The Best Dragon Age Rivalries

Key Takeaways

• Companions in Dragon Age series can become rivals; tension adds depth to relationships.
• Some companions like Alistair begrudgingly stay loyal despite conflicting views.
• Rivalries like Merrill’s contrast create interesting dynamics without being overtly hostile.

From the classic Origins through to the explosive Veilguard, Dragon Age has always been a game about its companions. These are the people that players share their journey with, the people who see the protagonist’s rise and, potentially, their fall. The events of a dragon age story might lead the protagonist and their companions into a story of lifelong friendship. But it doesn’t always go that way.

While it’s true that over the course of a game, players may come to be great friends or even lovers with some of their companions, there’s also the risk that the trials of travel put a great strain on companions’ relationship with the protagonist. Across all the Dragon Age games, these tensions overflow into some fantastic rivalries. In particular, players looking to explore the dynamics of a more negative relationship with companions should keep an eye on these characters.

Spoilers ahead for all Dragon Age games.

7 Alistair

A Promising Partnership Turns Troublesome

Alistair is the first true companion players will encounter in Dragon Age Origins. While many agree that the references from previous games in subsequent ones are just cameos and easter eggs, Alistair’s story is one that can end in the first title or continue into Inquisition.

What makes Alistair such a great rival is that he is functionally stuck with the Grey Warden – both bound by duty. Many times over players can discuss with Alistair how much the pair hate each other – but Alistair will begrudgingly remain at the hero’s side if only to continue his vow to the Grey Wardens. It’s an interesting spin on a character dynamic, but Alistair fans might find it hard to watch how upset this rivalry makes him.

6 Leliana

The Bard Can Have A Troubled History With The Warden

Leliana is one of the series’ most talented assassins and a good person to have on your side. Thankfully, in all her iterations across the series, she appears in a friendly capacity to the player. Well… in most of her iterations across the series. Players who take Leliana with them to the temple of Andraste and desecrate the Urn of Sacred Ashes with dragon’s blood will stoke so much ire in an unhardened Leliana that she turns on the player and tries to kill them.

This option was so unpopular that BioWare felt comfortable functionally retconning it and bringing her back in the third game, but she makes overt references to how much she despises the Warden, and how they’re not the hero people say they were. It’s hinted that she was revived as a spirit by dying so close to a holy place – which means Leliana is holding onto her resentment for the Warden from beyond the grave.

5 Merrill

A Great Rivalry Of Contrast

If there’s one thing to be said about rivalries in Dragon Age, it’s that players usually have to go out of their way to make a rival. It can be easy enough to have Morrigan think you’re a bit of a loser, but to gain a rival you usually have to be incredibly abrasive. Not so with Merrill. Part of what makes her rivalry so great is that players can take a fairly reasonable stance against blood magic and be at odds with her.

Merrill’s fascination with an eluvian – the eluvian for Dalish origin players – is one that’s dangerous and unsettling. Players don’t need to be her rival by being mean and unpleasant, but by having a genuine worry for her safety – which she acknowledges. It just makes the relationship between Hawke and Merrill all the more complicated.

4 Anders

A Rivalry Made For The Conclusion

Anders is one of the most interesting characters in the Dragon Age series for players who carry through from Awakening to the sequel. His views on the oppression of the chantry are bolstered by the spirit of Justice within him.

A rivalry with him gets ugly fast since Hawke will most likely be a pro-Templar character. This rivalry is a fantastic boon to the often-rushed finale as it gives more insight into Anders’ mind and why he did what he did.

3 Carver

Nothing Like A Sibling Rivalry

One of the best features of the often underrated Dragon Age 2 game, as you can tell from this game having more entries than any other on this list, was the rivalry system. In every game before and since players had to discover rivalries like they were easter eggs – in this game, it’s smack bang in the player’s face that companions can be rivals.

Carver will only be around if Hawke is a Mage. If Carver becomes a Templar, he becomes diametrically opposed to Hawke – the two in fact come to represent the two sides of the Kirkwall unrest perfectly, and Carver’s rivalry towards Hawke, built upon a messy foundation of jealousy and resentment, is easily one of the most compelling and natural-feeling rivalries in the game.

2 Cassandra

Another Rivalry That Gives Characters Depth

As the Dragon Age games go on, it can be hard for players to be… well, evil. Or repugnant, at least. The Hero of Ferelden can end up being second maybe to the Archdemon itself in terms of evil, Hawke has a few choice evil moments, but the Inquisitor, while certainly making upsetting choices on occasion, can never be truly vile.

Driving Cassandra Pentghast, Seeker of the Chantry, to drinking, however, is a fairly significant expression of the Inquisitor’s character. The two can be at odds fairly easily owing to Cassandra’s principles but for them to reach such a state of hatred that Cassandra has lost faith in Thedas as a whole… that is a huge level of animosity to experience towards someone.

1 Solas

Never Skip An Opportunity To Punch Solas In The Face

One of the great tragedies about the recent release of Veilguard is that it will prompt many players to go back to Origins and do a new run through the four games, having the Inquisitor romance Solas in the third title and thus missing the opportunity to punch Solas in the jaw.

In all seriousness, anything that adds dynamism to the relationship between Solas and the Inquisitor is worthwhile after Veilguard, and players who upset Solas too much are treated to a surprisingly racist tirade and some delicious foreshadowing about what’s to come. Players can try to reason with Solas or, in glorious fashion, punch him in the face.