154 réponses à ce sujet

[Selej]

As much as I try to make Isabella my LI, I always get drawn to Merrill's romance. While I do like the friendship romance as she's much happier, it seems as though the Rival path is the best way to go in regards to her future and just her overall. What do you all think and which way did you Merrill fans go?

[Chewin]

I romanced her and made dinner to her for the rest of her life.

[LobselVith8]

I chose the Friendship path for Merrill as Hawke. Merrill deals with culture shock about the human world, but she seems to have a firm grasp when it comes to magic. According to Gaider, she has studied lore about the Eluvian and extrapolated information from the shard. She never abuses her blood magic abilities. I didn't see any reason to rival her, especially when Hawke doesn't have any knowledge about the Eluvian, and Merrill isn't misusing her powers.

In my opinion, rivalry feels a little too much like trying to parent someone, which is odd since the person you're addressing is supposed to be a friend, a lover, and an equal. If you were talking about the Eluvian, she makes the same decision for both Friendship and Rivalry. As for being happy, Merrill doesn't seem any less happy on the Friendship path than she does in the Rivalry path.

[Torax]

She doesn't seem any happier. I think the main thing I disliked about the Friendship romance is that out of place "Everyone you know and love will be hurt" Just didn't seem to belong there at all. Plus I do love how she stands up for herself when you refuse to give her the tool. The first time I did it I was kind of surprised when she called Hawke a shem. Also the kicking Hawke out of her apartment is great.

p.s. this does more fit into the companion discussion forums than the quest/campaign one.

[nuclearpengu1nn]

rival is much better

[Xilizhra]

On the friendship path, she lets go of her Eluvian obsession in any case without Hawke's crushing emotional manipulation. Also, you get a better bonus for it. I advise you to go friendship.

[jlb524]

Torax wrote...

She doesn't seem any happier. I think the main thing I disliked about the Friendship romance is that out of place "Everyone you know and love will be hurt" Just didn't seem to belong there at all.

That's part of the rival romance, IIRC.

I always go the friend route myself.  

[bleetman]

The "if you stick with me, you and everyone you love will be in danger" line is from the rivalmance, yes. Of course by that point, everyone my Hawke's love are either dead or imprisoned, so problem solved.

Anyhoo, I've tended to go the rivalry route in the past, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't annoy me at times. Both paths are good, and on the whole there isn't quite as much variation between the two as there could be, with the end result in terms of what Merrill does with her life afterwards being largely the same. Compared to Anders or Isabela, anyway.

Though I do suspect that the friend route would probably be better for her as a person in the long run, but that's just my own musings rather than anything with any impact on the events of the game. Hrmm.

Modifié par bleetman, 18 août 2011 - 07:18 .

[Apollo Starflare]

My first Hawke was, much like yourself OP, going to romance Isabela. However I found myself falling into a rivalmance with Merrill incredibly easily. I have yet to try it from a friendship perspective, but I doubt I would prefer it; the rivalry path just felt so natural to me. It stood out from other romances I've seen in games previously, and whilst not always the smoothest of rides it had a great payoff I felt.

Sometimes love can be a painful thing? *shrugs*

[TEWR]

Romanced her on the friendship path is best for me, because she's completely in the right.


EDIT: I find it incredibly painful to romance anyone else other than Merrill.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 18 août 2011 - 07:48 .

[Xilizhra]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Romanced her on the friendship path is best for me, because she's completely in the right.


EDIT: I find it incredibly painful to romance anyone else other than Merrill.

I haven't managed it yet. Well, my theoretical male playthrough got a decent way in while flirting with Anders, but nothing other than that.

[jlb524]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

EDIT: I find it incredibly painful to romance anyone else other than Merrill.

! 

Romance...someone else?  The horror!

[Parahexavoctal]

I went with friendship romance on first playthrough and loved it except for being a too heavy on tragedy (though the entire game gave me tragedy fatigue).

I wanted to try Isabella on my second, but I just couldn't help falling for Merrill again. Then I decided I'd make a stand and not give her the arulin'holm to see if the rivalrymance was better for her. By the time that choice came about though, I was already locked in at 100 friendship and even that event couldn't change it (resulting in the game assuming I had given her the tool later on). I guess it just isn't in my heart to be mean to her either.

[TEWR]

jlb524 wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

EDIT: I find it incredibly painful to romance anyone else other than Merrill.

! 

Romance...someone else?  The horror!

 I just love Merrill that much. She's the best romance in the game for me.

I also wouldn't be able to do a Male Hawke - Anders romance or Fenris Romance with Male Hawke. I'd find it too funny. And sadly I can't do many FemHawke runs because I dislike her voice acting.

I do have a Rivalmance Anders run with my FemHawke run to finish up though.

Xilizhra wrote...
I haven't managed it yet. Well, my theoretical male playthrough got a decent way in while flirting with Anders, but nothing other than that

I enjoyed it greatly. Romancing her on the friendship path makes her realize that the mirror isn't as important to her as Hawke is. She just makes it a project she's devoted too, not an obsession. Rivalmance actually makes her more obsessed with it.

And there's so much from the series that's known that points to her being right.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 18 août 2011 - 09:32 .

[jlb524]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

I enjoyed it greatly. Romancing her on the friendship path makes her realize that the mirror isn't as important to her as Hawke is. She just makes it a project she's devoted too, not an obsession. Rivalmance actually makes her more obsessed with it.

I think that's why she doesn't destroy the mirror on the friendship path (as opposed to the rival path).  She's able to move on from the obsession on her own in a healthy way and doesn't see the mirror as a symbol of 'all that has gone wrong with her life'.  I feel on the rival path, she kind of has to destroy it or she might continue working on it.  Plus, on the rival path there are just more negative feelings in general surrounding the whole thing so she kind of takes it out on the poor mirror

[TEWR]

jlb524 wrote...

I think that's why she doesn't destroy the mirror on the friendship path (as opposed to the rival path).  She's able to move on from the obsession on her own in a healthy way and doesn't see the mirror as a symbol of 'all that has gone wrong with her life'.  I feel on the rival path, she kind of has to destroy it or she might continue working on it. 

I feel the same way. Even when you encourage her to finish it, her reaction implies that it wasn't even her first thought on what she should do now.

Plus, on the rival path there are just more negative feelings in general surrounding the whole thing so she kind of takes it out on the poor mirror

[Ferretinabun]

Romanced Anders, Fenris and, atm, Isabella. Want to save Merrill for my four and final playthrough as that'll be my cannon one. Took all the determination I had not to derail and switch to her on my first playthrough though...

Not sure between rivalmance and friendmance though. What are the differences? What are her possible endings with each?

[Sepewrath]

I did the friendship first time, but rivalry is better.

[TEWR]

Ferretinabun wrote...

Romanced Anders, Fenris and, atm, Isabella. Want to save Merrill for my four and final playthrough as that'll be my cannon one. Took all the determination I had not to derail and switch to her on my first playthrough though...

Not sure between rivalmance and friendmance though. What are the differences? What are her possible endings with each?

Rivalry makes her hate herself. Friendship makes her make the Eluvian just a project, not an obsession.

[bleetman]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Rivalry makes her hate herself.

No, it doesn't.

[TEWR]

Meh it might as well. It's EVIIIIL!

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 19 août 2011 - 04:00 .

[ThePhoenixKing]

I've friendmanced Merrill several times now, and I honestly can't bring myself to go on the rivalry path with her. Guess that's just me...

[Apollo Starflare]

bleetman wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Rivalry makes her hate herself.

No, it doesn't.

This.

[Matt2222]

friendship romance is the way to go for merrill