Poll
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Dragon Age: Whose side are you on, Mages or Templars ?
Which side do you personally side with prior to the game being released. It is an interesting query here as it is relatable to any fictional character with powers special to the main dominant species and how they would be treated with said powers.
What say you, Mage or Templar ?
It's been so long since I've played Dragon Age two. Never actually got around to beating it 🙁, but Templars were kinda dicks. I know they're afraid of those who may abuse their power, but they try to put everyone under the same banner as if ALL mages are likely to do so. They just seemed to have sort of a bigoted outlook on the whole deal. I get sick of that shit in real life; I don't want to support it in my fantasies. Lol. Having said that, there are thankfully exceptions to the Templar ranks as well.
Mages, since they only turn to mass-murder under the threat of being mass-murdered themselves, whereas the Templars turn to mass-murder like I turn to wanking, which is easily, without provocation and all the time.
Though in Dragon Age 2 you're sort of manipulated into siding with the mages since you either are one, or your sister is one. So the player is always naturally inclined towards their side.
Originally posted by Nephthys
Mages, since they only turn to mass-murder under the threat of being mass-murdered themselves, whereas the Templars turn to mass-murder like I turn to wanking, which is easily, without provocation and all the time.Though in Dragon Age 2 you're sort of manipulated into siding with the mages since you either are one, or your sister is one. So the player is always naturally inclined towards their side.
While I agree with you in spirit, there are things that need to be considered, imo.
Like how Mages seem to embrace blood magic at the drop of a hat. I get that Orsino's turn wasn't supposed to happen, but he's not the only one that does it. Shit like that is why the Templars are so afraid in the first place.
Anders didn't target the Templars with his attack, which makes him as much a villain, imo, as Meredith, and at least she had the excuse that she was under the influence of the relic. Anders, sure, he had justice, but by the end of the game you could see that they were being rational and thoughtful about it.
I'm not saying the Templars are right; they're still oppressing the mages. I'm just saying that the Mages aren't exactly doing a whole lot to convince the Templars that things should be different. They're both at fault in their own ways, imo. They both feed a vicious cycle (though before Anders came along, it was mostly the Templars, that's true).
I'm trying to recall cause I know in the first game my army was ridiculous and I wasn't the best person xD...like that one possessed boy you encounter I was just like "Kill him." "NO BUT" "Gotta kill him." "I SWEAR IF YOU JUST" "Kill him? Yeah I plan to, no worries." I just pressed the issue constantly xD. My army consisted of Werewolves,Golems, that dragon and I forget anything else, I just remember my friend watching me play and shocked I turned against my own kind (elves) I was like "Uhhh you see how hot this lady is? An she has werewolves? No brainer."
In 2 my main goal was just to be best buds with the Arishok, but it sucked cause at the time I was talking to someone IRL who's personality was just like Isabela so I was like ":c...aye buddy just let her go....we're like best buds please :c?" "NO." ":c...f..fine...honorable dual :c?" "OKAY." I was thinking of going easy on him until he started basically gutting me and I realized he didn't give a shit about me </3
Pretty sure though I went with the Templars since I'll always choose a 2H class and I was just like "SHEEEIT MAGES BE DANGEROUS...you know who I bet doesn't like mages? Mah boi da Arishok..."
Basically my whole game was based around just trying to become the best friends I could with him..then had to cut him down ;~;... Woulda let him leave but he just literally leaves and I was like "MY BESTFRIEND IS LEAVING WITH MUH GURL AND HE WON'T EVEN STAY IN CONTACT ;~;!!!!?!?!" So cutting him down was the only way <///////3
God I miss that game, I should replay it :0...
Originally posted by BasedJust on sheer principle of magic vs. non magic used would have me allied with them. The oppression makes it a slam dunk.
Mages because nearly every Templar I've encountered was annoying as fvck. For mages there's a 50/50 chance of them being acceptable.And apparently that's the canon as well.
Originally posted by -Pr-
While I agree with you in spirit, there are things that need to be considered, imo.Like how Mages seem to embrace blood magic at the drop of a hat. I get that Orsino's turn wasn't supposed to happen, but he's not the only one that does it. Shit like that is why the Templars are so afraid in the first place.
