Bait and Switch (quest)

Bait and Switch is a secondary quest in Dragon Age II. During this quest you will meet and help Fenris, an escaped slave who is being hunted by his former master, a Tevinter Magister called Danarius.

Acquisition
Make sure you have completed A Business Discussion. In Gamlen's house, read the Bait and Switch letter at the writing desk to accept the quest.

Walkthrough
Travel to Lowtown at night to meet Anso the Contact, who will ask for your help.

Choice 1: No affect

Choice 2

"I'll do it." "This better be worth it." "Forget it."

Head to the Abandoned House entrance in the northeast area of the map.

Inside the Abandoned House, open the south door and kill all the hostiles; further groups will spawn as the battle progresses, so be ready to move your ranged party members out of harm's way. The Street Thugs aren't tough but could trouble a low-level mage in numbers. Open the Smuggler's Cargo chest, then leave.

After the cut scene, the Tevinter forces will attack. The initial group will receive reinforcements, so try not to allow your party to become too spread out. Approach the steps to the west to be introduced to Fenris. The last set of choices affect Friendship/Rivalry.

"Lead the way." "Make it worth my while." "Forget it." "You tricked me!" > "Lead the way" "You tricked me!" > "Make it worth my while."
 * regardless of whether you accept ("You owe me.")or reject him ("No.") after this choice.
 * No affect

If you refuse to help Fenris at your first meeting, he will give you 2 and permanently leave the game. If you agree to help him, travel to Hightown at night. Meet Fenris in the Hightown Estates area, then enter Danarius's Manor. The elf will be locked into the party for the next section of the quest.

Fight your way through the numerous Shades until you reach a room in the northeast corner of the manor. Kill the enemies here and search loot piles to obtain the Magister's Key. Return to the large room with two staircases that lead to a mezzanine level, then save your progress and prepare your party for battle.


 * Note: When entering the northeast room do not loot the chest there before being attacked by the shades. When two different players did that the Magister's Key did not drop, which prevented said players from finishing the quest.  Loading from a game saved immediately before entering the room and then not looting the chest first, let the key drop.

Unlock the Magister's Chambers to trigger the appearance of an Arcane Horror. A cut scene will ensue, and Fenris will leave the party. Collect everything of note then head outside, and one last cut scene and the quest is over.

If there are any mages in your party, you will be able to earn Friendship/Rivalry points from this last scene. These are the results if Hawke is a Warrior or Rouge:

Choice 1
 * "But a mage helped you." no affect
 * "That's not your concern."
 * "I'm well aware" ,
 * "(mage's name) has proven himself/herself."

Choice 2 No affect

Result
If you neglect to enlist him at the end of the quest or simply leave him standing outside Danarius's Manor when you depart Kirkwall for The Deep Roads Expedition, you will permanently lose the option to recruit him and undertake his future companion quests.

If you have any mages with you during the second half of this quest or you yourself are a mage, Fenris will confront you about them during the last dialogue. If you defend the mages with the dialog choice "That's not your concern." you will gain. If you choose to defend a particular mage in your party, you will receive. If you have Merrill, Bethany, or Anders in your party and defend them directly, you gain, or respectively. If you choose "I'm well aware.", you will gain with rivalry from your mages. But there is another path with no penalty at all, if you choose the option of "a mage helped you before" and keep all neutral.

If you are a mage there is no way to get friendship with him. When Fenris asks you what you seek, saying "Find Out > Can you repay him? > I don't mean any offense" results in. Saying "Survival" results in. Saying "Nothing" results in. Saying "Is this a problem?" results in. Saying "Power" results in.

It is also possible to flirt with Fenris by investigating "Why is Danarius after you?" before accepting his aid but it doesn't award any Friendship or Rivalry points.

Magister's Key may not spawn leaving you unable to finish the quest also trapping you within the manor.