Guide Written by: Jeff Biglete
This guide will help you on romancing each of the four ‘available’ companions in Dragon Age: Origins in the quickest manner possible, which will be particularly helpful for achievement/trophy hunters or for players with a favorite party member they would like to court early on. There are five Xbox 360 achievements / PS3 trophies to be earned on successfully romancing each character:
• First Knight - Experienced the thrill of romance with Alistair: 10 points / Bronze Trophy
• Witch Gone Wild - Experienced the thrill of romance with Morrigan: 10 points / Bronze Trophy
• Wine, Woman, and Song - Experienced the thrill of romance with Leliana : 10 points / Bronze Trophy
• Easy Lover - Experienced the thrill of romance with Zevran : 10 points / Bronze Trophy
• Hopelessly Romantic - Across all playthroughs, experienced all possible romances: 25 points / Bronze Trophy
This walkthrough will also note the most optimal conversation paths to gain the best approvals with each party member, along with the best available gifts to offer for instances available conversation gains are not enough to romance a particular character.
Each companion has an approval meter which represents their opinion of the main character. Throughout the game, your actions and choices will directly influence each member’s meter if they are in the active party. To romance Alistair, Morrigan, Leliana, and/or Zevran (yes, you can court multiple companions, but not without dramatic and sometimes hilarious conversations), you must raise their approval high enough to have them pursue a relationship with the Grey Warden. Gift giving and conversation provides an additional and faster means to raise approval.
Companions will have a list of ‘favored’ and ‘event’ gifts they like. Event gifts will always trigger a cut-scene when given to the appropriate character and typically offer higher approval boosts than favored gifts. Bear in mind that you will see diminishing returns as you gift multiple items to the same companion. Each gift given after the first will incur a -1 cumulative approval reduction. Non-favored gifts garner +5 approval for the first gift, favored gifts gain +10 approval for the first, and event gifts are varied. Using Leliana as an example on the gift approval formula: Andraste’s Grace (Event Gift): +17 Approval as 1st gift, +16 Approval as 2nd gift, and +13 Approval for 5th gift and beyond. Whereas Blue Satin Shoes (Favored Gift) is +10 Approval, +9 Approval, and +6 Approval respectively.
Ideally, focus on giving your companions favored and event gifts first to maximize gift approval gains. Favored gifts will always give a minimum +6 approval and non-favored a minimum of +1, regardless if you have given the character more than 5 presents.
Beyond gift giving, you can raise a party member’s approval by speaking with them individually and choosing agreeable conversation responses. As you gain more favor and approval with each companion, more conversation topics will open. If you raise your approval high enough and meet certain story conditions, they will initiate ‘Companion Quests’ which you can help complete and further raise their approval.
Before moving on to each ‘romance-able’ companion, note that the outlined conversation paths were obtained with a male and female Human Mage. Dialogue choices will alter slightly with other races and backgrounds. Also be warned some plot spoilers abound in this guide, especially within the conversation sections.
