One of the things I enjoy most after uploading an episode is interacting with yall in the comments. Sadly, right after the episode became available on YT I got hit with a nasty virus and I’ve had to sleep the day away. So if you’ve been wondering why I haven’t been as active as usual, that’s why. I’m so sorry I haven’t been around, but know that once I’ve rested and recovered I’ll be reading and responding! Soldiers Keep was wild!
Your companions, seem to be very jealous of the attention Baggins is getting from you🤣 that's a way to start a video! Poor Baggins, hope they warm up to him!
@@ArienRiley I think the idea was not too raise it too high too fast so you don’t skip the in between stages where certain things might be unlocked. Apparently there’s gifts available that add a whole lot of approval all at once and you risk maxing it out immediately and missing conversations and content.
Fishing for approval while talking with Sten is like dancing blindfolded in a minefield. He's so no nonsense, duty first, firm guy. But as Leliana says, he's actually one big softie. Not that he'll ever admit it, mind you.
Most gifts you find or buy are part of the main game and you can and should use them whenever you want. There are DLC gifts in your camp merchants inventory that are free. Do not get or use them. They can drastically effect the approval system both positively and negatively and lock you out of romances or cause a companion to leave.
Ooh, I’ve never played the dlc. But it looks fun! Also, here’s a few tips for combat: 1. Pausing is your friend 2. Watch your health bar during battles, not afterwards. Your bar will refill after the fight, so use your healing spell and potions if someone gets low while fighting 3. I know it’s a bit nerve wracking, but let Shen fight! I’ve noticed that you like to use your special spells, then get out of the way. That’s totally fine, but you should then have her use her basic attack while waiting to use a spell. Her staff is a ranged weapon, so she won’t get too close
About the gifts. There are 5 categories including the DLC gifts (Feastday gifts and Feastday pranks), which I would avoid. The three main categories are: - Generic gifts which can be given to any companion for a small increase of approval. - Gifts meant for certain companions, but can also be given to anyone else. If you pick the correct companion (like you did with Leliana) it will generate a bigger increase of approval, if you pick the wrong companion it will give the same boost to approval as a generic gift. - Special gifts for specific companions. Can only be given to one companion and will greatly improve their approval. They usually come with a special cutscene. If you talk to your companions regularly and take them on to the right locations you can trigger dialogues that will hint at what sort of gifts a companion prefers. This can help you to identify the correct gifts for your companions from the second category. Because of that, many recommend to wait with the gifts until you have all your companions and until you got to know them a little better. But just do whatever feels right to you. It's your playthrough and there is no need to worry about making "mistakes". A mistake free first playthrough is kind of boring anyway. ;) Please let me know if this is too much detail and/or too spoilery. I don't mean to spoil anything.
You deserve a shout-out for providing help without spoiling anything! Many would just say "Alistair likes these type of things..." and think it's not spoiling, not realising that it removes the chance for Shen (Shhen?) to learn about the companions herself. And for reminding her to play her own way, good job :)
I've noticed when you are in battle you sometimes give an order to say drink a potion. You have to give the character a moment to carry out the order before you issue a new one or the first one will be canceled.
Shen, what you are referring to in the introduction is good writing. Sten's character invites all kinds of questions, which are reasonable. Is Sten redeemable? What if he double crosses you and commits more murders? This heightens tension and advances the plot. Conflict drives the story. Further, will Baggins, as a wardog, make the ultimate sacrifice out of loyalty to you and the party? Can Baggins drink darkspawn blood and become a warden dog himself? Is Liliana the righteous babe that she appears to be? Morrigan appears to be, so far, the ultimate pragmatist, with little recognition for morals or advancing the common good towards anyone, much less the downtrodden. "They are downtrodden for a reason. They are meant to be trodden down upon." Shen, how quickly you trash Duncan's memory to the curb in favor of flirting with Alistair!
In the peak, the 4 books you found opened a quest, go back in the tower and look at the painting by the steps (bottom) that lead to the platform you fought the demons with Avernus. You get some good gear. And stow as much junk in the chest next to Levi when you go back. It's basically unlimited storage. Good luck with the gifts. You've guessed well so far, but some of it makes no sense (I cheated and looked up the gift guide). Not saying anything else, of course. 😁
Hi Shen! Loving your playthroughs of ME and DA! Just wanted to give a little gameplay tip that might make things easier for you, if you weren't aware of these already. You can extend your toolbar out to add more slots, so you can drag your healing/lyrium potions and injury kits into yours and your companion's bars so that you don't have to keep going into your inventory each time you want to use them. You can also drag items from your buy/sell screen instead of having to use the radial menu for each time. Makes things a bit faster :)
You might want to Google for gifts or just wait awhile to know your companions better. Some gifts are for other companions you don't yet have and some you will find surprising who exactly likes what. You are right that Liliana appreciates items do do with her faith. Oh also a warning: Don't buy gifts in camp from the dwarf some will give -50 or +50 they are more used by people who want a particular outcome and it will skip quests and dialogue. Those were okay gifts. They meant bought gifts from the dwarf.
I recommend that you cast the "Frost Weapon" spell to your warrior and rogue characters as it will add extra frost damage to their weapons. You can also later on unlock the "Fire Weapon" spell that will add fire damage instead.
