"The one good thing about the Blight is it brings people together." - Alistair Therein

Ranked by "how much I personally like them", not necessarily anything else. From Most Fave to Least!

This list has changed a looooOOOOT since I played/beat DA:O first (when I was 17/18!!????? In 2009?!?!?!!?!). Funnily enough I like Morrigan a LOT more now.

• #1 ALISTAIR

*chanting intensifies* Alistair! Alistair! *flips table* ALISTAIR! ALISTAIR!

Okay but seriously Alistair is one of my favorite video game characters of ALL TIME. Not only is he, like, scientifically engineered to be the Cutest Possible Boy, but his opening up about his insecurities, his AMAZING FUCKING VOICE ACTOR, and in general being the friendliest funniest nicest least-obvious high fantasy video game starter warrior character ever makes him. to me. one of the best RPG characters EVER. And yes, his romance is totally swoon-worthy. I think I may have literally actually swooned during the rose scene.

• #2 MORRIGAN

Morrigan is my forever-DA-gf. But seriously. Morrigan's great not just cause she's got a bitchy shell and a squishy inside, but because she's got her own agency and thing going on and her relationship with Flemeth is just.... pretty fucking real. I absolutely relished helping Morrigan deal with Flemeth emotionally AND via a longsword. Working shit through re: Morrigan's feelings about vulnerability and self-worth and still putting yourself up on your own throne so to speak is really, really meaningful to me. Also the ring. Oh my god the ring. That's the most romantic shit ever. I love the idea that my Warden can know whenever Morrigan's thinking about him, and I love that it's a one-way thing, because it shows how much you put trust in Morrigan and how much she treasures that trust. Ugh. My DA:O wife. (Note: If we're including DA:I Morrigan in here she easily rockets to #1, but DA:O was a suuuper close call. I can feel Morrigan breathing down my neck as I write this, she would highly disapprove lmao)

• #3 LELIANA

Our girl! Our Joan of Arc! Leliana FUCKING RULES and if I didn't personally have a favoring of Alistair/Morrigan on a personal level, she'd be at #1. I remember being absolutely gobsmacked you could kiss Another Girl If You Played As A Girl. (Nowadays if my Dragon Age doesn't include at least 5 different male romance options for my dude protag I'll cry. not really. thank you for anders and fenris and dorian guys). Aside from being actual representation, Leliana is just super fucking lovely. Her passion for the Chantry is really admirable, her whole Vision Of The Blight thing really ties the Grey Warden And Friends vibe together, I love talking to her about shoes, she's just the fuckin best. And the Orlesian bard thing?!? How cool is that?!? I know she's really rad/coming into her own in Inquisition but it's all the more cool seing where she came from. (Leliana: Origins and all that.)

• #4 STEN

Sten is an absolute sleeper hit and I cannot believe I ignored him on my first playthrough! My absolute favorite Sten thing is watching him grow to love/see the beauty of the world around him, ESPECIALLY with A) the cookies thing - "that thing you Fereldans have that we do not" takes me out every time lol. and B) his interactions with Leliana - Leli's right, he IS a total softie, and I could watch/listen to those two be cute about squirrels or kittens or whatever forever. Sten feels like, also, a character whose life is fundamentally altered by hanging out with the Warden, and seeing Thedas like, FOR REAL UP CLOSE, which is always hellllllla fucking meaningful when we get to the big Bit At The End. Have I mentioned how much I love the Big DA End Battle Scenes?? It's what I missed most in Inquisition! ANYWAY! Sten slaps!!

• #5 ZEVRAN

Zev is a fan fave and I totally get why. He rules. ....Okay, seriously, Zev and Leliana as bi representation FUCKING FLOORED ME as a teenager. I was floored. In a good way. Because of this these two will always have a special place in my heart (like Arcade Gannon and Veronica from Fallout: New Vegas for Also Gay Reasons). Things I like about Zev: LOVE a character with a charismatic loud flamboyant outer shell with squishy feelings-feelings underneath (see: Isabela... there's a reason why these two are "friends", right??). His interactions with Alistair are espeeeeccciiiialllly edifying as a Queer Dude Tee Em. I know he falls into some stereotypical Bi Guy Tropes but honestly for a game that came out in 2009 it is refreshing to have A Bi At All. especcccially one with good character development and a very very sweet romantic plotline to boot!! (I hear also that Zev and the Warden are still adventuring together in Inquisition if you romance him??? which is EXTRA CUTE AND SPECIAL. Like the Leliana changing the RULES OF THE FUCKIN CHANTRY to keep her romance going with the Warden thing. EPIC. I have never used that word before but honestly love is pretty rad guys)

• #6 OGHREN

Oghren is NOT AS BAD AS EVERYONE SAYS HE IS OKAY. Yes he is very gross to pretty much everyone in a drunk inappropriate dwarf way but I MUST INSIST THERE IS MORE TO OGHREN THAN MEETS THE EYE. First of all he really rounds out the cast in terms of tone, secondly HEY him having to face his fears and, uh, actual alcoholism re: Felsi and everything is preeeettty neat, I think. Also, he is just the best stir-shit-up companion when you stick him with everyone else. Morrigan calling him out on his shit fucking rules. And his rapport with Wynne??? A thing I actually like! More of that please! Anyway I miss Oghren and hope he fucking shows up again sometime

• #7 WYNNE

See: Wynne's Crimes Against Humanity, Volume I Part I.

Okayokayokay things I actually LIKE about Wynne: 1. Her banter with Alistair about her [MASSIVE FCUKIN SPOILER AHEAD] kid that she had!!! It's a very very sweet series of interactions that really humanizes her. 2. Her drinking thing with Oghren. Actually pretty cute. AND NOW for things I DO NOT CARE FOR about Wynne: 1. Why are you SO FUCKIN MEAN TO MORRIGAN FOR NO REASON, 2. Wynne. Please stop being sexually inappropriate towards my Alistair he is a sweet little cupcake of a man and does not deserve to be poked and prodded like this. 3. Wynne DOES NOT QUESTION BEING POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT unlike My Man Anders who had a whole (suitably large) storyline about HOW TENUOUS THAT MIGHT BE. You just TRUST that spirit, Wynne??? You just KNOW it isn't lying??? Why does it want you alive??? ARE YOU ALIVE, RIGHT NOW?!? Am I going to have to fight Abomination Wynne in DA:D?!?!? ....Can I take Anders with me?

• #8 DOG

The dog taking up a whole ass companion slot is a fucking crime.

"Be a real pet! Ignore me until you want something, then sit on my head. .....I miss Ser Pounce-a-lot. :( " -Anders, DA2