Dragon Age: Origins

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Got to put in a little bit of time in this last PM. Dialog choices often don't get expected results, and you have to go back to an earlier save and do it again.

Does the game play through better, if you try to remain consistent throughout the game in your decision making? And does it help, if your party characters tend to think alike rather than be natural adversaries?

In some earlier PC RPG's, you chose character alignment at the outset. You know, true neutral, lawful neutral, lawful good, chaotic, etc. It was sort of helpful, because moral decisions were somewhat preordained. In this game, your alignment sort of develops as you go along, and you have to be diligent and make decisions your character would make rather than make decisions you would make. Confounding this are ulterior motives and attitudes toward NPC's and what they think of each other.

For instance, keeping Alistair and Morrigan in a party is difficult. Actually keeping Alistair at all is difficult, because he's a dork. Trying to cultivate a romance with Morrigan (which I have chosen to do this playthrough) puts one at greater odds with Alistair, since making decisions to gain her approval (more of a neutral/neutral line) gains the disapproval of Alistair quickly (more lawful/neutral). It makes this game very difficult. I sort of think Alistair is jealous, too.

I'm pretty inconsistent with my character. There are some days where I'm nice and other days I just kill people for the heck of it. While I lose approval pts here and there, I just give them gifts to boost my approval pts.

Morrigan was pretty easy to get a romance with. I only finished the broken circle arc and hooked up soon after that.

Now I got two dudes left and some girl on girl action

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

I'm pretty inconsistent with my character. There are some days where I'm nice and other days I just kill people for the heck of it. While I lose approval pts here and there, I just give them gifts to boost my approval pts.

Morrigan was pretty easy to get a romance with. I only finished the broken circle arc and hooked up soon after that.

Now I got two dudes left and some girl on girl action

Well, I'm going to try to be consistently neutral for this playthrough. However, you miss out on experience opportunities maintaining Morrigan's approval. I've already been asked to leave a couple of towns and not return. But from looking at the trophy list, there are some big decisions later in the game that are probably much easier to make in a certain way, if you are not trying to play a good or evil character. This would have been a better playthrough for a rogue, though, and not a warrior.

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Well, I'm going to try to be consistently neutral for this playthrough. However, you miss out on experience opportunities maintaining Morrigan's approval. I've already been asked to leave a couple of towns and not return. But from looking at the trophy list, there are some big decisions later in the game that are probably much easier to make in a certain way, if you are not trying to play a good or evil character. This would have been a better playthrough for a rogue, though, and not a warrior.

I wish there were more origins for human characters. It just sucks that I have a rogue character with a noble background. The Dwarf's origin is perfect for a rogue character and it would have been nice if there was one for a human similar to that of the dwarf.

[dk3dknight]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Got to put in a little bit of time in this last PM. Dialog choices often don't get expected results, and you have to go back to an earlier save and do it again.

Does the game play through better, if you try to remain consistent throughout the game in your decision making? And does it help, if your party characters tend to think alike rather than be natural adversaries?

In some earlier PC RPG's, you chose character alignment at the outset. You know, true neutral, lawful neutral, lawful good, chaotic, etc. It was sort of helpful, because moral decisions were somewhat preordained. In this game, your alignment sort of develops as you go along, and you have to be diligent and make decisions your character would make rather than make decisions you would make. Confounding this are ulterior motives and attitudes toward NPC's and what they think of each other.

For instance, keeping Alistair and Morrigan in a party is difficult. Actually keeping Alistair at all is difficult, because he's a dork. Trying to cultivate a romance with Morrigan (which I have chosen to do this playthrough) puts one at greater odds with Alistair, since making decisions to gain her approval (more of a neutral/neutral line) gains the disapproval of Alistair quickly (more lawful/neutral). It makes this game very difficult. I sort of think Alistair is jealous, too.

It sounds like the Sten is the tank you would have in your party, instead of Alister, as Sten and Morrigan are both Chaotic Good Characters they tend to agree with the same decisions. Alister is a Lawful Good Character and thus would not agree with the same as a chaotic character.

Remeber with Sten he likes it when you respond boldy to him..

Example
Sten: I am not impressed with you grey warden
Me: I am not here to impress you.
Sten: We shall see..
+6 Sten

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Well, I'm going to try to be consistently neutral for this playthrough. However, you miss out on experience opportunities maintaining Morrigan's approval. I've already been asked to leave a couple of towns and not return. But from looking at the trophy list, there are some big decisions later in the game that are probably much easier to make in a certain way, if you are not trying to play a good or evil character. This would have been a better playthrough for a rogue, though, and not a warrior.

Well a real evil character would be Chaotic Evil but there is no place for such a character in this game, there is a nice niche for Lawful Evil for extra gold.

