Dragon Age II Notes

• Character Creation:
  • I recommend the default Hawke head. In Inquisition, when you meet Hawke the character creater comes up, and you can't import your custom character from DA2, but you can choose a default appearance. Otherwise, you can spend a few hours in the character creator trying to match what you had in DA2.
• System:
  • There are some places where the game freezes, and may say "loading..." in the lower-right corner of the screen. When this happens, just press ESC to get things moving again.
  • SIBLINGS: Carver survives the prologue only if Player is a mage. The mods that change this reverse the Player's class. i.e. if you want Carver to survive, the game will think you're a mage, right down to having mana.
  • There is a bug where you'll get an enemy down to 1 hp, and they just stand there taking hits. You'll have to wait until whatever status effect they're under wears off before they die.
  • Sometimes, your skills become greyed-out and unusuable. When this happens, you may be a mage with the Healing Aura ability active. Or, you may need to save and reload, or you may need to exit the game and load it up again.
• Gameplay:
  • Be in the mood for lots of conversations, though none are as lenghthy as in Origins.
  • Game difficulty gets easier as you level up. I recommend staring on Casual, then incrementing at the start of each Act.
  • Nightmare is the only difficulty where friendly fire is on, and there is no mod to turn that off.
  • The game can be soloed. You don't have to fill your party on the selection screens. There will be a dialog box that pops up every time for you to acknowledge. This is useful if you only want one companion to speak their lines.
  • Challenge mode: never change gear - just keep the starting equipment through the whole game.
  • The save editor can be used to sync everyone's XP so they all level at the same time.
  • The save editor can be used to max out inventory space, but if you pick up a backpack upgrade in game, this will reset.
• Plot Choices to keep in mind:
  • In each Act, clear out the gangs in Hightown, The Docks, and Lowtown, then visit the "Friend" in the Hanged Man at night for a reward. There's no need to make a seperate effort to do this, as quests will take you to the zones at night anyway.
  • Visit Hawke's home frequently for some extra cutscenes.
  • Anders, Aveline, Fenris, Merill, and Sebastian are the only companions with "Questioning Beliefs" quests. They trigger after certain companion quests, at 50% and 100% friendship or rivalry, and in both Act II or III. Merill only has one, the others have two.
  • Act I:
    • During the Main Plot Quest "Enemies Among Us," when you finally find Keran, click his feet to advance.
    • Bethany/Carver can only survive the Deep Roads by joining the Grey Wardens, AND only if Anders is in the party. If left at home for the Deep Roads, Bethany will join the Circle, and Carver the Templars. They'll still join in the final fight if their approval is high friendly. If chosen for Assassin DLC, they'll inexplicably show up already at the Chateau, and for Legacy, their respective management will give them leave to join you. Your sibling will also show up for the final battle.
  • Act II:
    • The "Questioning Beliefs" Companion quests trigger at high friendship/rivalry, and under certain conditions. They can appear in either Act 2 or 3.
    • To keep Isabela at the end of Act 2, Isabela will only show up with the Relic if she's being romanced. This can be toggled with the console code "runscript zz_isa_debug". If you hand her over, she'll be unavailable for the rest of the game, and the epilogue says she just escapes and steals the Relic again.
  • Act III:
    • If you want all of your companions to join your side in the final battle, use the save editor to set them all to max friendly just before "The Last Straw." Some may initially choose the other side, but can be convinced to change their minds when you meet them later.
  • Mark of the Assassin DLC:
    • This DLC is available at the start of the game, but I recommend waiting until Act III, when it makes sense that Hawke is famous enough to get invitations to an Orlesian hunting party.
    • If doing this after Act I, Bethany/Carver is unselectable when first starting, but will be available once you leave the introduction.
    • The stealth section is annoying and takes a lot of time.
    • There is a bug when accessing the Vault that prevents the second treasure from being looted, so only loot the one that you really want to complete.
    • Each companion has their own treasure quest in the dungeons. Isabella and Aveline each have their own additional unique side quest.
    • As much as you may want to, Talis cannot be romanced; but she will appreciate the flirting.
  • Legacy DLC:
    • I recommend doing this before doing the Act II quest "Prime Suspect."
    • There are two spots where you'll find a statue labeled "Return to Kirkwall." Handy for selling the junk in your inventory.
    • The Warden's Scout Armor Set is obtainable no matter who you side with between Larius and Janeka. The nature of the puzzle you have to complete varies, and Larius's verision is arguably easier.
    • Upon reaching Corypheus's prison, you'll be able to change your mind about who you're siding with.
    • The Hawke's Key Exploit doesn't work with the latest patch. At the first seal, nature damage is good for this DLC, and cold or electric is good for the whole game.
    • There is a set of Warden gear for Hawke here, and the final piece drops off of the final boss.
    • Make careful note of the personality shift in Larius/Janeka at the end.

last modified 10 January 2023