Dragon Age 3: Inquisition

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:27 pm

Nah, you have to walk up to it.

One rare thing that drove me nuts when it happened was when a character with an interaction option stood next to something else you wanted to activate and 'stole' your clicks to activate it. There is a segment near the end where a certain NPC follows you around for a bit with a dialogue option. There was one spot I really, really needed to jump at, but she parked herself next to it, and since the jump and interact keys are the same on the PS4, every time I tried to jump I'd just start talking to her.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 11:27 am

Any thoughts / suggestions on Mage specialization? The internet seems to be telling me that Knight Enchanter is by far the most powerful specialization, so I'll probably go with that.

Also - while going around through Crestwood, I found at the top of a mountain a shield called the "Wedge of Destiny." I equipped it to Cassandra, and it is...a literal (giant) wedge of cheese. So not only is it a pretty good shield, but now in cutscenes I get to see Cassandra with a giant wedge of cheese on her back, which is great juxtaposed against some very serious scenes. I actually have since found a slightly better shield, but I'm keeping the Wedge equipped just because it makes me laugh.

Turtle · Post by **Turtle** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:30 pm

Knight Enchanter is the most effective, but in many ways it is the most boring. It also requires the most active control of your character, which is a positive or negative depending on how you player. You're basically going to be wading straight in and trying to do as much damage with your magic sword, which then gives you your barrier back.

Another plus is that the blade absolutely wrecks guard and barriers, so some bosses you who have a built in guard/barrier can get taken down pretty quickly.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:55 pm

El Guapo wrote:So not only is it a pretty good shield, but now in cutscenes I get to see Cassandra with a giant wedge of cheese on her back, which is great juxtaposed against some very serious scenes.

Waste no time finding the Sad Weapon to go along with it. Spoiler only if you don't want to know what it looks like.

Spoiler:

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:35 am

Turtle wrote:Knight Enchanter is the most effective, but in many ways it is the most boring. It also requires the most active control of your character, which is a positive or negative depending on how you player. You're basically going to be wading straight in and trying to do as much damage with your magic sword, which then gives you your barrier back.

Another plus is that the blade absolutely wrecks guard and barriers, so some bosses you who have a built in guard/barrier can get taken down pretty quickly.

Yeah, this seems to be the consensus on Knight Enchanter. It's pretty much exactly what I'm looking for - I'd like to err on the side of being overpowered, since I'm mainly invested in the story and not in interesting combats.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:36 am

Blackhawk wrote:
El Guapo wrote:So not only is it a pretty good shield, but now in cutscenes I get to see Cassandra with a giant wedge of cheese on her back, which is great juxtaposed against some very serious scenes.
Waste no time finding the Sad Weapon to go along with it. Spoiler only if you don't want to know what it looks like.

Spoiler:

That's awesome - I'll have to see if I can find it.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:13 am

So, the game has become significantly easier since I became a knight enchanter (enchantment!), though part of that could be other party abilities as well. Over the weekend I ran through the Here Lies the Abyss (grey warden) quests, mostly with a party of myself (knight enchanter mage), Cassandra, Blackwall, and Dorian. For the most part we were semi-invulnerable since by the time my barriers were coming down either my main mage or Dorian was ready to cast barrier again, and on top of that Cassandra and Blackwall both had a ton of guard to fall back on. So, we basically plowed through the fade part of the quest (plus the final boss) while only having to use one or two healing potions.

Anyway, fine with me. One other question: the focus abilities all draw from the same focus pool for the party, right? Is there then much point to collecting focus abilities beyond the one or two that seem to be the best? Mark of the Rift is pretty great, so I haven't seen much reason to take additional abilities since I'm probably just going to be using the focus pool to cast that anyway.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 1:26 pm

I'm rolling a mage, and just found the cheese shield for Cassandra. Now I totally need the banana weapon.

