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r/dragonage•
lbkt

[DA2 Spoilers] Legacy questions- playing it for the first time.

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I'm going through a second playthrough of DA2 and am doing Legacy for the first time. I have a few questions (and I don't mind spoilers!):

-I'm a rogue, and I really want to bring Bethany, Varric, and Isabela (who I am romancing) for the dialogue. Only problem is that... well, that party makeup is terrible. Is Isabela's dialogue worth it enough to suffer through it or should I bring Aveline instead so I can have a tank? I play on Normal or Casual, depending. Lorewise I feel like Varric and Bethany have to be in my party and I'll begrudgingly not take Isabela with me if I have to.

-Should I do it before or after All That Remains, and why? What do you think gives the most emotional impact?

-What's the lore justification for why Bethany can leave the Circle and join me? Not super important so I'm just curious.

Gear isn't a factor for me. I just want the best stuff for dialogue and emotional stuff.

Thank you so much!

Edit: Finished! For the Carta part, I brought Varric, Bethany, and Isabela. For the Prison, I replaced Varric with Anders. I'm grateful for all the suggestions to bring Anders because it definitely added a lot that I would have missed out on. The Corypheus fight was pretty hard with my party, but once I actually thought about it I got it on my second try. I got to talk to Bethany and Leandra after, and it will be a happy prelude to what's going to be a pretty sad time in All That Remains. Pretty good DLC overall, and it gives me more context for DAI as well. Thanks for the help :)

Posted Dec 4, 2017, 7:21 AM UTC · edited

520
Taki17Templar (DA2)•

I did the DLC on nightmare with a 2H warrior as my tank. Though I had Anders, Beth and Varric with me. Anders is nice to have on this, he has a ton of unique dialogue and his healing is invaluable in this fight.

I always play it early-mid Act 2, the epilogue is better that way imho.

Bethany being able to leave the Circle somewhat ties in with why I play it in Act 2 - Meredith hasn't got crazy paranoid yet, so she is much more likely to approve a permit for a mage, or at least not question Orsino in this too much. Since Hawke is not chanpion yet, Bethany is a nobody and can't even be used as leverage. Only a first enchanter or the templar commander have the authority to let a mage spend time away from the circle. Also, the dwarves tried to kill Beth too by sneaking in to the Gallows, and that alone warrants the Circle's attention

5
lbktOP•

Okay, thank you! That all makes sense as to why Bethany can leave, then.

1
Lareit•

I always argue Hawke uses leverage as Champion combined with Bethany being attacked in the circle proper for how she's allowed to leave.

It's pretty easy to handwave the easiest in act 3 and 1. 2 is the hardest imo.

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Toshi_Nama•

Yeah, but to me it never made sense that they could have been found by the Carta in Act 1. They were nobodies, and no reason to look for them there of all places. By midway through Act 2, the fact they've been restored as nobles would have trickled out to anyone looking for the names, and certainly as Champion in Act 3.

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CaiusGermanicusDon’t tell me, show me!•

Meredith completely mad even in Act1, without red lyrium (the red lyrium not the reason for her madness, only a catalyst, not makes her mad, only amplify her madness), but in Act2 even Cullen worries about her (in Act2 she already got the idol –Bartrand tells–, just she perhaps doesn't use her sword so many times).

She can leave Bethany because can keep an eye on her: Hawke is a famous noble, seems not left, but I found more believable it in the Act3 when Hawke is the Champion. Meredith can use Circle Mage Bethany (and Carver, if he's a Templar) to blackmail Hawke and to achieve his/her trust. Meredith is lunatic, but not stupid. And knows, that Bethany will not escape. She also use Hawke and his/her friends to blackmail Bethany, and Bethany's very loyal: I always felt, that she was who reported herself, because didn't want to be burden anymore, and didn't want anymore, that his family and friends jeopardize themselves for her. (Anders–Bethany banter)

Never forget: everyone knows, that Anders' a mage (Cullen calls him "Mage" in Act2 at Gallows), and nobody arrests him. Act1–Act2 he keeps the refugees calmly with health services, what is good to the city. And probably Varric's and Aveline's influence. In the Act3 Hawke's influence keep protect him, because I suppose many refugees already went back.

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CaiusGermanicusDon’t tell me, show me!•

In Act2, Hawke can speak with the living Leandra, in Act3 Hawke can speak with a memory-Leandra. Both are interesting, I did it both.

I always bring the sibling and mostly Anders and Fenris there, or Varric, but only rarely (you can change the group at the Carta hideout). If I take Varric, the other companion is Hawke's lover (Anders or Fenris), and the non-romance one leaves at home.

Anders has interesting conversations (especially in romance, but without romance he still the best companion here). As a possessed grey warden mage, he's very sensitive to Corypheus false calling, and Justice has an interesting reaction.

If you play on normal/casual difficulty, you don't need to worry about the group setup.

The "Key" (Hawke-key) is a good weapon, that Hawke finds in the Carta hideout. Hawke must use that to break the seals. The Key's level depend on Hawke's level, so: better at Act3.

3
lbktOP•

I'm not huge on Anders (not for any reason really, he just isn't my favourite), but him being a Warden isn't something I considered. Will I miss out by not taking Varric? My reasoning for taking him was because of DAI, but if Anders is way more interesting then I might take him along.

I also didn't know about memory Leandra so now this makes my decision even harder, haha.

