Varric Tethras/Approval (Inquisition)

In general, you can gain Varric's approval by being friendly with him, supporting him during and after the fight with Cassandra, and occasionally joking with him, or being witty in conversations with others with him in the party. Blaming him during and after the fight with Cassandra will gain disapproval as well as showing disinterest during conversations.

Varric's Disposition
The player can tell generally how Varric feels about the Inquisitor by engaging him in a "generic" conversation (i.e. a conversation where his greeting is not changed by any other factors such as a quest or cutscene).


 * Hostile (-5 to -75):
 * Varric will greet the Inquisitor with "Yes?"


 * Neutral (-5 to 34):
 * Varric will greet the Inquisitor with "Need something?"


 * Warm (35 to 74)
 * Varric will greet the Inquisitor in one of the following ways:
 * "I've got a minute if you need something."
 * "Looking for someone to talk your ear off? I think I can oblige."


 * Friendly (75 to 125):
 * Varric will greet the Inquisitor in one of the following ways:
 * "I can spare some time. What do you need?"
 * "If you've got questions, I'm your dwarf."
 * "Need something, or are you just here to admire the dwarf?"
 * "Something you wanted to talk about?"
 * "What can I do for you, your inquisitoralness?"

Are you alright?
Haven only, first attempt to speak to him...


 * Most people would have spread that out over more than one day.
 * (Pleased) I'm just glad to be alive. -
 * (Confused) I can barely keep up. -
 * (Sad) Too many people died up there. -
 * (Stoic) I'm fine. -
 * (Mad) This is all bullshit. -


 * "Bad for morale" would be an understatement. I still can't believe anyone was in there and lived.
 * No approval changes

After In Hushed Whispers / Champions of the Just
Haven; his initial lines vary based on which quest was completed, but the rest is the same regardless


 * Finding more of it really punches a hole in my "red lyrium at the temple was a coincidence" theory.
 * No approval changes


 * You just won a big victory for the Inquisition! What're you going to do to celebrate?
 * Plan for what's next.
 * Catch my breath. -
 * Anything but celebrate.
 * Have a party. -

The fight with Cassandra
Skyhold, after speaking to Hawke...
 * Varric: You kidnapped me! You interrogated me! What did you expect?
 * [Intervene.] -
 * [Stay out of it.] -
 * if chose [Stay out of it.]...
 * Varric: Look at her! She's finally lost it!
 * Stop this Fighting!
 * This is funny.
 * Leave me out of this. -


 * Cassandra: Hawke would have been at the Conclave! If anyone could have saved Most Holy...
 * Cassandra, back off!
 * What's done is done.
 * Varric's not at fault. -
 * Varric, you bastard. -


 * Cassandra: We all know who's side you're on Varric. It will never be the Inquisition's.
 * We need to work together. -
 * Varric's earned his place. -
 * That's unfair Cassandra. -
 * I'm well aware. -  (twice)


 * Varric leaves...

After the fight with Cassandra

 * Varric is visibly upset as he leans against a table; says nothing as Inquisitor approaches...
 * Are you alright? -
 * She's calmed down. -
 * No more secrets. -


 * I wasn't trying to keep secrets. I told the Inquisition everything that seemed important at the time.
 * You knew about Corypheus. -
 * I believe you. -
 * Hawke should've joined sooner. -
 * Talk to Cassandra.
 * Choose a side. -

Corypheus is back...
Available after moving to Skyhold
 * First two sets of choices have no approval changes


 * Maker's breath, what have I let loose?
 * This isn't your fault. -
 * I think you're confused. -
 * It doesn't matter.

I'm a business man
Skyhold, requires +35


 * Varric is writing something...
 * No approval changes


 * I'm a business man. Never really followed a chosen one before.
 * I'm just like you. -
 * Make it up as you go. -
 * Just be my friend. -
 * Just do what I do. -


 * You just don't know what you are to the people out there. The Herald of Andraste is a symbol bigger than any of us.
 * No approval changes


 * You heard the crowd singing after Haven was attacked.
 * I'm still me though.
 * Please don't sing. -
 * This is giving me a headache. -

Crisis
Requires -30


 * You leave a lot of innocent people ground into the dirt behind you.
 * No approval changes

After Here Lies the Abyss
If Hawke survived and the Warden ally was left behind:


 * He wasn't the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won't be the last. This story's no good for heroes.
 * At least Hawke survived.
 * We heroes might make it.
 * He will be the last.

If Hawke was left behind and the Warden ally survived:
 * Their weird, foreign foodstruff arrived... alive. And one of them, true to its name, wandered off in the middle of the night.
 * If it helps, tell the story.
 * I'm sorry, Varric.
 * [Hug him]
 * He/She said goodbye to you.

Bianca Davri
Skyhold, after Here Lies the Abyss. Begins the quest Well, Shit.


 * Bianca: Well, this is a suprise. You're the Inquisitor. Bianca Davri, at your service.
 * [Investigate.] - No approval change.
 * It's a pleasure. -
 * You two look nervous. - No approval change.
 * What's going on? - No approval change.


 * Bianca: There's a deep roads entrance crawling with strange humans carting out red lyrium by the handful.


 * [Investigate.] - No approval change.
 * We should shut this down. -
 * We have other priorities. -

A game of Wicked Grace
Requires +75

Friendship cutscene

There you are, i've been looking all over for you.

No approval changes

I have questions about Hawke.

 * Orsino's fate made no sense. -


 * Remaining choices have no approval changes

I have a personal question.

 * No approval changes

Tell me about red lyrium.
Begins Seeing Red
 * No approval changes
 * A couple more options are available in this branch after In Hushed Whispers or Champions of the Just, but neither have any approval changes.

Tell me about Corypheus.
Available after speaking to Hawke
 * No approval changes

Let's discuss the Inquisition.
Requires +35
 * He talks about a random advisor or party member; never any approval changes

Do you believe I'm the Herald?

 * No approval changes

Operations
There are 8 possible War table operations from Varric:


 * Hard in Hightown: Trouble in Skyhold
 * Others

In the field
Killing a group of Red Templars with Varric in the party -

Seeing Red Quest

 * Destroying the nodes with Varric in the party -
 * Destroying the nodes without Varric in the party -