Wynne

Wynne (pronounced "win") is a Spirit Healer from the Circle of Magi, focusing her magic on the ability to briefly summon protective and restorative spirits from the Fade. She is a possible companion to the Warden.

Wynne is voiced by Susan Boyd Joyce.

Background
She has served the Circle for most of her life, and is well respected for her strong sense of duty and morals. She believes wholeheartedly in what the Circle stands for, and has been a vocal advocate in the College of Enchanters, that through discipline, and education, mages can learn to control their gifts and use them to serve mankind.

The fear of magic is born of misunderstanding, but Wynne cautions mages never to forget that the fear is also a real one. For all the good that a mage's gifts can bring, it will also always attract demons and bring the risk of possession. Too many times in history have possessed abominations wreaked destruction on the lands, and thus every mage has a debt to repay. "Earn your place," she has said, "and you shall not be reviled."

Her peers thought so highly of her that she was asked to become the new First Enchanter of Ferelden's Tower. She refused, saying that she had no desire to work in the upper ranks of the Circle. When word recently reached the Tower of King Cailan's call to arms against The Blight, Wynne readily volunteered to go to Ostagar.

Wynne seems to have been born into the Spirit Healer role as a natural. In her childhood, she can recall entering the Fade in her dreams and feeling a particular spirit watching over her. Later in the game, if you get to know her, she speculates that this is a Spirit of Faith- much like the benevolent spirits of courage and compassion, but never before encountered by any mage except herself.

Involvement
The Warden will meet Wynne in Ferelden's Tower where a demon outbreak has forced her to magically seal some parts of the tower off. The Warden can then either persuade (Skill not needed) Wynne to reopen the doors and join their quest or just kill her.

If Morrigan is in the party when you encounter Wynne several different dialog options become available, if the wrong ones are selected, Wynne will refuse to give the Warden access to the mage tower before attacking the party with surviving mages of the circle. Overall she is like most mages, she can deal a significant amount of damage in this battle, however she has very little hit points and will die easily. Your Codex will update to reflect her death if this is how the game is played out.

Wynne may also turn on the Warden later if the Warden decides to side with the trapped templar higher up in the tower. She may also turn on the Warden in a later mission if the Warden destroys the Urn of Sacred Ashes. If you want to stay in Wynne's good graces, making morally right choices is the way to gain her approval.

If the player becomes involved with Alistair/Zevran/Leliana/Morrigan, Wynne will express concern stating that the relationship is dangerous and does not want to see either two get hurt. The Warden must place duty first and make difficult decisions even sacrifice. She does not want suffering to befall either of you. You can choose any response, but keep in mind that Wynne is of a high moral character and will respond badly or remain neutral to smart remarks.

Wynne's Regret
Once you are friendly enough with Wynne and she has confessed her condition to you, if you continue to ask her about the Circle, she will admit to feeling regret over a particular apprentice she worked with, a city elf named Anerien. She believes the Templars who say they hunted Anerien after he ran from the circle, an act which Wynne believes is her fault as she feels she was very hard on Anerien who she believed was a very talented Mage. The only clue you're given is that Anerien had told Wynne he hoped to seek out the Dalish Elves. Agree to find Anerien for her. He is in the East Brecilian Forest, just northwest of [|The Mad Hermit]. Once you complete her personal quest, you will get approval points from Wynne but she will also receive a gift from Anerien in the form of 'Anerien's Token' a necklace which adds a 10% bonus to electric, nature, and spirit resistance.

Initial Statistics
Class: Mage

Specialization: Spirit Healer

Starting Talents:

Mage: Arcane Bolt

Spirit Healer: Group Heal

Primal: Rock Armor, Stonefist

Creation: Heal, Rejuvenate, Regeneration, Heroic Offense, Heroic Aura

Strategy
Wynne is a very solid choice to take as a healer, especially since she begins the game with the Combat Tactics tree mastered, giving her five or so extra tactic slots. During more difficult encounters of of the game it is advisable to change Wynne's tactics so that she will consume a lyrium potion whenever she gets too low on mana. If you are carrying a healthy supply of lyrium potions this can improve the staying power of your party significantly.

Go up to the top-tier spirit healer spells as soon as possible and Mass Rejuvenation is a great party boost when you have a free spell point. Paralyze in the Entropy school provides excellent defense for those occasions when a creature locks onto her, and Earthquake and Petrify fill out the chain beginning with Rock Armor and deliver serious offensive muscle.

