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

yeah Wicked Eyes wicked Hearts is one of my least favourite quests. Going to be playing DAI again myself soon just started playing DA2 today after completing my latest run of Origins.

Remove the timer and I'd love it. I just absolutely loathe timed missions, always have done, always will. I have a very slow, systematic, methodical style of play. I don't rush anything, I explore everywhere and frequently backtrack. I often walk around instead of running.

If I were a streamer I would send my audience into torpor. Forcing me to rush forces me into adopting a hated 'speed run' style of play that is completely alien to me - though having watched other people play video games, it would seem to be the default style for the majority, given how they all seem to race around at breakneck speed.

Well there's two timers in ME1, and both kind of make sense. The first consists of the bombs that you have to diffuse on Eden Prime, the second is another set of bombs in the Bring Down The Sky DLC. Both kind of make logical sense, given that you're literally disarming a bomb - so I can live with them.

There's a couple of timed side quests in ME2, though both are pretty short and easy; and the timer is extremely generous. Both missions make sense and are 'fair' in that you are trying to stop a missile launch, and trying to get the power online to stop a crashing ship.

Then we have the famous timed battles in ME3's Omega DLC. The first one is yet another 'disable the bombs' scenario, and the timer is extremely generous, I could literally walk around and pick up daisies, and I'd still have plenty of time to defuse the bombs, though you are under quite heavy attack from those nasty Rampart Mechs - and then there's the dreaded final battle, which sees you in really brutal combat, alone and squadless disabling Aria's trap while assaulted by wave after wave of lethal foes. That mission is just nasty - but I kind-of enjoy it because again, it makes some kind of logical sense. I'd still be rushing to free Aria even if there were no timer, given the nature of the scenario.

Never sided with the Templars in DA:I, so had no idea it was timed. Glad I didn't now.

I was so proud of myself when I finally beat this one on Insanity. It took me several tries to get the timing just right.

Update:

Bah!

Well I've come unstuck in the Western Approach, falling foul of the notorious bug that prevents the quest 'The Trouble with Darkspawn' from being completed. Service does not say any dialogue after I defeat him, and vanishes, leaving the quest stuck in limbo. Like an idiot I saved directly after killing him. Now the quest is stuck forever in my inventory, which really, really annoys me. Bah!

Other than that doing OK.

Also made a schoolboy error. Got a tier 3 staff schematic and thought "yaaaay I can make a T3 stave1". I remember from my first playthrough that tier 3 staff schematics are few and far between. Blew a load of precious Fade Touched mats on the damned thing... only to realise after trying it out in combat that it was actually some kind of blade staff, specifically made for Night Enchanters and useless for my Inquisitor. Bah!

Ended up giving it to Viv, though I rarely use her. Could have reloaded an earlier save, but I think that mistakes such as this are good as an instrument of learning. I'll certainly remember next time and not make the same mistake. Going to roll with the punches.

I've never heard the expression 'chest scumming' in my life. No idea what it is, or what it means.

The chests that have a high chance to spawn schematics can be "farmed," as it were. Save right before you open the chest, and as stated if you no likey, reload. If you find a schematic, take ONLY that schematic from the chest (if it's the only thing there, reload unless you're satisfied). Then save again and reload THAT save. The chest will be refilled with stuff. Keep doing that until you've gotten maybe 5-10 high tier schematics from a single chest. Each chest will give schematics of the same tier (1, 2, or 3) every time though.

Note that this only partially works in smaller areas beyond the 11 open maps, like the Cradle of Sulevin where the chests will not refill unless you leave the area and return later.

The developers even decided to leave the "bug" (feature) in and reference it during Trespasser, with Cole's line of "Every time you come back, the chest gives you another! THAT'S why we all know too much!"

Also the Golden Nug with port everything tier 2 and up regardless.

I see now, thanks for the in-depth explanation.

To be honest I don't really fancy doing this, it seems a bit exploity for my tastes, though I understand why other players may wish to do so.

Probably not going to need it either, I've since remembered that the Black Emporium has a whole bunch of rare Tier 3 schematics for sale, and so over the weekend I purchased T3 upgrades for my Inquisitor and my regular go-to crew of Cassandra, Dorian and Sara. Now that we have weapons that generate guard on hit we're unstoppable. Even that rather nasty dragon on the Storm Coast caused no significant problems.

Normally I'd agree with that. The problem with DAI is that even some of the less interesting quests still sound important. For example, my character wouldn't just abandon the Inquisition soldiers who get kidnapped by the Avvar cult, but then there's not much to actually do when you get there - I had hoped that this might lead to some decisions about how to handle the Inquisition's "PR" and address the whole Herald of Andraste thing, but instead it was just more generic combat.

Yeah me too if I'm lucky enough to find what I need then I'll use it if not I'll just use the best stuff I can find. For example I don't have the kind of armours I want for my character atm but I'm compenasting by using my guard building abilities a little bit more thasn usual given I'm playing as a warrior so far it's working so I'm not too bothered. Also once I've unlocked enough Inquisition perks I can build it up from the schematics there. Chest scumming and that seems a bit like cheating the system as does using the Golden Nug to me really I can uderstand it is useful  if you want to just focus on the story and do a speed run or something but for me the real challenge lies in using what you find in your initial exploration of the areas as and when you go to  them. I fyoyu need better stuff byu it from a mrechant or make it out of schematics you do find during that playthrough if you can. At least that's what I do. It just depensd on what you do really. I used t ouse the Golden Nug back when i twas first added but not really nowadays as I prefer the challenge of finding what I need to do better and go up against tougher opponents.

That's why I mix up my playthroughs by doing speedruns and playing the game by doing enough to move the story forward.