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[syllogism]

If a mage needs a healing potion you messed up somewhere along the line, IMHO. Then again, the game is very cheap about unavoidable opening fireballs.

Unless you are doing some kind of cheap shale Stone Roar + taunt + force field combo every fight, your mages will get hit all the time

 

[water_wendi]

Persuasion and intimidation are useful. I've had tons of those dialogue options pop up due to my coercion being high, and I use them frequently.

Stealing and lockpicking seem to be worthless. I haven't messed with traps because Zevran is mostly all about poison/archery/backstabbing.

Coercion is probably the most beneficial but still its only come into play a handful of times. All of them meaningless and sometimes detrimental (you avoid combat but receive no xp from Persuading).

 

[syllogism]

Coercion is probably the most beneficial but still its only come into play a handful of times. All of them meaningless and sometimes detrimental (you avoid combat but receive no xp from Persuading).

It does earn you around 38g extra from one side quest and there are a few other quests where it lets you get a better reward. You also need it for certain endings.

 

[Benson]

This may have already been touched on but I ran in a bug. I started a new Noble Dwarf playthrough, after I the origin story I noticed that when my character was stripped of his gear they also took the one piece of the Blood Dragon armor.

How do I get this back?

Yeah that's a bug. You need to un-check the DLC in the main menu, force load without the dlc enabled and save your game. Then quit back to the menu and re-check the DLC and upon loading you will get it back.

 

[Rlan]

Writing up the article for PSN downloads for October, but I wanted to bring this up:

That's the Top Downloads on the American PSN update for this week. Dragon Age's Warden's Keep DLC beat World At War Map Pack 3, something nothing did in the month of October. I'd say Dragon Age is doing quite well.

Forget the South Park Dynamic theme is there

 

[Rollo Lawson]

i want my dog back. can i go back to the place i left him and get him back?

morrigan is a bitch. why does disapprove everything???

 

[fizzelopeguss]

*creaks neck*

Man oh man was the circle of mages dungeon long.

There's some neat sidequests in there though, one for the best looking 2handed sword in the game imo.

 

[Combine]

morrigan is a bitch. why does disapprove everything???

She's got "issues" maaan.

I mean, you met her mother right? Heh, try talking to her about her family life and you'll realize it.

 

[gregor7777]

chart

Says 'Wargen's' in the chart.

 

[Nolimit_SS]

Is there a set of tactics someone could recommend for early in the game so my party doesn't just charge in like a bunch of jack asses and aggro more enemies than I can handle at once. Even with actively taking control and directing where I want my party members to go the A.I. can completely disregard what I want it to do and just do whatever it wants.

I am wondering same thing.

Is there some tactic I can set and not worry about my party, like ever? I just want to focus on my main character...

 

[Danne-Danger]

I'm starting to regret using DLC at this point. I don't think I'll ever find something to replace the Red Dragon Armor, Bergens's Honor, Final reason and Starfang. All of which are easily obtainable or already in your inventory starting out (I mean, what the fuck?).

Feels like Bioware tricked me into paying for cheats.

 

[CheapChampagne]

I'm starting to regret using DLC at this point. I don't think I'll ever find something to replace the Red Dragon Armor, Bergens's Honor, Final reason and Starfang. All of which are easily obtainable or already in your inventory starting out (I mean, what the fuck?).

Feels like Bioware tricked me into paying for cheats.

Hearing this makes me glad I decided not to enable it as I started the game. As any game with DLC armor I just figured it might be OP or just make every other type of armor useless so I decided I wouldn't use it on the first playthrough. Whew, dodged that bullet.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

I don't know, it's not even available for my Ferro.

 

[Sober]

Yeah, I heard reports the DLC armor would be overpowered, so I'll save it for my next warrior playthrough some other time.

Also, always ask for a reward. Took me a while to get used to the fact I didn't get LS/DS points like in KotOR for doing things out of the kindness of my own heart.

 

[hermit7]

Yeah, I heard reports the DLC armor would be overpowered, so I'll save it for my next warrior playthrough some other time.

Also, always ask for a reward. Took me a while to get used to the fact I didn't get LS/DS points like in KotOR for doing things out of the kindness of my own heart.