How do you feel about the approval system in this game, or other games in general? I feel like companion approval systems in games end up causing me to roleplay as a sociopath who constantly tells everyone exactly what they want to hear no matter what I believe so that I can max out the approval scores. Maybe it's because I'm a people pleaser in real life. It kind of gets in the way of my ability to roleplay when there's a score attached.
I sooo agree with you on that. I have a hard time to not max out approvals, and it can really kill the vibe of the character you imagined you would be.
As hard as it would be to program and flesh out properly a fluid approval system that companions consistently adapt to is ideal if you're insistent on having one.
Morrigan does in fact like jewelry. She’s had a rough upbringing and is often in survival mode but she’s still a girl at heart and likes pretty things. I think part of her longs to just be a simple woman.
Ah yes, EA deleting the game, happened to me once as well. Great App... Anyway. You got the first couple of gifts right, good for you :) And no, you did not mess up there (yet). Giving the "wrong" gifts still gives approval, but far less than giving the correct ones. It might be prudent to learn more about your companions first if you are not sure which gift fits whom best ;) I normally do Soldier's Peak a little later in the game (mid-game-ish), but there is really not much of a downside to doing it early, so why not. It's definitely an interesting and fun one, in my opinion. As far as DLCs go, Sulcher's Pass would make for a good stop a some point in the near future. Of course, just a suggestion, do as you please!
@@_shhenanigans_ I forgot about the storage chest, mainly because I have been using a mod that gives you a chest in your camp for years. Much more convenient XD You have to return to Soldier's Peak to get the chest. I think you have to travel once to a different place to make it work.
Two DA uploads in three days? Thanks! And get better soon :) I wanted to say, you play how you want to play. You're here to enjoy your first DA: O playthrough, not replicate that of others. There's no things you 'should' do in a particular order otherwise the game will mess up. I want to watch what *you* would do because I find your playstyle enjoyable, not have you follow some arbitrary set of rules from well-meaning viewers. (Sorry if that comes off as brusque; not very well myself and likely makes me a bit grumpy.)
Girrrrl, the length of time and deliberation on that one line, "What about your fruit? Is it forbidden?" when chatting with Liliana, had me DYING!! 😅 Especially given the train Wreck of a convo leading up to it 🤣 Also, every interaction at camp was outlandish in its own way on that occasion!! 😆😃
@@Neptune151 I want to meet Arishok Sten 😎 what a cool character. Lots of people and factions in DA are morally suspect - can still enjoy them, though.
The only gifts that you should not be giving are the cheaty gifts that were added with the Feastday Gifts and Pranks DLC as these can break the character story progression of your companions. You will recognize these gifts by the fact that they are the only ones that the dwarf trader in your camp sells which are worth 0 money and if used give either +50 or -50 to approval. Any gift you find while exploring or shopping outside of camp is safe, though some give better results on certain companions than others, including ones you may not have unlocked yet.
@@transsylvanian9100 this is a really clear and concise explanation. I’d also add that “sugar cake” and “thoughtful gift” come under this too as unbalanced DLC gifts and they do cost a small fee - so watch out for those too!
Get accustomed to bringing rogue with you. I have no idea what the lock-picking mechanics are in The Veilguard, but I know rogues are necessary to opening locked chests in DA2 and Inquisition. In Origins rogues can open locked chests without the chance of destroying what's inside.
I've been really enjoying this playthrough and think you are delightful =) FYI telekinetic blades is a toggle power (has a constant mana reservation cost) and not a click power (like mind blast).
I love Sten. I hardly ever used him in my first playthrough, because I thought all his curt, monosyllabic responses made him boring. Later, I came to find them really funny, and his exchanges with the other companions when you're out in the field can be priceless! Also, his way of looking at the world is so different from the way the humans, elves and dwarves see things. Most of us can probably imagine fitting into one of those societies, but Sten's responses (when you can get him to speak more than two words!) show that qunari culture is completely unique and thoroughly... alien!
I can’t wait to see what Sten has to say to say to companions! I wonder how the convo I had with him at the end of the episode would go with Morrigan or Leilianna?!
watching your play trough makes me wanna start DA again. loved it... back in the days 20years ago😅 As you may have noticed so far, it's very similar to the ME series. It's basically ME in medieval times 😅
Sulchers Pass is a DLC where you can get another companion, a very special one, at that. So don't wait too long to pick them up as they are awesome. That is all i am saying :)
Sten's culture is very utilitarian, all or nothing. In some ways they're more terrifying than the Darkspawn. the Qunari are not native to those islands, no. But wherever beyond the known world they came from, they brought their absolutely rigid system of rules of behavior with them. There is another DLC you definitely want to do , go to Sulcher's Pass. I'm surprised you did Soldier's Peak/Warden's Keep this early, honestly. But DO Sulcher's Pass ASAP. Yeah, I didn't think you'd like Spider shape, somehow. more glitches "Oooh, he has a fireball?" BAM Leilana is the one who can unlock doors and traps for now. 53:13 That scream LOL Desire Demons only appear in this game. They certainly cater to the obvious desire, but others desires as well. Sten is giving you insight into Qunari culture here. Again, I recommend Sulcher's Pass.