I do my best to play lawful good, and a word to warning for some folk, choosing the "jerk" option does not make you evil, it just makes you a jerk.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by dk3dknight

It sounds like the Sten is the tank you would have in your party, instead of Alister, as Sten and Morrigan are both Chaotic Good Characters they tend to agree with the same decisions. Alister is a Lawful Good Character and thus would not agree with the same as a chaotic character.


Well a real evil character would be Chaotic Evil but there is no place for such a character in this game, there is a nice niche for Lawful Evil for extra gold.

I do my best to play lawful good, and a word to warning for some folk, choosing the "jerk" option does not make you evil, it just makes you a jerk.

Sten's who I have now, with Morrigan and the Mabari Hound. I have not yet encountered someone with lockpick skills, so I am limited in that respect. Although I have played any other origin stories besides Dwarf Commoner, I think either a Dwarf or Human Noble are suitable for a rogue, depending on the stories, of course. Being born a noble allows some leeway in what activities you participate in, and acquisition of wealth or performance of favors as a roque can certainly lead to a position in the low noble ranks.

You are certain Sten is good rather than neutral? Any goodness I have yet to discover in him has been thrust upon him rather than chosen. His history reeks of deeds performed out of necessity, though he does not expound.

Playing lawful good is pretty difficult, I think, since sometimes the two don't go hand in hand. I think the easiest role to play is probably neutral good.

I'm so looking forward to getting back to the game. I had taken a few days off to work on Dead Space trophies. My wife likes this one too (she found the Mabari Hound marking territory especially amusing). She actually asked, if two could play at the same time (she has yet to play a PS3 game).

[dk3dknight]

My entire party is lawful good so lawful good is actually easy to fulfill.

My reasoning on stan is this.. break a promise or make a promise that is probably very hard to keep and both sten and morrigan will despise it.

The Sten cares alot about honor, he only respects you if you are stern but honorable. His strong morals keep him out of netrual for me. Perhaps your right, Good Neutral?

There are 2 rouges in this game, one is in the inn in the town you pick up stan and the other is later game...

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Sten's who I have now, with Morrigan and the Mabari Hound. I have not yet encountered someone with lockpick skills, so I am limited in that respect. Although I have played any other origin stories besides Dwarf Commoner, I think either a Dwarf or Human Noble are suitable for a rogue, depending on the stories, of course. Being born a noble allows some leeway in what activities you participate in, and acquisition of wealth or performance of favors as a roque can certainly lead to a position in the low noble ranks.

You are certain Sten is good rather than neutral? Any goodness I have yet to discover in him has been thrust upon him rather than chosen. His history reeks of deeds performed out of necessity, though he does not expound.

Playing lawful good is pretty difficult, I think, since sometimes the two don't go hand in hand. I think the easiest role to play is probably neutral good.

I'm so looking forward to getting back to the game. I had taken a few days off to work on Dead Space trophies. My wife likes this one too (she found the Mabari Hound marking territory especially amusing). She actually asked, if two could play at the same time (she has yet to play a PS3 game).

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by dk3dknight

My reasoning on stan is this.. break a promise or make a promise that is probably very hard to keep and both sten and morrigan will despise it.

Keeping/breaking promises is more of a Lawful/Chaotic axis thing, not a Good/Evil axis thing.

I haven't used Sten, but given Morrigan's "Don't do anything that doesn't directly help us or I'll get pissed" attitude, she's neutral at best. No way I'd call her good.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Keeping/breaking promises is more of a Lawful/Chaotic axis thing, not a Good/Evil axis thing.

I haven't used Sten, but given Morrigan's "Don't do anything that doesn't directly help us or I'll get pissed" attitude, she's neutral at best. No way I'd call her good.

Yes, Morrigan is true neutral (completely amoral), and my take on Sten is that he's lawful evil. He even comes out and says he is evil during a conversation. This is a frustrating playthrough with these two in my party, and I'm not sure I can be successful all the way to the end (since I don't know what's to come) but keeping them happy costs opportunities for experience points.

[Show spoiler]For instance, I let the village of Redcliffe fall to the undead. I am not sure, if I can still find Arl Eamon. But that was a quest from Alistair, and I ditched him.

I'll keep on as long as I can, but I am not confident. I wasted a ton of time trying and retrying things in Redcliffe, trying to appease my party while trying to help the villagers, but it was not possible. But that's why it's a game right. I can at least play the game through making the difficult choices in a way I normally would not.

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Yes, Morrigan is true neutral (completely amoral), and my take on Sten is that he's lawful evil. He even comes out and says he is evil during a conversation. This is a frustrating playthrough with these two in my party, and I'm not sure I can be successful all the way to the end (since I don't know what's to come) but keeping them happy costs opportunities for experience points.

[Show spoiler]For instance, I let the village of Redcliffe fall to the undead. I am not sure, if I can still find Arl Eamon. But that was a quest from Alistair, and I ditched him.