THIS!! On this playthrough I went to the Bandits in Lothering, told them I was a Grey Warden and demanded they pay me for embarking on my quest.

 

[Zeliard]

THIS!! On this playthrough I went to the Bandits in Lothering, told them I was a Grey Warden and demanded they pay me for embarking on my quest.

Sometimes, you can demand some sort of payment from someone and then also kill them afterwards, getting both the payment and some extra loot.

 

[Kosma]

Saved the dwarfs for last, I have high hopes of the deep roads, I want to see golems and find lost thaigs./

 

[Acidote]

Well, game finished. Probably the game I consider to be the best this year. Such a great game, I'm starting a new playthrough tomorrow.

Oh, and remember what I said about the dwarf boy? Forget it. I wouldn't dare now to try :lol

P.S. Faunts/M2 is vastly superior to the song in this game.

 

[Tobor]

I am wondering same thing.

Is there some tactic I can set and not worry about my party, like ever? I just want to focus on my main character...

The default tactics for each character aren't terrible, and update automatically as you unlock new powers that fit that tactic scheme. The important part is to build the characters to match the tactics you like and tweak a little bit when you feel comfortable.

 

[Warnen]

I'm starting to regret using DLC at this point. I don't think I'll ever find something to replace the Red Dragon Armor, Bergens's Honor, Final reason and Starfang. All of which are easily obtainable or already in your inventory starting out (I mean, what the fuck?).

Feels like Bioware tricked me into paying for cheats.

There are 2 sets of armor I fount better then Red Dragon. don't have the LE stuff but Starfang is the best 1 hander I fount, did get another 1hander that looks the same so I'm dual weilding them both now.

 

[Tobor]

Is there an uber set of light armor? Everything super special seems to be heavy or massive.

 

[Shrennin]

I have the game and DLC but haven't played it yet - I heard there were complications with the DLC - do I input the codes on EA's site, or do it through the Dragon Age game menu when I boot it up on my 360?

Also - if I don't want to use the DLC for my first playthrough (but the codes only last until the last month of January, I believe), does a certain NPC hold them for me and I would just choose not to use them or acquire them from said NPC?

 

[knitoe]

I have the game and DLC but haven't played it yet - I heard there were complications with the DLC - do I input the codes on EA's site, or do it through the Dragon Age game menu when I boot it up on my 360?

Also - if I don't want to use the DLC for my first playthrough (but the codes only last until the last month of January, I believe), does a certain NPC hold them for me and I would just choose not to use them or acquire them from said NPC?

Enter code inside game.

You have to redeem code before it expire, but afterward, you should have the DLC to play with forever. There's no reason not to play DLC in every play session.

 

[Kosma]

Have to agree with Amirox, Shale doesnt fit in the game at all. Reading the lore on the golems and how they were the backbone of the dwarven armies for a while and then meeting Shale is such an anticlimax.

 

[Fredescu]

Knowing how the golems were created, he makes perfect sense.

Is there an uber set of light armor? Everything super special seems to be heavy or massive.

Superior Drakescale? I only came across a couple of better pieces. You can make a light dragonbone too from memory, but I got the plate so I don't know how much better it is.

 

[Minsc]

Got a handle on the battles now, and thank god for the isometric view. I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy the battles without it, moving your squad in to formations and navigating around the enemies is not much fun for me in 3rd person.

I'm finding myself about 75/25 in isometric view / 3rd person view.

 

[Kosma]

Knowing how the golems were created, he makes perfect sense.

I havent gotten that part of the lore yet. But I cant imagine dwarfs creating an army of wise ass joke cracking golems.

 

[Zeliard]

I havent gotten that part of the lore yet. But I cant imagine dwarfs creating an army of wise ass joke cracking golems.

The whole point of Shale is that he has free will, unlike the other golems who are slaves to the control rod.

 

[Shrennin]

Enter code inside game.

You have to redeem code before it expire, but afterward, you should have the DLC to play with forever. There's no reason not to play DLC in every play session.

Will do - I'll probably enter the DLC in even though I won't be actually playing the game until later (lots of work to do).