I jump scare so easily 😭. Someone told me to do Soldiers Keep for the storage chest? But I think that might only be for people who play console Womp Womp. But it was a good experience! Crazy seeing a possessed grey warden! Sulchers pass is another one that people wanted me to do! I have that in my notes right under the keep. Apparently there’s a companion there that is amazing, that’s what everyone has said!
I believe people have reported bugs when getting companion's approval ratings up too quickly using the gifts, making them lose out on certain dialogue because the game skips them due to triggers. Just interact with them normally and basically try not to love bomb someone and you should be fine :p
You can place potions like mama on your quick bar rather than opening up the inventory every time. Check your quests before leaving an area. Once you leave Soldiers peak it locks you out of the fortress. I won't answer who I bring since you don't yet have all your companions, especially one one who i think many people bring.
Slight suggestion in party composition, to be better able to deal with traps and locked chest, always travel with a rogue, my favourite composition is one warrior, one rogue and two mages. But that’s just a suggestion, it isn’t necessary to do.
I think you have chosen best class in the first playthrough. Mage class is clearly the most fun and diverse one in addition to being the best damage dealer classs.
To be fair Sten is a quanari, which difrent race (apparently they were humans/elves experimented by teviter of old with dragon blood) they have diffren culture (Seheron) and religion (Qun) Sten Ideology or behaviour is really diffrent than andastrian humans, paragon dwarfs or dalish elves in the world of Theadas. Alas once you get his aproval you learn more about him and get his petsonal quest.
Now that is cleared when you return there will be a merchant and a storage chest Personally depends who I play as Typically I am a rogue so I take A Warrior Tank a Healing Mage and the other is optional. As a Warrior I take Morrigan, a healing mage and Lelianna for steal and lockpick and as A Mage I take a Warrior Tank, Lelianna and optional
I do love this world. I've defeated it more times than either of us has lived! (combined) lol (Literally!) I also have the tabletop RPG handbook! (I've played it so much that I've worn out several discs!) Origins is best for replayability. Can't buy the Failguard unless I hear AWESOME things from the community.
Take Leliana if you need a rouge to picklocks and shoot bows. Take Sten if you want a excellent fighter who can tank damage, in the end the choice is yours. .
It's a shame your not playing on the PS3, there's a unique exploit regarding the storage chest beside Levi after the peak is cleaned up and cleared out, if you store your unused gear, weapons and armour they actually increase in level as you do. The best and highest tier is called dragonbone. It's a useful glitch that makes the game easier in some ways. Sadly they're all patched on pc.
You might need to be careful with gifts that Bodahn started to sell after you've turned on the DLCs, because they give a ridiculous amount of approval/hatred, thus i'd say you need to use them if you need to fix the relationships or if you're stuck on the same relationship level for quite some time and it won't budge any other way. Normal gifts that you buy from other shops or find in your journeys are perfectly safe to use and don't break the immersion. But that's not a guide, that's just my approach. It was easier cuz first time i've played i had no DLCs (thus no cheat gifts), second time i've played i already some knowledge of the game so it was nice to experiment with these fun items.
I started watching your series late, but now I just caught up. Few tidbits of information. I have been around and waiting for the Dragon Age, while it was being made. The name of the world Thedas, is not given by Bioware. Since Bioware had no name for the world, the fans, who were waiting, started to call it The-DA-S. Get it? And then Bioware took it. If you haven't noticed it, yet - we are on the southern hemisphere of the planet of Thedas. Most western RPGs are based in the northern, so we get used to the layout. Therefore, contrary to what we are used from other RPGs - when you go south, the climate is cold. When you go north, the climate gets hot. Ferelden is the Southernmost country on the edge of civilization. The rest of countries nearby consider them barely out of barbarism. Teyrn is not a name - its a title. Loghain is the first name. Mac Tir is the last name. Ferelden nobility is divided into several tiers: - The royal family - the rulers of Ferelden (they are king/queen and princes/princesses). In the past, Denerim was originally the "teyrnir of the King". Nowdays the entirety of Ferelden is considered to be the royal family's domain. Instead, Denerim now is an "arling". - Teyrn/Teyrna - the highest title of the nobility. The lands they rule is called "teyrn". Teyrns arose from among the banns, by growing powerful enough to make the lesser of banns swear fealthy to them. Today, also Aarlings are subbordinate to Teryns (due to having been established by them). - Arl//Arlessa - middle level of the nobility (however, considered of higher prestige than teyrns). The lands they rule is called "arling". Arlings were established by the teyrns as strategic fortressed that the teyrns could not oversee directly. While being an Arl is more prestigious than being Teyrn, Arls have historically no Banns sworn to them. (Today there is an exception with Bann Teagan Guerrin being a subordinate of Earl Aemon Guerrin). In practical terms, an arling is just a more prestigeous bann. - Bann - lowest level of landed noble. Their lands are called "bannorn". In the past, they were a cast of powerful warleaders (and you could argue that they still are). - Knight (minor nobility, not always heredetary - might just be an honor given) - usually sworn warrior/vasal to a higher level noble.