I'm really liking this game, but it's absolutely bringing out my inner map-clearing completionist. I'm about 45 hours in, and I'm only about halfway through the storyline quests. I keep spending time clearing out all the maps of the different regions, then killing more time as I run around Skyhold talking to everyone in case something new happens. It's a terrible time sink, but it's really relaxing.

I still haven't really found a use for crafting. It's super annoying that I can't compare my current equipment to what I can craft on the crafting menu. Like, how do I know if it's worth crafting something without knowing if it's better than what I've got. Usually means that I mostly don't bother crafting, and I feel like I'm missing out.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 1:32 pm

Chaz wrote:It's super annoying that I can't compare my current equipment to what I can craft on the crafting menu. Like, how do I know if it's worth crafting something without knowing if it's better than what I've got. Usually means that I mostly don't bother crafting, and I feel like I'm missing out.

I haven't played this yet. However, usually you can find information like that by browsing the web.

e.g. http://www.ign.com/wikis/dragon-age-inq ... Schematics

Name
Serpent's Rage (204-276 DPS)

Type
Tier 3 Axe [found in the Hissing Wastes, in a treasure chest inside the Colossus Tomb)

Materials
Damage: 17 Metal
Offense: 6 Metal
Utility: 4 Metal
Offense: 4 Metal

Does that provide enough to be able to compare? And I agree that that's a HUGE shortcoming.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 1:42 pm

Oh, I know I can get the info. I've got a two-monitor setup, so I can absolutely reference what I've got on a wiki. I just absolutely hate that I have to go that far. Since I'm basically melting faces right now without much difficulty, I'm not worried about min/maxing the crafting system.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 8:21 pm

Chaz wrote:I'm rolling a mage, and just found the cheese shield for Cassandra. Now I totally need the banana weapon.

I'm really liking this game, but it's absolutely bringing out my inner map-clearing completionist. I'm about 45 hours in, and I'm only about halfway through the storyline quests. I keep spending time clearing out all the maps of the different regions, then killing more time as I run around Skyhold talking to everyone in case something new happens. It's a terrible time sink, but it's really relaxing.

I still haven't really found a use for crafting. It's super annoying that I can't compare my current equipment to what I can craft on the crafting menu. Like, how do I know if it's worth crafting something without knowing if it's better than what I've got. Usually means that I mostly don't bother crafting, and I feel like I'm missing out.

Yeah, I mostly don't bother with crafting. I venture down to the Undercroft periodically and craft a few interesting looking things, and then if they wind up not being as good as what I already have equipped (which is like 50/50) then I just sell my new thing.

As for completionism, I've basically decided that I'm going to do substantially all of the inner circle quests, plus the main story quest for each area, and that's about it, unless additional side quests are super convenient to do.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 11:35 pm

I know that I'm not getting anything substantive out of doing all the stuff. Like, a good chunk of the war table missions just give you a pittance in gold. Yay, 63 gold, when I haven't really bought anything all game! I still do them because what the hell. The map missions give me an excuse to wander around in the pretty environments, and it's relaxing. Kind of like a fantasy Euro Truck Sim 2.

I suppose I should ride my horse more often. It just seems weird to me that my party members vanish when I get on the horse, so I tend not to. I'd also have to dismount every ten feet to pick more flowers. Damn do I need a lot of elfroot.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 11:38 pm

The crafted weapons are usually substantially better than anything you can find, but yeah - trying to get info on your current equipment either in the crafting interface or in the merchant interface is a pain in the ass.

Trying to figure out which crafting schematics to buy is even worse. There is just no information on which to judge them.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Aug 03, 2015 11:58 pm

Chaz wrote:I know that I'm not getting anything substantive out of doing all the stuff. Like, a good chunk of the war table missions just give you a pittance in gold. Yay, 63 gold, when I haven't really bought anything all game! I still do them because what the hell. The map missions give me an excuse to wander around in the pretty environments, and it's relaxing. Kind of like a fantasy Euro Truck Sim 2.