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CaiusGermanicusDon’t tell me, show me!•

You can bring Varric to until the Carta hideout, he has interesting conversation with some Carta dwarves, but you can change the party nearby, at the statue (same statue, as in Hawke Mansion). The sibling interesting too, and here Hawke can receive more friendship/rivalry points, and important conversations related their family.

So: the most interesting party is: at the start Varric-sibling-LI or other fav, after the Carta Hideout: sibling-Anders-LI/fav (who can be Varric as well...)

AND: you can start it act Act2 (funny banter between Fenris and Hawke, if Fenris is the LI), and finishing it at the Act3. There are points where you can break the adventure.

4
lbktOP•

Cool! Thanks for your responses, they were helpful :)

2
CaiusGermanicusDon’t tell me, show me!•

Your welcome, but this is just my experience. And I'm biased toward Anders/Justice.

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Toshi_Nama•

Def bring Varric before you enter the crawl proper. Afterward...he has a couple things to say, but not really. Anders is totally worth it, to get more into the Wardeny bits. Same with sibling - totally worth it.

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KirrieAster•

always bring your romanced character with you in dlc, i mean for roleplay, because is nice to see their interaction in banters, i like to do it in act2 becasue Isabela show some real worry about Hawke on showing that she really care about, even trying to deny, and if you don't have a sibling she will have a scene talking with you when founding Malcom memory, and since i always do a hawke that keep losing everything i like this about her. but if you have a sibling alive i advise to roleplay bring them on act 3 before castillon ship, made more sense because of the banters of Isabela match better on Act 2. And Varric is the better to go with them, one last advise try Hawke diplomatic she will be more sweet on talking with Hawke and hawke with her.

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melisusthewee Caboodle? •

Bring Anders. He has the most content in the DLC out of all the companions. If Bethany was left in the Circle, I don't know that she'd have much to say (vs if she was made a Grey Warden). You'll really get more out of the DLC with Anders as your mage.

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CaiusGermanicusDon’t tell me, show me!•

Both siblings have an interesting conversation here, regardless his/her fate (okay, dead sibling doesn't speak...). The Legacy is "family business" – and Grey Warden.

And yes, Anders must have here, as possessed Grey Warden mage.

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lbktOP•

Thanks for the responses everyone. I would have never considered Anders because I usually don't take him, but it makes sense. Now I have to decide if I'm going to leave Isabela or Varric behind so I can bring him.

I'm also going to do Legacy before All That Remains.

3
DevotionAgeWhat's a Speed Griffon?•

Just recently did Legacy.

I was also a rogue. I brought Bethany, Anders and Fenris. I though these three were really interesting given that Bethany hasn't seen Hawke in a while (and Legacy is connected to the Hawke family) and we get some interesting info about the circle. Anders adds some interesting mage and warden dialogue and Fenris adds in some interesting Tevinter ties. It's also interesting to watch Anders and Fenris butt heads over the whole mage thing.

Varric's dialogue definitely adds more to Legacy, if I wasn't a squishy rogue I would have included him. I can tell you from another run that Isabela doesn't add much to the dialogue so I wouldn't worry about bringing her. Aveline is good as a tank, though I used Fenris for that for sake of dialogue and he held up pretty well.

I will also warn you that the boss battle, for me, on normal wasn't easy. So it might not be ideal to have three squishy rogues (if you include Varric and Isabela) on your team. You'll definitely need a warrior. Also Bethany and Anders were amazing as the two group healers, so I saved a lot of health potions (which you'll need!) by having both of them. Bring a lot of Mythal's favour, Lyrium and Stamina potions as well.

-Doing Legacy before All That Remains adds more of a family reunion feel to the game. While after adds a more bitter sweet element to it based on loss. I would say do it after.

-I would say Bethany got permission to leave the circle because upon arrival she gets a senior position at the circle right away based on how talented she is; she's also the favourite of the first enchanter. So those ties help her before Hawke becomes champion. When Hawke becomes champion, those ties also help give her permission to leave the circle in the face of Meredith's increasing paranoia.

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totheskylark•

I did that exact combo last time playing on Normal and it was fine for me. I don't think team comp ia really too important on Normal/Casual.

I did it after All That Remains because people were recommending it, and I quite liked it that way.

1
KeraKittyBut I love chickens, Shale!•

I usually do it before All That Remains. Memory-Leandra is just too weird for me.

Definitely bring Bethany and your LI. The dialogue is too wonderful to miss out on.

1
trexballet•

I struggled in this DLC first time around cause I did it in Act 1 before Bethany got taken to the Circle (I had Bethany, Varric, and Fenris).

Mage Hawke did it in Act 3. I think that had the better emotional pay-off (Leandra's still a bit overwhelmed in Act 1). I had Carver, Varric, and Anders on that run. Went a lot smoother.

I have yet to play it in Act 2, but I should give it a shot.

1
Bethany-HawkeI don't want to die•

You don't need to worry about party setup on casual or normal difficulty. I play on normal, and I choose party members based on dialogue/banter rather than their class. I'm not even very good at the combat, but it's quite manageable. For Legacy, I think Anders has good dialogue and your sibling is a good choice. On my playthrough I took Varric, Fenris (LI) and Carver. When I replay it, I'm probably taking Bethany, Anders and maybe Fenris (LI again.)

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