I'll keep on as long as I can, but I am not confident. I wasted a ton of time trying and retrying things in Redcliffe, trying to appease my party while trying to help the villagers, but it was not possible. But that's why it's a game right. I can at least play the game through making the difficult choices in a way I normally would not.

You can always take them out of your party when making decisions and put them back in when you fight. That's what I did with the broken circle arc.

[X400]

Hey guys did you know you can play the EA flash game Dragons Age Journeys to unlock items in Origins?

http://www.dragonagejourneys.com/

i've been playing it shame i cant link my EA account though (its linked to another email that i dont remember)

[Trailbreaker77]

I hope this game is a part of Amazon's Black Friday deal I really want this game.

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by X400

Hey guys did you know you can play the EA flash game Dragons Age Journeys to unlock items in Origins?

http://www.dragonagejourneys.com/

i've been playing it shame i cant link my EA account though (its linked to another email that i dont remember)

any items worth the effort?

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

You can always take them out of your party when making decisions and put them back in when you fight. That's what I did with the broken circle arc.

Yes, I realize that, but it's sort of not in the spirit of the game (at least as far as I'm concerned). Part of the challenge is picking a style of play, choosing a party and making it work. As you go, you're constantly thinking of what you'll do the next time around, and it's already a dilemma.

[Show spoiler]In the Broken Circle, if you have Morrigan or Sten, they not approve of siding with the mages, which to me is the good thing to do. But, if Alistair is in your party, he certainly won't like siding with the mages, either.

I just started this part this morning. I decided to side with the Templars this time. I like to party up and try to play all the way through with the same characters. I understand, though, that you have to recruit everyone, if you want a platinum.

[dk3dknight]

Originally Posted by Terjyn

Keeping/breaking promises is more of a Lawful/Chaotic axis thing, not a Good/Evil axis thing.

I haven't used Sten, but given Morrigan's "Don't do anything that doesn't directly help us or I'll get pissed" attitude, she's neutral at best. No way I'd call her good.

In a way he is not lawful enough to be lawful, I personally feel that is alongside good and evil or at least what he sees as good and evil.

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Yes, Morrigan is true neutral (completely amoral), and my take on Sten is that he's lawful evil. He even comes out and says he is evil during a conversation. This is a frustrating playthrough with these two in my party, and I'm not sure I can be successful all the way to the end (since I don't know what's to come) but keeping them happy costs opportunities for experience points.

[Show spoiler]For instance, I let the village of Redcliffe fall to the undead. I am not sure, if I can still find Arl Eamon. But that was a quest from Alistair, and I ditched him.

I'll keep on as long as I can, but I am not confident. I wasted a ton of time trying and retrying things in Redcliffe, trying to appease my party while trying to help the villagers, but it was not possible. But that's why it's a game right. I can at least play the game through making the difficult choices in a way I normally would not.

The rouge you pick up in the inn in the same city as sten is a lawful good, so she will support your protecting the city, alister will also support that, and I believe if the spiritual healer was there she would also support helping the citizens.

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

You can always take them out of your party when making decisions and put them back in when you fight. That's what I did with the broken circle arc.

That is a good point..

Originally Posted by X400

Hey guys did you know you can play the EA flash game Dragons Age Journeys to unlock items in Origins?

http://www.dragonagejourneys.com/

i've been playing it shame i cant link my EA account though (its linked to another email that i dont remember)

Actually I mentioned that further back in this thread.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...6&postcount=65

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

any items worth the effort?

Unlocks.

Amulet Of the War Mage

This amulet was forged during the height of the ancient Tevinter Imperium's power, a time when entire armies would flee upon seeing a Tevinter magister stride into battle. While the name Cavellus remains engraved on its back, any memory of the magister who created it has been lost to the mists of time.
Effects

• +5% to Fire Damage
• +5 % to Cold Damage
• +5% to Electrical Damage
• +5% to Nature Damage
• +5% to Spirit Damage

Requirements

To earn the Amulet of the War Mage in Dragon Age: Origins, you must complete Dragon Age Journeys on the hard combat difficulty setting. The difficulty setting must be set to hard for the entire play through. The combat difficulty setting is chosen after character creation.




Helm of the Deep

There is a legend amongst the dwarves of the Legion of the Dead that, three centuries ago, a commander of the Legion came across the body of a legionnaire wearing a helmet inscribed with lyrium. He took it, and died nobly... and then his body was found years later by another commander--and so forth, for generations. The helmet is said to be a sign of an honorable death for the lucky dwarf who stumbles across it.
Effects

• +2 Constitution
• +10 Mental Resistance
• +10 Physical Resistance

Requirements

To earn the Helm of the Deep in Dragon Age: Origins, you must earn all five achievements in Dragon Age Journeys: The Deep Roads.