I suppose I should ride my horse more often. It just seems weird to me that my party members vanish when I get on the horse, so I tend not to. I'd also have to dismount every ten feet to pick more flowers. Damn do I need a lot of elfroot.

I enjoy summoning the horse if nothing else but to play "try to see where the horse came from". I'll spot you coming one day, ninja horse.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 5:39 am

Ninja horse doesn't have anything on Creepy Watson.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 11:46 am

Also apparently you can find other mounts, only I haven't found any of them so I'm stuck riding a stupid (albeit ninja) horse instead of a dracolisk.

I did recently discover that you can make the horses gallop, which I wish I would've realized earlier.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 12:58 pm

You don't find the mounts so much as you are given the opportunity to purchase them. Most aren't expensive.

You first have to have Skyhold. You then have to recruit the stable master.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:07 pm

Blackhawk wrote:You don't find the mounts so much as you are given the opportunity to purchase them. Most aren't expensive.

You first have to have Skyhold. You then have to recruit the stable master.

Oh. Yeah, I have those. But geez, I'm busy saving the whole world, I don't really have time to stop to talk to the help.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:12 pm

Man, I spend SO MUCH TIME talking to EVERYONE. Screw that world saving jazz, I've got people to talk to, castle decorations to change, and shards and stuff to pick up!

Man, dragons are not kidding around. I can't even take down that one in the Hinterlands at lvl 14. I guess I'll wait 'til I'm ridiculously over-leveled so it's nowhere near a fair fight.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:19 pm

I guess I should try taking down a dragon again now that my party has suddenly become invulnerable.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:23 pm

Seems like the best way to fight dragons is when you're invulnerable.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:37 pm

I highly recommend becoming invulnerable, by the way - makes the game *way* easier.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:56 pm

So I finished the main plot "Here Lies the Abyss" (Grey Wardens) quests. I am mostly ready to do the "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts" main plot quests. Are there any quests that will become unavailable once I do Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts?

Ideally I would like to finish Cassandra's "Unfinished Business" and Cullen's anti-Samson side quests before continuing, though that requires unlocking the Emprise du Leon area, which costs 20 point points, which would require me to slog through several other side quests at a time when I'm impatient to get the main plot rolling again, so I'm *hoping* that I can do Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts now, but I don't want to finish that and find those side quests unavailable...

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:47 pm

Also - fuck despair demons.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Aug 11, 2015 4:04 pm

El Guapo wrote:Also - fuck despair demons.

That was an option?

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:47 pm

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:26 am

I gave up after that first huge area..the Highlands or something. I could not get it in my head that I could not complete the whole area. I want to play an area to competition. I want to go in and clear and area then move on to tougher stuff. But I think this game wants me to do stuff..go away..then come back later. Never was sure so I gave up. I also didn't play but the first area of Pillars of Eternity. I am not the gamer I once was. I hate it.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 5:59 am

Daehawk wrote:I gave up after that first huge area..the Highlands or something. I could not get it in my head that I could not complete the whole area. I want to play an area to competition. I want to go in and clear and area then move on to tougher stuff. But I think this game wants me to do stuff..go away..then come back later. Never was sure so I gave up. I also didn't play but the first area of Pillars of Eternity. I am not the gamer I once was. I hate it.

Actually, that's exactly how I'm playing it. There might be one or two quests in an area that I can't finish, but I'm basically clearing out an entire area before I move on. I did advance the main storyline to the 1/4-1/3 complete mark, but otherwise I've just been clearing maps. My save timer says I'm coming up on 60 hours played at this point.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:05 am

Chaz wrote:
Daehawk wrote:I gave up after that first huge area..the Highlands or something. I could not get it in my head that I could not complete the whole area. I want to play an area to competition. I want to go in and clear and area then move on to tougher stuff. But I think this game wants me to do stuff..go away..then come back later. Never was sure so I gave up. I also didn't play but the first area of Pillars of Eternity. I am not the gamer I once was. I hate it.
Actually, that's exactly how I'm playing it. There might be one or two quests in an area that I can't finish, but I'm basically clearing out an entire area before I move on. I did advance the main storyline to the 1/4-1/3 complete mark, but otherwise I've just been clearing maps. My save timer says I'm coming up on 60 hours played at this point.