Wynne is a very solid choice to take as a healer. Save your mana for your healing spells unless absolutely necessary. Spot heal companions as wounds appear. If someone is getting hammered, such as the tank in a large fight, Heal and Regenerate continually. If several companions get injured at once or combat slowly chips away at everyone’s health, use Group Heal to increase everyone’s health. Later, add Lifeward to the rotation for companions who are reaching to their death in a fight. If they pass over use Revival and raise them right back into the fight.

Wynne makes an excellent Spirit Healer/Blood Mage, as she can cast spells until her health is low and then deactivate Blood Magic and heal herself, giving her effectively infinite mana. This is a good offensive magic damage dealer combo. Wynne also makes a good Spirit healer/Arcane Warrior, equipped with medium armor and all 4 tiers of the Arcane Warrior specialty class, she makes a decent brawler that is difficult to wound. For this reason, I suggest staying away from direct attack magic when using this strategy and reserving mana for heals.

Plot Skills and Plot Spell
As you befriend Wynne and gain her approval she will gain additional skills, including the following:

Additionally, Wynne can gain the following new spell as you progress through the story:

Vessel of the Spirit
 * Sustained
 * Range: Personal
 * Activation: 60
 * Fatigue: 15%
 * Cooldown: 300s

Wynne disorients nearby enemies with a release of energy, restoring some health and mana and earning bonuses to spellpower and mana regeneration. However, once she deactivates the ability, she is stunned and suffers penalties to movement attack and defense.

Quotes

 * "I'm not the sort of person that leaves things unfinished. I'll see this through, I promise."


 * "You think one would find a less perilous place to explore."


 * "But why should you fear death if you are happy with the life you have led, if you can look back on everything and say, 'Yes, I am content. It is enough.'"
 * (To Alistair) "Now that you're in an intimate relationship I think maybe I should tell you where babies come from."

Dialogue

 * Wynne's Dialogue

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 * Alistair: Do you think the tower is ever going to get back to what it was, Wynne?
 * Wynne: I don't know. A great number of people died. it will be difficult to imagine rebuilding with that cloud hanging over everything for many years to come.
 * Alistair: Do you think you will be there? To help rebuild, I mean? Once this is all over with?
 * Wynne: I cannot say. Even if I survive this Blight... I am a very old woman, Alistair.
 * Alistair: Why? Because of some grey hair? You are a formidable woman, Wynne. You could see that it happens.
 * Wynne: I think you overestimate the number of years I have left. But perhaps you are right. Or perhaps the memories of what happened there... will be too strong for me to face.
 * Alistair: I have a hard time believing that.
 * Wynne: Well, it's good to have someone that believes in me so. Now if I could only feel the same way, myself. That would be something.
 * Alistair: So tell me, you have any children? Grandchildren? I don't know, great grandchildren?
 * Wynne: What would make you think I have any children at all? You have to know I've spent most of my life in the Circle of Magi.
 * Alistair: You just seem like the grandmotherly type to me, I don't know.
 * Wynne: I suppose I'll take that as a comment on my demeanor and not my age.
 * Alistair: Mages aren't forbidden to marry or anything, are they? It's not such an outlandish question.
 * Wynne: Isn't it? What sort of man would marry a mage, do you think?
 * Alistair: How about another mage? There are just as many men as there are women within the Circle, as I recall.
 * Wynne: That sort of union is... not encouraged. Although that does not stop us from seeking out each other's... company from time to time.
 * Alistair: I... all right, suddenly you don't seem quite so grandmotherly to me anymore.
 * Wynne: Good. I would hope not.

Trivia

 * When asked to compare a set list of NPC companions to food, BioWare employee Cori May said that Wynne was most comparable to "oatmeal with raisins and honey, and lots of them".
 * Writer Sheryl Chee, who wrote Wynne, has said that when going out for a drink Wynne would "drink the beer, but only good microbrews, none of that mass-produced swill."
 * Writer David Gaider said that of all the companions, he'd rather share a dorm room with Wynne because she'd at least be considerate and tidy.
 * Writers Sheryl Chee and Mary Kirby joked that Wynne has a "magical bosom," which is of particular interest to some of the other companions.