced to the game's antagonists, the Kett. This initial counter devolves too quickly into gunfire and violence. No mysterious first contact, just a perfunctory introduction to the games cannon fodder. Whilst they're fleshed out later, they never really rise to be more than “the baddies”, fanatics with an inherent hostility. Filling the need for foes in an action driven RPG is fine but something more inspired would have gone a long way.

Once this dull setup is complete you're handed a ship, the sleek Tempest and set loose. It takes a while to unlock all the game's expansive worlds but even on the first, there's lots of sights to see and discoveries to make. Whilst there's also a lot of busy work, the stream lined quest structure means few feel like a chore. Most important of all, the mechanics that make up your time are so enjoyable.

Combat is something you'll be doing quite a bit of, though it felt like it made up a lot less of the experience than the action heavy Mass Effect 2/3. Where their combat was fairly bog standard third person shooting with a sprinkling of interesting powers, Andromeda's combat is a genuinely brilliant affair. The large environments have encouraged Bioware to move away from tight linear corridors and instead emphasise movement to go toe to toe with enemies. Using Ryder's jet pack we can leap not just into the air but also horizontally, combining both movements, till you're zipping between cover and enemies with a pace that almost feels like Bloodborne in the form of a third person shooter. It's remarkably inspired for a series where the combat always felt functional rather than exemplary.

A lot of time will be spent behind the wheel of the Nomad, a space rover and slick re-imagining of the original game's clumsy Mako. This coupled with the jet-pack platforming makes navigation simple but very enjoyable. It helps too that the planets you visit, whilst not spectacularly alien, are pretty stunning with some cracking vistas. Views from your ship as you travel between worlds are also frequently spectacular, reflecting your chosen location on the Galaxy Map. There's variety too, not just visually but in the types of terrain and hazards. I was happy to seek out more quests in spite of some so-so design because I like spending time in this world. One memorable moment came about on a planet with a dangerous, scorching heat where I couldn't find a way to get the rover through a canyon. So I crossed a huge desert flat on foot, dashing between boulders and the shade to recover life support. It was a small moment but gave a thrill to exploration that many similar games lack.

The purpose of all this exploring is to establish outposts on worlds. First you have to make each world viable for colonists, by activating ancient alien structures belonging to an absent civilization the “Remnant” and terraforming the world. These ruins are still cared for by automated machines and they were my favourite among the foes, with distinct classes and behaviours in their ranks. Once you've established a colony and raised the viability of the world, new areas open up for you to explore so that this act of terraforming feels like more than just ticking off a box. It helps too that all this busy work is, unlike Inquisition, entirely optional and the player is free to pursue the main quest as they wish. Though doing so will change how the game's finale plays out, with decisions from various side-quests coming to play in the conclusion.

Of course it's here that Andromeda stumbles, drawing as it does on unsavoury colonialism. Whilst there's some acknowledgement throughout of the issues of colonising alien worlds, including an optional rebuttal against colonialist interests near the end, the game never goes far enough in confronting the implications there-in. It's far more interested in being a thrilling space adventure and to that end it succeeds but as a piece of thoughtful science fiction, it's muddled at best.

But what of the things Mass Effect is renowned for? Well the main story isn't up to much. It's mostly fine, enjoyable and kept me engaged to the end but there's nothing remarkable about it. You go up against some baddies, you give them a thrashing, the end. There's some nice conflicts between the cast and various factions as well as some big exciting set-pieces at key points but the narrative's main thrust is fairly tried and tested. It works well but it isn't great.

The companions that make up your ship's crew on the other hand manage to measure up to the iconic members of the Normandy team. Whilst I doubt they'll go on to become as beloved as the cast of the originals, they're nonetheless mostly well written and developed with a care that's much richer than the previous titles. Rather than merely prompting them for exposition until reaching the requisite loyalty missions, you end up much more involved with a series of missions leading to something more substantial .There's also a great implied life to them, you get the feeling the crew exists when Ryder's not around. They chat between themselves on board the Tempest and when on missions, giving hints of their relationships with each other. Peebee and Drack were the stand outs for me and the chatter between them on missions regularly put a smile on my face.

Even most of the core supporting cast are engaging, with some good performances from Natalie Dormer and Kumail Nanjiani, imbuing their roles with welcome nuance. The minor NPCs that litter the world are far less compelling and the further you go from the main cast, the worse and more tiresome the writing becomes. The biggest flaw with the writing is consistency, with plenty of moving scenes and memorable moments but also plenty of clunky exposition, awkward emoting, especially in the game's opening hours. Hindered too by the already much discussed facial animations which are it must be said mostly a step-up for Bioware but are sadly quite behind most of the competition. Though there's nothing quite as lifeless as the likes of Deus Ex Mankind Divided either.