I just can't bring myself to take that approach - I just get too impatient. I'm pretty sure that I have 12+ open quests in the Hinterlands, and probably at least six in each other area that I've unlocked. I also get annoyed at the quest-givers - really, I'm out here saving the world and you want me to fucking bring flowers to your lover?

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:26 am

Aww, that's so mean. If he was out saving the world, he'd bring flowers to your lover.

I admit, I'm a sucker for side quests and exploring. I have a feeling it's leaving me really over-levelled, though. I'm level 15 right now, and I just went and did a storyline quest for Cassandra. The boss at the end was a beefy level 7 dude. He didn't put up much of a fight.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 7:29 am

Chaz wrote:Aww, that's so mean. If he was out saving the world, he'd bring flowers to your lover.

I admit, I'm a sucker for side quests and exploring. I have a feeling it's leaving me really over-levelled, though. I'm level 15 right now, and I just went and did a storyline quest for Cassandra. The boss at the end was a beefy level 7 dude. He didn't put up much of a fight.

Yeah, I'm in the middle of that side quest too, and had the same experience (at level 13). Made me think, like, maybe we should have some inquisition troops doing this, instead of, say, the head of the entire Inquisition.

At least the Earth isn't literally in the middle of being destroyed while I'm doing these side quests, though, which bothered me about Mass Effect 3.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:50 pm

Scorched earth questing will absolutely leave you overpowered in this game, but only to a certain degree, as enemies won't give you XP when you get too far above them.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:53 pm

On the other hand, I was wandering around the Emerald Graves the other day with my level 13 party, and decided, "heck, let's close that nearby rift", only to discover that said rift was spawning level 20 enemies.

Is there any way to find that out in advance? I didn't see any level indicators on the rift or on the Emerald Graves area generally.

edit: I found this, which should be helpful.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 2:25 pm

El Guapo wrote:On the other hand, I was wandering around the Emerald Graves the other day with my level 13 party, and decided, "heck, let's close that nearby rift", only to discover that said rift was spawning level 20 enemies.

Is there any way to find that out in advance? I didn't see any level indicators on the rift or on the Emerald Graves area generally.

edit: I found this, which should be helpful.

Thanks for the site! That was one of the things that killed the game for me. Walking into a level bazillion gate when I am still killing rats was not fun to me. I guess they wanted to really have that 'explore' feel and that any place could have high level dudes, but it just ticked me off.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:10 pm

I think I wandered into a lvl 12 gate in Hinterlands when I was around 5, but that's it. Everything else has been pretty level appropriate, and the only things I've backed off from since have been the dragons. The one I tried in Hinterlands wiped the floor with me, so I haven't bothered with the rest.

Weirdly, I think I mostly stuck to the order in that link completely by accident.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 3:19 pm

Yeah, for me it's just been this one lvl 20 gate, though I think I did also get wiped by that Hinterlands dragon too now that I think about it. Mostly hasn't been a problem.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 11:16 am

So has anyone gotten any of the DLC for this game? There seems to be a lot, and the last one has gotten a rather lack luster review.

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 11:19 am

I haven't purchased any of the DLC since I have not come close to finishing the game. I just got strong enough to start fighting the dragons which is s real fun fight.

No idea when I will finish but the DLC has not drawn me in considering how big these games are already.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 12:05 pm

I skipped the DLC. I was level... 23? when I finished the campaign, and was so powerful that even the dragons didn't require much skill or thought. I was playing a tank, and even the toughest dragon (or the final boss) could get through my Guard enough for me to even need potions.

I didn't think the DLC would be much fun at that high of a level. When I eventually play through again, it will be with a less completionist approach, so I will probably try it then.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 1:53 am

Finally finished the game. Man, even not being all that completionist, that took a long time.