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[sylvanaerie]

As much as I dislike Fiona, I've been doing a pro-templar run and still fail to see what the big deal was to this.  Barris isn't even visible in Skyhold.  He gets sent on a couple of missions (ostensibly, the advisors are the ones who clear the path for his missions).  Not much different from Fiona (who also has a couple war table missions for the Inquisitor after recruitment).  I hear he gets a promotion after and maybe I haven't reached that point in the game yet (I am up to Western Approach/Wicked Hearts), but so far, templars has been a 'bust'.

 

There are still red templars in the game, though their numbers are diminished (except in Emprise where they seem to have gathered in numbers).  The Venatori are a boring replacement, and too few/far between--to the point where I'm having difficulty gathering enough decent cloth for armor crafting.

 

I hate the Fade section and the annoying timed quest following that, Cole is just 'present' with his usual cryptic advice, not an active assistance except at the boss fight (which was lame--no interest or drama, just another battle) at the end.

 

From the initial recruitment mission to the Nemesis quest for Calpurnia, it has been so much less than a mage side adventure.  Yes, the mages are idiots (especially their leader) but at least their story is more compelling.

 

Even the judgement of Knight Captain What's-his-face afterward was a snore.

 

If OP (and others obviously) prefer templars to mages, more power to them, but there is some serious stupid on both sides, so 'stupid' can't be my meter to determine which I will choose.  "Whether it is more fun" has to be.  And the templar story wasn't.

I did it to see different content and the kind folks of this thread helped me get up the oomph to do it, but I won't be repeating this side of the game.  Everything about it was a complete snore.

[MagisterMaximus]

I completed Champions of the Just and then dissolved and absorbed the Templars. Am I a bad guy?

[FlyinElk212]

Well let's see what each side does better than the other:

 

PRO-TEMPLAR:

*Unquestionably does a better job providing insight on/humanizing our main antagonist, Corypheus. Those Memory Crystals in the Shrine of Dumat, literally just 2-3 spoken lines of dialogue per crystal, did SO MUCH more for the character than any of the cutscenes of Inquisition ever did.

 

*Better introduction to the character Cole, and you can still be introduced to Dorian in the opening scenes of the Pro-Mage side without committing to the Mages

 

*Saving Ser Barris has positive consequences, whereas saving Fiona ultimately does not

 

*The strangeness of the Templar/Mage Leaders in Val Royeaux are better explained (it was the Envy Demon impersonating them), and the "Time Magic" can of worms is never opened, which is good considering it's a seemingly huge element that's never brought up again beyond Redcliffe in Pro-Mage and that one temple in the Western Approach

 

*Calpernia is a much more intriguing underling to Corypheus than Samson is (and makes more sense as the vessel story-wise, IMO)

 

PRO-MAGE:

*The set-up for the next portion of the game makes TONS more sense here, where you see the future and can clearly ascertain the countermeasures you'll need against Corypheus' plot (saving Celene from assassination, and putting a stop to Alexius' plans in the present)

 

*Despite the offputting time travel mechanic, it IS cool to see the destroyed future (Old Leliana is a badass)

 

*You gain much more insight into Dorian's background, making romancing him a lot more enriching

 

*You gain Before the Dawn, a quest that enriches Cullen's character and his romance

 

*You can talk to Fiona at Skyhold afterwords, a visible consequence of your actions. Even though she ultimately doesn't contribute to your Inquisition in positive ways, she provides insight on how your mage forces are doing (something the Templar side doesn't have), and gives interesting commentary on Alistair regardless of what you did with him in DA:O

 

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Sooooo, this is a lame answer, but since we're at 5-5, I'd say that both sides are equally good for their own reasons. If I had to summarize why, I'd say the Templar run makes for a more coherent story, whereas the Mage run leads to richer individual character experiences.

[Kaigen42]

Dorian states that the time magic used was used to get to the mages first before the Inquisition not for them to do "ground hog day" over and over until they get it "right." Fiona willingly and with total free will joins the Venetori. She allies with a foreign power, a heretic power and she isn't controlled. She willingly betrays the Ferelden leadership AFTER they were given sanctuary in a fortified location. To protect them from the very thing they feared a Templar attack. A legendary location for holding out against numerous sieges.  It wasn't exactly like the only support the mages were getting was from the venetori.

One could also note that Knight-Captain Denam willingly and with full knowledge sells out the Templars to an Envy Demon. At which point the rest of the leadership goes along with it. At which point the rank and file largely goes along with it if you don't step in to point out how incredibly stupid that is. I mean, what happened to Meredith in Kirkwall seems to be common knowledge by this point, so it's not as though the Templars had no indication that taking red lyrium is a bad idea.

 

Both sides are being led astray by bad leaders who are betraying everything they stand for. It's more about deciding who you want to save from themselves. Personally, I'm more sympathetic to scared people selling themselves into slavery than bristling zealots selling their souls, but I admit that the presence of people like Barris helps humanize the Templars a lot.

