Dragon Age is out

[Netko]

If your PC can cope, get that version.

Its pretty undemanding compared to, hell, anything. The requirements are basically the same as with NWN2 (which is what, 3, 4 years old now?), except that had a POS unoptimized engine, while Dragon Age is extremely polished. It runs great on my laptop (Radeon 3650 graphics). If you have Vista or Win7, as long as your rating is above 4.7 or so, get it for the PC - its one of the first games where what little consolitis exists is actually a benefit because it simplifies the UI exactly where it needs to be simplified.

[Darth Quorthon]

So I created an account on the BioWare social network to redeem the two codes that came with my copy of the game. I thought the village of Honnleah (sp?) where you find Shale was pretty fun, although I was bit disappointed with the Blood Dragon Armor, but since it was free I guess I can't complain. I just finished the Dalish elves part of the quest so now they're ready to help me fight the Darkspawn. All in all I'm enjoying the game, as has been said before it has a lot of polish, although at times the characters seem a bit "talky". I went ahead and got the Spirit Healer specialization for Morrigan since she's the only mage-type I've been able to recruit thus far (my main is a human noble warrior) and the rest of the team's addiction to health poultices is alarming, and the merchants don't seem to restock them as fast as I quaff them. At least I brew up some more with all the Elfroot that I've gathered in my travels.

[Vympel]

After some more play, the game is indeed really damn hard on Normal, despite my best efforts to cope, I've turned the difficulty down. Easy is hard enough for me.

[Xon]

Inferno + earthquake cast at the one spot at the same time and then followed by a Fireball to knock people down in the middle of the inferno is quite awesome at killing a lot of stuff.

I'm about 1-2 levels away from adding a Blizard to that combo to freeze people and then burn them

3 mages and 1 tank is quite awesome.

What I can't figure out is how to unlock spirital healer.

[Aaron]

So I created an account on the BioWare social network to redeem the two codes that came with my copy of the game. I thought the village of Honnleah (sp?) where you find Shale was pretty fun, although I was bit disappointed with the Blood Dragon Armor, but since it was free I guess I can't complain. I just finished the Dalish elves part of the quest so now they're ready to help me fight the Darkspawn. All in all I'm enjoying the game, as has been said before it has a lot of polish, although at times the characters seem a bit "talky". I went ahead and got the Spirit Healer specialization for Morrigan since she's the only mage-type I've been able to recruit thus far (my main is a human noble warrior) and the rest of the team's addiction to health poultices is alarming, and the merchants don't seem to restock them as fast as I quaff them. At least I brew up some more with all the Elfroot that I've gathered in my travels.

If you head to the Circle Tower immediately after Lothering then you get Wynne at the end of the quest (you may have met her at Ostagar), who is an excellent healer.

The Dalish camp also has a never ending supply of Elfroot at the smith.

[Vympel]

Fuck. I went straight to Redcliffe, fat lot of good that did me. I've been without a healer this whole time. Oh well, after I finish this stuff in Haven (I assume I'm very close to saving the Arl) I'm heading for the Circle of Magi.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

(I assume I'm very close to saving the Arl)

Hahahaha.

The thing I've learned is to not underestimate this game's size. While it isn't as lengthy as say, Baldur's Gate 2, you've got a ways to go yet if you're only in Haven.
Spoiler

And if you want to complete everything in the subsequent area, you're going to need be, like, level 14 or so. And some kind of healing is a must.

[Xon]

I managed todo almost all the Dalish area at level 8-10. 1 tank 3 mages is really fucking broken. Overlapping frost touch, fireballs and earthquakes are insane.

I've got 1 last piece of theJuggernaut armor set to get, and the Arcane Warrior specialization to unlock.

However, I didn't complete the find the werewolve infected wife in the optimium way(you should be able to keep able to rescue her alive) and I'm fairly sure I flubbed putting the death wife & child to rest. And there are a bunch of locked chests I haven't liberated yet.

[Darth Quorthon]

So I created an account on the BioWare social network to redeem the two codes that came with my copy of the game. I thought the village of Honnleah (sp?) where you find Shale was pretty fun, although I was bit disappointed with the Blood Dragon Armor, but since it was free I guess I can't complain. I just finished the Dalish elves part of the quest so now they're ready to help me fight the Darkspawn. All in all I'm enjoying the game, as has been said before it has a lot of polish, although at times the characters seem a bit "talky". I went ahead and got the Spirit Healer specialization for Morrigan since she's the only mage-type I've been able to recruit thus far (my main is a human noble warrior) and the rest of the team's addiction to health poultices is alarming, and the merchants don't seem to restock them as fast as I quaff them. At least I brew up some more with all the Elfroot that I've gathered in my travels.

If you head to the Circle Tower immediately after Lothering then you get Wynne at the end of the quest (you may have met her at Ostagar), who is an excellent healer.

The Dalish camp also has a never ending supply of Elfroot at the smith.