You really need to decide your Mage build path, focused on being a healer/support/destruction Mage. Otherwise, it will be a problem later because the game is long. You could mess up in the long run. Healer Mage focused on healing and buff your companions, meaning you make your companion do all the killings. Equip them with strongest weapons and armors, you only need to keep them alive and strong by your magic. Invest points in Creation and Spirit school. Support Mage is similar to healer, but you focused on sabotaging the enemies making them weaker or disabled. Invest points in Entropy and Spirit school. Destruction Mage focused on eliminating enemies yourself, your companion's role is to protect you. Invest points in Primal school. For specialization, as a beginner, just Spirit Healer is fine (once you unlocked it). Sadly, the specializations are too complex for Mage builds. Just stick to Spirit Healer for first time play through. EDit : Some spells only need to cast ONCE; such spells will use a portion of mana to keep it always on such as Telekinetic Weapon and other similar buff. You can see the small spell symbols above the skill slots to make sure it is on or off.
Sorry to hear of your technical difficulties but that EA app, lots of people have issues with it on all kinds of games. I bought mine off Steam. I did notice Levi was missing when you were running around camp.
If you don't mind looking, there is a gift guide, but spoilers for other companions you haven't met yet so you might wanna wait until you get all your companions before looking. 😊
This is great advice! Will I know when everyone is recruited? ME2 has little slots for all companions, so you can see how many more you can add, does DAO do something similar?
My prefered party is one mage, one rogue, and two warriors. Alistair is usually one of those because he's a great tank unless I'm playing the tank character. I also tend to prefer Leliana as a rogue because she uses a bow.
@@_shhenanigans_ It's probably best for her. Rogues do well with bows or dual wielding daggers. You can really go either way with Leliana but considering she starts out with one or two ranged skills you might as well stick with that.
This might be backseating but don't be worried about negative influence. Just buy general gifts from the dwarf merchant in camp, it gives +10 influence infinitely , to all companions. That way the player don't get to miss dialogue, companion quests and companion content. There is no content or advantage for negative influence, like in other RPG games.
I don't think you have to do any DLC before you go on with the story. Redcliffe and the Circle are more or less meant as the early quests to go to. But you can do them if you want. You also can't really mess up the gift thing. I'm pretty sure the trader in your camp sells gifts that are liked by everybody and don't diminish in value so you can always use those although I personally prefer using the regular gifts you find.
Maybe it's a bit hypocritical of me to say so, but I think you should not listen to people about how to play the game, like the order of DLCs or the gifts... You have already installed mods that are somewhat breaking the original game design and changed the experience for you, compared to what most people had. Just play as you want and ignore everyone, otherwise people will try to optimize your playthrough to hell and back which I don't think is a good experience for the first playthrough.
I second that..Many times i write comments here and in Mass Effect and Fallout and then I immediately delete them for fear of back-seating or minor spoilers. I mean were are here to watch a first-time playthrough and relive the RAW experience through the eyes and the mind of the player..dear shhenanigans in this case !
The problem is that there is a difference between experiencing combat and experiencing the dialogue the conversations and modifying them But it depends on what the person wants at the end of the day
I was scared 😭 the last time I had to drink something weird like that I almost died and had a vision of a dragon. I couldn’t risk that happening again in a demon infested keep
One of the things I enjoy most after uploading an episode is interacting with yall in the comments. Sadly, right after the episode became available on YT I got hit with a nasty virus and I’ve had to sleep the day away. So if you’ve been wondering why I haven’t been as active as usual, that’s why. I’m so sorry I haven’t been around, but know that once I’ve rested and recovered I’ll be reading and responding! Soldiers Keep was wild!
Your companions, seem to be very jealous of the attention Baggins is getting from you🤣 that's a way to start a video! Poor Baggins, hope they warm up to him!
@@_shhenanigans_ hope you feel better soon.
@@ArienRiley I think the idea was not too raise it too high too fast so you don’t skip the in between stages where certain things might be unlocked. Apparently there’s gifts available that add a whole lot of approval all at once and you risk maxing it out immediately and missing conversations and content.
Fishing for approval while talking with Sten is like dancing blindfolded in a minefield.
He's so no nonsense, duty first, firm guy. But as Leliana says, he's actually one big softie.
Not that he'll ever admit it, mind you.
Sten is a softie lol
@@Neptune151 shows how much you don't know about each character in the game
@@Neptune151 Qunari don't suck. They're one of the most interesting/unique races in the game.
@@brandonatchison4769 That is not a contradiction. They can both suck and be interesting and unique, at the same time.
" dancing blindfolded in a minefield." LOL, I love that, and yes it is.
"Who excel at poverty"!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I had forgotten that line.
My man Sten is hilarious!
I diiiiiied when he said that!
Shen, don't forget to use the injury kit to hill yourself and your companions from injuries! you got this!
I def need to get better about this!
Most gifts you find or buy are part of the main game and you can and should use them whenever you want. There are DLC gifts in your camp merchants inventory that are free. Do not get or use them. They can drastically effect the approval system both positively and negatively and lock you out of romances or cause a companion to leave.
Sulcher’s pass! Sulcher’s pass! Sulcher’s pass!!! You WILL NOT regret it
Ooh, I’ve never played the dlc. But it looks fun! Also, here’s a few tips for combat:
1. Pausing is your friend
2. Watch your health bar during battles, not afterwards. Your bar will refill after the fight, so use your healing spell and potions if someone gets low while fighting
3. I know it’s a bit nerve wracking, but let Shen fight! I’ve noticed that you like to use your special spells, then get out of the way. That’s totally fine, but you should then have her use her basic attack while waiting to use a spell. Her staff is a ranged weapon, so she won’t get too close
About the gifts. There are 5 categories including the DLC gifts (Feastday gifts and Feastday pranks), which I would avoid.