Perhaps the most surprising member of the cast is Ryder. Playing as either sibling, Scott or Sara (as a nice touch you get to customise both and the other plays a part in the story), Ryder comes across as a younger, more flawed and ultimately more human lead than Commander Shepard. Shepard was always an icon, a hero the galaxy could rally behind. People doubt Ryder throughout and they too seem to doubt themselves, able to show vulnerability. Fryda Wolff and Tom Taylorson voice Ryder in a way that more than lives up to the legacy of Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer.

Thankfully the binary paragon and renegade split in dialogue choices is gone so instead we can much more freely move between various tones and options. This allows you to give Ryder a dynamism that wasn't available with Shepard, where instead consistency was much more greatly rewarded. Neither is Ryder swinging between “good” and “evil”. You feel like you can be rude, cheeky and smug yet still able to make the smart, noble call when the moment calls for it. I had a lot of fun as Ryder, I made her brash, cocky but also deeply uncomfortable with her responsibility. In the end I'm much more attached to her than I was Shepard.

In her boots I got to have fun and an optimistic tone is refreshing after Mass Effect 3. The trilogy's final part is still a standout game but I never quite appreciated how wearying the tone of it was till I got to Andromeda. Here your journey isn't a burden, it is an adventure. It lacks the stakes of Shepard's story but it's also freeing. I felt invigorated when the story came to a close and I'm surprised to find myself keen to spend more time with Ryder and company.

Minor complaints that I found myself able to easily overlook might prove more irritating for others. The user interface for instance often feels needlessly convoluted, with important options buried in menus separate to where they could be more readily relevant. Having to run around the ship to check different menus at different locations, all to see how much of one resource a new blueprint requires is bothersome. There's a also still at this point a lot of bugs in the game though none I experienced were game breaking.

My biggest complaint might seem inconsequential to some but for me the lacklustre score is a real sore point given the memorable themes of the original trilogy. The game's main theme is pleasant enough but so much of the score fails to make an impression. It's effective in creating a suitable atmosphere but it's telling that my favourite piece of music in the game is the reworked galaxy map music from the original trilogy. If Bioware intend to follow this up with sequels, they might want to find stronger music to define this new galaxy and give its cast a stronger identity.

Compared against the titans of the last few years Andromeda feels as much an unwelcome underdog as Ryder does, struggling to find a place in a new galaxy. How much fans of the series will enjoy this new entry will largely depend on just what it was about the previous games that they liked best. There is still compelling characters and an enjoyable plot but there's no Virmire or Curing the Genophage to propel it skyward. Yet there is a consistent thrill of exploration, of small scale drama and neat discoveries. If you want to feel like the hero in a battle against godlike machines, then there's nothing so compelling here. But if you want to feel like a scrappy space adventurer, getting lost in a expansive galaxy with some baddies at your heels, Andromeda is frequently thrilling.

I loved it far more than I ever expected to and though any recommendation comes with a warning of its numerous flaws, I nonetheless endorse it wholeheartedly. Andromeda's too much fun not to.

#Mass Effect #mass effect trilogy #mass effect andromeda #scifi #science fiction #video games #videogames #review #pc #bioware #ea #Ryder #Shepard #Tempest #Peebee #Adventure #colonialism

47 notes · View notes

downloaddubbedanime · 6 years ago

Text

HD New Dubbed Anime Movies Lists 2018

New Dubbed Anime : Anime has, without a doubt, taken the world by a tempest. These shows and motion pictures, initially of Japanese starting point are frequently erroneously thought of like toons. However, truly, every anime fan realizes that it is far beyond that! Anime comes in various classes, and regularly, the most articulated topic is that of kinship and mettle, valiance and respect. For these great reasons, anime has fans everywhere throughout the world and keeps on developing in prevalence consistently. Due to how well known it is, anime is named into a few dialects for individuals who experience difficulty following subtitles. On the off chance that you have wound up pondering "where would i be able to watch English named anime" at that point you will be glad to realize that there are in certainty different sites that will give you a chance to do only that! On sites like Kissanime and Crunchyroll, you can securely observe free named anime motion pictures and also anime arrangement!

