Hardened Alistair, good thing or bad thing?

[lucky_sharm]

On one hand, an unhardened Alistair is fragile minded, dependent on others, and fearful of becoming a king but is generally committed to his duties and unyieldingly serves his people to the end. On the other hand, hardened Alistair no longer fears becoming king, disapproves of your evil actions less, and puts his own needs before anyone else's, hence the dialogue option "Everyone's out for themselves. You should learn that." needed to harden him. So essentially he becomes more selfish and less apphrehensive when the Warden does bad things. So is it more preferable to harden Alistair or worse?

 

[DustyDrB]

Eh, I never make him king. I'm against the whole "royal bloodline" idea, and he doesn't want it. Anora seems very capable. Seems the best way to go to be.

 

[xxcloud417xx]

Sometimes the man that doesn't want power is the most deserving of it.

 

[omicron1]

Alistair used Harden!

It's super effective!

On topic: I haven't gotten there yet. From what you're describing, I think it's a moral choice - Dragon Age seems rather fond of those - and one's personal view of the situation will inform one's answer.

 

[Frankster]

Prefer him as unhardened personally, that way he makes a great counterpart to Anora.

 

[Saelune]

I like my Alistair cuddly and sweet. *hugs him* (Unhardended Alistair has all the basic traits of a guy id like)

 

[Canadish]

Well, strictly speaking, theres no disadvantage to "hardening" Alister.

It weird really, and one of my gripes with Origins. You tell Alister to be more selfish and think about himself. Then at the Landsmeet, a "hardened" Alister is MUCH less selfish and takes one for the team.
I found it annoying on my first run through when I tried to make him a good person, and avoided making him selfish or anything like that, yet at the end, he pulled a tantrum.

So, yeah. Always harden Alister. He's stronger, more open minded, less selfish.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

I never make Alistair hardened because that requires you to be mean, and I can't do that. The poor guy just wanted to get to know his family. I never make him king either, since he doesn't want it. However, once I complete my human noble Warden, he's going to be king and I shall rule with him.

The one choice that I have trouble making is who to put on the dwarf throne. One is a tyrant and murderer--going so far as to wipe out everyone in the rival's bloodline save one person, as shown in Dragon Age 2--but makes the city better, while the other is a kind and just man who doesn't really better the city at all. It could be argued that he even makes it worse.

 

[Hader]

I know Alistair didn't want it, but he actually seems to be doing well in my game where he is King. Not completely enjoying it but not hating it either. It turned out well, actually, but only if he is hardened.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Happy funny Alastair is so perfect I could never be mean to him :_> ugh

 

[mireko]

Come to think of it, I actually don't have any hardened Alistair-as-king runs so far.

Spoiler

First run: Dark Ritual, Alistair. He takes the throne, weak though he may be.

Second run: I let Loghain live so I could sacrifice him to the Archdemon. Pragmatic, maybe, but fuck that guy.

Third run: Dark Ritual, Warden (modded, I was female). Alistair dies to the Archdemon.

Each time, I tried to get him and Anora to agree to a wedding, but I couldn't get it to work out at all. Is it even possible?

 

[emeraldrafael]

If I remember correctly, you get the chance to kill ALister.

I always took that.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Come to think of it, I actually don't have any hardened Alistair-as-king runs so far.

Spoiler

First run: Dark Ritual, Alistair. He takes the throne, weak though he may be.

Second run: I let Loghain live so I could sacrifice him to the Archdemon. Pragmatic, maybe, but fuck that guy.

Third run: Dark Ritual, Warden (modded, I was female). Alistair dies to the Archdemon.

Each time, I tried to get him and Anora to agree to a wedding, but I couldn't get it to work out at all. Is it even possible?

yes it is very possible actually, you gotta talk it out before hand, you basically become the "note passer" between the two of them in the arl of redcliffe's estate. hope that helps, you gotta be super persuasive for it to work though.

 

[Xannieros]

Eh, I never make him king. I'm against the whole "royal bloodline" idea, and he doesn't want it. Anora seems very capable. Seems the best way to go to be.

After being backstabbed I couldn't make Anora Queen... Who's to say she wouldn't do something like Logain to keep power?

ANYWAYS...

I prefer Alistar as is, uncertain and using humor to cope with your actions.

 

[Hader]

If I remember correctly, you get the chance to kill ALister.

I always took that.

Lol, I didn't like him much either but Anora wasn't much better

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

I made him king. Don't remember if I hardened him. I didn't harden Leliana, I know that much.

 

[VanityGirl]

I like my Alistair cuddly and sweet. *hugs him* (Unhardended Alistair has all the basic traits of a guy id like)

Indeed! That's why my girl in Dragon Age:Origins always slept with him. XD

Come to think of it, I actually don't have any hardened Alistair-as-king runs so far.

Spoiler

First run: Dark Ritual, Alistair. He takes the throne, weak though he may be.

Second run: I let Loghain live so I could sacrifice him to the Archdemon. Pragmatic, maybe, but fuck that guy.

Third run: Dark Ritual, Warden (modded, I was female). Alistair dies to the Archdemon.

Each time, I tried to get him and Anora to agree to a wedding, but I couldn't get it to work out at all. Is it even possible?

Yes! As long as YOU kill Logain, you can get them to agree to marry each other. Of course, you need your pursuasion skills to be good.
You have to kill Logain though, because if you spare him, Alistair will leave and if you let Alistair kill him Anora will refuse to marry him.