I couldn't find another topic like this, so I decided to make one. 
 
Personally, I found Fenris's character and story to be the most interesting.        

Overall, I like most of the characters in da2 but Merril's banter with the other characters seems to always be entertaining. Though, I would agree Fenris has the better story. 

I almost find Merill to be annoying, honestly, but that's just me.  Varric's awesome with his bantering and quips sometimes. 
 
inb4bethanycauseshesawesometolookat

Merrill is just too goddamn cute not to love, but over the course of the game Aveline and Varric have become like family to me.

Isabela. She has contributed with the most surprises and dramatic tension to the story. Haven't finished the game yet and I have not used Fenris at all and Carver is dead so not him either. In five minutes she made me call her a backstabbing bitch and draw a sigh of relief.
 
Anders is my most appreciated combat friend with his skills in healing and revival, though his INCREDIBLY annoying and whiny replies to everything just makes me facepalm when he opens his mouth.

In terms of single character, its Varric no contest.

My favorite pairing to bring around though is Aveline and Isabela, they have the best (and most awkward, especially if you romance Isabella) party banter that I've heard so far.

Varric for being such an amazingly charismatic and funny son'bitch. He's more like (Awakening era) Anders than even Anders is, frankly. I also really liked Aveline, because of how calm and full of confidence she always appeared to be. Plus the side story of her trying to 'court' Guardsman Donnic was giggle worthy ;P Oh and she made for a beastly tank.

one thing i didnt get though, was why did Merill have a welsh accent when all of the other dalish had irish accents?

Merrill. Because of her underwear.

WTF what is wrong with you ppl Marril is a stupid whiny bitch that uses black magic, Isabela is my favorite even if she is a laying cunt.
I actually like Ander to because he rags on Marril every chance he gets....

Hard to pick one but i will say i always had Merrill in my party. But the crew i would roll with all day would be Aveline Merrill  and Varric. They were like family in my game and i would switch every once in a while to hear different party banter. Anders i can say i liked the least always complaining and not as funny as he use to be. Dude you got a bad ass vengeance spirit how bad can it be? Fenris is cool in that i fell out of a jrpg kind of way. But he does not care for mages and would get on Merrill so  i save him for my second run in the game. Isabella is ok and her talks with Aveline are great but i hated getting negative points because i was the good guy. 

Varric can get you out of so much bull shit. 
 
And you don't have to find him a new weapon ever. 
 
God he's so fucking great.

Varric
 
He's the best character in the entire game, he's just there, always, and he rocks.
 
Oh and:
 
  

I picked Aveline because she's an awesome tank and I love her no nonsense personality, she's almost like a mother to Hawke and the other party members. But I also really like Merrill, mainly because, well... she's voiced by Eve Myles! And I adore the way she welshifies 'here' to 'hyurrrr'. Welsh accents are awesome.
 

Tough call...I really liked Varric, Isabella, Fenris and Sebastian. If you had asked me before act 3 I would have said Anders as well. But now I think he's a fucking asshole....probably Sebastian when it comes down to it though.

Varric. His comments on whats going are always awesome.
Merrill comes at a close second. Her blabbering is funny and so damn lovable.  
 
@gjedwards said:

" one thing i didnt get though, was why did Merill have a welsh accent when all of the other dalish had irish accents? "

Varric yo, man carries a mean gat and and knows how to crack the funny. Also, always have a soft spot for bard types.

I'd like to point out that no one has voted for Carver. 
 
That whiny bitch.

Aveline. Her thing for Donnic was adorable.

Merrill is this game's Tali

Varric and Isabella are my two favorites, by far.

I like Izzy, she's crude and totally trashy. Seems like a real person rather than a fantasy RPG character.  
 
Merrill comes across as a poor man's Aerie though, sadly.

Good God Merril is so fucking cute! 
 
Varric is pretty damn great too. I initially didn't want to like him because dwarves without sick beards are pretty blasphemous, but he's got a heck of a lot of charm. 
 