The three main categories are:
- Generic gifts which can be given to any companion for a small increase of approval.
- Gifts meant for certain companions, but can also be given to anyone else. If you pick the correct companion (like you did with Leliana) it will generate a bigger increase of approval, if you pick the wrong companion it will give the same boost to approval as a generic gift.
- Special gifts for specific companions. Can only be given to one companion and will greatly improve their approval. They usually come with a special cutscene.
If you talk to your companions regularly and take them on to the right locations you can trigger dialogues that will hint at what sort of gifts a companion prefers. This can help you to identify the correct gifts for your companions from the second category.
Because of that, many recommend to wait with the gifts until you have all your companions and until you got to know them a little better.
But just do whatever feels right to you. It's your playthrough and there is no need to worry about making "mistakes". A mistake free first playthrough is kind of boring anyway. ;)
Please let me know if this is too much detail and/or too spoilery. I don't mean to spoil anything.
Not to much detail at all! I really appreciate it!
You deserve a shout-out for providing help without spoiling anything! Many would just say "Alistair likes these type of things..." and think it's not spoiling, not realising that it removes the chance for Shen (Shhen?) to learn about the companions herself. And for reminding her to play her own way, good job :)
I've noticed when you are in battle you sometimes give an order to say drink a potion. You have to give the character a moment to carry out the order before you issue a new one or the first one will be canceled.
Shen, what you are referring to in the introduction is good writing. Sten's character invites all kinds of questions, which are reasonable. Is Sten redeemable? What if he double crosses you and commits more murders? This heightens tension and advances the plot. Conflict drives the story. Further, will Baggins, as a wardog, make the ultimate sacrifice out of loyalty to you and the party? Can Baggins drink darkspawn blood and become a warden dog himself? Is Liliana the righteous babe that she appears to be? Morrigan appears to be, so far, the ultimate pragmatist, with little recognition for morals or advancing the common good towards anyone, much less the downtrodden. "They are downtrodden for a reason. They are meant to be trodden down upon." Shen, how quickly you trash Duncan's memory to the curb in favor of flirting with Alistair!
In the peak, the 4 books you found opened a quest, go back in the tower and look at the painting by the steps (bottom) that lead to the platform you fought the demons with Avernus. You get some good gear. And stow as much junk in the chest next to Levi when you go back. It's basically unlimited storage.
Good luck with the gifts. You've guessed well so far, but some of it makes no sense (I cheated and looked up the gift guide). Not saying anything else, of course. 😁
Hi Shen! Loving your playthroughs of ME and DA!
Just wanted to give a little gameplay tip that might make things easier for you, if you weren't aware of these already. You can extend your toolbar out to add more slots, so you can drag your healing/lyrium potions and injury kits into yours and your companion's bars so that you don't have to keep going into your inventory each time you want to use them. You can also drag items from your buy/sell screen instead of having to use the radial menu for each time. Makes things a bit faster :)
This is such a great tip!! And will be helpful bc I keep forgetting to use injury kits! But maybe if I put them in the slots, it won’t be overlooked
You might want to Google for gifts or just wait awhile to know your companions better. Some gifts are for other companions you don't yet have and some you will find surprising who exactly likes what. You are right that Liliana appreciates items do do with her faith.
Oh also a warning: Don't buy gifts in camp from the dwarf some will give -50 or +50 they are more used by people who want a particular outcome and it will skip quests and dialogue.
Those were okay gifts. They meant bought gifts from the dwarf.
I recommend that you cast the "Frost Weapon" spell to your warrior and rogue characters as it will add extra frost damage to their weapons. You can also later on unlock the "Fire Weapon" spell that will add fire damage instead.
How do you feel about the approval system in this game, or other games in general? I feel like companion approval systems in games end up causing me to roleplay as a sociopath who constantly tells everyone exactly what they want to hear no matter what I believe so that I can max out the approval scores. Maybe it's because I'm a people pleaser in real life. It kind of gets in the way of my ability to roleplay when there's a score attached.
I sooo agree with you on that. I have a hard time to not max out approvals, and it can really kill the vibe of the character you imagined you would be.
As hard as it would be to program and flesh out properly a fluid approval system that companions consistently adapt to is ideal if you're insistent on having one.
Morrigan does in fact like jewelry. She’s had a rough upbringing and is often in survival mode but she’s still a girl at heart and likes pretty things. I think part of her longs to just be a simple woman.
That’s really sad. I felt so bad with the way that convo ended with her 😭
Ah yes, EA deleting the game, happened to me once as well. Great App...
Anyway. You got the first couple of gifts right, good for you :) And no, you did not mess up there (yet).
Giving the "wrong" gifts still gives approval, but far less than giving the correct ones. It might be prudent to learn more about your companions first if you are not sure which gift fits whom best ;)
I normally do Soldier's Peak a little later in the game (mid-game-ish), but there is really not much of a downside to doing it early, so why not. It's definitely an interesting and fun one, in my opinion. As far as DLCs go, Sulcher's Pass would make for a good stop a some point in the near future. Of course, just a suggestion, do as you please!
