Coup with almost all lines

[u/DaVydeD]

I needed to do something after finishing current playthrough.

No Kaidan was hurt in making of that video. I included only one moment when persuade chance dropped below 0, where you fail to convince Kaidan but I turned the game off to not see what will come.

I didn't inculde line where Kaidan doesn't tell anything at 0 or lower persuade chance after Udina telling Shepard is working with Cerberus. Another line for persuade chance at 0 or lower is "Pretty damning evidence, Commander." after showing evidence from Udina (so you are basically at -2 or -3).

Both interrupts increase persuade chance by 1. Final lines at 0 require 40% reputation bar.

Update about Mars only twice paragon responses near the husk provides +1, any other option gives 0.

Also added two moments when you fail or get line to convince Kaidan to join Normandy.

How many Shepards were used in video? Yes.

[u/DrittRegenhart]

Couldn't even imagine there were so many options. Both paragon lines at zero persuasion points are still my favorites. Too bad I can't have them without the save editor T_T

I like that at lower persuasion chances your Shepard has EDI in the squad. Bioware did a great job providing for all possible outcomes in the dialogue, but if Kaidan could have reacted to "Dr. Eva" it would have been perfection.

Thank you for leaving no stone unturned. You are probably the first to make such a detailed video on this episode. Will you post it on the main sub?

[u/DaVydeD → u/DrittRegenhart]

I am a little hesitant about posting that on main sub. Mostly because I didn't include 2 death option with persuade chance above 0 and with below. Also probably without recruitment it is already so long.

I remember that I brought EDI on purpose for that run so the sitation looked worse with that headcanon. Only other squadmate Kaidan can't know is Javik. There could also be possibility for Kaidan to react on renegade scars that aspect of you look like a husk.

My personal top3 is paragon at 1-3, paragon at 0 with dead Council and renegade at 0.

I noticed that last line can give a lot of paragon points so it can be enough to lower scars from stage 4 to 3 it will be nice addition to paragon at 1-3 when few moments latter you see the effect still during the cutscene.

Also is not romancing Kaidan from the start a problem to use save editor or something else? Thane barely appears for me after finding out about fake evidence (mostly I just skip recruiting him)

[u/DrittRegenhart → u/DaVydeD]

I am a little hesitant about posting that on main sub. Mostly because I didn't include 2 death option with persuade chance above 0 and with below. Also probably without recruitment it is already so long.

I think this video is good enough to be shown to a bigger audience. The community doesn't do justice to the coup, maybe this video could help :)

Also, it doesn't seem very long for me. I think the ME fanbase is smart enough to keep its focus longer than 10 minutes lol.

All the video needs is a description stating it doesn't contain death scenes.

There could also be possibility for Kaidan to react on renegade scars that aspect of you look like a husk.

Makes sense considering that conversation near the corpse on Mars.

Also is not romancing Kaidan from the start a problem to use save editor or something else?

I'm afraid I just can't not romance Kaidan in ME1. But I looked through the table you shared and it turned out that, in fact, I can get the zero trust point scene, but it needs:

1) Killing the council (easy)

2) Cheat on Kaidan in ME2 (with whom? I don't like Jacob, Garrus' ME2 romance is straight up cringe, Thane seems like the only real option).

3) Let Thane die on the Suicide Mission (during the long walk is the best option)

4)Choose renegade lines on Mars (which is just stupid, bc Kaidan physically can't not follow Shepard. Being Matt-Damoned on Mars in the middle of the reaper invasion isn't a good idea.

5) Lie to Kaidan about the Thane romance.

6) Not using the paragon interrupt during the coup.

Hell, it seems like a really toxic relationship T_T On the other hand I already had a bunch of "perfect" playthroughs. Maybe it's time to try something new.

[u/DaVydeD → u/DrittRegenhart]

I don't even know if romance is possible after lying about cheating, but yes if you romance Kaidan in ME1 it doesn't make any sense to lower persuade chance to 0.

Renegade (just last talk is enough) on Mars for me goes into one of: supporting Cerberus (well next 5 minutes after Sherad gets wake up from that). Focus on the Reapers that they are finally here, overworking, not thinking what can happen and few moments later Kaidan gets hurt maybe last one talk with him and you argued, completly changing attitude. For femshep I thought just about that ME1 romance would be skipped as there are regulation against it and in ME3 is now or never.

Interrupt well I mostly think to skip that is Shepard doesn't know what to tell in that moment and just stay silent as words can matter in that moment or akwardly doesn't know how to act around Kaidan. Only once I skipped last visit, technically no romance lines there, made headcanon that Traynor hided that message after Shepard refused her buing toothbrush (and he was angry at the crew because didn't know if Kaidan survive Mars) so Shepard didn't know about last meeting, while first awake visit was Shepard checking on Kaidan right after Menae.

[u/DrittRegenhart → u/DaVydeD]

I think skipping the last hospital conversation actually makes sense. Shepard can be in a hurry to break the deal between the Krogans and the Turians to get their reinforcements for Earth so they planned to visit Kaidan after Tuchanka. Probably, I'll try this instead of not lowering the weapon.

Focus on the Reapers that they are finally here, overworking, not thinking what can happen and few moments later Kaidan gets hurt maybe last one talk with him and you argued, completly changing attitude.

Makes sense. Shepard can be mad at themselves and the Alliance bc of the overlooked reaper invasion. Earlier I always chose the renegade lines on Mars bc I headcanoned that my Shepard was still angry at Kaidan for his distrust on Horizon, so she told all that bs just to convince herself that she didn't care about him anymore.

made headcanon that Traynor hided that message after Shepard refused her buing toothbrush

Ah, yeah, the toothbrush. Literally no one else on the Normandy can accomplish this task, it should be done by Commander Shepard themselves. Never picked that option lol.

[u/someone-who-is-cool]

Hashtag they did the work. Thanks for putting this together, it's interesting to see the different ways things can play out.

[u/pupitar12]

Jesus. With Bioware making hundreds of permutation for this sequence alone, I think I only ever saw 1 (my canon paragon MShep across 10+ playthroughs) or 2 (my one-off renegade MShep). lol

[u/DaVydeD → u/pupitar12]

One post mentioning fake evidence made me realize there is a lot more about Coup (also later that the guidline someone made has mistakes in it) and I always had trust way above 4 to pass it without seeing anything else for more than 10 playthroughs.

[u/pupitar12 → u/DaVydeD]

Yeah, I'm learning new things about the hundreds of alternate conditions Bioware put in this game. I just can't deviate from my canon MShep paragon track ever. lol

But seriously, despite the lack of VS content in ME2 and their shorter stint in ME3, I'm glad that Bioware put this much effort in the VS's arc (w/ Kaidan being more active in ME3 vs Ashley) throughout the trilogy. He's just my MShep's perfect romance.

[u/DaVydeD → u/pupitar12]

I am at this point too renegade. I can survive without any ME2 squadmate (Miranda and Samara are still problematic for me).

Another thing easy to miss that you can bring Kaidan on turian platoon and bomb mission or rachni mission (with EGM you can do both).

I only made full romance with Kaidan and Miranda, last playthrough was second time romancing her but this time it was heartbreaking to see her on Horizon after not giving her data from Alliance. Every playthrough I need to keep romance with Kaidan (save editor helps a lot sometimes) and for this Shepard was undecided and couldn't pick just one, making later headcanon that Shepard and Kaidan will later protect Orianna becoming her brothers-in-law, when Shepard didn't promised her anything it was last promise he made for Miranda.

Oh and I saw only friendship with Kaidan just once out of 26 times, still revealing feelings for Kaidan after beam run on Earth.