How *unappealing* do you predict straight male romance options will be in DA4?

Jan 20, 2018 20:52:48 GMT PapaCharlie9 said:

Jan 19, 2018 2:29:06 GMT isaidlunch said:

Blackwall is already irredeemably evil and killable though.

I missed that option. Do you spring him from the Val Royeaux jail and then judge him for execution? I know you can exile him, but didn't know you can kill him.

Pretty sure the only way to kill Blackwall is to leave him in jail.

Which I HATED. I know the most common response to this is, "If you don't like X, don't recruit them", but the player should be able to kick any of the Companions, at any time. Hell, part of me wishes you could dismiss the Advisors as well, rerouting their functions to minor NPCs. A good RPG should allow the player to customize the narrative to who and what they value, and not be chained to characters they don't care about. Off the top of my head, I can think several reasons to fire any of the major characters at the drop of a hat:

Cullen: The player could hate the Chantry, considers him potentially incompetent and his lyrium withdrawal a needless liability. From a meta perspective, they could find him boring, a Karma Houdini for his actions in the first two games, redundant (Cassandra could just as easily commanded the Inquisition's armies), queer baiting,  and fan service taking time away from new characters.

Josephine: The player could find her pacifist approach horribly naïve at best, and a legitimate security risk at worst. Meta wise, the player finds her boring.

Leliana: The Inquisitor could see her as an incompetent, mentally unstable risk who refuses to follow orders. Meta wise, they could hate her Creator's Pet status.

Cassandra:  The player could see her as a rash, violent, intolerant bully with divided loyalties (the Chantry, the Seekers, and the Inquisition).

Solas: The player could hate his arrogance, not so veiled racism, or that his "Fade knowledge" isn't nearly as valuable as he wants us to think. Meta wise, players could hate that they're stuck with one responsible for this mess and the next one. And losing an arm. And all the Solavellan drama ...

Varric: The Inquisitor could feel his spy network is overrated and redundant, and want him out for lying about Hawke. Not to mention all the Bianca drama, being another Creator's Pet, and teasing everyone who wanted a proper dwarfmance.

Blackwall: Yes you can get rid of him at Adamant and in his Personal Quest, but you should also be able to fire him for never actually producing Grey Warden help. Meta wise, you could find him boring, and his "courtly love" of Josephine or romance arc creepy. 

Iron Bull: The Inquisitor could change their minds and consider the Chargers and/or Bull not worth the risk of having an open Qunari spy in the Inquisition. Meta wise, the player could hate his dudebro personality, hate his romance arc or Adoribull.

Cole: The inquisitor could change their minds when they learn the full extent of Cole's "help" (basically mind rape) or his activities at the White Spire (killing mages, unknowingly framing Rhys, helping to truly kick off the Mage-Templar War). Meta wise, they could get sick of his scatter brained banter, and/or hate how Patrick Weekes whitewashed him.

Vivienne: The Inquisitor could hate her arrogance and hypocrisy, hates how she uses the Inquisitor and Inquisition for personal gain, and how her supposed allies and resources never pan out. Meta wise, the player could hate how she always gets the last word and makes them look foolish .

Dorian: The Inquisitor could hate his ego, slavery apology, and consider him a possible Venatori sleeper agent. Meta wise, they could hate his "After School Special" Personal Quest.

Obviously, I didn't include Sera since she CAN be kicked at any time.