Dragon Age: Origins/Characters/Playable Characters: Difference between revisions

* [[Badass Damsel]]: The Female City Elf Origin. After getting captured by Vaughan's guards, who announce their intention to rape and murder her (and not necessarily in that order), her cousin Soris breaks into the room. While they're distracted by his sudden appearance, he quickly slides a sword across the floor to the City Elf, who immediately picks it up and adopts a fighting stance. Cue two very terrified, soon-to-be-dead guards;

{{quote|'''Guard''': [[Oh Crap|Oh sod...]]}}

** The Dwarf Noble is a member of the Aeducan royal family, descended from the Paragon Aeducan who united Orzammar, had relatives who served in the Grey Wardens in generations previously and who's current line don't hide their predisposition towards badassery either.

** Dragon Age II adds the Human Mage to the pile, as both the Amells and their relatives in the Hawke family are incredibly badass. Not to mention the revelation that the Human Mage has ''other'' siblings who are mages.

* [[Gaydar]]: The Warden's functions with 100% accuracy, ensuring that he/she will never hit on a member of the same gender unless such an individual would at least potentially be receptive.

* [[The Gloves Come Off]]: The Mage Warden, due to having lived for most of their life under the restrictions of the Templars. After becoming a Grey Warden, the Mage Warden is free to demonstrate just how truly powerful they ''really'' are.

* [[Guile Hero]]: You have to play the game to truly understand the freedom it gives you.

* [[Handsome Lech]]: Potentially. A frightening amount of possible interactions with members of the opposite sex allows the Warden to hit on them, if not outright sleep with them. Heck, a female Human Noble can even hit on ''Duncan'', though he demurs.

** {{spoiler|By ''Awakening'', Alistair laments how he can't join her coming out of retirement, not because of the crimp it's put on their honeymoon period, but because he would rather be at her side and busting in Darkspawn skulls, than have to deal with the mundane matters at court by himself.}}

* [[Hello, Nurse!]]: Everyone wants the Warden. Seriously. No matter how long you spend beating your character with the Ugly Stick in Character Creation, he or she (especially she, and especially if she's a human) will constantly be referred to as drop-dead gorgeous.

** The Reapers have manifested themselves in the form of Dwarven Wardens, and Saren leads the charge.

** [[Dragon Age II|Fenris]] took up magic as a human mage warden, while Jowan became a bit more suave and Teagan indulged his violent tendencies.

** The violent Elf voice sample is [[Dragon Age|Sandal]].

* [[Hope Bringer]]: All you have to do is flash the Grey Warden credentials to get most people to listen to whatever you have to say. Of course, it's up to you whether or not you want to fulfill the spirit of this trope.

* [[Hot Chick with a Sword]]: Any female Warden, if not throughout the whole game then at least if she's the one delivering the final blow to the archdemon.

* [[I Did What I Had to Do]]: Ruthless but well meaning wardens will find themselves adopting this as their creed.

* [[Informed Attractiveness]]: Even if you make a Warden that looks like the uglier cousin of [[The Phantom of the Opera]] that fell down in a vat of acid and [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|has mismatched hair and eyebrows]], everyone you ever meet will find him/her especially attractive.

** The Female Human Noble, which is lampshaded, albeit mockingly, by Arl Howe;

{{quote|'''Arl Howe''': Well, well. Bryce Cousland's little [[The Ladette|spitfire]]. All grown up and [[Stay in the Kitchen|still playing the man!]]}}

* [[Last of His Kind]]: While there are other Grey Wardens left in the world, only you and Alistair are close enough to end the Blight in a timely and decisive manner.

** If playing a Human Noble, you're also the last member of House Cousland. {{spoiler|However your brother is alive, but you don't learn this until the ending and he ceases to be important to the plot after Ostagar.}}

** Possibly subverted in ''Witch Hunt'', where if romanced, the Warden can decide to leave with Morrigan and {{spoiler|enter the Eluvian to meet their child.}} Of course, one could argue that since its been ''two years'' since the end of the Blight and Ferelden is at peace, there is simply no need for the Warden anymore.

* [[Magic Knight]]: Mage Wardens can become ''Arcane Warriors''.

