Dust District- If You Had To Pick [minor spoilers]

[Asimazeltov]

I'm currently in the Dust District (playing as Emily, mostly non-lethal but I don't mind a few heads rolling as long as chaos stays low) and have been struggling for quite a while trying to decide which faction to go with. I don't need help with the lock (solved it with a logic grid) but I DO want a satisfying story. In most of the posts I've seen where people have raised this question, the reaction always seems to be "just avoid them/take both out if you can't decide." But that seems like such a waste!

So if anyone has completed the game having picked one side or the other, I just want to ask: which side was it, and was it satisfactory?

[Dawwpuddin]

Howler Side = Power to the people

Overseer Side = ???

I've yet to seen the Overseer ending.

[Asimazeltov]

Originally posted by ๖ۣۜLoganGreenJeans:

Howler Side = Power to the people

Overseer Side = ???

I've yet to seen the Overseer ending.

Power to the people does sound nice (as long as it's not anarchy)

edit/ ooh, I, uh, I did kinda shoot Paolo in the head a few missions back... is he going to hold that against me?

[Dawwpuddin]

Originally posted by Return of Jerry:

Originally posted by ๖ۣۜLoganGreenJeans:

Howler Side = Power to the people

Overseer Side = ???

I've yet to seen the Overseer ending.

Power to the people does sound nice (as long as it's not anarchy)

edit/ ooh, I, uh, I did kinda shoot Paolo in the head a few missions back... is he going to hold that against me?

Nope, Or at least, I don't think so, I choked him out and he hasn't held a grudge.

Also I think in the lethal ending it's anarchy, but in the non-lethal ending it's good. I know in the mostly non-lethal it's alright.

[Asimazeltov]

Originally posted by ๖ۣۜLoganGreenJeans:

Nope, Or at least, I don't think so, I choked him out and he hasn't held a grudge.

Also I think in the lethal ending it's anarchy, but in the non-lethal ending it's good. I know in the mostly non-lethal it's alright.

Cool- thanks for the info!

[nikolaj-11]

In Emily's case, as a ruler, my train of thought would probably be this:

The Overseers are a respected institution across the empire. Many of them are fanatics and they are corruptible as we saw in D1, but they also hold a role in society. Some of their number might argue that if they had more power they might have prevented someone like Delilah from rising like she did.

The Howlers are one street gang. They may help the people, but they are still thugs and many of them (most I would assume) still have selfish reasons behind their affiliation in the gang. Many of them are just desperate people, but desperation does not always excuse wrongdoing.

To support the Howlers would encourage other gangs to challenge authority and try to take its place. That is destabalizing for a large empire, it's how they break. Fragmentation.

As Corvo I would probably be more lenient to support the Howlers, he is not a ruler and might see the Howlers as a better means to an end and he is no stranger to the more cracked members of society. His history with Overseers would also count some, he has been marked for 15 years after all.

[Asimazeltov]

Originally posted by nikolaj-11:

In Emily's case, as a ruler, my train of thought would probably be this:

I agree! Especially since Corvo may have worked with Slackjaw and the Bottle Street Gang (depending on how the game was played) and he's seen the Overseers at their worst; Emily hasn't.

Do you know what the Overseer ending is like? I do try to keep things close to character in my first playthrough, but I don't mind breaking it a little for the sake of a better ending.

[nikolaj-11]

Originally posted by Return of Jerry:

Originally posted by nikolaj-11:

In Emily's case, as a ruler, my train of thought would probably be this:

I agree! Especially since Corvo may have worked with Slackjaw and the Bottle Street Gang (depending on how the game was played) and he's seen the Overseers at their worst; Emily hasn't.

Do you know what the Overseer ending is like? I do try to keep things close to character in my first playthrough, but I don't mind breaking it a little for the sake of a better ending.

No, I chose not to pick a side as Emily. I haven't gotten that far as Corvo and haven't decided on a choice yet. I might kill the Vice-Overseer and Paolo both just to see if anything changes in the low-chaos ending.

[Asimazeltov]

Originally posted by nikolaj-11:

No, I chose not to pick a side as Emily. I haven't gotten that far as Corvo and haven't decided on a choice yet. I might kill the Vice-Overseer and Paolo both just to see if anything changes in the low-chaos ending.

