Dragon Age: Inquisition slightly changed the companion approval mechanics of the franchise. While it is still about making long-lasting choices that affect Thedas, due to new and obsolete console hardware, players no longer directly import their old save data. Instead, a player’s story is tracked online with Dragon Age Keep.
While this was a first a means of importing a world state into Dragon Age: Inquisition, there is a good chance BioWare will also use the same system to control choices in Dragon Age 4. This could make it very important for those going through the third game to unlock key decisions and upload them as a default world state for the new game.
As players make choices throughout Dragon Age: Inquisition, each companion will have strong feelings about the decisions. This leads to approval or lack of approval. Some of the approval shifts are sudden; it can be hard at times to know how each person really feels about the Inquisitor.
Approval Values in Dragon Age: Inquisition
Approval in Dragon Age: Inquisition is broken up into five thresholds based on a companion’s total approval score:
- Hostile: -75 to -30
- Cold: -29 to -5
- Neutral: -4 to 34
- Warm: 35 to 74
- Friendly: 75 to 125
There is no way to check the actual specific value. However, by speaking to companions while stationed at Haven or Skyhold, they will reveal some insight through their words and tone.
Each of the nine companions demonstrates their feelings slightly differently. Some companions have clear dialogue shifts for every approval threshold, and others mix threshold levels or only change their standard conversation style once they feel friendly toward the Inquisitor. If a companion’s approval level gets too low, many of them will eventually leave the party. Players can also earn more approval from their companions by helping each with their personal quests.
Conversations Reveal Approval Levels in Dragon Age: Inquisition
Solas
Solas is somewhat of a coy individual. His neutral and warm levels will blur together, but he will open up once establishing a friendship. Keep in mind players will need to finish earning or losing Solas’ approval before the main quest Doom Upon All the World, which makes him unavailable for post-game content.
- Hostile-Cold Greetings: “Yes?” “What do you need?” “To what do I owe the pleasure?” or, “Inquisitor”
- Hostile-Cold Farewells: “Of course”
- Neutral-Warm Greetings: “Hello” “Greetings” or, “What can I do for you?”
- Neutral-Warm Farewells: “Goodbye.”
- Friendly Greetings: “Good Afternoon” “My friend” or, “How can I help?”
- Special Greetings: “Lethallin/Lethallan” (Elf Inquisitor) “Vhenan/Dareth shiral” (Romance)
Varric
Varric is yet another character with easy to parse dialogue openers. If he hates the Inquisitor, he will be very curt. If he likes them, he will become more verbose. Like Cassandra, Varric will never leave the party under any circumstances.
- Hostile-Cold Greetings: “Yes?”
- Neutral Greetings: “Need something?”
- Warm Greetings: “I’ve got a minute if you need something.” or, “Looking for someone to talk your ear off? I think I can oblige.”
- Friendly Greetings: “I can spare some time. What do you need?” “If you’ve got questions, I’m your dwarf.” “Need something, or are you just here to admire the dwarf?” “Something you wanted to talk about?” or, “What can I do for you, your inquisitoralness?”
Cassandra
Cassandra is a straightforward companion with distinct dialogue for both starting and ending a conversation. Note that, even if Cassandra’s opinion does dip, she is one of the few characters who will never leave the party, even once entering Trespasser.
- Hostile-Cold Greetings: “Go on, then.” “What is it?” or, “Surely you have better things to do.”
- Hostile-Cold Farewells: “As you wish.”
- Neutral Greetings: “Greetings.” “Yes?” or, “Do you need something?”
- Neutral-Friendly Farewells: “Another time, then”
- Warm Greetings: “Hello again.” “Is there anything you need?” or, “I trust all is well?”
- Friendly Greetings: “What do you need, my friend?” or “It’s good to see you.”
- Romance Greetings: “The sight of you warms the heart.” and “You are quite distracting you know?”
