Saving Paladin Danse: A Comprehensive Guide for Fallout 4
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The question of whether you can truly “save” Paladin Danse while siding with the Railroad in Fallout 4 is a complex one, laden with caveats and potential heartbreaks. The short answer is: officially, no. The game mechanics and storyline heavily discourage, and ultimately prevent, a harmonious outcome where you complete the Railroad ending while simultaneously maintaining Danse as a friendly, active companion within the Brotherhood of Steel. However, there are nuances and workarounds to explore, which we’ll delve into.
The Core Conflict: Brotherhood vs. Railroad
The fundamental issue stems from the inherent conflict between the Brotherhood of Steel (BoS) and the Railroad. The BoS views synths as abominations, threats to humanity that must be eradicated. The Railroad, conversely, dedicates itself to freeing synths and granting them autonomy. This ideological chasm makes peaceful coexistence impossible as the main storyline progresses.
The “Blind Betrayal” Quest
The crux of the matter lies in the “Blind Betrayal” quest. This BoS quest forces you to confront Danse, who is revealed to be a synth himself. Elder Maxson orders you to execute him. At this point, your choices dictate Danse’s fate and your standing with the BoS.
Railroad’s Inevitable Hostility
The Railroad ending necessitates the destruction of the Prydwen, the Brotherhood of Steel’s airship. This act inevitably turns the entire faction hostile towards you, including Danse, if he is still aligned with them. Even if you manage to spare Danse during “Blind Betrayal,” progressing with the Railroad to the point of destroying the Prydwen will fundamentally alter your relationship with him, potentially rendering him hostile or unreachable.
Workarounds and Considerations
While a perfect resolution is impossible without mods, here are some tactics players attempt:
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Max Affinity Before “Blind Betrayal”: Maximize your affinity with Danse before triggering the “Blind Betrayal” quest. This makes the speech checks during the confrontation easier to pass. Passing these checks is crucial for convincing Maxson to spare Danse, or at the very least, for convincing Danse to remain alive if you defy Maxson’s orders.
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The Minutemen Alternative: As a full companion, the player must either side with the Brotherhood or the Minutemen and choose not to become enemies with the Brotherhood.
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Sparing Danse and its Consequences: If you spare Danse and dismiss him, he will relocate, but if you are hostile towards the Brotherhood of Steel, he will also turn hostile to you.
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Mods: This article will only focus on the vanilla experience. However, mods like “Danse Dilemma” aim to add cut content and create more nuanced resolutions. They allow you to save Danse and side with the Railroad, keeping him alive and available to help synths. Be aware that mods can introduce their own issues and may not be fully compatible with every playthrough.
Conclusion
While the vanilla game prevents a truly happy ending where you are a champion of the Railroad and maintain a positive relationship with a Brotherhood-aligned Danse, you can try to mitigate the negative consequences. The best you can do is focus on maximizing your relationship with Danse before the inevitable conflict arises and explore alternative questlines. For those seeking a different outcome, the modding community provides options that alter the core game mechanics and offer different narrative paths. Game design as a field is constantly evolving, and as seen at organizations like the Games Learning Society through GamesLearningSociety.org, we see just how nuanced narratives can be.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I do “Blind Betrayal” and side with the Railroad?
No, not fully. Completing “Blind Betrayal” locks you out of progressing with the Railroad because it makes the BoS permanently allied to you, hindering the Railroad questline.
2. What happens if I take Danse to the Railroad HQ?
Taking Danse to Railroad HQ before the Brotherhood becomes hostile won’t trigger an immediate negative reaction. However, any action that turns the BoS hostile will make Danse hate you and potentially become hostile himself.
3. What happens to Paladin Danse if I side with the Railroad?
If you side with the Railroad and destroy the Prydwen, Danse will likely become hostile to you, assuming he hasn’t already due to your prior actions with the Brotherhood.
4. How do you keep Danse alive in Fallout 4?
Letting Danse live requires passing speech checks during “Blind Betrayal.” Refuse to kill him and use dialogue options like “Maxson’s Wrong,” “Losing A Friend,” and “Coward’s Way Out” to persuade him to stay alive or Maxson to spare him.
5. Can you become Sentinel without killing Danse?
Yes. You can become a Sentinel without killing Danse. This involves making hard decisions and successfully navigating the “Blind Betrayal” quest.
6. Can I save Danse and side with the Institute?
Only for a short time. Siding with the Institute ultimately leads to conflict with the Brotherhood, making it difficult to maintain a positive relationship with Danse in the long run.
7. Can you bring Danse to Railroad HQ? How can I get Danse as a companion if I side with the Railroad?
You can initially bring Danse to Railroad HQ. However, maintaining him as a companion while progressing with the Railroad is difficult. You must avoid actions that make the BoS permanently hostile. After that, it becomes increasingly difficult to have him as a companion.
8. Can you overthrow Elder Maxson?
You cannot overthrow Elder Maxson in the vanilla game. Cut content suggests this was once an option, but it is not available in the final release.
9. Can you do the Brotherhood ending without killing the Railroad?
Yes, but only if you choose the right dialogue options. You can complete some Railroad quests before reaching the point of no return where you are forced to destroy them.
10. Can you date Paladin Danse in Fallout 4?
Yes, you can romance Danse. Max out your affinity before “Blind Betrayal” to experience his full romance arc before any potential conflicts arise.
11. Can you keep Danse if you side with the Minutemen?
Yes, it is possible to keep Danse if you side with the Minutemen, as long as you avoid making the Brotherhood of Steel hostile. Focus on the Minutemen questline to avoid conflicts.
12. Can you do Railroad missions with Danse?
You can do some Railroad missions with Danse, but avoid any that involve direct conflict with the Brotherhood. This will preserve your relationship.
13. What happens if you execute Danse?
If you execute Danse, you will have to pick up the Holotags from his corpse and return to Elder Maxson on The Prydwen. As a result, you’re promoted to Paladin, given Danse’s quarters, and all his possessions, including his set of power armor.
14. Does Danse like the Minutemen?
Danse respects the Minutemen’s cause, seeing them as a more disorganized and less focused version of the Brotherhood. However, he finds their intentions honorable.
15. How do they find out Danse is a synth?
The reveal happens during the Brotherhood of Steel questline, specifically after completing “Liberty Reprimed.” Elder Maxson summons you and reveals that Danse is a synth based on evidence he has uncovered.