Anders didn't target the Templars with his attack, which makes him as much a villain, imo, as Meredith, and at least she had the excuse that she was under the influence of the relic. Anders, sure, he had justice, but by the end of the game you could see that they were being rational and thoughtful about it.
I'm not saying the Templars are right; they're still oppressing the mages. I'm just saying that the Mages aren't exactly doing a whole lot to convince the Templars that things should be different. They're both at fault in their own ways, imo. They both feed a vicious cycle (though before Anders came along, it was mostly the Templars, that's true).
That is true, and Anders does represent the threat of what a single mage can destroy in he gets pissed enough. Also, you might not have noticed it but on the subject of Orsino, he was helping the serial killer mage who killed your mom. You can find a letter hinted to be from him in the killers hideout. So the guy was pretty sketchy even ignoring his tacked-on turn to the Blood Side at the end.
However, I think its important to note that the mages only turn to blood magic because of the Templars, and the threat of a broadsword through the throat. The fear and oppression of the Templars are whats ultimately to blame imo. You're right that its a vicious cycle though, with neither completely at fault. But I'm still naturally inclined to side with the mages. Even if some of them are bad, that doesn't excuse oppressing ALL of them based on the actions of a few.
Originally posted by Nephthys
That is true, and Anders does represent the threat of what a single mage can destroy in he gets pissed enough. Also, you might not have noticed it but on the subject of Orsino, he was helping the serial killer mage who killed your mom. You can find a letter hinted to be from him in the killers hideout. So the guy was pretty sketchy even ignoring his tacked-on turn to the Blood Side at the end.However, I think its important to note that the mages only turn to blood magic because of the Templars, and the threat of a broadsword through the throat. The fear and oppression of the Templars are whats ultimately to blame imo. You're right that its a vicious cycle though, with neither completely at fault. But I'm still naturally inclined to side with the mages. Even if some of them are bad, that doesn't excuse oppressing ALL of them based on the actions of a few.
Yeah, when Orsino confessed to me that he'd been helping that guy, I wanted to kill him there and then.
I agree in the sense that to me, the Mages are a lesser evil than the Templars.
Sure, there are some Templars that are good (I actually imagine that most Templars are actually all right people, just living in a sense of fear), and after what the Tevinter Imperium did, they may feel justified, but they do treat Mages like they're a lower class of people.
If Anders hadn't gone postal and Orsino hadn't been such an ass, I would be more inclined to feel bad for them.
I honestly feel torn between the two at times. In DAO, I romanced Morrigan; in DA2 I played a Force/SH mage. I really like Wilhelm in the Stolen Throne book too. I want the mages to be the good guys in the story... They just keep giving me reasons to think that they're almost as bad as, if not as bad as, their oppressors.
Almost every single mage in Dragon Age 2 is a ****ing maleficar, to be fair.
Honestly, was Meredith even that bad? She could be hard and brutal, true, but she did not hesitate to tell Aldrik's Tranquil Solution (Seriously, wtf, lol) to go **** itself, she tolerates a mage Hawke for the good of Kirkwall (Despite the fact that he's an apostate), and even when under control of the Relic, can be convinced to spare some repentant mages during the Rite of Anullment. The Templars also benefit from having a few reasonable marines of their number, like Cullen, and that guy whose name I forget who proceeds to get murdered by the mages he was helping.
Compare to the mage faction. Orsino helps fund the research of a serial killing lunatic mage who murders your mother, and turns himself into a Harvester. There is perhaps one reasonable marine (Not counting Bethany if she joined the Circle), though he is rather ineffectual and irrelevant compared to Cullen. Then there is Anders, who commits a terrorist attack against some cool young ladies who did not even oppress mages.
I think Bioware's intention was to make it as grey as possible, tbh. They don't want to have virtuous good guys or moustache-twirling villains. And I think that's a good thing; hell, even the Qunari, when you listen to the Arishok, actually make some decent points about the state of the society within Kirkwall.