Dragon Age II, Part 2: The Qun is pretty deep, you wouldn't understand it.

[Yora]

WHY DIDN'T ANYONE MENTION THE PATCH?!

That was kind of important!

Patched the game and thought I give it a try, and I got the thing to retreat to the middle of the room while it was in the first corner and didn't even need to take any potions. After two botched starts the thing went down on the third try without much of a problem. Punched two people out right before the end and I did need all 13 health potions, and the Profanes had a weird bug where they wouldn't fall over when at 0 hp and just keep standing there, but it took me less than 20 minutes after patching.
Why didn't anyone mention that?

[Zevox]

WHY DIDN'T ANYONE MENTION THE PATCH?!

That was kind of important!

Patched the game and thought I give it a try, and I got the thing to retreat to the middle of the room while it was in the first corner and didn't even need to take any potions. After two botched starts the thing went down on the third try without much of a problem. Punched two people out right before the end and I did need all 13 health potions, and the Profanes had a weird bug where they wouldn't fall over when at 0 hp and just keep standing there, but it took me less than 20 minutes after patching.
Why didn't anyone mention that?

Well, patching is automatic for consoles if they're hooked up to the internet, so I wouldn't have known that I needed to mention it. I take it that isn't the case for the PC version?

Zevox

[Yora]

I don't have the consoles hooked up unless I want to download updates.

Now I am rich, witches!
The outfit is strange. I really need a pipe when I stand next to my fireplace.
And why does Isabella keep doing naughty things to my house?

[Giggling Ghast]

I don't have the consoles hooked up unless I want to download updates.

Zevox meant consoles like XBox 360/PS3. We just download them automatically.

[Yora]

Yes, I play on PS3 too, but I don't have it connected since I have to unplug my PC for that.

[Zevox]

I don't have the consoles hooked up unless I want to download updates.

Ah, well, I can understand that, since that's what I do as well. I only have one port for the internet in my room, and my PC is usually the thing that's hooked up, so my 360 is only connected when I want to play something online, or get some DLC or a patch. I just tend to assume that others have theirs connected continuously, since that seems to be the norm in my experience.

Zevox

[ImperiousLeader]

I haven't read the thread, to avoid too many spoilers. But I just got the game and I'm loving it. Still in act 1, playing Hawke as a human mage. Though I want to do three things, rebuilt Hawke's powers, I made the mistake of not grabbing a solid tank for the trip into the current dungeon (questing after a criminal for the magistrate) and finally, some sexier threads for Hawke. Robes aren't nearly as good looking as the green smuggler duds I was wearing at the start of act 1.

[Kish]

I don't have the consoles hooked up unless I want to download updates.

Now I am rich, witches!
The outfit is strange. I really need a pipe when I stand next to my fireplace.
And why does Isabella keep doing naughty things to my house?

Because she's Isabela.

You really needed to ask?

[Yora]

I haven't read the thread, to avoid too many spoilers. But I just got the game and I'm loving it. Still in act 1, playing Hawke as a human mage. Though I want to do three things, rebuilt Hawke's powers, I made the mistake of not grabbing a solid tank for the trip into the current dungeon (questing after a criminal for the magistrate) and finally, some sexier threads for Hawke. Robes aren't nearly as good looking as the green smuggler duds I was wearing at the start of act 1.

I play as a two handed warrior and even then Aveline takes a huge amount of pressure of me. I think she starts with one defensive mode and she can get another as her first unique ability. With both on at the same time, she becomes almost indestructable if you keep her Constitution high. Then advance the Taunt and she'll do a very good job protecting everyone. When I had to go with two two-handed warriors once for a short time, not having her in the group caused everyone else getting a lot more damage.

[Yora]

I am currently in the Fade for the Dreamer and somehow I get a lot of Rivalry with Merrill. She says she wants to come along, but isn't happy when I take her with me. Then she says I shouldn't deal with the sloth demon, but is again unhappy when I reject the offer.
Is that a bug or supposed to be that way?

[Zevox]

I am currently in the Fade for the Dreamer and somehow I get a lot of Rivalry with Merrill. She says she wants to come along, but isn't happy when I take her with me. Then she says I shouldn't deal with the sloth demon, but is again unhappy when I reject the offer.
Is that a bug or supposed to be that way?

Supposed to be that way, at least for the latter. She gains rivalry points whenever you reject things to do with demons or blood magic. Not sure about the "not being happy if you take her" part - can't say I remember that happening.

Zevox

[Yora]

The moment we appeared in the fade, I instantly got -10.

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After she turned against me, I was really convinced that everything so far in the fade was an illusion by some demon to mess with me. Because I killed her in the Fade, and the entire quest is based on the fact that this makes a mage tranquil.
I think this would all have made the entire quest much cooler. Like the Season 3 start at Deep Space Nine.
But that you kill Merrill in the Fade and she doesn't get tranquil doesn't make any sense. That's really poor writing here.

[C-Lam]

The moment we appeared in the fade, I instantly got -10.

Spoiler

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After she turned against me, I was really convinced that everything so far in the fade was an illusion by some demon to mess with me. Because I killed her in the Fade, and the entire quest is based on the fact that this makes a mage tranquil.
I think this would all have made the entire quest much cooler. Like the Season 3 start at Deep Space Nine.
But that you kill Merrill in the Fade and she doesn't get tranquil doesn't make any sense. That's really poor writing here.

The reason that you got -10 when you appeared in the fade from Merrill, may be because you said to the elder (can't remember her name) that you would kill Feynriel(?) if he went crazy in the fade (or something in that manner). Because she will disapprove if you say that.

