Dragon Age: Inquisition allows players to truly make the story their own with the choices they choose while playing. Throughout the storyline, the Inquisitor will be faced with making a decision that has different consequences for the plot and will additionally affect the approval rating of their companions. These decisions are usually difficult to make as it's impossible to please everyone.
While some consequences may seem rather minor, others can have far larger impacts on the plot, so players should be careful when deciding the fate of Thedas. Fortunately, everything an Inquisitor needs to know about the toughest main storyline decisions that will challenge their morals are all listed below. Though there are other decisions that players will make depending on sidequests, the below are unmissable and related to the main story.
Choose Between the Mages or the Templars
The first difficult choice players will have to make is whether to work with the mages or the templars after "The Threat Remains" quest. Players can only align themselves with one or the other, and in doing so, those that are not chosen will serve as enemies within the game — either Venatori mages led by Calpernia, or Red Templars led by Samson,
Additionally, the story content will be different, especially on the subsequent main quest, with "In Hushed Whispers" being the quest to undertake to side with the mages, and "Champions of the Just" the choice to make for the templars. There are two companions tied to this also, Dorian and Cole, and while players can always recruit both, they'll only get an in-depth introduction to one of them. Furthermore, choosing the mages means players get to see the ruler of Fereldan, which based on previous game choices could be a cameo of a past fan-favorite.
Ally with the Templars or Disband Them
"Champions of the Just" is the templar path that players will pursue if they have made the decision to align with the templars, they'll have another to make at the end of the quest — to disband the templars and have them join the Inquisition, or to ally the Inquisition with the templars and help them to rebuild their order. The consequences of this will likely echo in future games.
Disbanding the templars:
- Disapproves: Blackwall, Cassandra, The Iron Bull, Vivienne, and Dorian.
- Approves: Sera, Solas, and Cole.
If players ally with the templars:
- Disapproves: Sera, Dorian, and Cole.
- Approves: Varric, Blackwall, Vivienne, Cassandra, The Iron Bull, and Solas.
Ally with the Mages or Conscript Them
"In Hushed Whispers" is the mage path and will see players face a similar conundrum at the end, to either take the mages as prisoners and conscript them or to form an alliance with them instead.
Conscripting the mages:
- Disapproves: Blackwall, Dorian, Varric (if Hawke sided with the mages in DA2), Solas and Cole.
- Approves: Cassandra, Varric (if Hawke sided with the templars in DA2), The Iron Bull, Sera, and Vivienne.
If players ally with the mages:
- Disapproves: The Iron Bull, Sera, Varric (if Hawke sided with the templars in DA2), Cassandra and Vivienne.
- Approves: Blackwall, Varric (if Hawke sided with the mages in DA2), Solas, Dorian, and Cole.
Who to Leave in the Fade
During "Here Lies the Abyss", the Inquisitor and company find themselves in the Fade. Though they manage to defeat the fear demon that plagues them while they are there, getting back to the real world is another matter entirely that involves someone staying behind and sacrificing themselves so the others can escape. The choice of who has to remain is between the warden character or Hawke.
This gets even trickier depending on the player's Dragon Age history, as though the default warden is a character called Stroud, it could also be either Alistair or Loghain depending on their decisions in the previous titles. Players might well find themselves choosing between their old protagonist or a possible past companion lover. This decision has no effect on approval rating directly (though it affects Varric's on the next decision), but the consequences of what this means for subsequent Dragon Age titles remains to be seen.
Ally with the Grey Wardens or Exile Them
After leaving the fade, the Inquisitor has to decide the fate of the Grey Wardens who have unknowingly been serving Corypheus and remain susceptible to his influence. Though the previous decision didn't affect approval ratings, the consequences of the choice made here are different for Varric depending on who was left in the Fade. This decision not only affects your companion's approval ratings but will likely affect the future of the Dragon Age titles as the Grey Wardens are a massive role in Thedas.
If the Inquisitor welcomes the Grey Wardens into the Inquisition:
- Disapproves: Vivienne, Cassandra, Cole, Solas, and Varric (if Hawke remained in the Fade).
- Approves: Dorian, Blackwall, The Iron Bull, Sera, and Varric (if the warden remained in the Fade).
If the Inquisitor exiles the Grey Wardens:
- Disapproves: Dorian, The Iron Bull, Sera, Blackwall, and Varric (if the warden remained in the Fade).
- Approves: Vivienne, Cassandra, Cole, Solas, and Varric (if Hawke remained in the Fade).
- Additionally, if Blackwall is in the party the player can choose whether he should leave in exile also.
The Fate of Orlais
The next story quest is "Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts", which has many outcomes depending on what evidence the player retrieves throughout the quest and the choices they make at the end of it. The future of Orlais is in the Inquisitor's hand as they choose the next ruler, if they don't save Celene that is. There are three potential candidates: Celene (the current ruler) aims to keep the peace, while Gaspard wants to go to war with Ferelden, and lastly, Briala wants the elves to start an uprising for equal rights. This decision will likely affect future titles.
Players can save Celene and then have the choice of implicating Briala or Gaspard based on evidence, who will then be executed unless the Inquisitor intervenes. The Inquisitor can encourage them all to work together, and can even help reunite Celene and Briala in their relationship. However, if Celene died during the quest, the player must choose the next ruler from the two remaining candidates.
Support Gaspard:
- Disapproves: Vivienne, Dorian, Cole, and Blackwall.
- Approves: Sera, The Iron Bull, and Cassandra.
Support Briala:
- Disapproves: Sera, Blackwall, Cassandra, and Vivienne.
- Approves: Dorian, Solas, and Cole.
Support Celene:
- Approves: The Iron Bull
If Celene and Briala Reunite:
- Approves: Cassandra, Cole, and Dorian.
If Everyone Lives:
- Disapproves: Cassandra
- Approves: Blackwall, Sera, and Cole.
If Florianne is Arrested:
- Approves: The Iron Bull, Blackwall, Dorian, and Sera.
If Celene is Saved:
- Approves: Blackwall, Sera, and Cole.
If Celene Dies:
- Disapproves: Cole, Blackwall, and Sera.
- Approves: Cassandra, Dorian, and The Iron Bull.
Who Drinks from the Well
At the end of "What Pride Had Wrought", players must decide who drinks from the Well of Sorrows, a source of information that holds the collective knowledge of the ancient elves. Morrigan urges the Inquisitor to choose her due to her already extensive knowledge of the ancient race, as well as being the main reason the well isn't destroyed or taken by Corypheus. However, the player can instead choose to have the Inquisitor drink it themselves.
While it might seem like a definite win, it's hinted at that drinking from the well might not be the best idea. Should the Inquisitor drink from the well, they will later have to defeat a dragon, but if Morrigan drinks it, then this won't be the case. However, the player will miss out on the "On Burning Wings" achievement/trophy tied to defeating the dragon if they pick Morrigan over the Inquisitor. Without spoiling the deeper consequences of drinking the well, this decision will likely affect the next title in the series.
If the Inquisitor Drinks:
- Disapproves: Dorian, Solas, and Sera.
- Approves: Blackwall (if not romanced by the Inquisitor), Cassandra, The Iron Bull, and Vivienne.
If Morrigan Drinks:
- Disapproves: Cassandra, The Iron Bull, and Vivienne.
- Approves: Blackwall (if romanced by the Inquisitor), Dorian, Sera, and Solas.