31 réponses à ce sujet

[Sartoz]

The title says it all

 

I've scanned many threads here and I came across no "must have 9 companions" to finish the game.

 

 

Once I get all the companions, I normally use my favorite team combo of:

 

Playing as Mage:  Two mages, tank and archer - me, Cassandra, Sera and Vivi

Playing as Archer: Archer, two tanks, mage - me, Cassandra, Blackwell and Vivi

 

Team selection is based on quest requirements. However, for the most part I stick with the same team.

 

My playthrough is incomplete. I am in the middle of Wicked Eyes before the final quest is done. As far as I can determine and personal quests aside, this game only needs four characters to finish the main story arc.  

 

So, if we can finish the game with four, why nine?  Put another way, what does nine companions bring to the game? Given a fixed Word Budget divided by 4 or six even, the banter would be richer and more frequent. Or, the question could be, how can the game be improved with only six characters?

 

Has anyone seen the actual need for nine (ie: take romance out of the equation please)?

 

 

[DaemionMoadrin]

Every companion adds personal quests and/or war table missions. But you do not need to recruit anyone, you can finish the game with the initial three: Cassandra, Varric, Solas.

 

I agree that less would have been more but BioWare wanted to have enough love interests for each orientation.

 

These games would be much better if your companions would be with you all the time and the encounters would adjust accordingly.

 

But no... there is no actual need for nine.

[Elhanan]

This may depend on whether or not you like the given group dynamics and dialogues.

Varric vs Cassandra is OK for a while, but even as a fan of both of them, I want to separate them after a while. I like having options, and there is little cost or time lost to recruit them all.

[rak72]

nm

[zeypher]

Way too many companions leads to each of them being diluted. I still think bio is going down the wrong path. If i can use only 3 let their be only 3 companions but develop them a LOT more. But my view is that of an heretic here so there is that.

 

Honestly i found a lot of them wasted as they are never used, and overall if you include their VA's it was a blatant waste of resources. I prefer quality over quantity.

[Feranel]

I think at least one point of having 9 companions may be to showcase the different specializations, as there are 9 in total. 

[DaemionMoadrin]

I think at least one point of having 9 companions may be to showcase the different specializations, as there are 9 in total. 

 

That just takes away from the replay value.

[Farangbaa]

Way too many companions leads to each of them being diluted. I still think bio is going down the wrong path. If i can use only 3 let their be only 3 companions but develop them a LOT more. But my view is that of an heretic here so there is that.
 
Honestly i found a lot of them wasted as they are never used, and overall if you include their VA's it was a blatant waste of resources. I prefer quality over quantity.

And then you'll end up with 3 companions you don't like.

Imagine the rage on the boards.

They can just never do it right, huh?

[DaemionMoadrin]

And then you'll end up with 3 companions you don't like.

Imagine the rage on the boards.

They can just never do it right, huh?

 

Yeah, that was my thought as well.

 

I have an old, unused game design gathering dust somewhere around here, in it I proposed a party with no limits, so you could gather everyone at once. You wouldn't really have companions per se, they would be more like friends, family, rivals, mercs you hire etc. Everyone with their own lives, too. Maybe one is a police officer, so he can only accompany you after he's off duty. Maybe one is a teacher or official who can not be seen in certain areas (red light districts) without risking his job. Maybe one is a rival who doesn't really like you but who would help out if it's really important.

This would result in varied parties, depending on the time of day, the mission you're undertaking and a few other factors. Some would get sick or need time to heal after being injured. Others might be out of town at times.

For an end of the world final boss confrontation you could call everyone in... but otherwise you'd make due with less.

Of course, such a design needs an open world with a day/night cycle and dynamic NPCs and we didn't have that in 1997.

[Feranel]

That just takes away from the replay value.

 

Personally, it enhanced the replay value for me.  When I thought about trying out another playthrough I was able to test out some builds on companions to see if I would like it ahead of time, instead of getting there, trying it and maybe hating it, but I'm one of those people that doesn't like controlling companions, just playing my character and giving orders, so once I figured out the spec I liked for my next playthrough I would make a new character.

 

But there is also the argument that it also allows people who only play once to get to at least experience all of the specializations without having to reroll, there is value there, I think.

[Sartoz]

This may depend on whether or not you like the given group dynamics and dialogues.

Varric vs Cassandra is OK for a while, but even as a fan of both of them, I want to separate them after a while. I like having options, and there is little cost or time lost to recruit them all.

I recently noticed, in a team shuffle, that Varric and Blackwall seemed to get along very well.

