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She has an AoE Backstab. What's not to like.

As far as mods are going, I'm contemplating my next run to be on Nightmare with Friendly Fire off. Not liking the only Friendly Fire off mod, though, since it doesn't raise the difficulty otherwise to make up for the lack of "ur killing ur dudes" moments. Then again, my next playthrough is Nightmare DW Rogue (x2, with Isabela) and no tank so maybe I shouldn't be antsy for raise the difficulty buttons.

As for DA2 vs DA1, I prefer DA2 as a game and DA1 as a world. But, it should be that way, really. DA2 was in development for 8 months and DA1 for 5 years and it really shows. DA2 is just "more fun" to play, combat wise, in my opinion. It's harder, faster, visceral, and I don't have an issue with the waves (I actually like them since it helps the whole "fights are of attrition" aspect, though I wish they were more varied/random and STOP RAINING MEN). DA1, now, is just kind of a chore to play and my tactics for it are basically either CC everything or Taunt -> Force Field -> Liquidate area.

Actually, to go on more about the waves, it's weird. I know _every fucking encounter_ will have _another fucking wave_ yet I still go "attack nearest, Blood Frenzy, Cleave, Scythe-WW-WhateverTemplarPBAoEIsCalled" and then have to wait out cooldowns when the inevitable dudes fall from the sky where I curse that I'm an idiot for blowing my load. Then I realize I have like 150% Haste and just charge from dude to dude.

DA2 also had a story I felt was a better idea than DA1's "Top 10 Fantasy Cliche" story. They just kind of forgot to write one in to use their own premise. A shame, really. I was kind of interested in the rise of Hawke to be the single most important motherfucker in the Dragon Age universe (and, well, the Mage and Templar thing).

[spoiler]Well, besides hamfisted "Mages are bad!" and "Templars are bad!" AND GET YOUR OWN LORE RIGHT ON BLOOD MAGES. Fuck. That's probably the biggest problem I have _for both games_ really.

There's ALWAYS that one Blood Mage NPC that gets shit all over for being a Blood Mage despite you mowing them down by the dozen throughout the story. What about those twats? They sold their soul to a demon (or checked a box) and then bought themselves a wrist-slitting knife collection but it's just treated as "Yup, I'm a Blood Mage NOW WE FIGHTwhereI nevercastBloodMageabilities" in every case instead of "THIS GUY IS A SOULLESS VESSEL THAT WILL BETRAY US AND TURN EVIL" or "HOLYSHITSHE'SAMONSTER."

Hell, meeting that DePuis guy just kind of got waved off with a "Yup, I'm a Blood Mage" like he was listing the most mundane thing in the world. "Yup, I'm a baker" what the fuck.[/spoiler]

Also, fix Goad. I utility specced (and pored over the Tactics for hours*) Varric to be my hate transfer specialist and I'm fairly iffy on if Goad works at all. Even if it works perfectly fine, why is it a targeted AoE Taunt as opposed to, I dunno, the hate transfer it _says it is_

*Might've been like a few minutes since it's fairly straight forward but whatever~~~

Also kind of hate myself for giving in and using Anders over Sebastian. I just couldn't find a way to tactics up Sebastian to not be an idiot and break his chain randomly (even when set to everything as "Target of Sebastian" he'd still find a way to break his chain). He was just ineffective and I really, really wanted Haste and Valiant Aura.

...God, I laughed so hard, when my friend told me about her romance with Anders. Mine was so serious. She had the ugliest Hawke you've ever seen and romanced Anders. Then gave the "hungry" response after their little scene in Act II...

"Wanna sandwich?"

Now, of course, she's calling me cruel and heartless for what I did at the end of the game.