[luism]

"Pro-Mage" and "Pro-Templar" are misleading. You can be either or both and do either quest line.

This

[thesuperdarkone2]

As much as I dislike Fiona, I've been doing a pro-templar run and still fail to see what the big deal was to this.  Barris isn't even visible in Skyhold.  He gets sent on a couple of missions (ostensibly, the advisors are the ones who clear the path for his missions).  Not much different from Fiona (who also has a couple war table missions for the Inquisitor after recruitment).  I hear he gets a promotion after and maybe I haven't reached that point in the game yet (I am up to Western Approach/Wicked Hearts), but so far, templars has been a 'bust'.

 

There are still red templars in the game, though their numbers are diminished (except in Emprise where they seem to have gathered in numbers).  The Venatori are a boring replacement, and too few/far between--to the point where I'm having difficulty gathering enough decent cloth for armor crafting.

 

I hate the Fade section and the annoying timed quest following that, Cole is just 'present' with his usual cryptic advice, not an active assistance except at the boss fight (which was lame--no interest or drama, just another battle) at the end.

 

From the initial recruitment mission to the Nemesis quest for Calpurnia, it has been so much less than a mage side adventure.  Yes, the mages are idiots (especially their leader) but at least their story is more compelling.

 

Even the judgement of Knight Captain What's-his-face afterward was a snore.

 

If OP (and others obviously) prefer templars to mages, more power to them, but there is some serious stupid on both sides, so 'stupid' can't be my meter to determine which I will choose.  "Whether it is more fun" has to be.  And the templar story wasn't.

I did it to see different content and the kind folks of this thread helped me get up the oomph to do it, but I won't be repeating this side of the game.  Everything about it was a complete snore.

I think it's just Templar supporters trying to justify their side since this is the first game where the templar side isn't full of a-holes and doesn't involve you doing morally questionable things.

[OriginalTibs]

I want to sentence Alexius to do arcane research for the inquisition, so I have to go Mage this play through. First play through I had him tranquilized, which was a waste and widely disapproved. He isn't available if you run the templar side.

 

The worst thing about going mage is the knowledge that I am abandoning noble ser Barris. Heavy guilt hits me where I feel on that.

[Ryzaki]

I completed Champions of the Just and then dissolved and absorbed the Templars. Am I a bad guy?

 

Nah that's what I do.

[goofyomnivore]

I completed Champions of the Just and then dissolved and absorbed the Templars. Am I a bad guy?

I feel like that is the best outcome because by absorbing the Templars you gain control over the loyal/circle mages as well, so you get two for one on that choice.

[NM_Che56]

Looks like I'll be doing a third playthru... #TheStruggle

[MagisterMaximus]

I feel like that is the best outcome because by absorbing the Templars you gain control over the loyal/circle mages as well, so you get two for one on that choice.

That's how I viewed it as well.

[scribeman]

I always go pro-mage. The Templar story does not intrigue me enough to look into it. No matter the race, gender or background of my Inquisitor, I cannot find it in me to bother with the Templars.

 

They die every time, and each time they die because I cannot view them as more than powerless relics from a dead era. It's like the GOP.

[keesio74]

Interesting debate. I am torn between the two. But I'm leaning Templar.

 

I heard one interesting analogy from another: It is like gun control in the USA. Many people are against it, saying it hurts their freedoms. Guns themselves are not evil. And most gun owners are law abiding citizens. But does that mean we don't need any oversight and control? Guns have the potential to be dangerous and even if the number of owners who use them to unjustly harm others is a small number, oversight and control is needed overall.

 

Now personally that analogy is a bit flawed to me but I see the point trying to be made. Mages have potential to be dangerous and even though most mages are not harmful to others, the potential is there and there should be some oversight and control. The issue I have is that the oversight/control being done by the Templars is too heavy handed. It needs big-time reform. It needs easing up. But it is still needed.

[Vicious]

Calpernia is far superior to Samson.

 

The Temple of Dumat [templar side] provides insight to Corypheus' character.

 

Cole is properly introduced. You can properly introduce yourself to Dorian first but ultimately side with the Templars and you get some dialogue changes when he shows up at Haven.

 

It tells you that the Empress will be assassinated and an army of demons will run rampant, just like the mage side does.

 

 

 

mind you i'm pro-mage, Templar just was overall better. Time magic was kinda silly and we'll probably never see it again making it even sillier.

[Tyrannosaurus Rex]

I think it's just Templar supporters trying to justify their side since this is the first game where the templar side isn't full of a-holes and doesn't involve you doing morally questionable things.

 

Yes, because obviously people who prefer "Champions Of The Just" and the templar path are just trying to decieve themselves into thinking that they liked it.

[Ryzaki]

The mages were brainwashed

 

Where exactly is the proof of this? 