* [[Manipulative Bastard]]: You can be an utter douche, kicking dogs, desecrating holy artifacts and supporting crazy dwarves while still having all your most noble companions falling in love with your every word. Just make sure you have a good (and sometimes ''really'' good) coercion rank, a lot of gifts, and careful consideration of who you bring along with you and when.

* [[Meaningful Name]]: The Dwarf Noble's last name is Aeducan, deriving from the dwarven word ''Aeduc'' meaning "Stone".

* [[The Unchosen One]]: Went from random idiot who survived because Duncan and Flemeth happened to be around at the right times to Hero of Ferelden in about a year. If you complain that you don't have a choice in the matter, Morrigan and Wynne will be quick to point out that you could just sit on your ass and do nothing to stop the Blight--ultimately, you do choose.

* [[The Unwanted Harem]]: Saying nice things to your party members is enough to convince them that they are becoming your [[Love Interest]]. Which can lead to awkwardness when one of the [[Betty and Veronica]] pair forces you to choose between them.

{{quote|"[[Royals Who Actually Do Something|His/Her Royal Highness]], Prince/ss ______ [[Badass Family|Cousland]], Prince/ss-Consort of Ferelden, Teryn/a of Gwaren, Arl of Amaranthine, Arl of Denerim, [[Commanding Coolness|Warden-Commander]] of the Order of the Grey Wardens, [[Big Damn Heroes|Hero/ine of Ferelden.]]"}}

** You're also first in line to the Teyrnir of Highever. {{spoiler|Though, as the heir presumptive of your elder brother, you may be pushed down by his issue.}}

* [[Dork Knight]]: While Alistair is heroic, noble, and brave, he also lacks confidence and bumbles talking to women.

* [[Ensign Newbie]]: During the Korcari Wilds mission, but he soon makes his clear that he'd rather have the Warden take this role. Morrigan even lampshades it. The Darkspawn Chronicles DLC shows [[For Want of a Nail|what would have happened if he hadn't been able to pass the buck.]] {{spoiler|He manages to make it all the way to the Archdemon. But then it ends badly.}}

* [[Estrogen Brigade Bait]]

* [[Evil Laugh]]: He has a very impressive one that he breaks out on a couple of occasions, such as when [[Deadpan Snarker|revealing his nefarious plan to make the other party members mutiny and have him take over as group leader.]] In a subversion, he once breaks into a cough mid-evil laugh.

** Heck, it's even on the royal coat of arms: Instead of Lions Rampant, you have Mabari Hounds Rampant.

** Some nobles, exemplified by Brice Cousland even adresses their children "Lad" and "Pup" as [[Terms of Endearment]].

* [[Heroic Dog]]

* [[Improbable Weapon User]]: Not exactly, since being a dog he attacks with his teeth and/or claws, but you can enhance his physical attacks by equipping him with... paints. And different fancy collars.

** Not entirely odd, though, considering this is a world where magic is very real and magical weapons and items are reasonably commonplace. The paints and collars are probably enchanted.

* [[Mini Game]]: Has a couple, one being a territory marking game and another trying to collect all the objects he can find in various areas of the game world.

* [[Non-Human Sidekick]]

* [[Redheaded Hero]]

* [[Retcon]]: If the Warden hooked him up with Felsi, achieved a high approval rate, and fell to the Archdemon, the epilogue will announce he sobered up and happily married Felsi, naming his child after the Warden. This is not to be seen as an Orlesian Warden.

* [[Slap Slap Kiss]]: {{spoiler|Apparently, Felsi isn't so negatively disposed to him after all. They're even married by the time of ''Awakening'', though when he decides to join the Grey Wardens for real after confessing to her that he just wasn't cut out to be anything more than a warrior, the marriage dissolves.}}

* [[A Tankard of Moose Urine]]: One of his gifts in ''Awakening'' is Dragon Piss, which the description says that it may be figurative but no one knows for sure. Of course, [[Squick|one may only wonder where he gets his own home-brewed ale]], as hinted by him and Zevran in party banter in ''Origins''.