The Top Five Anime Movies to Watch in 2017

When you know the best place to watch dubbed anime, you would then be able to start to stress over which anime to watch and where to begin, to capitalize on your anime encounter. In this article, you will discover a rundown of the best named anime arrangement and anime motion pictures that you can watch to guarantee that you have an incredible time, regardless of whether you are watching it with other individuals, or investing energy in alone with yourself and your feline! Read on for a rundown of best named anime 2017!

Mary and the Witch's Flower – This is a standout amongst other 2017 named anime Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, it is the main movie by Studio Ponoc. Yonebayashi, who was associated with the making of faction exemplary anime motion pictures like When Marnie was Here, Arrietty, Spirited Away and other unmistakable Studio Ghibli motion pictures. Mary and the Witch's Flower, which depends on the book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart recounts the enchanting story of a young lady, who finds a blossom that allows her mystical forces. Join her as she sets out on a wonderful trip loaded with enchantment, companionship, and first love and watches her have the enterprise of a lifetime! Joining the extraordinary craftsmanship style of the Studio Ghibli films with the delightful story method that is a trademark of Yonebayashi, this motion picture is an involvement in itself and is ensured to influence you to begin to look all starry eyed at the universe of anime, new named animes.

Kimi no Na Wa – This is one of the most astounding earning new named anime motion pictures to have at any point been made, and its prosperity equals even that of fan top choice, Spirited Away. Coordinated by the famous anime chief Makoto Shinkai, this motion picture was discharged to whatever remains of the western world in 2017 and has been gotten well by fans everywhere throughout the world. The splendid fine art of this new english named anime motion picture has a relatively sparkling quality about it that is the characteristic of a procedure once in a while utilized in making anime motion pictures. It recounts the tale of two youthful spirits and an inspiring enterprise that takes you crosswise over time and space and is the account of how cherish vanquishes all. Japan's assurance to beat the chances against unfortunate cataclysms by the sheer energy of affection and continuance which is a conspicuous impact of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedies is exceptionally unmistakable in this motion picture. It is outstanding amongst other new subbed anime motion pictures.

Kimi no Koe wo Todeketai – This up and coming named anime film portrays the contentions and stresses of a secondary school young lady from a residential area. The hero is concerned on the grounds that she doesn't think she has a calling, and one day, hastily chooses to end up a DJ subsequent to meandering into a telecom station. The station had been unused for quite a while, however by an inquisitive unforeseen development, her communicated word contact individuals, who discover relatability and solace in her words. It tells a lovely story about growing up of a young lady who is befuddled and forlorn, and thus, has been discovered fairly relatable to individuals everywhere throughout the world. On the off chance that you are searching for a sweet and feel-great motion picture, at that point this is without a doubt the one to depend on! Watch new named anime and Enjoy!!!!

Kuzu no Honkai – This new named anime is conceivably the most encouraging of all the forthcoming best English named anime arrangement. It recounts the account of two individuals who are seeing someone is broadly begrudged by their associates. Hanabi and Mugi are known to show what is as far as anyone knows the embodiment of good direct in their relationship and hence, the relationship, that they have is regarded culminate by everyone around them. In any case, unbeknownst to every one of those in their prompt circle, these two have a mystery that they can't tell anybody! It has the typical emotional wanders aimlessly that Japanese anime acclaimed for, and furthermore conveys a solid good that it conveys inconspicuously and adequately. Exhibiting a solid obligation of kinship between the principle characters and staggering work of art, this new eng name anime has progressed toward becoming potentially the most prevalent named anime arrangement of the year, and has amassed a noteworthy fan following! New hollywood vivified motion pictures!!

Gabriel Dropout – If you want to watch named anime hd that is light and breezy and does not have the power of regular anime films, at that point this is a standout amongst other named animes for you. This light drama takes after the life of the heavenly attendant Gabriel White who was best of his class at holy messenger school however gets dependent on a web amusement while seeking after learning in a human school. Without any dull basic topics, it makes for a fun and family-accommodating watch. While most new anime films english named and anime arrangement accompany a kind of serious backstory that legitimizes the top quality craftsmanship and the stellar movement, this specific arrangement is very conditioned down in such manner. Notwithstanding, saying this doesn't imply that that this anime does not have great workmanship – truth be told, the craftsmanship style of Gabriel Dropout is one of a kind and wonderful in itself for the basic outlines and the quieted shading palette that is utilized all through, to fit the light topic of the anime suitably. New named anime 2018.

0 notes