Someone said to complete soldiers peak because you get an extra storage chest but I don’t think I saw one? Need to look that up I guess!
@@_shhenanigans_ I forgot about the storage chest, mainly because I have been using a mod that gives you a chest in your camp for years. Much more convenient XD
You have to return to Soldier's Peak to get the chest. I think you have to travel once to a different place to make it work.
glad to see you decided to use the dog mod :)
I think it’s a fun mod and loved the suggestion! But I know I’m going to get a lot of “YoU sHoUlDnT uSe mOdS oN a FiRsT tIMe PlAyThRoUgH”
@@_shhenanigans_ Having your loyal wardog with you at all time is not a mod, it's common sense :)
Well, i believe its mostly true, yet mod like this should be intended to take part in the game from the beginning, atleast thats just my opinion.
Two DA uploads in three days? Thanks! And get better soon :)
I wanted to say, you play how you want to play. You're here to enjoy your first DA: O playthrough, not replicate that of others. There's no things you 'should' do in a particular order otherwise the game will mess up. I want to watch what *you* would do because I find your playstyle enjoyable, not have you follow some arbitrary set of rules from well-meaning viewers. (Sorry if that comes off as brusque; not very well myself and likely makes me a bit grumpy.)
Girrrrl, the length of time and deliberation on that one line, "What about your fruit? Is it forbidden?" when chatting with Liliana, had me DYING!! 😅 Especially given the train Wreck of a convo leading up to it 🤣
Also, every interaction at camp was outlandish in its own way on that occasion!! 😆😃
It was such a mess! And then the sad little “oh” when she basically tells me to mind my business 😭🤣
I'm so glad you get Sten's humor. He's so funny to me 😂
Might be funny, but imagine living under the Qun.
@@Neptune151 I want to meet Arishok Sten 😎 what a cool character. Lots of people and factions in DA are morally suspect - can still enjoy them, though.
He had me cracking up!
@@mutantanemone You mean you want to meet the Arishok.
The only gifts that you should not be giving are the cheaty gifts that were added with the Feastday Gifts and Pranks DLC as these can break the character story progression of your companions.
You will recognize these gifts by the fact that they are the only ones that the dwarf trader in your camp sells which are worth 0 money and if used give either +50 or -50 to approval.
Any gift you find while exploring or shopping outside of camp is safe, though some give better results on certain companions than others, including ones you may not have unlocked yet.
@@transsylvanian9100 this is a really clear and concise explanation. I’d also add that “sugar cake” and “thoughtful gift” come under this too as unbalanced DLC gifts and they do cost a small fee - so watch out for those too!
Thank you both! Those are really good things to know!!
@@rylujca4092 Yes.
Get accustomed to bringing rogue with you. I have no idea what the lock-picking mechanics are in The Veilguard, but I know rogues are necessary to opening locked chests in DA2 and Inquisition. In Origins rogues can open locked chests without the chance of destroying what's inside.
love watching your Dragon Age series!!!! ❤
Thank you!
I've been really enjoying this playthrough and think you are delightful =) FYI telekinetic blades is a toggle power (has a constant mana reservation cost) and not a click power (like mind blast).
I need to spend more time trying to figure out frost weapon and telekinetic weapons. I thought it was a buff that fell off quickly 😬
I love Sten. I hardly ever used him in my first playthrough, because I thought all his curt, monosyllabic responses made him boring. Later, I came to find them really funny, and his exchanges with the other companions when you're out in the field can be priceless!
Also, his way of looking at the world is so different from the way the humans, elves and dwarves see things. Most of us can probably imagine fitting into one of those societies, but Sten's responses (when you can get him to speak more than two words!) show that qunari culture is completely unique and thoroughly... alien!
I can’t wait to see what Sten has to say to say to companions! I wonder how the convo I had with him at the end of the episode would go with Morrigan or Leilianna?!
watching your play trough makes me wanna start DA again. loved it... back in the days 20years ago😅
As you may have noticed so far, it's very similar to the ME series. It's basically ME in medieval times 😅
Play again and tell me all about it!!
Sulchers Pass is a DLC where you can get another companion, a very special one, at that. So don't wait too long to pick them up as they are awesome. That is all i am saying :)
For completing all codexes there is a chest behind the portrait with warden commander asturian sword.
Just advice: get to know your companions first before giving them gifts
Next part go to sulchers pass dlc its gold Mark on left of map because one reason icant spoil 36:49
Yes. I love that DLC.
Sten's culture is very utilitarian, all or nothing. In some ways they're more terrifying than the Darkspawn. the Qunari are not native to those islands, no. But wherever beyond the known world they came from, they brought their absolutely rigid system of rules of behavior with them.
There is another DLC you definitely want to do , go to Sulcher's Pass. I'm surprised you did Soldier's Peak/Warden's Keep this early, honestly. But DO Sulcher's Pass ASAP.
Yeah, I didn't think you'd like Spider shape, somehow.
more glitches
"Oooh, he has a fireball?" BAM
Leilana is the one who can unlock doors and traps for now.
53:13 That scream LOL
Desire Demons only appear in this game. They certainly cater to the obvious desire, but others desires as well.