* [[Un Entendre]]: For a dwarf with a perverted mind, Oghren makes a few of these when talking about weapons in party banter.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: With Zevran, perhaps as a small homage to [[Lord of the Rings|Legolas and Gimli.]] And again with Anders in ''Awakening''.

 

 

* {{spoiler|[[Badass Normal]]: Caridin mentions she was an unparalleled warrior and the first woman to volunteer to become a Golem. He also suspects that Shale's free-will is due to the fact that Shayle was a highly stubborn and determined dwarven woman}}.

* {{spoiler|[[Become a Real Boy]]: In one of the possible [[Where Are They Now]] -Epilogues she mentions how she wants to find a way to become mortal again. She succeeds in at least one as well, although no details are given.}}

** Birds.

** The description of Wilhelm's death suggests that Shale may have been called 'Golem' one too many times. Though the real circumstances are left to speculation, Shale does nothing to dispel the impression.

* [[All Amazons Want Hercules]]: While not physically an amazon, Morrigan does have a wildly independant and [[Social Darwinist]] personality, valueing strength and power. Accordingly, the only characters she expresses interest in are a male warden, and Sten. While the former is subject to change, they're generally strong-willed, very competent, with decisive personalities, while the later is displays both incredible mental and physical strength. This keeps with the spirit of the trope, that strong women are only interested in stronger men.

* [[All Girls Want Bad Boys|All Guys Want Bad Girls]]: Definitely if you romance her. Goes both ways if the Warden is a bit morally ambiguous himself, although more noble-minded Wardens can win her over as well. While she tends to get irritated by your more decent actions, being nice to her and providing her with gifts can do the trick. See [[Tsundere]] below.

** Shale comments that Morrigan resembles a bird, particularly the way she gazes at people.

** And, as commented below, she does have a rather magpie-ish interest in jewelery.

** This doesn't seem to include more intimate touching. Of all the possible lovers, she requires the least amount of approval to get her to sleep with you.

*** [[Fridge Brilliance]]: {{spoiler|Considering what her plans are, she wouldn't need to like the Warden to start sleeping with him.}}

* [[Hot Witch]]: [[Lampshade|Lampshaded]], not that it's all that unusual for the setting.

* [[The Immodest Orgasm]]: According to some dialogue that didn't make it into the retail game but can be accessed on the pc via mods;

* [[Sarcastic Devotee]]: As much as she snarks at both the Warden and the other companions, and as easy as it is to earn her disapproval by doing anything heroic or altruistic (even if the motivation for it is completely pragmatic), it's actually pretty difficult to piss her off to the point that she'll leave the party. Furthermore, there is no single moral choice in the game that will cause her to leave if mishandled, which with the exception of Dog is not the case for any of the other companions. {{spoiler|This is perhaps because she has a reason for following the Warden besides helping him/her fight the Blight.}}

* [[Sequel Hook]]: {{spoiler|You just know the child she conceives by one of the Wardens at the end is going to show up again.}}

* [[Sideboob]]

* [[The Smart Guy]]

** In-party, she serves as Morrigan's almost exact opposite; their values almost always oppose one another, making it difficult to bring both along without upsetting at least one. Probably done to cut down on the number of [[Game Breaker|mages]] you'll be using. Not suprisingly, their banter is some of the most vicious dialogue in videogame history.

* [[Foreshadowing]]: {{spoiler|One of Wynne's first conversations with you are about the nature of abominations. Later, you find out why she's grateful if you tell her that if an abomination doesn't behave evil, it really isn't an abomination.}}

* [[Grandma, What Massive Hotness You Have!]]: She has really smooth skin for someone her age, and her body model is exactly the same as that of the younger Morrigan and Leliana. Zevran comments a couple of times on her 'magical bosom.'

** She was not amused: "Zevran, I'm old enough to be your grandmother."

* [[Never Mess with Granny]]: She survived Ostagar. Enough said.

* [[Not Afraid to Die]]

* [[The Smart Guy]]

* [[Mrs. Robinson]]: Hints at it when she [[Squick|flirts with Alistair]] in Return to Ostagar.

