Dragon Age: Origins
76 Achievements
1,750
75-104h
Pragmatist
Preserved the Anvil of the Void
20
How to unlock the Pragmatist achievement in Dragon Age: Origins - Definitive Guide
When you get to the "Anvil of the Void" area in the Deep Roads, you'll eventually come to a room with four anvils surrounding a column with four faces. After you defeat the trial in that room, SAVE your game, because you're at your decision point. Through a tunnel and into the next room a cutscene will play and you'll have to choose between Caradin and Branka.
For "Pragmatist" you need to side with Branka rather than Caradin. Keep on picking the choices that lead to letting Branka have the anvil. After the cutscene Caradin will go postal and you'll have to fight a pretty messy battle, followed by another cutscene, and the achievement pops.
At this point if you haven't gotten "Liberator," load from your save and perform the steps in that achievement guide.
(Spoiler alert)
1. Side with Caradin - get this Achievement.
2. Afterwards when you talk to Branka, Intimidate her to bend her mind just that much enough that she changes it. Oghren will tell her how she would normally make a decision, then she is going to destroy the Anvil Of The Void even by herself - get Liberator Achievement.
(/Spoiler alert)
Additional Information: To influence through conversation that much, a main Rogue (Warrior) Character is rather required. Otherwise a main Character would need a lot of Attribute Points spent on Cunning in order to have that skills. Strength may not even be a factor on this case, since you are not really threatening that NPC here. When playing normally, the Rogue (Warrior) Character as main is required because that is one who has the Skill of Coercion initially - level it up as much as you see you can. Other main Characters can learn this Skill as well though - but through normal play, it is impossible to increase its value to the necessary sate. If a Party Character has the Coercion Skill initially, even then that helps you not to have its effects in conversation, since the talk is skipped forwards up to the Party leader - the main Character. It means, the Coercion Skill value of the main Character will be handled whenever a conversation is initiated.
You'll make your way to the now open Caradin's Cross in the Deep Roads. Head to the bottom right exit. This is the one that goes to Ortan Thaig, Branka's last known location. You'll have to fight spiders and a few other enemies there. Once you get there, head to the end and read Branka's journal. Now, the Deep Trenches will be unlocked. Proceed normally through this area after the cutscene and you'll eventually come to the brood mother, a massive, static beast with tentacles. For this battle, stay centralized, keep control of your party and kill the tentacles when possible. Just don't let things go astray. Make sure you have at least 10 health poultices. If you have them, you'll be good to go.
Then, proceed through the back-left path to the Anvil of the Void. Once you go here, there's no turning back, so make sure you have enough health poultices. There's one initial difficult fight, but other than that, you're good. You'll eventually come to a Spirit Apparatus. To defeat this boss, you have to kill a spirit next to the anvil you want to fire from and then fire that anvil. Do this until the eyes of all four heads completely shut and are not glowing blue or bleeding. A trick here is to hold your party back and bring spirits to them to slay, and then go to the corresponding anvil and fire it.
Now proceed to the final area. Here, there will be a conversation starting between you and the Caradin, and then Branka will join in. For Pragmatist, choose to preserve the Anvil of the Void and you'll have to fight Caradin along with a few golems. This is pretty straight forward. Just maintain control of your party and don't let things go astray. At the end of the fight, after a cut scene in which the crown is made, you'll unlock the achievement.
See "Liberator" for further details about this quest.
When you complete the rooms, you'll find Cairidin. He'll ask you to destroy the Anvil. Choose to not destroy it. Whether you choose to destroy it or not, you will have the means to put into place the new king.
See "Liberator" for further details about this quest.
When you complete the rooms, you'll find Cairidin. He'll ask you to destroy the Anvil. Choose to not destroy it. Whether you choose to destroy it or not, you will have the means to put into place the new king.
Note: If you have Shale in your party when you do this, you'll be forced to fight it along with the other golems.
See Liberator for more details about this quest.
When you complete the rooms, you'll find Cairidin. He'll ask you to destroy the Anvil. Refuse him and side with Branka. Whether you choose to destroy it or not, you will have the means to put into place the new king.
One Playthrough Method: Make an additional save before entering The Anvil of the Void. Side with Branka first. Reload and then side with Cairidin. By choosing Branka, you'll lose Shale (assuming he's with you, and if you want to complete The Stone Prisoner, he's with you).
If you have Sheila in your party, you will have to fight against her along with the rest of the golems, and you will lose access to the Stone's Lament achievement. However, if she is in the camp or you meet her after completing this quest, then if you have enough persuasion skill, you can lie to her about meeting Kiridin and gain access to the quest "A Golem's Memories" and the achievement "Stone's Lament" .