Fenris just seems like a huge dick and even though he was tanking in my group, I had to replace him because of how much of an ass he was being to everyone in my party.

Varric, by far.

Varric and Merrill are the top 2.
 
I like Fenris just because he has the same voice actor as Balthier from FF12.

"

In terms of single character, its Varric no contest.

My favorite pairing to bring around though is Aveline and Isabela, they have the best (and most awkward, especially if you romance Isabella) party banter that I've heard so far.

"

My favorite is certainly Merrill. Her conversations are humorous and endearing, and she is great in a fight.  Varric and Bethany would probably be tied for second.
 
My least favorites are definitely Isabella and Aveline. I find both of them to be incredibly annoying and I only use them if they are required for a specific quest.
 
@FirePrince: If you are already in the Deep Roads and you don't have her, I think you've missed your chance at getting her. You need to go to the Hanged Man after doing Anders' quests in Act 1. You will get a brief cutscene and she will join you.

Varric, Bianca is a classy lady.

Tough call.  I'm torn between Varric and Fenris.   
 
Also, I can't stand Merrill.  Just had to get that out.

" Varric. Anyways, I'm still getting over the fact that Bethany is supposed to be your sister.And where is Isabela anyway?I'm at the Deep Roads, and she's nowhere to be found. "

" I like Izzy, she's crude and totally trashy. Seems like a real person rather than a fantasy RPG character.  
 
Merrill comes across as a poor man's Aerie though, sadly. "

Fenris. Not only is he a beast in battle, but I also really like his dialogue and his voice actor. Runner up would have to be Merrill though because I have never laughed so hard in my life!

Well for me the standard party is Verric, Aveline, and Merill.  Coincidentally that is also the correct order for my three favorite characters.  Fenris is a close fourth though, like Anders he is very emo and bitchy but unlike Anders he actually says something funny here and there, will make a rare wisecrack, and actually has some real personality and interesting story behind it all.  Least favorite characters would be a better poll really because it won't be so one sided.... for me personally it is Bethany (bland, uninteresting, she is the little sister stereotype the end) followed by Anders who is such a worse character than what he was in awakening it is almost painful to see.  Carver might make the list but he dies so fast in my game it is hard to tell ;p.

like Varric's "don't give a shit" attitude 
 
merril reminds me of Tali from ME, so she's second

i rolled for 99% of the game with Varric, Merrill and Isabela 
they were by far the best companions and the chatter they produce was some of the best writing in the game 
fenris and anders however i could not hate any more 
fenris turned on me and some should know why anders is a dick

Varric because he's a man's man. 
And the only male character who doesn't want to be a man's man with the man being my character. 
 
I did, however like Anders and Merill, although I felt they both kinda deceived me and forced me into things I didn't want to do. I trusted them, but they didn't trust me. 
 
 

Aveline grew on me because of her personal quest in Act II, Varric was always funny to begin with, Merrill was surprisingly cute, and Fenris had the best backstory and was the most tortured character.
 
So I liked them all.

Varric is just a great personality. Isabela is second for me. When those two talk it is great.

to the people complaining about a missing beard on Varric, he has no beard because he's such a smooth motherfucker.

Brian Bloom's voice is like silk, but Merrill sounded like the Maid from Gosford Park, which is a fun juxtaposition considering she dooms her clan. 

I haven't used Varric much so my opinion might change later but for now my favorite is Merrill.  She is just so sweet and good natured.  She thought being mugged was a lowtown greeting and that no one must like her because she hasn't been mugged yet.

Varric and Isabela.
Their personalities fit each other and the banter is nice. Other than that Varric and Merrill or Isabela and Merril. Pretty nice synergy there aswell.

Varric. With Merrill, Isabella and Aveline coming right after. 
I didn't like Fenris but I like that I didn't like him. 

Varric is bro-tier, kinda like Alistair in the first game.

Lore wise, Fenris and Varric. 
Combat wise, Fenris, Aveline and Anders. Varric was a monster when Bianca got 4 slots.

Varric no contest