BioWare has always done character development well, providing each party member the player character works with throughout their games with compelling back stories and personal quests. Often, those NPCs are also a romance option for the player. From the angst-ridden tale of Hawke and Fenris in Dragon Age 2 to the ride-or-die loyalty that comes with Shepard and Garrus in Mass Effect, there's rarely a romance considered sub-par across their extensive library. The third installment in the Dragon Age saga didn't disappoint eager fans, save for those still holding out hope they would finally be able to romance Varric Tethras.

Dragon Age Inquisition doesn't renege on any of the drama-filled romances its predecessors delivered. In a world full of high-stakes politics, holes in the sky, corrupted Magisters, and a potential end to the very world as Thedosians know it, there's still plenty of room for romance. Some of the romances feel highly developed, providing fans with plenty of swoon-worthy cut-scenes and party banter discussing the Inquisitor's love-life, while others feel like little more than filler inserted into the game.

9 Scout Lace Harding's Romance Is Minimal But Mighty

Preference: Female And Male Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Winning Harding over can be done by making conversation with her at every available opportunity.
• Avoid flirting with other romanceable NPCs or risk locking out of this romance opportunity

The easily missed romance with Leliana's lead scout, Lace Harding, is a simple but sweet coworkers-to-lovers story. By flirting with Harding whenever the opportunity arises, she eventually admits her feelings for the Inquisitor. Unfortunately, not much else happens with Harding until the Trespasser DLC. Even then, it's only a passing comment from Vivienne that reinforces the fact Harding and the Inquisitor are together. There are no cut scenes, and most don't even consider Harding's romance a true romantic route in-game, which is understandable due to how little content it has, but any fans of Harding shouldn't pass up on the chance to enter into a relationship with their favorite scout. The lack of content available for those who held onto hope for a worthwhile relationship lands this option at the bottom of the list.

8 Josephine Montilyet Has A Trope-Filled Story Of True Love

Preference: Male And Female Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Flirt with Josephine at every available opportunity.
• Help Josephine with the House of Repose Quest.
• Put your life on the line when challenged to a duel for her hand.

Available for romancing by an Inquisitor of any gender or race, a player shouldn't miss courting Josephine if they're a fan of a classic love story full of tropes. The progression starts out strong with Leliana warning the Inquisitor against pursuing Josephine due to her "innocence in love," and it culminates with a genuine duel for her affections. It's certainly one of the softer romances in the game. Unlike many others, Josephine isn't battle-hardened or wary of being loved. She has her complications, such as her family, but she fights just as hard as the Inquisitor to make sure those problems don't affect their relationship.

7 Blackwall Takes Time To Truly Open Up

Preference: Female Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Demonstrate compassion and forgiveness in dialogue with Blackwall to win him over.
• Flirting with Blackwall is a key part of the process.
• Bring him along to find the Grey Warden artifacts he's been looking for.

Blackwall's shell is tough to crack, and his tale is full of angst and uncertainty. Fans of couples who must battle through hardship for their love will certainly enjoy the stoic but devastatingly loyal Blackwall, who finds himself torn between an awful lie that threatens to end his life, and living an honest life with the woman he loves. The decision he must make between betrayal and truth is difficult even without romance. There are two endings for the Blackwall/Inquisitor pairing, and they appeal to two vastly different audiences. One is a morose tragedy and the other is a redeeming story about a changed man. Whatever ending the player chooses, both pack an emotional punch.

6 Sera Slowly Reveals Her Unexpected Depth

Preference: Female Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Let Sera follow her muse and don't admonish her for her pranks.
• Help her play pranks when she opens the invitation to do so.
• If the player character is an elf, don't get too elfy; it's a huge turnoff for her.

While Sera's romance might seem shallow at first – with the majority of early-game interactions being based around mindless flirting – it's actually incredibly deep. Sera will only romance female Inquisitors, but she responds differently to their race. She feels particularly uneasy around a Dalish elf character due to her own issues with her elven heritage. She also needs a high enough approval rating before officially committing to the Inquisitor due to her reservations about companionship. The romance is full of fun, playfulness, and laughs, but it's interspersed with moments of Sera having to try and cope with her growing feelings. It's true that a romance with Sera won't be for everyone, but for her fans, it's a wonderful love story.

