OK, this time I'm determined to complete this danged game.

I've finished Inquisition precisely once, and that was back in 2016, in it's pure vanilla state, no DLC at all.

Since then I've acquired all the DLC but have never played any of it. Every attempt since to re-play the game eventually leaves me feeling completely burned out around a quarter of the way through, and unable to continue.

To be honest I felt burned out even during my first playthrough - I can remember being in the Hissing Wastes and just feeling utterly tired of it all, and continuing felt like a chore - had to force myself to go on. 

There's something about DA:I that makes me not 'feel it', or not become as emotionally invested as in the previous Dragon Age games, but now I'm hoping to overcome this and get the danged thing done once and for all.

This playthrough I've mixed everything up, and done everything differently. I'm playing a female Dalish Mage who is consistent in her native beliefs, and utterly rejects any and all notions that she is the Herald of Andraste. She's Dalish, she's a Mage, she believes in the ancient Elven gods, and is helping the Inquisition because it's closing the breach is the right thing to do - not because the cause is a 'holy' one.


This alone has created an interesting change in dynamic, and I have to say I'm 'feeling it' a lot more this time. I already feel far more invested in the game. I've also made some romantic overtones toward Egg Head, and have set things up toward freeing the Mages and leaving the Templars to their fate.

Finally, I've installed all the addons I can think of that make things more immersive and remove many of the annoyances and things that caused me to have problems with the vanilla game. A improved camera addon provides a new over-the-shoulder view that is far closer to the ones in DA:O and DA:2. This alone has massively improved the experience, as I feel far less disconnected from the environment.

Also installed one or two 'cheat mods'. This is something I usually avoid in games, but in this case it's going to help boost quality of life. To begin with I now can hold 16 health potions at all times, which makes things much better for exploration, as I'm no longer having to constantly go back to camp. Also got a mod that reveals the whole map - which let's me plan ahead properly, and not scramble aimlessly around. Finally a mod to slightly increase the odds of getting fade touched materials. None of these are huge cheats, but they are cheats.

So, a question.
I'm already off to a bad start with Sera, given that I'm an Elfy Elf and a magic user. I quit the game this morning standing in a cell with Dorian, having just gone forward in time. Soon I'll need to make the choice for full alliance with the mages. This will seriously piss Sera off!

So, how easy will it be to become friends with her afterward? How easy is it to mend the rift (pun intended)?