 

[Zzoram]

I havent gotten that part of the lore yet. But I cant imagine dwarfs creating an army of wise ass joke cracking golems.

If you listened to his story, you'd hear that his master was experimenting on him as a way to channel more mana than normal. Somehow that extra mana gave him free will by disrupting the control rod's hold over him. Also, he spent 30 years in a village center listening and watching the people. Other golems didn't have that experience.

 

[Tobor]

Shale makes perfect sense in the story, and is one of the highlights of the game. I can't imagine playing the Deep Roads segment without Shale in my party.

 

[Rad Agast]

I just installed the game earlier this evening. Will start playing it tomorrow hopefully but I had a quick question, how is the mage class? Can it stand on it's own or will I feel like a weakling for the majority of the game? (I'm assuming the mobs keep leveling up with you yes?). I've been avoiding all reviews/previews regarding this game for over a year so I don't have much info on this stuff. While we're at it, how is the ranger/rogue class? Comparable to D&D or weaker?

 

[water_wendi]

I just installed the game earlier this evening. Will start playing it tomorrow hopefully but I had a quick question, how is the mage class? Can it stand on it's own or will I feel like a weakling for the majority of the game? (I'm assuming the mobs keep leveling up with you yes?). I've been avoiding all reviews/previews regarding this game for over a year so I don't have much info on this stuff. While we're at it, how is the ranger/rogue class? Comparable to D&D or weaker?

Its the most powerful class in the game by far... from level 1 on up. Your mage + the two in the game could seriously fuck everything up and then some without breaking a sweat. Highest damage, AoE damage, and the only source of healing other than potions.. you could even Shapeshift into a tanking creature with the right spec. i see why Bioware only has 2 mages vs 5 warriors and 2 rogues for NPCs :lol

 

[Zeliard]

Shale makes perfect sense in the story, and is one of the highlights of the game. I can't imagine playing the Deep Roads segment without Shale in my party.

Haven't done any of the Orzammar stuff yet. I was wondering if having Shale in the party during that section would be of some significance.

 

[lorddarkflare]

Its the most powerful class in the game by far... from level 1 on up. Your mage + the two in the game could seriously fuck everything up and then some without breaking a sweat. Highest damage, AoE damage, and the only source of healing other than potions.. you could even Shapeshift into a tanking creature with the right spec. i see why Bioware only has 2 mages vs 5 warriors and 2 rogues for NPCs :lol

I would assume that they would have considered balancing them at some point.

 

[water_wendi]

I would assume that they would have considered balancing them at some point.

Well given the low magic setting it makes sense. DAs world is where a single mage can turn the tide of battle.

Oh i forgot that Arcane Warrior spec. People have said its the best tank spec outside one of Shales setups.

 

[Tobor]

Haven't done any of the Orzammar stuff yet. I was wondering if having Shale in the party during that section would be of some significance.

YES. Don't do it without Shale.

 

[Kosma]

Shale makes perfect sense in the story, and is one of the highlights of the game. I can't imagine playing the Deep Roads segment without Shale in my party.

This is just what I will do though.

 

[DY_nasty]

Sten isn't a competent tank at all.

 

[Ferrio]

Where do you get shale anyways?

 

[Haunted]

The different origins stories are excellent, haven't had a game where I clicked on "New Game" immediately after the credits rolled in quite a while.

morrigan is a bitch. why does disapprove everything???

Stop being such a goody two-shoes and you'll notice her approval of your actions will go way up.

 

[Kosma]

I mean seriously, Shale talks about how he wants to sparkle from side to side, and if the crystals make him look wider -_-

Some golem

Where do you get shale anyways?

That pass to Orlais, you got to redeem a code on Bioware site first though.

 

[Zeliard]

YES. Don't do it without Shale.

Shale's a fixture in my party. He's not going anywhere.

I mean seriously, Shale talks about how he wants to sparkle from side to side, and if the crystals make him look wider -_-

Some golem

He just wants to be pretty.

 

[Kosma]

He just wants to be pretty.

I honestly thought for a second Shale was homosexual, but being a golem I guess thats not even possible.