Sten is giving you insight into Qunari culture here.
Again, I recommend Sulcher's Pass.
I jump scare so easily 😭. Someone told me to do Soldiers Keep for the storage chest? But I think that might only be for people who play console Womp Womp. But it was a good experience! Crazy seeing a possessed grey warden!
Sulchers pass is another one that people wanted me to do! I have that in my notes right under the keep. Apparently there’s a companion there that is amazing, that’s what everyone has said!
Honestly out of all the companions, sten definitely top3 on who I trust the most.
Really?! Who are the other two?
Dog and oghren
I believe people have reported bugs when getting companion's approval ratings up too quickly using the gifts, making them lose out on certain dialogue because the game skips them due to triggers. Just interact with them normally and basically try not to love bomb someone and you should be fine :p
He will redeem his actions for what he does in the team
Good luck with Sten, he's a handfull
You can place potions like mama on your quick bar rather than opening up the inventory every time.
Check your quests before leaving an area. Once you leave Soldiers peak it locks you out of the fortress.
I won't answer who I bring since you don't yet have all your companions, especially one one who i think many people bring.
I like the hairstyle of your character and awesome video 😊
Slight suggestion in party composition, to be better able to deal with traps and locked chest, always travel with a rogue, my favourite composition is one warrior, one rogue and two mages. But that’s just a suggestion, it isn’t necessary to do.
I think you have chosen best class in the first playthrough. Mage class is clearly the most fun and diverse one in addition to being the best damage dealer classs.
To try and talk about Sten is to attempt talking about the Qun, and that is a massive discussion topic.
Seems I like to wade into hot topics on accident 🥴. I had no idea
To be fair Sten is a quanari, which difrent race (apparently they were humans/elves experimented by teviter of old with dragon blood) they have diffren culture (Seheron) and religion (Qun)
Sten Ideology or behaviour is really diffrent than andastrian humans, paragon dwarfs or dalish elves in the world of Theadas. Alas once you get his aproval you learn more about him and get his petsonal quest.
Sten is one *tough cookie.*
Now that is cleared when you return there will be a merchant and a storage chest
Personally depends who I play as Typically I am a rogue so I take A Warrior Tank a Healing Mage and the other is optional. As a Warrior I take Morrigan, a healing mage and Lelianna for steal and lockpick and as A Mage I take a Warrior Tank, Lelianna and optional
I do love this world. I've defeated it more times than either of us has lived! (combined) lol (Literally!) I also have the tabletop RPG handbook! (I've played it so much that I've worn out several discs!) Origins is best for replayability. Can't buy the Failguard unless I hear AWESOME things from the community.
wow cool I just bought DA and plan to play it for the very first time soon, I will definitely come back 🙂
You’re going to have so much fun! I’m loving it!
Take Leliana if you need a rouge to picklocks and shoot bows. Take Sten if you want a excellent fighter who can tank damage, in the end the choice is yours. .
I fear no man…but that…enchantment…it scares me
I feel like I’m missing the joke 😭🤣
@@_shhenanigans_ Team Fortress 2: Meet the Pyro
It's a shame your not playing on the PS3, there's a unique exploit regarding the storage chest beside Levi after the peak is cleaned up and cleared out, if you store your unused gear, weapons and armour they actually increase in level as you do. The best and highest tier is called dragonbone.
It's a useful glitch that makes the game easier in some ways. Sadly they're all patched on pc.
Flaming weapons damage humanoid based characters... ice works best on Rage demons
You might need to be careful with gifts that Bodahn started to sell after you've turned on the DLCs, because they give a ridiculous amount of approval/hatred, thus i'd say you need to use them if you need to fix the relationships or if you're stuck on the same relationship level for quite some time and it won't budge any other way. Normal gifts that you buy from other shops or find in your journeys are perfectly safe to use and don't break the immersion. But that's not a guide, that's just my approach. It was easier cuz first time i've played i had no DLCs (thus no cheat gifts), second time i've played i already some knowledge of the game so it was nice to experiment with these fun items.
Sten reminds me a of Puddy from Seinfeld.
I change Lilli into Dual blade fighting as she always rushes forward into the face-to-face contact action
I started watching your series late, but now I just caught up.
Few tidbits of information. I have been around and waiting for the Dragon Age, while it was being made.
The name of the world Thedas, is not given by Bioware. Since Bioware had no name for the world, the fans, who were waiting, started to call it The-DA-S. Get it? And then Bioware took it.
If you haven't noticed it, yet - we are on the southern hemisphere of the planet of Thedas. Most western RPGs are based in the northern, so we get used to the layout. Therefore, contrary to what we are used from other RPGs - when you go south, the climate is cold. When you go north, the climate gets hot.
Ferelden is the Southernmost country on the edge of civilization. The rest of countries nearby consider them barely out of barbarism.
Teyrn is not a name - its a title. Loghain is the first name. Mac Tir is the last name.
Ferelden nobility is divided into several tiers:
- The royal family - the rulers of Ferelden (they are king/queen and princes/princesses). In the past, Denerim was originally the "teyrnir of the King". Nowdays the entirety of Ferelden is considered to be the royal family's domain. Instead, Denerim now is an "arling".