Yeah not long after I made that post I headed to the tower, although at first I made a mistake in my dialogue with Wynne and ended up with her and the other mages attacking me. I did a quick reload there. One specialization I haven't unlocked yet is Reaver, but my main is already a champion/berserker and I think you have to side with the "dragon cult" to get it.
Spoiler

Yeah, the ruins/caves/etc. that finally lead to the holy grailurn to save the Arl was looonngg and there's one battle in there involving mages, reavers, and drakes that I skipped, although I may go back and try it again later.

[Aaron]

Fuck. I went straight to Redcliffe, fat lot of good that did me. I've been without a healer this whole time. Oh well, after I finish this stuff in Haven (I assume I'm very close to saving the Arl) I'm heading for the Circle of Magi.

Haven is pretty close to the end of saving the Arl but it's a long slog for the ashes once you get there (the tale end of a very long quest).

[Manus Celer Dei]

Why don't poisons work with bows? There's nothing in the description to imply there's any sort of exception, but when I use them nothing seems to happen. The same is true for the various spells to apply elemental attributes to weapons.
The elemental spells I can understand, as there's various elemental arrows/bolts instead, but why not the poisons?

Also Shale is great fun, and ludicrously overpowered. It's great, because as long as I have him on my team there's no need to worry about party balance or anything as he just seems to steamroll everything so far.

[Molyneux]

Why don't poisons work with bows? There's nothing in the description to imply there's any sort of exception, but when I use them nothing seems to happen. The same is true for the various spells to apply elemental attributes to weapons.
The elemental spells I can understand, as there's various elemental arrows/bolts instead, but why not the poisons?

Also Shale is great fun, and ludicrously overpowered. It's great, because as long as I have him on my team there's no need to worry about party balance or anything as he just seems to steamroll everything so far.

Maybe you need to use them on arrows, instead?
I haven't actually gotten past the tutorial yet.

[Darth Quorthon]

Has anyone downloaded the "Warden's Keep" content and had the Soldier's Peak location disappear from their world map? I googled the issue and there doesn't seem to be a fix for it as yet, although hopefully it comes soon, I had/have some good stuff stashed there. Annoyingly it happened to me right after I completed the mage tower, where I found several manifests and documents that seemed liked they'd be important to Levi up at the keep. Also, did anyone else find the final battle at the top of the tower a bit anticlimatic after what you had to go through to overcome the sloth demon?

[Stofsk]

Has anyone chosen anything other than Human Noble Warrior? I am thinking of playing a Dalish Elf Rogue with Ranger in mind (I like bows).

How useful have people been finding skills? Especially ones like Coercion?

[Aaron]

I'm playing a Dalish Rogue right now (I also have a Dwarf Commoner Rogue) and it's pretty enjoyable. I usually stick to dual blades with her but a bow has come in handy a few times (in the werewolf lair for example).

Skills? Herbalism is definitely a keeper, coercion is sometimes good to avoid a fight or get an extra reward, traps I've only used to make some extra cash.

[Aaron]

Anyone else having trouble keeping Allistar and Oghren alive? Besides Shale, Sten seems to be the only Warrior that isn't a health potion addict.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Alistair does all right. Keep his Shield Defense up, a healer giving him Regeneration and heals, and another warrior to help soak up some aggro and it usually isn't too problematic.

[Stofsk]

Has anyone experienced any bugs or glitches? I've had a weird graphical glitch that occurs after I finish the origin story and head to Ostagar.

[Molyneux]

Going with elf wizard, here; finished the tutorial last night.
I'm quite enjoying it, though I wiped my first try against the "demon" and had to remember to take out the little pets of his beforehand - the story seems pretty neat so far, but I may go ahead and finish Assassin's Creed before really getting into this.

[weemadando]

I'm now up to Ostragar with my Human Noble Rogue (who's heading towards smarmy duellist).

That greasy motherfucker killed my parents. Vengeance. Shall. Be. Mine.

I'm just wondering though - does the Arl somehow kill your parents in every origin story just to ensure fantasy trope no. 5 is covered?

And like Molyneaux I think I'll wrap up Brutal Legend, MW2 and AC2 before really committing to this.

[White Haven]

No, the Arl does not. The first time my Human Mage heard the name was in the capitol city.

[Aaron]

Actually I think that is the only one it happens in. IIRC you have at least one living parent at then end of each origin save the Dalish (I don't think Mage mentions yours at all).

[White Haven]

Your parents are only mentioned in the Mage storyline as a conversation option with...the Old Mystical Hermit of the Woods, I think it was. You get to choose their fate via telling her what happened to them.

[Vympel]

Ahhh, the travails of playing a game for the first time, with no user guide / walkthrough so you're not spoiled.

So, how have I ballsed things up?

Well firstly I should've done the Circle of Mages first, rather than Redcliffe, to get Wynne. I'll have to go back to Haven now to complete *Cough* everything at the mountaintop, luckily you have that option.

Second I unecessarily Spoiler

sacrified Isolde

, thinking the option of going to the Circle of Magi was unfeasbile. Stupid stupid stupid.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Second I unecessarily Spoiler

sacrified Isolde

, thinking the option of going to the Circle of Magi was unfeasbile. Stupid stupid stupid.

Yeah, I did that too. The game had impressed me with its depth and intricacies, so I had assumed when that option was proposed and then shot down as "taking too long", I figured they meant it.