 

[Splatt]

Heh. I got into

Spoiler

blood mage hideout in Denerim and managed to sneak past them with my rogue and I simply walked to the big boss of the hideout :lol

 

[Chichikov]

I would assume that they would have considered balancing them at some point.

I hope not, this is a single player game, it doesn't need class balance.
Sure, all classes need to be viable (and they are) and none should be too strong that it would trivialize the game (and generally, none of them are).
Over balancing just ends up watering down all classes.
Classes were not remotely balanced in BG2 or IWD, there is no reason for it in a game like this.

 

[slayn]

I decided to go back and play through every origin. My opinion is thus:

Dwarf Noble > City Elf > Human Noble > Mage > Dalish Elf > Dwarf Commoner

Dwarf noble has the best origin story, is lengthy, and provides variety in your interactions. Definitely the best.

City Elf is short, but intense. Although it had the potential to be the darkest, it is kind of a shame that it is somewhat censored. If it were longer, and more graphic, it had the potential be the most emotionally charged. I think it could have benefitted as well from having a portion that takes place when your character is younger. Some sort of quest in denerim amongst the humans where you really felt the racism.

The main thing I think sets these two above the rest is that they form the best transitions into becoming a grey warden. Rather than the game forcing my hand, the stories actually made me feel like my character had no other choice. A big problem for me with the others below is that, judging just by the story, I felt like I should have had a choice but the game forced my hand.

Human Noble I thought was fairly interesting. The actual main story is short but there are a variety of extra hidden things you can do sprinkled around the castle that I enjoyed finding. However, I felt human noble was the worst offender of the thing above about forced outcomes. I wanted to

Spoiler

Stay and hide in Denerim so that I could assassinate arl howe. I already had an escape route from the castle. Main character and his mother should have sought refuse with a noble they trusted, not 1 stay to die while the other becomes a grey warden.

The actual gameplay of the mage origin was pretty boring but I liked the introduction to the Fade themacticaly and I give this one bonus points for its ending. Its here that you really see the power of

Spoiler

blood magic

Dalish Elf... now we're going down hill. The only good part was that it used unique locations not otherwise present in the game. But story wise it offered a lot of questions and no answers.

Dwarf Commoner I thought was kind of eh. It didn't really feel that cohesive. You are dumped into a situation that you don't really understand because you have no context. And honestly if I had had the choice, I thought

Spoiler

Main Character and his sister should have just left for the surface right from the beginning. There is nothing for them in the slums. Pack up your shit and leave bitches.

 

[Fredescu]

I thought the villain in the city elf origin was cringe worthy.

 

[firehawk12]

City Elf is short, but intense. Although it had the potential to be the darkest, it is kind of a shame that it is somewhat censored. If it were longer, and more graphic, it had the potential be the most emotionally charged. I think it could have benefitted as well from having a portion that takes place when your character is younger. Some sort of quest in denerim amongst the humans where you really felt the racism.

I still find it kind of strange that you can have sex with a transsexual prostitute but they aren't willing to depict rape in a realistic way or even mention it explicitly. Figures.

 

[Durante]

I think Shale is both fun as a character and a really good tank. His stances make him very versatile. He's always in my party.

I hope not, this is a single player game, it doesn't need class balance.
Sure, all classes need to be viable (and they are) and none should be too strong that it would trivialize the game (and generally, none of them are).
Over balancing just ends up watering down all classes.
Classes were not remotely balanced in BG2 or IWD, there is no reason for it in a game like this.

I completely agree. Doing away with the artificial and limiting need to "balance" classes is one of the great advantages of single-player games. (And particularly party-based RPGs)

Got a handle on the battles now, and thank god for the isometric view. I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy the battles without it, moving your squad in to formations and navigating around the enemies is not much fun for me in 3rd person.

Same here. Today I had to clear out a massive, hard encounter and I solved it by pulling to a choke point, blocking that point with Shale and then dropping every area effect damage over time spell behind it that I had, placed exactly a few pixels away from hitting my tank. I don't think I could have done the character alignment and spell targeting without the isometric view. Well, at least it would have been extremely cumbersome.