5 Iron Bull Knows What He Wants

Preference: Female And Male Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Flirt with Bull at every given opportunity.
• Take him out to kill dragons to raise his approval.
• Protect the Chargers

The Inquisitor's romance with Iron Bull – possible with an Inquisitor of any race or gender – is the only in-game romance that starts off in purely physical terms. After a lot of flirtation and a personal quest, Iron Bull propositions the Inquisitor in his room, and if the Inquisitor accepts, the pair will sleep together while allowing the rest of the romance to develop later on. The romance with Iron Bull is easygoing, comfortable, and meaningful. Iron Bull explains to the player that sex for the Qunari isn't an act of love; however, the crafting of two matching pendants made from a dragon's tooth is, which is perfectly on-brand for Iron Bull's character. The romance with Bull proves it doesn't matter how a relationship begins, it can develop into something beautiful either way. What matters the most is the connection between two people, and that in itself is enough to land the romance with the Iron Bull midlist.

4 Cassandra Pentaghast Is A Romantic At Heart

Preference: Male Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Align with her values and beliefs on politics and religion
• Side with her when she and Varric disagree
• Listen to and implement her advice

Cassandra's romance is a phenomenal revelation of how being a vulnerable, hopeless romantic doesn't make a woman weak. Cassandra is by far one of the best fighters in the Inquisition. She's feared by many for her skill and no-nonsense attitude, and yet, in her spare time, she blushes over romance novels and gleefully discusses their plot lines. She tells a male Inquisitor early on she wants a man who can "sweep her off her feet" and "properly court" her, likely due to the idea of romance she's formed from her novels. Cassandra unashamedly wants a fairytale kind of love, and the entire story between her and the Inquisitor is incredibly dreamy – perfect for any hopeless romantics among the player base.

3 Cullen Rutherford Wants To Be A Better Person

Preference: Elven And Human Female Inquisitors

• Take advantage of early flirting opportunities to make Cullen blush.
• Support him on his journey to abstain from lyrium use.

Long-time fans of Dragon Age already know Templar Cullen Rutherford well, but for those who don't, his friendly demeanor and sometimes nervous disposition hide an awful lot of trauma. A brilliant leader who's tirelessly battled his own demons for years, his romance with a human or elf female Inquisitor delicately and expertly addresses his issues through the eyes of someone who deeply loves him. Cullen has had problems with romance for years, notoriously running away from a female mage Warden in the original game after she flirts with him, and then believing his attraction to her allowed the blood mages to manipulate him. In Inquisition, though, he opens up to the Inquisitor regardless of her specialization, and the resulting story is one of acceptance and support.

2 Dorian Pavus Consistently Stays True To Himself

Preference: Male Inquisitors Of Any Race

• Support mages and the Tevinter Imperium to win Dorian over.
• Help him reconcile with his father.

By far one of the most charming characters across the Dragon Age franchise, Dorian's beautifully crafted romance should be experienced by everyone at least once. While Inquisitors of any gender can flirt with Dorian, only male Inquisitors can romance him. Beneath the bravado and the magnetic charisma, the player learns that both Dorian's sexuality and his homeland of Tevinter have been used to paint him as some sort of deviant. Constantly accused of being underhanded and using blood magic despite it being used against him to "correct" his sexual orientation, the player will only fall further in love with Dorian as they witness his struggles first-hand. Every day he battles to be a person who lights up a room.

1 Solas Falls In Love Despite The Circumstances

Preference: Only Elven Female Inquisitors

• Support those who have endured suffering, like the mages and elves.
• Flirt at every given opportunity to get the gears of Solas' heart turning.
• Kiss him in the Fade.

The romance with Solas is easy to miss, as he only makes himself romantically available to female elf Inquisitors. There's no doubt that pursuing a romance with the man set to betray the entire Inquisition, and perhaps even the world as everyone knows it, is going to provide a stellar story fraught with heartache. For fans of the morally gray villains who only bleed for their one true love, the romance with Solas is an unforgettable experience. It's not easy to win his trust, but in time --and against his better judgment--Solas falls slowly in love with the Inquisitor. The fall happens so slowly that even he barely realizes it until it's too late. Caught up in an almost Shakespearean-level romantic tragedy, there is only one way the story can end for Solas and the Inquisitor, and it's not a happy ending. That alone is reason enough to grant Solas the top slot in the rankings when it comes to the best romance option in Dragon Age: Inquisition.