The Official Dragon Age Thread

@gambit474: I think Bioware is aware of the backlash against DA2. Considering they are trying to make the world more open since people complained about the linearity of DA2 and adding race choices again, it stands to reason that they are also aware of the fact that people like the customizable story of DA:O more than the static one of DA2. They are working on that Dragon Age Keep thing that you can use to customize your Dragon Age universe, so it appears they still care about player's choice.

it's a nice sentiment to think about however how they handled Mass Effect 3 would still leave one suspicious. They've shown that they've ignored player's choices in two games now..I like Bioware but sometimes I wonder if they've lost their shine

@gambit474: I agree that Bioware's recent offerings have not been their best. However, I think ME3 was pretty deep in development when DA2 was released and ME3 had some pretty strong criticism against it (I never played any ME game except a little bit of ME2, so I have no opinion) So, I would like to think that BW would listen to fan response when they are claiming that they are with the development of DA3. If anything, the option to actually choose more races now (than even were available for DA:O) is a sign of more choice and customization than in DA2.

I just want to believe that BW would've learned that RPG fans don't like their games dumbed down like what occurred in DA2.

What do you guys think of inquisition so far?

Vtw i think i might have to do a 4th playthrough of 2. I did 3 of origins to get everything perfect for 2, but then, in my last almost perfect playthrough of 2 i for some reason couldn't marry merril .-. She just never did the coming to my house thing...

@cooldes: I think it looks pretty promising and I do have a more positive disposition than others, that were pretty disillusioned with Bioware. I think the studio needed some tough love after the latest missteps and they seemed to have learned very well.

@dragonborn_ct: agreed.

What's your overall opinion of DAO and DA2?

Seeing Morrigan in the trailer, I hope BW can incorporate my Warden going with her at the end of the Witch Hunt DLC and raising the Old God/Archdemon child. I would be satisfied even if she regretfully mentions he died protecting her and the child or something just as tragic.

@cooldes: DA:O - Great game, amazing setting, characters with huge freedom of choices, tactical combat and character customization, for both your character and party members.

DA 2 - Not as bad as some people say, its really okay. The story ends in a very sour note, with your choices being very restricted, and the character customization being very restricted. I did like the character interactions much better than in DA:O since you don't risk loosing them if their approval is too low, and they will stick up to you (depending what choice you do at the end that is). And I enjoyed the combat being more fast paced and action-directed than the first one too.

@dragonborn_ct: completely agreed except a few small things caused me to actually like them equally..

Origins i good, an has a good long story, but it's kind of too long .-. Zevran being my up close DPS, he was a crucial part of my party, when he left i had to restart the ENTIRE game and get his approval uber high-_- Also i hated auto attack, and i was really pissed every time i had to do the dream thingy with the demon possesing you-_- so useless...

Da2 was fun, nice not-to-short, not-too-long story line(ok it was a little too short). No more auto attack was SEXY af. And the skill tree's.... omg the skill trees... so f'in amazing...

@cooldes: LOL Oh I see... These complaints are understandable... I think some people who absolutely hated DA 2 tended to forget DA: O had some flaws like the ones you mentioned. For me, the Dream Fade level was not as insufferable as the entire Orzamaar arc. When I started playing I was completely lost and wasted two good hours playing courier boy for those wretched dwarven nobles, and to make matters worse the Deep Roads sections were even longer... Oh good, it was dreadful completing the Orzamaar storyline for me.

@dragonborn_ct: eh, that didn't upset me too much, it really just felt like normal RPG tasks, being a message boy is pretty normal in RPGs.

can i ask how many playthroughs you did of each?

I did 3 of each

@cooldes: I did several playthroughs covering all Origins in DA:O, but the only playthroughs I completed was three with the City Elf, the Human Noble and the Circle Mage. As for DA 2, I did complete in five separate playthroughs, with two rogues, one warrior and two mages.

@dragonborn_ct: lol it's kind of sad but all of my playthroughs were of rouges :) and archers at that, i love being range dps and i've been a fan of being a magic user so yeah..

My origins playthroughs i always used dalish elf too .-. now i feel like i need to try out the other stuff, i just noticed how secluded my choices have been

@cooldes: Hehe, this is the thing I most like about Dragon Age, Skyrim or RPGs like that. You have the option of trying different things, which incentives the replay value :)

Here is a advice, magic is insanely overpowered in DA:O, it might make the game a breeze if you play the cards right :P

@dragonborn_ct: lol ok, i'll make sure i try it out dude, thanks :)

Someone explain this game/story to me

The games are set in a Middle-Earth-like medieval land called Thedas, where humans co-exist with dwarves, elves and other fantastic creatures, and chronicles the titular time of violence and upheaval where dragons are sporadically coming back after being believed to be extinct, seen as a bad omen. The first game deals with the return of demonic, subterranean creatures called Darkspawn that were not seen in centuries and are invading the surface. The main character, which can come from several different origins and is costumized by the player, is one of the last from a ancient order sworn to destroy the Darkspawn and must unite the fractured realm against their common threat. The second game is about a completely different character, a human refugee that escapes with his/hers family from the onslaught of the first game with the game being narrated by his/her best friend. The game initially chronicles his/her rise to power from lowly commoner to a champion, protector of the free city of Kirkwall, but culminates into a conflict between two powerful factions that end up plunging the world into a bloody war.

