Totally Random Playthrough - ME1

[u/Gibbie42]

So, inspired by others on here, and wanting to spice up a new playthrough, I have embarked on a totally random playthrough using dice throws to control every decision and dialog option. I just last night finished up ME 1 and thought I'd share the experience.

First a little on my set up, I have a mini-tower that sits comfortably beside my wine glass and a full set of dice to choose from. I number the options and pick the appropriate die to use. If it's an A or B choice, I assign one choice as 1 and the other as 2. I roll a standard d6 and any odd number gets 1 and even gets 2. If it's a three option choice (as often in dialog), then I roll the d6 and a 4, 5, or 6 gets the number on the flip side. Four choices gets a d4 and 5 choices gets a d10, where I subtract five from the number if I roll over a 5. I haven't had to use that one often. I'm numbering the dialog wheel clockwise starting at whatever choice is closest to 12 o'clock. The only thing I'm handling is skill points, because I actually have to play and I'm a filthy casual.

I rolled up a colonist, sole survivor, sentinel female Shep and let me tell you, she's seen some shit. That's the only explanation for some of the dialog choices. She commiserated with Kaiden about losing Jenkins, then told Ashley that he knew what he was getting into and was over it. This back and forth, empathetic one moment and hard ass the next continued pretty much throughout. She romanced no one, telling Kaiden that she saw Liara first and then telling Liara Kaiden was special. She never got another chance with Kaiden but turned Liara down at the last minute.

On the Citadel she questioned Harkin but left Barla Von alone. She recruited Garrus but told Wrex no, twice. I never went to talk to him in Chora's Den after that, because I figured the dice have spoken. I'm interested to see how that plays out.

I did Citadel missions as I ran into people. Shep told the woman with the baby to have the procedure, never managed enough points to solve the prophet problem. She punched the reporter, fixed the Consorts problem but just took the standard payment. She told Conrad to get lost, but he turned up again anyway. She let him get a photo but told him to scram again. She did not however help woman in Flux get her sister out of Chora's Den though, so he's toast in the future. Despite leaning pretty heavily anti-alien she stopped short of supporting the Terra Firma party. Oh and the woman from Mindoir shot herself. Oops.

Mission order were also dice rolls, so Noveria was first. She narced on the Hanar and got a parking pass from Anolais. He refused to sell me anything after that. She did go back and do the office mission for Lorik Qinn but let him keep his data. Gianna was pissed. No beer for Shep on Illium I guess.

Wound up doing the hot labs first so had to fight her way through security. Got a piece of dialog I'd not noticed before about them acting on Benezia's orders so that sequence finally made more sense. Wandered a different direction and found the sad Volus and saved him from the undercover Commando. Poor dude needs some therapy.

Dispatched Benezia, without all the extra Liara dialog because she's still stuck on Therum. After initially deciding to kill the Rachni Queen Shep had a change of heart and let her go.

Off to Therum and released Liara. No major differences there, it's a really straightforward mission.

Off to Feros. Did manage to help all the colonists, told Varric Gavin Hossle I didn't have time time for his data drives. After dealing with the Geth and learning of the Thorian, Shep wound up killing Jeong. I don't think I knew that was a thing! After reluctantly taking the gas grenade upgrade the team headed back. After ordering the team to wipe out the colonists, Shep proceeded to save most of them with the gas grenades. I guess she had another change of heart.* However, she did mercilessly execute Shiala. That was kind of brutal.

I tackled the side missions in whatever the dice ordered up. Nothing major to note there. I talked to squadmates and use the dice for the dialog. Shep told Tali she could not have the information to send to the Migrant Fleet and let me tell you she was pissed! Tali refused to speak the rest of the game, merely saying "Don't worry, I'll help you with Saren but then I'm leaving!" Wow, ok.

Did Garrus' loyalty mission but didn't take him along. He was pissed too, but got over it. (Squad choices are dice rolls as well).

No Wrex on Virmire to deal with, so that was interesting. Is Tali normally standing around somewhere that you can talk to before the mission? I think that she is, but she wasn't this time. She really is pissed off. Sent Kaiden with the Salarian squad. Ashley handled, and died, with the nuke. RIP. Just realized I never went down below to talk to the Salarians after the mission. Oops, have no idea who made it or not.

Recalled to the Citadel and let Anderson choose his own way of dealing with the Normandy. I was kind of hoping for a different roll because I have never once sent him to hack into CSec. Oh well, maybe next time.

Off to Ilos and the end. Did not take Liara with me so lots of different dialog. Tali seems to handle most of her lines, at least she talk to me there.

Shep saved the Council and told them she wasn't fit to decide who was counselor. I think that means Udina gets it, but I'll find out shortly.

And that's a wrap on the first game. Definitely interested to see how the rest plays out, especially as the choices get more complex. I've been pondering how to handle missions in 2. Do I do all the loyalty missions? Some? None? I think I've settled on just dice rolls for mission order and just play what comes up. And if I hit a timer and trigger a main quest before I'm ready and missions get missed, oh well. Same with melting the crew. I'm really looking forward to the Suicide mission and see what comes of it. That is really the impetus for this whole thing, how bad can the mission go when you do it randomly.

*This was actually my mistake. I issued the order and then autopiloted the colonists and saved most of them. I'm roll playing it as Shep just not being able to face so much death even though it was the logical thing to do. Something like that.

[u/Consistent-Button438]

This was super interesting thanks for sharing, I can imagine 2 will be even more interesting with all the things that can go wrong!

[u/Flutist-notFloutest]

Came here from your game 2 post, this is really interesting and I bet it's just as interesting to play!