Carver Hawke

“Once again I find myself in your debt...and your shadow.”

Carver Hawke is Hawke's brash younger brother aged 18 years at the start of the game, and Bethany's fraternal twin.^[1] Carver is a warrior who specializes in Two-Handed weaponry. ^[2]After the death of Malcolm Hawke in 9:27, Carver signed up for military service, and fought in the Battle of Ostagar.

Appearance

Carver will have one of several facial structures, depending on which preset the player starts character creation with for their Hawke. The selection process works as follows:

There are three base facial shapes that each family member can have. Hawkes using the default Hawke appearance or any of the first three presets will get the first head shape, Hawkes using the second three presets will get the second head shape, and Hawkes using the final three presets (or any modded presets past that) will get the third shape.

Each of the three head shapes has three variations - one with a pale skintone, one with a medium skintone, and one with a dark skintone, and each with a different hairstyle. Which of these variations is used by the game depends on Hawke's skintone; the first four skin tones will result in the light-skinned version of Carver, the second four in the medium-skinned version, and the final four in the dark-skinned version. All versions of Carver will have black hair.

The same applies for Bethany, Leandra and Gamlen.^[3]

Involvement

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.

If Hawke is a warrior or rogue, Carver will be killed during the attack on Lothering when he charges an Ogre in order to protect Leandra.^[4] However, if Hawke is a mage, then it will be Bethany who is killed by the Ogre, and Carver will survive and accompany his family to Kirkwall.^[5]

Carver will be particularly bitter in Kirkwall. He feels no real connection to the city and feels Leandra is trying to force a past on the family that she had long left behind. As Hawke gathers money to pay for the Deep Roads expedition, Carver gradually sees why people fear magic. Having grown up surrounded by magic, Carver did not see it as something to fear, though he never truly understood it, until he witnesses the darker side of it from Kirkwall's blood mages. He eventually shows more sympathy toward templars, particularly after learning he was named after the templar who freed Malcom Hawke from the Circle.

If you bring Carver with you to the Deep Roads, he will contract the Taint. If Anders is present in your party, he will reveal that a group of Grey Wardens are nearby. Choosing to find the Wardens will allow you to save Carver's life, at the cost of his leaving to undertake the Joining. If you choose not to seek out the Wardens, or Anders is not with you, he must be put out of his misery. If he undergoes the joining Carver leaves your party for most of the game, appearing during the final battle with the Qunari and the Warden who rescued him. He will also be taken hostage in an effort to control Hawke during the final act of the game and Hawke will come to his rescue.

If Carver becomes a warden, once you have decided where your allegiance is in the quest The Last Straw, Carver will seek you out and ask you to let him fight by your side, thanking you for saving his life, and following you through the remainder of the game. As a Grey Warden, Carver will be seen in the quest "Finding Nathaniel" in the Deep Roads fighting darkspawn, and he will either thank Hawke for helping him or start arguing about his sibling sticking their nose into everything (depending on your Friendship/Rivalry status) before being interrupted by Nathaniel who asks if they know each other.

If Carver is instead left at home when you set out for the expedition, he will willingly leave to join the Templars. Carver can be seen during the Qunari invasion of Kirkwall. During the quest "Best Served Cold" he will be kidnapped by Grace and Thrask who are inciting a rebellion to overthrow Meredith, believing that The Champion is working for Meredith (even if the player decided to support the mages and Orsino). After the "Best Served Cold" quest, Hawke will recieve a letter from Meredith or Orsino calling on the Champion's assistance once more, asking them to come to the Gallows. The Champion will be greeted by a mage or a templar who will explain what happened and will send them towards Lowtown. Carver alongside the templars will be exactly the opposite to Bethany who will be with the mages. In a last attempt to make Hawke join the templars, he will ask if Hawke will fight his/her brother, giving Hawke the option of responding that Carver has been itching to fight them for a long time. When The Champion goes to confront Meredith, Carver with Cullen will side with Hawke, stating that he will not murder his brother/sister for her.

Friendship and rivalry

See the approval page for more information.

Carver is very prideful and takes value in proving his worth to his family and comrades. Aggressive behavior impresses Carver, he is also a pro-Chantry supporter and supporting the Chantry's actions impresses Carver.

Carver despises being inferior to his sibling, selecting dialogue that makes Hawke "selfless" will make him dislike Hawke with the sole exception of family matters. He also does not approve of pro-mage options that try to be merciful to mages.

Gear

Main article: Companion armor

In Dragon Age II, you cannot change what armor your companions wear, but you can upgrade it. Carver's armor may be upgraded by using the gift mechanics in Dragon Age II. You will find companion armor upgrades that can be purchased at shops in the tab designated by the Gem Icon. Carver's armor has four slots available for upgrades. These upgrades may be purchased or found at various locations in the game. Upgrading a companion's armor once unlocks the "A Friend In Need" achievement and fully upgrading a companion's armor unlocks the "I Got Your Back" achievement.

Carver's armor upgrades can be found in the following locations:

Act 1: Fereldan Girded Plating: Obtained at the end of the Birthright quest.

If Carver joins the Wardens he will be wearing plate armor with the Grey Warden insignia on his chest. If Carver joins the Templars, he will be wearing the standard Templar armor.

Carver specific gear

Recruit's Band of Distinguished Service

Requires Warrior Item Pack 1 DLC.

Lineage

Requires Legacy DLC. *Remains bugged and does not drop as of Patch 1.03.

Copper-Bladed Star

Requires Warrior Item Pack 2 DLC.

Amulet of the Enthusiast

Requires Mark of the Assassin DLC.

Talent Trees

Quotes

Main article: Carver/Dialogue

"You soulless bastards!" (defending his mother from an ogre.)
"What kind of daft bastard does that?" (after learning that Gamlen left the Amell will in the estate's vault.)
"If you've got a problem with my brother/sister, you've got a problem with me." (to Fenris after he realizes Hawke is a mage.)
"It's like Mother, taking everything out on us. She was just scared. I don't have a place in the life she is trying to bring back."
"The Hawke brothers together again just like old times." (After joining a male Hawke in Act 3)

Dialogue

Bethany: We should've run sooner, why did we wait so long?
Carver: Why are you looking at us? We've been running since Ostagar!

(alternatively, if Hawke is a mage and unable to serve in the king's army)

Bethany: We should've run sooner, why did we wait so long?
Carver: Why are you looking at me? I've been running since Ostagar!

───────

Varric: (About Anso ) "Bartrand used to be like that. Got jumpy every time he stepped outside."
Carver: "I'd pay to see that."