Can You Become Sentinel Without Killing Danse in Fallout 4? A Definitive Guide
Absolutely! You can indeed become a Sentinel in Fallout 4 without having to kill Paladin Danse. The game provides multiple paths to achieve the highest rank within the Brotherhood of Steel, even if you choose to spare Danse’s life. Your actions and choices during the Blind Betrayal quest are crucial, but they don’t ultimately dictate your potential for advancement within the Brotherhood. Let’s delve into how this is possible and explore the nuances of this morally challenging situation.
Understanding the Brotherhood of Steel Ranks
Before we get into the specifics of saving Danse and becoming a Sentinel, it’s important to understand the Brotherhood of Steel’s hierarchy. The ranks, in ascending order of authority, relevant to this discussion are:
- Initiate
- Knight
- Paladin
- Sentinel
Your progress through these ranks is largely determined by your performance in Brotherhood quests and your relationship with key figures like Elder Maxson.
The Blind Betrayal Quest: A Critical Juncture
The quest Blind Betrayal is where you confront the revelation that Danse is a synth and face the moral dilemma of whether to execute him on Elder Maxson’s orders. This is the point where many players believe Danse’s fate directly affects their rank. However, this is a misconception.
Sparing Danse’s Life: It Is Possible
Convincing Elder Maxson to spare Danse is the key. This requires a high charisma stat and the ability to pass speech checks during your conversation with Maxson after initially intending to kill Danse.
- Confront Danse: Travel to Listening Post Bravo and confront Danse with the information about his synth status.
- Speak to Maxson: Return to the Prydwen and inform Elder Maxson of the situation. He’ll order you to execute Danse.
- The Confrontation: Head back to Listening Post Bravo to supposedly carry out the execution.
- The Speech Check: Here’s where the magic happens. Successfully persuade Maxson to spare Danse’s life. This requires a challenging speech check.
- Danse’s Exile: Even if Maxson agrees to spare Danse, Danse will be exiled from the Brotherhood. He will relocate to a remote location.
The Aftermath: Brotherhood Relations and Your Advancement
Even with Danse exiled, you can continue to complete Brotherhood of Steel quests. Your dedication to the Brotherhood’s cause will still be recognized, and you’ll still be eligible for promotion to Sentinel, the highest attainable rank in the main questline, based on your overall contributions.
Factors That Influence Sentinel Rank
Several factors contribute to your promotion to Sentinel, even after the Danse situation:
- Completion of Brotherhood Quests: Successfully finishing quests assigned by Elder Maxson, Proctor Ingram, and other Brotherhood officers is crucial.
- Loyalty to the Brotherhood: Actions demonstrating your commitment to the Brotherhood’s ideals are highly valued.
- Relationship with Key Figures: Maintaining positive relationships with Brotherhood leaders increases your chances of promotion.
- Overall Reputation: Your overall standing within the Brotherhood, based on your actions and decisions, plays a significant role.
The Minutemen Ending and Danse
It’s worth noting that if you choose to side with the Minutemen, you can still save Danse. Convincing Maxson to let him live and then continuing with the Minutemen storyline allows you to keep Danse as a companion.
Maxson’s Death and its Impact
While not directly related to becoming a Sentinel while saving Danse, it’s important to note what happens if you choose to kill Maxson. During the Nuclear Option, you can loot Final Judgement from Maxson’s corpse, one of the most powerful weapons in the game. However, killing Maxson will cause the Brotherhood to become hostile.
The Importance of Affinity with Danse
It is highly recommended to max out your affinity with Danse before getting too deep into the main quests, especially the Brotherhood of Steel questline. This will unlock his companion perk and enhance your gameplay experience, regardless of the ultimate choices you make regarding his fate.
FAQs: Addressing Common Concerns About Danse and Sentinel Rank
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the complexities of saving Danse and still reaching the highest rank with the Brotherhood of Steel:
1. What happens if I don’t kill Danse?
If you don’t kill Danse, you can still progress through the Brotherhood of Steel ranks. You need to convince Elder Maxson to spare him. Danse will be exiled from the Brotherhood.
2. Do I still get the promotion if I don’t kill Danse?
Yes, you can still be promoted to Sentinel even if you spare Danse. Your overall contributions to the Brotherhood are the deciding factor.
3. Can you convince Maxson to spare Danse?
Yes, you can convince Maxson to spare Danse during the Blind Betrayal quest, but it requires passing a difficult speech check.
4. Can you max affinity with Danse without siding with the Brotherhood?
Yes, you can max affinity with Danse by performing actions he approves of (entering power armor, crafting, and doing noble deeds). However, becoming enemies with the Brotherhood will also make Danse hostile.
5. Can you avoid killing Danse?
Yes, you can avoid killing Danse by convincing Maxson to spare him. He will switch to full X-01 armor and will be shot on sight by the BoS.
6. Can you keep Danse if you side with the Minutemen?
Yes, you can keep Danse as a companion if you convince Elder Maxson to let him live and then continue with the Minutemen storyline.
7. Is Paladin Danse really a synth?
Yes, Danse is revealed to be a synth during the Brotherhood of Steel questline.
8. What happens if you execute Danse?
If you execute Danse, you’ll have to retrieve his Holotags and return them to Elder Maxson. You’ll be promoted to Paladin, given Danse’s quarters, and all his possessions.
9. How do you get the Elder Maxson weapon?
You can get the Final Judgment weapon by looting the corpse of Elder Maxson during the Nuclear Option, Airship Down, Ad Victoriam, or Rockets’ Red Glare quests.
10. Is it better to kill Danse or not?
Killing Danse doesn’t offer any specific advantage in terms of rank or rewards. The choice is entirely based on your character’s moral compass.
11. Should I kill or save Danse?
The decision to kill or save Danse is a personal one. Your choice doesn’t affect the questline or your ability to become Sentinel.
12. Can you kill Elder Maxson?
Yes, you can kill Elder Maxson, but it will make the Brotherhood of Steel hostile towards you.
13. Was Danse a synth the whole time?
Danse was likely unaware of his synth status until the events of Blind Betrayal. His memories prior to joining the Brotherhood were probably fabricated.
14. Can you save Paladin Danse with the Railroad?
While the base game doesn’t directly support saving Danse with the Railroad, mods like the Danse Dilemma mod add cut content that allows you to do so. It can be explored at the Games Learning Society website: GamesLearningSociety.org.
15. Does Danse hate you if you side with the Railroad?
If you take actions that make the Brotherhood of Steel permanently hostile, Danse will become hostile towards you.
Conclusion: Your Choices Shape Your Destiny
Ultimately, becoming a Sentinel without killing Danse is entirely possible in Fallout 4. It requires careful planning, a high charisma stat, and a willingness to navigate the complex moral landscape of the game. Remember, your choices matter, and your loyalty to the Brotherhood, combined with your successful completion of quests, will pave the way for your promotion, regardless of Danse’s fate. The world of Fallout 4, just like the real world, is complex and doesn’t offer a perfect answer. By embracing your player agency, you can create a gameplay experience that is rewarding and fulfilling.