** She will also (more seriously) engage with [[The Talk]] with the Warden if he/she is engaged in a romance, express her disapproval, and offer a recommendation of [[No Hugging, No Kissing]]. She will, however, eventually change her mind and apologize to the Warden, provided you get your love interest's approval rating high enough. She'll even defend your relationship with Morrigan to Alistair during party banter.

* [[Team Mom]]: Alistair likes to act as if she were his grandmother. If the Grey Warden is a mage, she has a great deal of additional dialogue, some of which imply, if the player chooses, that the Grey Warden does in fact look up to Wynne in an almost parental fashion due to [[The Corps Is Mother]] approach of the Circle.

** {{spoiler|Yes, she has a son. His name is Rhys, and he appears with her in Asunder.}}

* [[Token Good Teammate]]: Out of the entire party, she is the only who starts with and refuses to abandon her selfless sense of morals. Alistair and Leliana can be hardened and convinced to turn a blind eye to most evil, self-serving actions. Not Wynne.

* [[The Atoner]]: Though more in her backstory than in the game itself.

* [[Badass Normal]]: The only human party member who is neither a Warden nor a Mage.

* [[Beautiful Dreamer]]: Part of her romance - she likes watching the PC sleep. The Warden can reply to her that this is creepy.

* {{spoiler|[[Becoming the Mask]]: She originally adopted the guise of a simple, pious, religious convert in order to escape the notice of Marjolaine, her former employer and now mortal enemy. It was only later, when she found herself content in that life, that she actually started to become that person for real.}}

* [[I'm Taking Her Home with Me]]: She just loves the nugs in Orzammar. You can actually get her one... and she names it [[Tastes Like Diabetes|Schmooples.]]

* [[Informed Ability]]: She is supposed to be a skilled storyteller, but her storytelling skills really don't rise above the rest of the cast. Also by her accounts, the smooth talking, courtly-connivers seem to be stock in trade and a survival necessity for Orlesian bards. Yet her repartee is less evident than her loss of words; she's often flustered and easily embarrassed. Perhaps it's because she's less articulate in Fereldan, and therefore stumbles for correct phrasing, or perhaps her lack of verbal sparring explains the cause of her exile from Orlais.

* [[Innocent Bigot]]: She'll make some well-intentioned but racist comments to you if you're playing as an elf. If you tell her you're offended, she'll apologize and thank you for [[Character Development|opening her eyes]].

* [[Jeanne D'Archetype]]: [[Action Girl]]? Check. Devoutly religious? Check. French (or [[Fantasy Counterpart Culture|the equivalent]])? Check. Visions telling her to fight? Check. Case closed.

{{quote|'''Zevran''': "Ah, so I am to be interrogated? Let me save you some time. My name is Zevran - Zev to my friends. I am a member of the Antivan Crows, brought here for the sole purpose of assassinating any remaining Grey Wardens. Which I have failed at, sadly."}}

* {{spoiler|[[Break the Haughty]]: As if Rinna's death wasn't enough, the Crow master who assigned them the mission already knew of it and was very quick to remind the two surviving assassins that they were entirely expendable tools worth little more than nothing to even the Crows.}}

* [[Captain Obvious]]: If you recruit {{spoiler|Loghain}} and put them in your party together.

{{quote|'''Zevran:''' You know who I am, yes? I was one of the Crows you hired to kill the Grey Wardens.

* [[No Sneak Attacks]]: Despite admitting easily that he wasn't planning on a fair fight, singing praises about poison usage and crippling one's opponent, he tries to take the PC head on (subverted in the fact that he's somewhat [[Crazy Prepared]] with tons of traps, archers and even a mage). {{spoiler|Most likely because of the fact that he's a [[Death Seeker]].}}

* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: His conversation with Morrigan after completing her personal quest is basically, {{spoiler|"I know your mother sent you here because she had a plan, and I know you're here because ''you'' have a plan." And if the Warden is in a romance with Morrigan, Zevran will note that she is 'biding her time'}}. Pretty much what [[Genre Savvy]] players want to say to her face.

* [[Parental Abandonment]]: He's the son of a whore who died in childbirth.

* [[Playing Hard to Get]]: A possible response to repeated propositioning from the Warden. Zevran playfully considers it for about two seconds.