Are there any consequences to not taking sides? I was sort of assuming if you left it alone, the conflict would continue, which would be bad for the city.

[proci85]

it doesn't really make a difference in low chaos as long as you spare the guy in the mansion later on, as both factions disappear. it is mentioned that the overseers helped in the rebuild at the end when doing a low chaos walkthrough (with Corvo), but that's it.

[GM Pax]

Originally posted by Return of Jerry:

So if anyone has completed the game having picked one side or the other, I just want to ask: which side was it, and was it satisfactory?

First playthrough, I sided with Paolo by bringing the unconscious body of Overseer Byrne to him ... well, in the epilog Paolo ended up taking over the city, being too powerful for the "new" Duke Abele (I sided with teh body double) to retain command. Royally sucked, IMO.

In my current playthrough, I'm going Ghost and Nonlethal all the way. And I'll send both of them to the silver mines ...

[madcat6204]

Dammit. I was hoping someone would have a clue. I'm at this mission now. I don't really want to support either of them, but I would personally lean more towards the overseers since (barring corruption in the ranks) they're more likely to support a lawful empire, whereas the Howlers haev just been jerks any time I've seen them so I have a hard time imagining them being good for anyone.

But I would really like to know how the different endings turn out. Supporting overseers with low chaos, supporting overseers with high chaos, supporting Howlers with low chaos, supporting Howlers with high chaos, and not supporting either.

[nikolaj-11]

Originally posted by proci85:

it doesn't really make a difference in low chaos as long as you spare the guy in the mansion later on, as both factions disappear. it is mentioned that the overseers helped in the rebuild at the end when doing a low chaos walkthrough (with Corvo), but that's it.

I can list my low-chaos ending for you here, where I didn't pick a side.

They both become a part of the city council, making the city prosper.
When you go fully non-lethal, don't kill or otherwise dispose of Byrne or Paolo and also make sure to choke out Artemis Stilton in the past, they will all be on the council. The fake Duke, Artemis Stilton, Paolo, Overseer Byrne, Doctor Hypatia and Lucia Pastor. The ending implies that their common existence benefits the city.

[Fantredath]

I would definitely Pick to work with the Howlers, After I kill Paolo twice more for the Acheivement, I'll reload, and bring him the Overseer.

I hated them in the 1st game with the BS Organ Grinder that makes them Invincible, and the fact that they seem to be a wholly Oppressive Cult bent on Brainwashing everyone into living a short brutal life devoid of love.

Also their 7 Strictures are copied straight from the 7 Deadly Sins. They're everything that was ever "Bad" in the Catholic church throughout the Centuries up until now (I'm not Catholic, but I like Pope Francis). Things like the Crusades, and "Witch" burning. Overseers in a Nutshell.

I think I'd rather have a bunch of Thieves and Cut-throats. At least they don't Lie to you when they take your Money, or try and Justify why they're Killing you.

The Overseers demand both Tithe, and will often Take young children to train as Overseers.

A life not to unlike what was Done to the "Witchers" in the Witcher Series, I.E. Very Brutal.

[Plattsy]

Originally posted by nikolaj-11:

Originally posted by proci85:

it doesn't really make a difference in low chaos as long as you spare the guy in the mansion later on, as both factions disappear. it is mentioned that the overseers helped in the rebuild at the end when doing a low chaos walkthrough (with Corvo), but that's it.

I can list my low-chaos ending for you here, where I didn't pick a side.

They both become a part of the city council, making the city prosper.
When you go fully non-lethal, don't kill or otherwise dispose of Byrne or Paolo and also make sure to choke out Artemis Stilton in the past, they will all be on the council. The fake Duke, Artemis Stilton, Paolo, Overseer Byrne, Doctor Hypatia and Lucia Pastor. The ending implies that their common existence benefits the city.

I believe that this is probs the best decision that you can take for low-chaos. Nice big happy family

[Drowning witch]

Both are scum, just the opposite spectrum. religious dogmatist and a violent mobster. i exiled both of them via those metal caskets. and then choked stilton. peace and happiness all over :D