How To Get 100% Court Approval in Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts
I’m sure this has been done before, but for anyone struggling with the achivement, here are some tips on how to get 100% approval in the quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. For collectible locations, see this post.
If you choose to play as a non-human or a mage, your approval rating will be reduced at the beginning of the quest. Following these tips should be more than enough to make up for this loss.
The most important thing to understand is that this quest is split into three “acts.” The first includes the portions of the quest where the Inquisitor is outside of the Winter Palace and before they enter the ballroom for the first time. The second includes the portions of the quest after the Inquisitor leaves the ballroom the first time but before they return a second time. The third includes the portions after this.
After you enter the Winter Palace, you will not be able to go back into the garden area. Make sure you complete all quests in this area and pick up all collectibles before heading inside!
Jumping on the furniture at any point while in the Winter Palace will result in a loss of approval. Behave!
In the garden, there is a female noble who has lost her ring. Retrieving it for her will increase court approval.
While in the ballroom, remember to never be direct. Do not ask for information, do not state your intentions, and generally be elusive unless talking with members of the Inquisition. This is most easily accomplished by choosing the middle dialogue option. Asking certain questions presented on the left side of the dialogue wheel, while usually harmless, can result in a loss of approval.
When being introduced to Celene, do not tell her that her life is in danger. Instead, be flattering. Choosing dialogue options like “It’s an honor to be here” will gain court approval. Go along with her dialogue and continue to work toward whichever ending you prefer in secret.
In my experience, speaking with Gaspard (without accusing him of anything or showing him any evidence) does not gain or lose court approval. Feel free to exhaust his dialogue options. I believe the same can be done with Celene’s ladies-in-waiting, but I have not personally tried it.
In this act, the Inquisitor will be tasked with investigating the library, as well as other rooms that are “off limits” to the party goers. When outside of the party, court approval will slowly decay, subtracting 1 point every 30 seconds or so. The best way to negate this is to save the game before entering these restricted areas, investigate them at your leisure, and reload once you’ve found what you needed. Then, recollect the needed objects as quickly as you can once you know their location.
In the Guest Wing, speak to Duke Germain, Gaspard’s uncle. Asking him to clarify his relationship with Gaspard will result in a gain of court approval.
There is a servant walking around in this same wing, complaining about a certain noble. Speaking with him and calling the noble a “jerk” gains court approval. Choosing the other option, in which the Inquisitor questions the servant directly, results in a loss of approval.
There are guards at the end of the hallway mentioned above. If you approach them, they will tell you that the wing behind them is currently unavailable and you will be forced to find another way inside. If you bother them a second time, they will repeat what they’ve already told you, resulting in a loss of court approval.
There are a pair of nobles bickering about the Mage-Templar War that the Inquisitor can eavesdrop on in the garden near the Guest Wing. Speaking with the two in favor of the Templars or Mages will recruit an agent of the Inquisition without losing or gaining court approval.
Tossing caprice coins into the fountain in this garden will gain 1 approval per coin. Finding the coins is time-consuming and not necessary for 100%.
This act is timed. Once you pick up the negotiation papers, an invisible countdown will begin. When it is time to return to the ballroom, a bell will sound. Your Inquisitor will say something along the lines of “I should head back.” Wait until the second bell before you enter the ballroom. Your Inquisitor will say something along the lines of “looks like I’m fashionably late now.” Being fashionably late will result in a gain of court approval. If you wait until the third bell sounds, you will lose court approval.
In my experience, speaking with Morrigan neither gains or loses court approval while playing coy. Feel free to exhaust all dialogue options.
In this act, the Inquisitor will be tasked with killing the venatori invaders. While outside of the party, court approval will decay. I recommend saving and reloading using the same strategy as in Act II.
In my experience, speaking with Briala neither gains or loses court approval while playing coy. Feel free to exhaust all dialogue options.
This act is timed. Upon returning from the servants’ quarters, an invisible countdown will begin. I don’t believe that you can obtain the “fashionably late” bonus approval twice, however you will most likely lose approval by waiting until the third bell.
Upon returning to the Guest Wing, there are three guards led by Ambassador Anton standing outside of the Trophy Room. Eavesdrop on them and approach them afterward. Sending them to Cullen will result in a gain of court approval.
Most of the materials for The Great Blackmail Hunt can be obtained in this act. If needed, completing 25/30 secrets will increase court approval, however, like the caprice coins, hunting the secrets down is time-consuming and not necessary for 100%.
While dancing with Florianne de Chalons, always choose the middle dialogue option. If you’ve followed the previous steps, you should have 100% court approval by the end of the dance.
This is your last chance to obtain any collectibles, secrets, caprice coins, or blackmail materials before choosing who will rule Orlais.
While obtaining the blackmail material, your approval rating will decay as before. Use the same save/reload strategy to minimize the amount of approval lost.
In my experience, speaking with the elven servant and the noble in the Royal Wing neither gains or loses court approval. Feel free to exhaust all dialogue options.
Choosing to call Florianne out in front of the court not only gains approval, but allows you to take her alive and obtain her as an agent of the Inquisition. You can only do this if you currently have more than 85% approval. Otherwise, you will fight Florianne in a boss battle, in which she will die.
After the dialogue with Briala, Gaspard, Celene, and Morrigan, you should end the quest with 100% approval and, subsequently unlock the achievement. Hope this helps!
