Dragon Age: Origins was the game that started it all. After making so many games for the Dungeons & Dragons IP, BioWare decided that it was time to try their hand at making their own fantasy universe! Dragon Age was born, and we’re all much happier for it.
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These are action roleplaying games that force you to make critical decisions that will impact the world around you. Sometimes, it’s not even obvious which choices you can make until you’ve made them. This guide helps you figure out how to do something pretty unique: recruit the game’s main antagonist into your party!
Updated December 28, 2024, by Andrew Scariati: If you’re wondering how to get Loghain as a companion, we’ve covered all the major decisions you’ll need to make. We’ve also added further details about what you can expect after you save Loghain’s life, and how you’re repaid for your troubles.
Who Rules Ferelden?
Once you arrive in Denerim for the Landsmeet, you’ll decide who will rule over Ferelden.
It’s a choice that will determine whether or not it’s even possible to save Loghain’s life.
Depending on who you’re supporting, this decision may require persuasion and take place over a series of interactions, not just one.
There are a few candidates for ruler:
|
Ruler |
Prerequisite For That Person(s) To Rule |
Can You Recruit Loghain? |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alistair rules alone (potentially with the romanced Warden as his consort) |
If You Kill Loghain At Alistair’s Behest |
N/A |
No |
|
If You Try To Avoid Killing Loghain |
Alistair must be hardened |
||
|
Anora rules alone |
N/A |
Yes |
|
|
Alistair and Anora get married and rule together |
Alistair must not kill Loghain |
Yes |
|
|
The Warden must be a female human noble |
No |
||
|
Anora and the Warden get married and rule together |
The Warden must be a male human noble who does not kill Loghain and Alistair must not be hardened |
Yes |
|
Generally speaking, if Alistair is on the throne, you won’t be able to spare Loghain. Alistair can order a royal decree to have him killed, no matter what you do.
The only exception is if Alistair has agreed to marry Anora by the time the Landsmeet starts; Anora’s love for her father will stay Alistair’s hand.
Winning Or Losing The Landsmeet
If you’ve played Dragon Age: Origins more than once, you’ll know that it is possible to win or lose the Landsmeet.
You gain or lose the support of nobles in the house based on the quests you’ve completed, how persuasive you are, and whether you have Anora on your side.
However, in terms of recruiting Loghain, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose the Landsmeet.
|
You win the Landsmeet |
Loghain refuses to give up power. |
You challenge him to a duel |
He accepts and you name your champion. |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
You just start attacking |
The Grand Cleric breaks up your fight and proposes a duel. |
You refuse |
Alistair decides to fight Loghain in the duel anyway. |
||
|
You accept |
Loghain accepts and you name your champion. |
||||
|
You lose the Landmseet |
Loghain orders the guards to arrest you and a fight breaks out. The Grand Cleric eventually breaks it up and proposes a duel. |
You refuse |
Alistair decides to fight Loghain in the duel anwyay. |
||
|
You accept |
Loghain accepts and you name your champion. |
||||
As you can see, all roads lead to Rome. The vital thing to know is: do not refuse to fight the duel!
How To Handle The Duel
Now that you’ve reached the duel, you’ll get to decide Loghain’s fate.
If you want to recruit Loghain, anyone except Alistair must duel Loghain.
If Alistair is the one in the duel, he kills Loghain without hesitation. This is the reason you can’t refuse to duel – Alistair will step in automatically if you do, whereas if you agree to the duel, you get to name a champion.
When you’ve agreed, choose any companion (or yourself) to fight Loghain other than Alistair. When you win the duel, Loghain will yield to you.
Before you can make a killing blow, Riordan will jump in and suggest that Loghain be made into a Grey Warden. He argues that there are so few of you in Ferelden – way less than would usually take on an Archdemon – that they should take this opportunity to bolster their numbers.
Alistair vehemently objects. Anora pleads for you to agree, suggesting that it’s a win-win either way since there’s a chance Loghain might die during the Joining anyway.
All you need to do to recruit Loghain is accept Riordan’s offer. He will survive the Joining ritual and become a Grey Warden, as well as your companion.
What Are The Duel’s Consequences?
Loghain’s survival and recruitment will open up a lot of doors for you to talk to him about his motivations, fears, relationships, and more.
More importantly, it means that – at the end of the game – Loghain is a Grey Warden whose life may be sacrificed.
His possible fates are:
|
Prerequisites |
Loghain’s Fate |
|---|---|
|
Loghain lives and is said to be working to recruit new Grey Wardens. He can be met in Dragon Age: Inquisition as Hawke’s Grey Warden contact. |
|
|
|
Loghain dies. |
|
Loghain lives and is said to be working to recruit new Grey Wardens. He can be met in Dragon Age: Inquisition as Hawke’s Grey Warden contact. Morrigan’s son, Kieran, has the soul of an Old God and was fathered by Loghain. |
The other character whose fate at the end of the game is significantly affected by Loghain’s survival is Alistair.
There are three possible fates for Alistair if you recruit Loghain:
|
Ruler of Ferelden |
Alistair’s Fate |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Anora or Anora and the Warden |
You persuade Anora not to kill Alistair |
Alistair leaves your party permanently. It’s revealed later that he became a drunkard, and he can be found in the Hanged Man in Kirkwall during Dragon Age 2. |
|
You allow Anora to execute Alistair |
Alistair dies. |
|
|
Anora and Alistair |
Alistair hates you but still marries Anora, becoming King of Ferelden. |
|
Anora always lives. Her fate is not tied up in whether or not her father died; if she is still offered the throne she will take it, she just refuses to marry anyone who killed her father.
If she does not become ruler, Alistair has her imprisoned in Denerim castle.
Does Loghain Appear In Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening?
If you’ve successfully followed the steps above and saved Loghain’s life, then you’ll get to see the fruits of your labor pay off once more in Dragon Age: Origins.
In the Awakening DLC, Loghain appears to greet the Warden (as long as you imported the same character who saved Loghain) at Vigil’s Keep, the new home of the Grey Wardens.
After explaining his new assignment, Loghain will give you the following items:
- Frenzy (unique Battleaxe)
- Ten Sovreigns
- A Grey Warden Shield banner
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