Dragon Age Origins Walkthrough

Class benefits:

+5 magic, +4 willpower, +1 cunning

Class specializations:

Spirit healer, shapeshifter, arcane warrior, and blood mage

As dangerous as it is potent, magic is a curse for those lacking the will to wield it. Malevolent spirits that wish to enter the world of the living are drawn to mages like beacons, putting the mage and everyone nearby in constant danger. Because of this, mages lead lives of isolation, locked away from the world they threaten.

1. NONE says:

   November 13, 2009 at 3:32 am

   Posted in the right place, sorry for multi post earlier here : http://www.dragonageguide.com/

   Playing as a mage : (elementalist/creationist)

   Rule #1 : SPACEBAR is your friend. Use it often to check everyone’s life, if you don’t have too much experience as a healer in another RPG. Especially with AoE (Area of effect) spells to put them in the right place and not harm your little pets. And since wards/fire are only AoE…

   16 points in cunning is essential, no more. Balance 2/1 points in magic/willpower. No need for the rest, Alistair should be able to take head on anything if you heal him, plus you have a repulsion ward if any baddy wants to attack you in hand to hand combat.

   Persuasion is essential in my opinion for a mage. Since you only need herbalism (and don’t really need it anyway), you can save a lot of time/fights/money by using persuasion. Plus, you can sometimes get access to mini quests, with monetary/XP rewards.

   You have two options in elements :

   - either go for fire, with a big area damage, good damage, and damage over time + a good bonus to melee weapons for your companions. Don’t take inferno, it is nearly useless in open areas. Although… given the amount of damage it deals, with a combo immobilizing the target, or slowing/stunning a group of enemies… I haven’t tried it.

   - OR you go for frost and earth. Good def, a bit of frost for melee companions, AND thh frost + stone projectile shattering combo.

   Creation :
   - heal ! compulsory.
   - wards, for three reasons :
   * repulsion ward : great in all enclosed areas. Cast it on a door before opening it. Open, and… Fireball everything indoors. You have the time for two fireballs before any enemy reaches you. Great if you’re the only one standing and only melee fighters are around. Very useful in the Lost in Dream quest. Cast it at your feet, and hose the world with death and flames.
   * the ultimate mage fighting spell : a ward that annihilates all magic. Offensively : Target your chosen mage, and it/he/she has no mana/no buffs on it. If you keep it in with, say, a tank… It’s a dead mage. Defensively : have your tank taunt every single mage, cast the ward on him… No spell will reach him. Be aware that healing magic doesn’t work either, so a high threshold for poultices is required in a tactical slot.
   * wards combo. AoE paralysis :p
   Use a repulsion ward, then cast a paralysis ward that touches it. Anything in contact with both wards + 1 meter diameter WILL be paralysed for a LONG time. No enemy resisted on all the atempts I made. No ally either, FRIENDLY FIRE POSSIBLE !
2. NONE says:

   November 18, 2009 at 11:53 pm

   Scrap anything I said about inferno/blizzard/tempest. They are very useful to lock out an area, if you have numerous enemies. (and Orzammar is only enclosed areas) Especially blizzard since it doesnt deal much damage, but slows/freezes enemies.