Axes, Booze and Silver Tongues
When it comes to choosing your companions before heading out into a vast fantasy world, picking the dwarf character is always a must. Throughout gaming, across all manner of contrasting lore, the traditional mountain dwellers have always made for the ideal party member, either due to their ferocity in battle or because they never fail to make us laugh our backsides off. From the classic drunk all the way to the charming rebel, we’ll happily choose dwarves over elves any day of the week!
We’ve had thousands of fantasy games over the years, each bringing their own interpretations of these battle-hardened mountain folk. While there are certainly no shortage of iconic axe-wielders out there, we’ve narrowed down our picks to these three based on their overwhelming charisma, penchant for hilarity, as well as their impact on gaming as a whole.
Fair warning, there are SPOILERS AHEAD!Â
#3: Torvin
“Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor” (2014)
The perfect foil for Talion’s bland nature, the arrival of this outlandishly blunt dwarf was a breath of a fresh air as we roamed across Mordor. In pursuit of a colossal Graug, Torvin not only provided some key tips on how to hunt and control the various beasts that roamed the Orcish countryside, but his sass provided some much needed levity. Honestly, many of us were hoping we could follow him back to the Blue Mountains for a drink as opposed to to pursuing the Black Captains.
#2: Zoltan Chivay
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)
Granted, he may have not been as outgoing as the flamboyant Dandelion, but its fair to say that out of all the White Wolf’s companions, none were more reliable than this dwarf. Always willing to come to both Geralt and Ciri’s aid, Zoltan not only packed a hell of a swing with his axe but was essentially the lovable uncle of the group. The fact he played a mean game of Gwent and had a handy habit of launching explosives against the Wild Hunt didn’t hurt either.
#1: Varric Tethras
“Dragon Age: Inquisition” (2014)
He may have been one of the best things in Dragon Age 2, but where this storyteller really shined was during the Inquisitor’s epic saga against the invading demon horde. An antithesis to what many would consider to be the average dwarf character, Varric is an accomplished novelist and one of the sharpest marksmen around. His wisdom made him one of the few voices of reason within the Inquisition, as well as a steadfast friend to the player character. Honestly, we could listen to him make anecdotes for hours.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Best Action RPG Series!
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