[keesio74]

I'm personally more interested in trying to get the ending I want. Which is: Mages with more freedoms but still with some oversight and protection. I'm all for a more "relaxed" circle with mages having more rights but still under some oversight. Who does the oversight doesn't matter. Ideally I don't want to blow away all the Templars if possible, have a few good ones around. I'm guessing that a pro-Templar choice with Cassandra as Devine is the best choice.

[Knight of Dane]

Not another thread about the morality of mages versus Templars - all my canon runs are pro-mage.

 

But I've done both pro-Templar and pro-Mage now, and I'm kind of glad I did the Templar run first.  I think I understand and appreciate the story better because of it.

 

The reasons:

• Nemesis: Samson had a one-game head start on Calpernia, so he should have had the advantage where this stuff is concerned.  But I didn't understand Samson's motives at all until he was giving testimony at his trial.  I found myself sympathizing with ex-slave Calpernia, to the point where my pro-Templar templar Trevelyan pardoned her to return to Tevinter and make it better.  When we last saw Samson he'd been sorely disillusioned with the mage cause, and now he was sided with the biggest-baddest mage of them all and his army of Tevinter cultists.
• Ally: Fiona was a known quantity too.  I liked her from The Calling, many hated her.  Her understated appearance in DAI didn't really change anyone's opinion of her.  Some of the things she was doing seemed hard to fathom too, and when you get her she just kind of hangs out in the library.  Ser Barris, meanwhile, has quickly become a fan favourite, and you can send him out on missions.
• Recruitment: The pro-Mage mission takes you into Redcliffe castle, which is a fairly standard dungeons in spite of the Fade rips.  Much of it is carried by Dorian's sparkling personality.  The central and interesting drama with Alexius and his son is not heavily developed.  It also introduced time travel, which is an element most fans seemed to react badly too.  The pro-Templar run was tense, exciting, and dramatic, and the dive into the Fade gave you insight into the darker side of Cassandra's character.  The Fade was a pretty safe place to bring players (safer than time travel) and the battle against the Envy demon was epic.
• Corypheus: When I first got to the forums, I was surprised to see how many felt Corypheus was a complete nonentity, a blank.  It took me awhile to realize most people had never set foot in the pro-Templar version of the Temple of Dumat, where you can find Corypheus's journals.  His agony over the silence of his old god.  His surprising respect for Calpernia, and his regret at using her for a vessel.  Suddenly this alien, monstrous villain had an emotional complexity.  The most interesting thing in the pro-mage run was a Tranquil who'd chosen to side with Samson of his own free will.

So am I way off on this...?  Irrespective of which choice is "right," does the Templar path make the better story in DAI?

 

I disagree only on one point; Recruitment.

 

In my opinion going to Therinfall is much less of an experience. Cole's role is nice and I'm a fan of Barris, but Envy is a laughable enamy and a extremely easy fight. Probably the most boring boss battle in the game, nothing happens.

 

Now, I don't see the final battle with Alexius as much better, but at least the rifts are incorporated into that encounter in a good way.

 

I also feel more engaged with Dorian, but maybe that's just because you meet him before during the mission.

[Milan92]

I completed Champions of the Just and then dissolved and absorbed the Templars. Am I a bad guy?

 

Conscripting either side is the best way to go.

[Tyrannosaurus Rex]

Conscripting either side is the best way to go.

 

I have a hard time conscripting the templars. Barris sounds so sad when it happens.

 

It also clashes a bit in tone if your inquisitor gave the pep talk before.

[yankblan]

Always played as pro-mage, and in my second PT I went with Templars for different content, of course.

 

I have not yet started the whole Haven trebuchet/first Cory sighting because I need an available time frame (you know, work, dinner, kids, nagging wife) long enough to do it, so don't know if it's really better down the line.

 

But the Templar quest in itself is inferior IMO; with mages that Leliana stuff knocked the wind out of me.  I know people complain of the time traveling stuff, but I like the progression better, the exploration better, and you HAVE to run with Dorian, so you have to make tough party choices.

 

Also, I just can't get into Cole.

[Milan92]

I have a hard time conscripting the templars. Barris sounds so sad when it happens.

 

It also clashes a bit in tone if your inquisitor gave the pep talk before.

 

He still gets that promotion

[Knight of Dane]

He still gets that promotion

Can you let me know, perhaps in a spoiler tag, what happens with Con templars in the epilogue? it's the only choice I haven't taken yet.

[MagisterMaximus]

Conscripting either side is the best way to go.

For the Inquisition or other reasons?

[Milan92]

Can you let me know, perhaps in a spoiler tag, what happens with Con templars in the epilogue? it's the only choice I haven't taken yet.

 

I still have to complete my conscripted templar playthrough.

 

 

For the Inquisition or other reasons?

 

Well, when you conscript them, they become knights of the inquisition.