[Sartoz]

 

I agree that less would have been more but BioWare wanted to have enough love interests for each orientation.

 

But that's is my point. The story is better with fewer characters. Hell, the writers have the opportunity to provide background info during their banter... even some tales from the Graphic Novels. The game can be better off, story wise.

[Sartoz]

And then you'll end up with 3 companions you don't like.

Imagine the rage on the boards.

They can just never do it right, huh?

LOL!

I did say 4-6 companions....Six, I suppose, give you the illusion of choice, plus specific char specs....

[Elhanan]

I recently noticed, in a team shuffle, that Varric and Blackwall seemed to get along very well.

And I enjoy the banter between Vivienne and Solas; recommended.

[Kantr]

You can make them all leave right? In which case you could have 0

[Sartoz]

I think at least one point of having 9 companions may be to showcase the different specializations, as there are 9 in total. 

Well, on replay, you can re-roll a:

 

1. warrior from sword+shield to 2H + specializations

2. Rogue archer to dual dagger + specializations

 

Take Cole. Why is he really here in DAI ? If you took him out of the game, what do you lose?

[Sartoz]

You can make them all leave right? In which case you could have 0

Hmm.. not answering the question. I asked how many do you need to finish the game.

[Sartoz]

And I enjoy the banter between Vivienne and Solas; recommended.

Really?... I only got one that "hit" me. Viv was condescending about Circle mages's educatuion vs Solas's self taught, whereby he answered where she was when he helped the Inquisitor close the rift.

[Kantr]

Hmm.. not answering the question. I asked how many do you need to finish the game.

Zero. Thats how many you need.

[themikefest]

My recent playthrough, I went through the game not recruiting anyone and only had Varric, Cassandra and Solas. After a few quests, the banter between Varric and Solas was repetitive and I left Solas at Skyhold to avoid listening to the same thing over and over again. 

 

I don't mind having 9 companions. 

 

I believe Bioware said that at the end of the game you can have one left. I tried that and it didn't work out. I ended up with just Varric and Cassandra left. I was surprised since I talked Cassandra into becoming divine and it ended up being Leliana. I was also surprised Varric stuck around since I got a lot of greatly disapproves throughout the game. Even leaving Hawke in the fade wasn't enough to have Varric leave.

[Sartoz]

 Snip

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But there is also the argument that it also allows people who only play once to get to at least experience all of the specializations without having to reroll, there is value there, I think.

$60 to only play once?  I've played DAO+DA2 multiple times...

 

I think to finish this game from start to finish, you only need one team of four (the original four). The additional members is an attempt to add filler, and appease to the romance crowd and provide a placebo for those who wanted some of their favorite characters from previous DA games, back.  They don't add anything to the main story nor Lore of Dragon Age, But, remember, I have not finished the game yet.

[Sartoz]

My recent playthrough, I went through the game not recruiting anyone and only had Varric, Cassandra and Solas. After a few quests, the banter between Varric and Solas was repetitive and I left Solas at Skyhold to avoid listening to the same thing over and over again. 

 

I don't mind having 9 companions. 

 

I believe Bioware said that at the end of the game you can have one left. I tried that and it didn't work out. I ended up with just Varric and Cassandra left. I was surprised since I talked Cassandra into becoming divine and it ended up being Leliana. I was also surprised Varric stuck around since I got a lot of greatly disapproves throughout the game. Even leaving Hawke in the fade wasn't enough to have Varric leave.

Great to know, thanks

[BanditGR]

They don't add anything to the main story nor Lore of Dragon Age, But, remember, I have not finished the game yet.

 

That is not entirely accurate. There are good reasons behind getting Cassandra, Varric and Solas right off the bat. Varric's personal quest is loosely tied to the main story, mostly in terms of a few explanations/clarifications on Corypheus. Solas on the other hand...well you need to finish the game to understand his role I guess. As for Cas, you mostly get her in case you aren't a tank yourself (plus it makes more sense story wise to get her rather than Blackwall).

Unfortunately, the rest are mostly interchangeable/forgettable.

[PrinceofTime]

I didnt bother recruiting anyone besides Vivienne during my 2 extra playthroughs. After spending an 1 hour farming each area for stuff i explore the area on horseback. Banter is lame anyway and ive heard most of them during my initial run.

[Feranel]

Well, on replay, you can re-roll a:

 

1. warrior from sword+shield to 2H + specializations

2. Rogue archer to dual dagger + specializations

 

Take Cole. Why is he really here in DAI ? If you took him out of the game, what do you lose?

 

A way to test out/play assassin without rerolling.  I'm not really arguing for or against, just that that may be one of the reasons.