Lucanis Romance Super Disappointing

Seeing these sketches has me fully convinced that the commitment scene we got wasn’t meant to be for Rook. I think they had to do a last minute pivot and just jammed Rook’s “commitment” into the scene meant for setting up the Lucanis/Neve romance. I don’t know what happened to his character specifically, but it is painfully obvious something is wrong. The Act 1 choice inexplicably locking him out while not shutting down the Neve romance, the reused scenes and banter, the lack of payoff for the setup in his first scene, and the weird anti-romance in his Act 2 “totally a slow burn, we swear! That’s why they don’t touch at all. It’s just pining! 👀”

The reason Rook feels secondary to Neve is 100% because we just didn’t get the content we were meant to have, so Rook is getting crammed into a Neve-shaped hole. (Phrasing, I know.) I cannot be swayed from this opinion. 

I agree 1000%. Especially when you take in consideration the previous dragon age games. Lucanis had limitless potential in his romance with rook but EA ruined every chance they got. Spite could have also played a much bigger role, we know he is obsessed with rook (one tiny scene) he is a demon. Spite could use the fade while they are at the crossroads or even Rook's dreams to speak with Rook. They cut out so much from this game, 1 and 2 are barely included. Morrigan and Varric, that's it! No hero of ferelden, Alistair, Hawke, Anders, etc. This should have been a masterpiece but the layoffs and people leaving really affected the game. 

What I don't know is why we continue to call it romance when it doesn't show any of its characteristics: Lucanis never expresses that he loves Rook, he only seems to feel a deep respect for her, a contract, the only emotion that overcomes him when he is with her is the fear of disappointing her, of losing control with Spite and not fulfilling the contract. Even when Rook delves into her subconscious, there is no trace that Lucanis feels love for her: there are feelings for members of her family, for Hardin, what is she doing in her subconscious? And of course, of course, for Neve. But not a single mention, spoken or simply noted by Rook. In the moments of tranquility, when there should be closeness between them, everything goes to waste after the no-kiss scene (along with the first one in the cafe, the only ones that initially seemed to be going in the right direction), it doesn't matter if you save Treviso, Lucanis He will only talk to Rook about: revenge, coffee and paella (heck, I'm Spanish, and Bioware has managed to ruin my favorite dish, let's see how I enjoy it now without thinking about the idiotic crow who was unable to give the person in question a simple kiss. the one he was supposed to be in love with) There is no romance, it's a scam. In the no-kiss scene, something clicked in her head and she backed away definitively. From then on, you can see that she doesn't feel anything besides camaraderie or respect for fulfilling her contract, no matter how tender Rook is, how much she loves him. She does express her emotions, if she wants to hear him speak from the heart, let her take him for a walk with Neve, and she will want to die when she hears everything she would like him to say to her, intended for another.

I also romanced Lucanis in my game and I found it very weak... it needs more scenes and actions.

I was very excited for Lucanis romance but I've never felt more unloved in my all history of RPG playthroughs or that I stole someone else's lover. It was like, "Sorry Neve, unfortunately, this main character insists on committing to a relationship with me so I'm out."

Even after committing to a relationship with either of them, the flirting does not stop. And it was even more obvious when I romanced with Davrin in my second play, and I saw how giggly Lucanis gets with Neve. Also, after you save Lavendel and the flowers come back, Neve mentions that these flowers would look great at Lucanis's villa. Really? Dating much?

But maybe that's intentional. It's not like Isabela and Fenris. Neve's tone is just different and playful with him in banters. Everyone talks about Lucanis's flirting but she is hitting him from the start (she mentions that Spite chose a good-looking body when saving him from the Ossuary) while covering it up with sarcasm. At least Isabela's crusade is honest and you know what she is after :) Like Ander's said, you don't get jealous over Isabela. You understand 😀

What makes me uncomfortable the most is that Lucanis expresses his feelings for Neve even when you are flirting with him, or with Neve for that matter, through banter and other scenes. And it is this exact thing that make me think the writing is flawed. I finished Lucanis's quest where he becomes the first talon (I was not commited to him or anyone at this point but I was flirting with Neve.) And he says to me he does not have a lot to lose like this team and NEVE. Dude, I'm about to go to finish her romance quest and commit to a relationship with her next. But you just told me you like her and we never talk about it?

I don't know. I miss the days when Leliana and Alistair asked me to choose one of them. It was more realistic. Or that I had to go around in circles in Hinderlands just to trigger Ironbull and Dorian's romance.

I totally avoid having Lucanis and Neve on the same party to avoid their flirty banter. And if there is a conversation marker near either of them, and the other is next to them, I won't go to that marker. Yes, kind of childish, but I don't care!

Ha-ha! I'm the same. I'm like fine, go and be together, do whatever you want to do. But you can't force me to watch it!