@dragonborn_ct: oh ok n who is dragonborn?

@russellmania77: LOL Wrong franchise. Dragonborn is from the Elder Scrolls :V

Really want the Warden to show up at some point.

Not sure how they'd handle it though.

So when does da 3 come out?

Bioware developers said that the Warden and/or Hawke will appear if you data from previous saves are imported to your data, and in the Warden's case, s/he will only appear only if certain conditions have been met (such as the Dark Ritual being perfomed, or if s/he allowed Alistair or Loghain to sacrifice themselves to kill the Archdemon) Personally, I think it will be quite a challenge to transfer how your Warden from the first game looks into the third game, and I expect a lot of glitches along the way.

Interestingly, if you don't want to transfer your data, the established canon by Bioware states that the Dalish Elf Warden sacrificed her/himself, Alistair became King and the Mage Hawke assisted the mages to rebel.

According to the DA Wiki, its expected to Fall 2014.

@dragonborn_ct: mages or templars?

@cooldes: Mages. But I would like to point out that both sides are very unlikable: almost every mage in the game uses blood magic fueled by demons, with the only mage that doesn't use it being Anders, that triggers a continent-wide conflict. Still the Templars are more unlikable than the mages.

@dragonborn_ct: I the only one looking forward to having Cassandra as a companion? Awwwww yeah~ B)

@ostyo: Nah, me too :) I have a feeling she will be just like Aveline personality and gameplay-wise.

@dragonborn_ct: Think so? I heard she duel wielded in a DA animated movie.

I can't believe I haven't posted this earlier.

I dropped about 300 hours in to DAO and the expansions/dlc ...barely got through a 2nd play through of DA2 :3

hope 3rd one is good.

Does anyone here recommend The Darkspawn Chronicles?? i am contemplating getting it.

Anyway...favorite class is probably rogue or mage - although I never finished my Blood Mage campaign. Shame too because I had perfected the game (imo) knowing every item and quest location etc lol.

My melee rogue was completely under the same thoroughness and was one BAMF.

Played ever class though. Probably dislike Warriors the most.

I've played it. Its been a VERY long time since I played it, but I don't remember being overly impressed.

If you're bored though and a huge DO:A its probably worth getting.

Definitely not as good as some of the other campaigns though, like Golems (which was excellent)

I have not played it, but from what I've seen, it looks like a extremely short expansion, lasting only the Battle of Denerim. Other than playing a Darkspawn and killing the main characters, it doesn't seem to stand out much.

Depends on the price.

Its a pretty cool little thing that lets you play as various monsters and kill the main characters as bosses wich is kinda cool, but other then that its just the final battle all over and doesnt really add anything to the core gameplay. So if its like 10$ and you arent short on cash might as well try it, if you are unsure though you arent really missing alot.

What race is everyone planning on being DA3?

What races are going to be available? I'm behind on any updates >.<

@feral_nova:

Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and I think the Qunari.

@feral_nova: Oh, the Dwarves, Elves, Human,and Qunari.

OOHH YOU CAN BE A QUNARI!?

Idk... in DAO I played a Human... and the main character was human in DA2... I might end up playing human to be honest LOL

I almost never play humans on my first play through of an RPG honestly. Just because I like being contrary and most of the time either being not a human has no impact on the story and so you're better off not being human because you'll get better bonuses such as elf for mage in DOA or dwarf for any rogue or warrior. Or the non-human backstory is more interesting.

I will play as a elf or a dwarf first. I was missing those races, maybe I will play as Qunari next then as human.

I'll obviously start with Qunari if it's available, if only because the fact that I couldn't play one in DOA annoyed me because I never really got to enjoy the Qunari enough in DOA as I never really used Sten much for RP purposes and the Qunari bits were just too few and far between.

So a lot of Qunari love.

If i get a choice i usually chose elf in RPGs because i'm usually an archer, and elfs usually get amped bow stats.

I never make my main archers. Never played an RPG where this was a bad idea. At low level the biggest challenges are big brutes, an archer gets trounced usually. At high levels, mages rules and most archers just can't lay down the fire to compare. Usually I just make one of my main team members an archer and leave it at that.

@crom_cruach: as an archer there are many abilities that allow you to take out big brutes in beginning of game. And in dragon age specifically, where you rely on a party system, being an archer fits into the role of ranged dps, so close up dps and your tank should be able to hold off big brutes.

At high levels, in DA:O and DA:2 i literally One-Shot everything on normal difficulty and at most i had to 3-shot enemies on the next hardest difficulty. Bit i personally have all my gear mping my crit chance and damage, and then i use precision, so 99.9 % of my hits are crits, and my crit damage is absurd, so i can usually one-shot most things

@cooldes: Yeah but that's true of all weapons and melee does it better because the damage is jut better and you'll have much better defenses because you'll naturally build up your toughness and defense just by trying to get the best melee talents. And at high levels magic just completely trounces everything else once you start freezing entire armies, stunning, mind controlling, etc.

Seriously nothing was even close to as powerful as the mage/arcane warrior so far.

What is everyone favorite class to play in Dragon Age games? Mine are the Spirit Sword for melee and Force Primal Mage for magic.

Mage/Arcane Warrior/Battle mage

So pretty.