Embri's Many Pockets

Embri of Gwaren, an elven mage of limited talent who volunteered to become one of the Tranquil, proved herself a talented enchanter--if absent-minded. She kept an array of magical ingredients on her belt at all times, and eventually the belt itself became magical. Embri died of lyrium poisoning many years later, but the enchanted belt remains.
Effects

• +5% Fire Resistance
• +5% Cold Resistance
• +5% Electricity Resistance
• +5% Nature Resistance
• +5% Spirit Resistance

Requirements

To earn Embri's Many Pockets in Dragon Age: Origins, save the Grey Warden Martine by completing The Missing Warden quest

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by dk3dknight

The rouge you pick up in the inn in the same city as sten is a lawful good, so she will support your protecting the city, alister will also support that, and I believe if the spiritual healer was there she would also support helping the citizens.

Indeed! It wasn't really a question. Just need to discuss with some friends, you know. To mention such ideas to my wife and colleagues who I see daily elicits nothing but rolled eyes. Here, on the other hand, I get intelligent, courteous discourse.

I was just commenting, really, that choosing a completely non-good party makes doing good things difficult and is a challenging way to play. I made the arbitrary decision to complete the Morrigan romance first, and I am letting that sort of dictate things. I was planning the second playthrough with Alistair and Leliana and Likely Wynne, at least for significant time periods, and playing a hero.

Is it possible to do more than one romance in a single playthrough?

[Terjyn]

Originally Posted by dk3dknight

In a way he is not lawful enough to be lawful, I personally feel that is alongside good and evil or at least what he sees as good and evil.

Following rules (AKA, making a promise then keeping it) is decidedly lawful. If I promise you that I will kill every elf I see and then keep that promise, I'm not doing a good act, and is not affected even slightly towards good by being a kept promise.

BTW, having some characteristics of an alignment in no way means you are that alignment. If I never lie but ignore all rules and act without regard to the effects of my actions I'd still be chaotic, even though telling the truth is a lawful thing to do.

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

Is it possible to do more than one romance in a single playthrough?

Yes.

But...

It, like all multiple romances in life, is complicated. You have to time things nearly exactly right and plan accordingly.

Also, you can have a threesome and even a foursome if you REALLY play your cards right. Just keep in mind the 'Luck' stat isn't in Dragon Age so you have to use your wits 100% in order to get that kind of action!

[jsteinhauer]

I'm playing on the "hard" setting, for what that's worth.

I'm in the mages' tower, having chosen to side with the Templars and clear out the tower. Up to this point, all of the fights have been reasonably easy. But

[Show spoiler] the demon that spawns when you take the vial from the statue of Andraste

on the third floor, I think, and the

[Show spoiler] desire demon and the charmed Templar (and various undead)

on the fourth floor are unbeatable with my current party or at my current level, so it seems. Any tips for these guys? Also, is it possible to complete the quest in favor of the Templars, if you left the one mage

[Show spoiler] in the armoir

. If you don't kill him your first chance, you don't get the opportunity again. I wish there was a feature to pause the game automatically after each round of dice rolls, for micromanagement of tactics.

I'm actually pretty near the point of throwing in the towel and starting over.

[Beefbowl]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

I'm playing on the "hard" setting, for what that's worth.

I'm in the mages' tower, having chosen to side with the Templars and clear out the tower. Up to this point, all of the fights have been reasonably easy. But

[Show spoiler] the demon that spawns when you take the vial from the statue of Andraste

on the third floor, I think, and the

[Show spoiler] desire demon and the charmed Templar (and various undead)

on the fourth floor are unbeatable with my current party or at my current level, so it seems. Any tips for these guys? Also, is it possible to complete the quest in favor of the Templars, if you left the one mage

[Show spoiler] in the armoir

. If you don't kill him your first chance, you don't get the opportunity again. I wish there was a feature to pause the game automatically after each round of dice rolls, for micromanagement of tactics.

I'm actually pretty near the point of throwing in the towel and starting over.

How did you side with the Templars in the beginning? You don't make that decision till the end. (well at least for me). Without Wynne, it's going to be very difficult to get past this story arc or any other major story-line unless you have another healer on your team. You

[Show spoiler] can't kill the guy in the armoire. There's not an option for you to attack him.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Beefbowl

How did you side with the Templars in the beginning? You don't make that decision till the end. (well at least for me). Without Wynne, it's going to be very difficult to get past this story arc or any other major story-line unless you have another healer on your team. You

[Show spoiler] can't kill the guy in the armoire. There's not an option for you to attack him.

Basically by

[Show spoiler] agreeing to enter the tower and clear it out,

I "decided" to side with the Templars. Taking this approach,

[Show spoiler] Wynne became hostile and attacked first. So she is dead.

Sounds like I need to reboot from where I picked up Morrigan in the party. My party choice was not well thought out with respect to my player character and alignment choices.