Sera
Sera is even more confrontational than others, having extra openers when she is outright hostile versus just cold.
- Hostile Greetings: “Piss up a rope.” “Frigging what?” or “What, then?”
- Cold Greetings: “Uh-huh?” “Well, you’re here” or “Something you want?”
- Neutral Greetings: “Sitting and waiting. Great, yeah?” “Her Gracious Ladybits.” (female Inquisitor), “Ser Lordybloomers.” (male Inquisitor), “Your wish is something, something.” “Hey, it’s you again.” “Something on?” or “Ready for waiting”
- Warm-Friendly Greetings: “Can’t wait, what’s on?” “Back, yeah? Always good.” “Love seeing you, yeah?” or, “There’s you, yes?”
Blackwall
Unfortunately, Blackwall is a rather brisk character and will not elaborate beyond if he hates or simply accepts the Inquisitor. However, his greeting will change if he is in a romance with the Inquisitor.
- Hostile-Cold Greetings: “What is it?” “What do you want?” or, he simply makes an audible grunt
- Neutral-Friendly Greetings: “At your service” “Yes?” “Something on your mind?” or, “I’m here”
- Romance Greetings: “I am here.” and “My lady.”
Vivienne
Vivienne is the most open companion of the group, having different greetings for all five approval levels.
- Hostile Greetings: “Oh, darling, you look terrible” “Off to another crisis, my dear? It has taken its toll on you.” or, “Whatever is the matter this time, dear?”
- Cold Greetings: “Yes, my dear?” “What is it?” or, “Can I assist you?”
- Neutral Greetings: “Yes?”
- Warm Greetings: “Do you need something, my dear?” “Did you need something, darling?” or, “How may I help you?”
- Friendly Greetings: “Inquisitor! What can I do for you, darling?” “I always have time for you, my dear.” or, “My dear, did you need me for something?”
Iron Bull
Being a professional, Iron Bull is cordial even if he really loathes the Inquisitor. Only once warming up will his dialogue change. Like with other companions, his approval should be locked in, and players should complete his loyalty mission, before beginning the Trespasser DLC.
- Hostile-Neutral Greetings: “How’s it going?” “Can I help you?” “What can I do for you?” or, “What’s going on?”
- Hostile-Neutral Farewells: “See you.”
- Warm-Friendly Greetings: “Hey, you need me?” “How you doing?” “Hey, boss. How are you?” “Good to see you, boss.” or, “Pleasure as always, boss.”
- Warm-Friendly Farewells: “Nice talking with you, boss.”
- Romance Greetings: “Need anything, kadan?”
Dorian
Dorian is a unique case as none of his greetings or farewells correlates to his approval. Instead, if his approval is so low that he has cold or hostile feelings toward the Inquisitor, in conversations, players will have access to the special dialogue option “Why are you really here?” Even if Dorian becomes upset enough to leave during the main campaign, he will always return for Trespasser. Though, if this does occur, Dorian will be much more sarcastic throughout the expansion.
Cole
Cole can be a bit unpredictable. He always has a handful of greetings he will say at all approval ratings, making it key to talk to him multiple times to fish out hostile or friendly responses. Similar to characters like Iron Bull and Solas, Cole’s approval should be set before ending the main game and entering Trespasser.
- Hostile-Cold Greetings: “Yes?” “You want things.” or, “I don’t like what you’re doing. If we don’t help people here, I will find another place.”
- Hostile-Cold Farewells: “How do you know?”
- All Levels Greetings: “I’m here.” or, “I can talk with you.”
- All Levels Farewells: “Maybe.”
- Warm-Friendly Greetings: “I’m glad you came to talk to me.” or, “It’s good to spend time with you.”
- Warm-Friendly Farewells: “Yes.” or, “If you like.”
While it can be a bit complex and unclear while in the middle of raising approval ratings, once at max levels most characters will be very vocal and friendly. It is a good idea to monitor approval after every story mission or risk surprise events.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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