Well tell me when you do so I can attempt to slog through the mage side so you'll know you're not bleehing alone
Some of that is right now I'm feeling under the weather and just making a nest/den out of my covers in my bedroom looks far more appealing than sitting up at the computer battling Venatori (I play on a desktop, so no lounging with a crazy powerful laptop on the couch for me).
After playing both, I also must agree that the Templar playthrough seems to be the most fulfilling. All the previous people covered why excellently.
One other point: I'm a very pro-Mage person. However even I was beyond disgusted with their siding with Tevinter; and couldn't bring myself to ally with a group so diametrically opposed to what's in its own survival interests. I assumed Fiona was being controlled through blood magic, and indeed that seems like a dropped plotline, but no; she's just an idiot. So in my first playthrough I conscripted their "too-stupid-to-live-free" asses. A no-win situation either way, in my opinion. Gain idiotic, backstabbing allies, or gain a slave army.
A couple of people have suggested you also get this option with the Templars. You do not. You either pledge to help them rebuild their order; or, and your Inquisitor painstakingly uses the phrase "our offer" several times, disband them and have them freely join the inquisition as one of its military arms. Either way you get willing troops. Much better in terms of what strengthens the Inquisition.
So many people feel the Templar side was better. Now just imagine if they went with the original plan; with the fake-end to the Act and such. The Mage side wouldn't even stand a chance.
Some of that is right now I'm feeling under the weather and just making a nest/den out of my covers in my bedroom looks far more appealing than sitting up at the computer battling Venatori (I play on a desktop, so no lounging with a crazy powerful laptop on the couch for me).
Oh sucky 
Also red templar shadows are the freaking devil. I thought they were bad at the emerald graves. Now these bastards are everywhere. *cries*
And yeah desktop 
Black.... Templars.
'nuff said.
I'm apparently completely incapable of siding with the the Templars. I'm sure the mission isn't bad, but I just can't do it. I simply love "In Hushed Whispers" too much, and I'd feel guilty about abandoning the mages to their fate while at the same time I can't say the same about the templars. As one of the chantry sisters put it: "We wanted the templars to treat mages more fairly and they rebelled for it."
Yea, same here. I did one runthrough conscripting them but it all felt wrong, not to mention boring. One reason for it probably being that my canon Inquiz is a freedom loving Circle mage, the other is that I wanted Asunder story to end on a more meaningful note for the rebel mages than becoming slaves for Tevinter, and finally, I see no point in keeping templars around when the Inquisition is starting everything anew and can fulfill the stomping out evil duties of both the Templars and the Seekers.
Never really liked the templars anyway, and aside from a few clueless ones like Ser Barris most of the order was corrupted from top down anyway. I'm not sorry to see them gone. And Seekers as well, for allowing all of this to happen. Gaining Calpernia as a nemesis instead of Samson meant very little to me story wise, because they're just minor characters with a story that is not going anywhere beyond DA:I. Doing what I felt was right by freeing the mages was much more meaningful to me than metagaming for a better nemesis and it will likely be very meaningful in the future installments of the franchise.
I enjoyed doing the mage one best. Templars was good but for me, the mage was a bit better. My Qunari archer went with the Templars. My elf mage went with the mages. Now it will depend on how I want to play the character.
I have a human archer who will go with the mages because Lucius Corin was such a jerk. I'm thinking my human mage, however, may decide to go with the Templars because she has heard things about Fiona and doesn't completely trust her. But it's still up in the air because they may decided differently when the choices comes up.
I always face this dilemma whenever I play a new character so I guess that means BioWare must've done something right with both factions. The problem I see with the Templar quest is that there is no preparation for it as there is with the Mage quest. I mean, with the mages you can visit Redcliffe, learn about the alliance with Tevinter over drinks with Alexius, and even meet Dorian I think. It's very hard to root for the templars initially, without any previous knowledge of how events will unfold, since their Lord Seeker is such a jerk to you in Val Royeaux and that's all the introduction you're going to get.
EDIT: I wonder, what happens if you push the mage quest as far as it'll go but recruit the templars instead? Does Dorian have some harsh words for you?
After playing both, I also must agree that the Templar playthrough seems to be the most fulfilling. All the previous people covered why excellently.
One other point: I'm a very pro-Mage person. However even I was beyond disgusted with their siding with Tevinter; and couldn't bring myself to ally with a group so diametrically opposed to what's in its own survival interests. I assumed Fiona was being controlled through blood magic, and indeed that seems like a dropped plotline, but no; she's just an idiot. So in my first playthrough I conscripted their "too-stupid-to-live-free" asses. A no-win situation either way, in my opinion. Gain idiotic, backstabbing allies, or gain a slave army.