Yea, the other part is kinda bad explained, but I think it might be that you didn't kill her, but knocked her out or something. But I'm just guessing, so it might be completely wrong for all I know.

[Kish]

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A dreamer drawn into the Fade by his own uncontrolled power becomes Tranquil if killed there. That doesn't mean "any mage who is in the Fade for any reason becomes Tranquil if killed there."

[Yora]

I love this setting. I just returned to the Arishok and he pretty much told me "I hereby claim this land in the name of the Qun!" You've just been colonized.

Fanatic Buddhists spreading the message to the infidels. 8 feet tall fanatic buddhists on steroids.

I just was at Bertrands estate. Got killed in the very last fight while having had no trouble at all before (damn, that's some nasty sneak attack), but the intro was fun. Strange to play only Varic, but then I noticed it's Varic Story Mode again and ran with it with great fun.

[Giggling Ghast]

I like Bartrand's pathetic pleading at the end of that exaggerated sequence.

"Oh Varric, please forgive me, my brother! I was just jealous of you! How could I ever compete with you for Mother's love?"

[Yora]

"You are so smart! And handsome!"

[Yora]

Bartrand, you bastard!!!

Isabella, you b*tch!!!

Why?! Why?! I disliked her from the moment I met her, she was constantly anoying Aveline as well as me, and when she suddenly had to be somewhere else without explaination as we came to the Qunari, I had it with her and only took her with me for the mandatory quests with her.

And now this! You probably know exactly what I mean.

F*********!!! I wasn't so angry over again since Metal Gear Solid.

[Giggling Ghast]

I'm guessing you didn't get her Friendship or Rivalry over 50.

Otherwise ...

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... she comes back.

[Kish]

Isabella, you b*tch!!!

Why?! Why?! I disliked her from the moment I met her, she was constantly anoying Aveline as well as me, and when she suddenly had to be somewhere else without explaination as we came to the Qunari, I had it with her and only took her with me for the mandatory quests with her.

Suboptimal choice if you wanted to earn her loyalty.

...Actually, everything in your post makes me go, "Why are you surprised or expecting us to be indignant on your behalf?"

[Yora]

I should have known that she is a lying backstabbing scoundrel and an overall bad person?

[Kish]

More like you should have known she wouldn't be loyal to you if you treated her like a lying backstabbing scoundrel and overall bad person.

[ex cathedra]

More like you should have known she wouldn't be loyal to you if you treated her like a lying backstabbing scoundrel and overall bad person.

Seriously. "Respect goes both ways" and everything.

[Giggling Ghast]

Regardless, I think Izzy's betrayal is rather befitting of her character; after all, she is a pirate.

[ImperiousLeader]

Quick update:

I'm midway into Act 3, and it looks like the crap is really about to hit the fan. Which, given how Act 2 ended ... that's impressive. If Act 2 is about choices, Act 3 is about consequences. And I've made some interesting choices.

How I've played:

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My mage Hawke hooked up with Anders, and just helped him assemble some ingredients that were supposed to separate Anders and Justice ... but he lied. Sailing away with Isabella is starting to look like more and more like a good idea.

I'm Friends with Anders, Isabella, Aveline and Varric, the others are somewhere in the middle. Merrill is still upset that I wouldn't give her the artifact to restore her mirror.

Politically, I`m a supporter of the Grand Enchanter and just gave my support to the nobles attempting to bring a new Viscount to Kirkwall.

[Giggling Ghast]

Quick update:

I'm midway into Act 3, and it looks like the crap is really about to hit the fan.

Unfortunately, one of the major criticisms of DA2 is that your choices have little impact on the outcome of Act 3. You'll see what I mean.

But you are correct: it's about to get bad.

[Yora]

I thought before finishing Act 2, I make a visit to Soundermount to look for unopened chests and such.

Man, that's some tough things hanging around there. The last blood magic book is awfully well defended and even when I just went up Soundermount, the mass of undead overwhelmed me.
However, I never ordered any runes, potions, or poisons so far, so maybe this would be a good idea to learn about them and test them out.

So, can you educate me on what things I should get to prepare myself for the fights in the Avandoned Thaig and up Soundermount?

[Arbitrarity]

Right, so the first thing is, you need runes. If you can get a Rune of Valiance for each character, that's great. For the rest of defenses, I usually use Resilience or Fortune. I haven't bothered with elemental resistances much, which means I needed to kite certain enemies (dragons) a lot. Certain characters are better defended by Defense rather than armor, so you can use Defense runes there. I generally prefer armor though, even on Nightmare, since the characters that have high defense (rogues) often will die quickly if they start getting hit, so I'd prefer to be certain they can survive an extra hit or two.
Devastation for offense, and the Primeval Lyrium rune, if you've done Varric's quest in the "good" way. For the rest in offense, pick some element you think useful. Replacing runes doesn't cost too much, so if you find you prefer a different element, go for it. Think hard about where you place the Primeval Lyrium rune though, you only get one.

I never made much use of poison crafting, or anything past Elfroot or Restoration potions (which are excellent, as they heal a lot, and don't use the same potion cooldown as other potions). I strongly recommend picking up as many of those as you can reasonably afford (5-10 of each).

[Yora]

I never made much use of poison crafting, or anything past Elfroot or Restoration potions (which are excellent, as they heal a lot, and don't use the same potion cooldown as other potions). I strongly recommend picking up as many of those as you can reasonably afford (5-10 of each).

I assumed that one. I still have 120 gold, since I never buy anything.

[ImperiousLeader]

Well, I just finished the game. Wow. I was quite impressed with it. I liked playing Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall. More comments later, now, I need to sleep.