Gifts (Origins)

Gifts can be sold to merchants or given to certain companions to influence their approval ratings. The party members appreciate their gifts, more or less, depending on each gift's value and their personal motivations. There is a limited number of gifts in the game. Also, with each additional gift given to the same character, the approval bonus you get from each subsequent gift decreases by 1 (to a minimum of ) per gift, excluding plot-specific ones.

Giving gifts
You can give gifts to each companion by:
 * 1) Opening your inventory.
 * 2) Select the character you wish to give the gift to.
 * 3) Highlight the gift.
 * 4) Giving the gift.
 * 5) * Press A
 * 6) * Press X and left on the radial menu
 * 7) * Hold right click + left on radial menu, drag & drop the gift on the companion or double click the gift.
 * 8) *  Hold right click + left on radial menu or drag & drop the gift on the companion. CTRL+Click on old 1 button mouses.

Gifts mechanics
The approval from gifts works as follows:
 * 1) The base approval for any gift is, with diminishing returns:
 * 2) * Each gift given imposes a penalty upon subsequent gifts.
 * 3) * The first gift grants, but the second only gives down to a minimum of /gift after the first four.
 * 4) Special gifts give  additional points, i.e.  base. Some gifts grant more, for example: Andraste's Grace grants +15 approval with Leliana.
 * 5) * The subsequent gift penalty applies, down to a minimum of per favored item.
 * 6) Bonuses are halved if you have.
 * 7) * The minimum approval is reduced to for most gifts and  for favored ones.
 * 8) You cannot exceed  points; after reaching the maximum, you will no longer receive approval points for gifts.
 * 9) If you work to increase your approval with a companion (through dialogue or gifts), they can receive a small skill upgrade as they are inspired by your leadership
 * 10) * This skill upgrade is typically related to one of their primary abilities (e.g. Alistair gains constitution).
 * 11) * This skill upgrade increases as your approval increases (25% =, 50% = , 75% = , 90% = ).
 * 12) * You can gain the bonus skills without using any gifts at all through appropriate conversation options (see the specific page for each companion).

Special gifts
These specific gifts give a base (with diminishing returns, as explained above) when given to the proper character, with the exception of the plot-specific gifts. If a gift is specific to a certain character, attempts to give it to anyone else will be met with refusal.

Gifts for Alistair
Alistair has a preference for strange runestones and figural studies of arcane creatures (excluding Totem, which is preferred by Sten). Duncan's Shield will turn into a real item and Alistair will automatically equip it. Therefore if you have Alistair using a two-handed sword, you'll have to go into his weapon set and give him a sword or remove the shield and re-equip the two-handed weapon.

Gifts for Dog
Dog has a preference for foods and bones, but his approval rating will always be 100% so you can boost one of your other companions' ratings with gifts originally meant for Dog. If you talk to the dog after giving him one of those gifts, he will usually find a good item. Also the Found Cake can be given to Sten, he likes sweets, and the Tangled Ball of Yarn can be given to Wynne, she wants to knit Alistair a gift.

Gifts for Leliana
Leliana has a preference for holy symbols of Andraste, as well as shoes.

Gifts for Morrigan
Morrigan has a preference for jewellery such as necklaces and pendants.

Gifts for Oghren
Oghren has a preference for alcoholic beverages (excluding Wine, which is preferred by Wynne) Talk to Oghren after giving him booze, he will sometimes have 'drunken' conversations with you. Some are quite funny.

Gifts for Shale
Shale has a preference for the nine "remarkable" gemstones that can be found in Ferelden. The console versions of Dragon Age does not give the full benefit of special gifts. The gifts begin at down to.

Gifts for Sten
Due to an aspect of Qunari discipline, Sten has a preference for paintings. Sten will not automatically equip Asala. If you want him to use this sword, you will have to equip it on him yourself.

Gifts for Wynne
Wynne has a preference for books and scrolls.

Gifts for Zevran
Zevran has a preference for leather items and bars of precious metals. He is also one of only two characters to automatically make use of the gifts you give him. Once you give him the Dalish Gloves and the Antivan Leather Boots, he will equip them, which might ruin any armor set bonuses he was receiving.

Gifts for Secret Companion
The Secret Companion has a preference for maps of Thedas.

Generic gifts
These gifts always give a base (with diminishing returns) to any companion.

Duplicates

 * It is possible to acquire two Golden Mirrors. Giving Morrigan a second one yields the exact same response (and approval bonus) as for the first.
 * There are also up to three Golden Rope Necklaces available: one from Barlin, and at least one from Bodahn Feddic (two, if one is purchased before he restocks).
 * There are three opportunities to pick Andraste's Grace. Leliana will treat the second and third of these as 'ordinary special' gifts, without the cutscene conversation.

Lookup table
There are two types of gifts: regular and favored gifts. Regular gifts have a base approval bonus of ; favored gifts have a base approval bonus of for certain NPCs. (See above for further details.)

Legend:

Prefer shows the companion who will value the gift the most.