A couple of people have suggested you also get this option with the Templars. You do not. You either pledge to help them rebuild their order; or, and your Inquisitor painstakingly uses the phrase "our offer" several times, disband them and have them freely join the inquisition as one of its military arms. Either way you get willing troops. Much better in terms of what strengthens the Inquisition.
So many people feel the Templar side was better. Now just imagine if they went with the original plan; with the fake-end to the Act and such. The Mage side wouldn't even stand a chance.
The mages didn't side with Tevinter. Bioware sided with Tevinter. since that was not a natural progression of the story it never actually happened.
I always face this dilemma whenever I play a new character so I guess that means BioWare must've done something right with both factions.
Or Bioware did something horrendously wrong, which is what actually happened.
To be fair, if you went to Redcliffe, you know the mages are in trouble but you have absolutely no idea the Templars are in any trouble. For all you know, the Templars are just sitting around doing nothing while you know the mages are essentially slaves to the Venatori. If you choose not to save the mages after selecting their mission, the dialogue options to not accept imply that the Inquisitor doesn't want the hassle of trying to save them and abandons them to their fate to save the Templars. In other words, you are abandoning the mages to get Templars if you don't do their mission.
You know the Templars are in serious trouble when you see the head of the Templar order punch a member of the Chantry in the face for no actual reason. Not even Shephard was that much of a jerk.
I seriously question anyone who decides after watching that scene that siding with the Templars was a good idea.
Or Bioware did something horrendously wrong, which is what actually happened.
Could you elaborate?
You not liking a plot development does not make it non-canon. Fiona sided with TI after swallowing the idiot ball, whether you like it or not.The mages didn't side with Tevinter. Bioware sided with Tevinter. since that was not a natural progression of the story it never actually happened.
Well the Templars, like good soldiers do what they are told by their superior officers and drank the red lyrium. (it's explained that it is not uncommon for them to try new types of lyrium)Everyone is surprised if you go the Templay route as the Mage one is heavily signposted much earlier and you can go a considerable way down it before you have to commit), indeed you are basically told you got there before they could all be corrupted.
The mages, on the other hand just swallowed the proverbial idiot ball and went 'yay, Tevinter'. Some of them may have regretted that but unlike the Templars they had much more choice. But then you get Bioware rapidly backing away from Fiona's Mary-Sue status in the book and just make her stupid and annoying. And like Vivienne says - REALLY crap at leading the mages.
The mages didn't side with Tevinter. Bioware sided with Tevinter. since that was not a natural progression of the story it never actually happened.
I would say that Bioware has more of a say in regards to what is the natural progression of the story considering that Bioware writes and owns the whole Dragon Age story and universe. So yes, I'd say that the Mages (or at least Fiona) did indeed make a deal with Tevinter. That part will indeed be canon for sure. But if you want to write some fan fiction and personally ret-con things for yourself, then feel free.
Could you elaborate?
i.e: "I don't like that part of the story so I will chalk it up to the story writer being wrong instead"
I always face this dilemma whenever I play a new character so I guess that means BioWare must've done something right with both factions. The problem I see with the Templar quest is that there is no preparation for it as there is with the Mage quest. I mean, with the mages you can visit Redcliffe, learn about the alliance with Tevinter over drinks with Alexius, and even meet Dorian I think. It's very hard to root for the templars initially, without any previous knowledge of how events will unfold, since their Lord Seeker is such a jerk to you in Val Royeaux and that's all the introduction you're going to get.
EDIT: I wonder, what happens if you push the mage quest as far as it'll go but recruit the templars instead? Does Dorian have some harsh words for you?
Absolutely agree. I know Bioware was trying to present a very hard "grey" choice but the presentation balance was poor. As i have stated before, they should have allowed you do visit Therinfal Redoubt (just the outside) first and talk to Barris and a few other people and read some notes like you can in Redcliffe before you have to make the final call. Basically let you get a better understanding of the situation and realize that it is not as simple as the Templars just being a bunch of abusive a**holes. Without that, regardless of how the quests turned out, from a shear role-play standpoint for a neutral inquisitor, the urgency to investigate the Mage issue is much greater. I felt much greater urgency and a greater desire to help the mages - especially the ones who feel trapped by Fiona's decision, than to abandon them to try to talk to some a**hole Templars. The only reason why I did the Templar quest is because I read some spoilers and also decided that an trained military organization that specializes in combating magic and demons is better to have in your ranks than a ragtag group of rebels (regardless of the magical might)
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