- Teyrn/Teyrna - the highest title of the nobility. The lands they rule is called "teyrn". Teyrns arose from among the banns, by growing powerful enough to make the lesser of banns swear fealthy to them. Today, also Aarlings are subbordinate to Teryns (due to having been established by them).
- Arl//Arlessa - middle level of the nobility (however, considered of higher prestige than teyrns). The lands they rule is called "arling". Arlings were established by the teyrns as strategic fortressed that the teyrns could not oversee directly. While being an Arl is more prestigious than being Teyrn, Arls have historically no Banns sworn to them. (Today there is an exception with Bann Teagan Guerrin being a subordinate of Earl Aemon Guerrin). In practical terms, an arling is just a more prestigeous bann.
- Bann - lowest level of landed noble. Their lands are called "bannorn". In the past, they were a cast of powerful warleaders (and you could argue that they still are).
- Knight (minor nobility, not always heredetary - might just be an honor given) - usually sworn warrior/vasal to a higher level noble.
Avernus alchemical vial unlocks 2 special abillites for grey warden.
Cant wait to see redclaif
Sten is the best!!
He had me dying laughing! I think with anyone else I probably would have been offended by what he said, but his delivery was just too good
You really need to decide your Mage build path, focused on being a healer/support/destruction Mage. Otherwise, it will be a problem later because the game is long. You could mess up in the long run.
Healer Mage focused on healing and buff your companions, meaning you make your companion do all the killings. Equip them with strongest weapons and armors, you only need to keep them alive and strong by your magic. Invest points in Creation and Spirit school.
Support Mage is similar to healer, but you focused on sabotaging the enemies making them weaker or disabled. Invest points in Entropy and Spirit school.
Destruction Mage focused on eliminating enemies yourself, your companion's role is to protect you. Invest points in Primal school.
For specialization, as a beginner, just Spirit Healer is fine (once you unlocked it). Sadly, the specializations are too complex for Mage builds. Just stick to Spirit Healer for first time play through.
EDit : Some spells only need to cast ONCE; such spells will use a portion of mana to keep it always on such as Telekinetic Weapon and other similar buff. You can see the small spell symbols above the skill slots to make sure it is on or off.
The romance system in DAO is very fast, just saying.
Sorry to hear of your technical difficulties but that EA app, lots of people have issues with it on all kinds of games. I bought mine off Steam. I did notice Levi was missing when you were running around camp.
The EA app telling me I had 0 hours and 0 days played was wild! It took a bit to figure out, but hopefully is fine from here on out
That wizard sounds like admiral koris.
Just checked and it is the same VA as Koris. One of the admirals on Talis Loyalty mission.
Omg, now that you mention it they did sound familiar!
If you don't mind looking, there is a gift guide, but spoilers for other companions you haven't met yet so you might wanna wait until you get all your companions before looking. 😊
This is great advice! Will I know when everyone is recruited? ME2 has little slots for all companions, so you can see how many more you can add, does DAO do something similar?
@@_shhenanigans_ You're missing 4 companions( one from the stone prisoner dlc)
My prefered party is one mage, one rogue, and two warriors. Alistair is usually one of those because he's a great tank unless I'm playing the tank character. I also tend to prefer Leliana as a rogue because she uses a bow.
I knew someone said she could use a bow!!
@@_shhenanigans_ It's probably best for her. Rogues do well with bows or dual wielding daggers. You can really go either way with Leliana but considering she starts out with one or two ranged skills you might as well stick with that.
This might be backseating but don't be worried about negative influence. Just buy general gifts from the dwarf merchant in camp, it gives +10 influence infinitely , to all companions. That way the player don't get to miss dialogue, companion quests and companion content. There is no content or advantage for negative influence, like in other RPG games.
I don't think you have to do any DLC before you go on with the story. Redcliffe and the Circle are more or less meant as the early quests to go to. But you can do them if you want. You also can't really mess up the gift thing. I'm pretty sure the trader in your camp sells gifts that are liked by everybody and don't diminish in value so you can always use those although I personally prefer using the regular gifts you find.
Sten loves artwork ❤️
Maybe it's a bit hypocritical of me to say so, but I think you should not listen to people about how to play the game, like the order of DLCs or the gifts... You have already installed mods that are somewhat breaking the original game design and changed the experience for you, compared to what most people had. Just play as you want and ignore everyone, otherwise people will try to optimize your playthrough to hell and back which I don't think is a good experience for the first playthrough.
I second that..Many times i write comments here and in Mass Effect and Fallout and then I immediately delete them for fear of back-seating or minor spoilers. I mean were are here to watch a first-time playthrough and relive the RAW experience through the eyes and the mind of the player..dear shhenanigans in this case !
The problem is that there is a difference between experiencing combat and experiencing the dialogue the conversations and modifying them
But it depends on what the person wants at the end of the day
@@op-qn4kbI’m confused, are you saying a mod that I’m using is changing the dialogue?
@@_shhenanigans_ no as far as I can tell the mods are not changing the conversations
I was referring to the added gift's (dlc)
@@op-qn4kb okay awesome! Def don't want that to happen, thank you!
Kinda sad you destroyed Avernus' vial. Now those people died for nothing
I was scared 😭 the last time I had to drink something weird like that I almost died and had a vision of a dragon. I couldn’t risk that happening again in a demon infested keep