Thread: Dragon Age Origins

Hey Mal, have you gotten to the Circle Tower yet?

If you haven't... it's just incredible.

Originally Posted by captain castle

dude, I had to play on Normal cause I'm ALWAYS lighting my teammates on fire with Flaming Hands, and my Fireballs are indiscriminate in their fiery pain.

I'm sticking to Hard difficulty, and I hardly ever light my team on fire with Fireblast. You just have to position them correctly and to not go nuts with the spell.

As for Fireball, I'm actually hesitant to spec into it just for that reason, though maybe if I have another mage that can Mass Paralyze or Mind Blast enemies into place, I could then get my allies out of are before I follow up with a Fireball.

Also, turn off the default combat tactic for it, or you'll spend half your time frying your own party members.

Has anyone else done a magi? the entropy school of magic has some really abusable magic.

Yeah. I, however, chose the the dumbest line of spells in the Entropy category, the Hex one. I am kicking myself for not choosing any of the others, all of which are incredible. I could've also gotten the glyphs in the Creation Tree I suppose. I don't have Death Hex yet, nor am I close to getting it, but hopefully that'll make the sunken ability points more worth the expense.


Under spirit, I went with Mind Blast/Force Field/Telekinetic Weapons/Crushing Prison. Mind Blast is the only other AoE disabler that will not affect party members, aside from Mass Paralysis which you can't get until far later in the game. It's pretty useful for helping to get control of the situation if things get hairy.

Force Field is highly exploitable; it not only makes the target invulnerable for a whole half a minute (I believe), but it actually also increases the effective size of the target. Given the mechanics of how the enemy melee AI chooses its target, it's rather easy to have the force fielded party member act as an invulnerable tank while the rest of the party can pick off the enemies one by one. This has saved me from a wipe more than once.

I haven't been paying attention to the damage difference due with my melee members due to Telekinetic Weapons, but I'm assuming it's substantial on armored foes.

Crushing Prison is both a single target disabling spell and really excellent DoT. Even without the chance to shatter petrified/frozen targets it'd be great.


I got the first Heal spell in the Creation category. Every mage should have it; it's too bad it took me so long to realize how necessary it is.


In Primal, I have Flame Blast/Flaming Weapons. In retrospect, it would have been better if I went with Frost for the Freezing effects or to have just stayed out of Primal.


The Mage abilities I have are Arcane Bolt and Arcane Shield. I don't know how great Arcane Shield is. Considering how much I use my staff's basic attack, I should probably get Staff Focus the next time I level up.

Originally Posted by sycld

I'm sticking to Hard difficulty, and I hardly ever light my team on fire with Fireblast. You just have to position them correctly and to not go nuts with the spell.

Not a possibility

As for Fireball, I'm actually hesitant to spec into it just for that reason, though maybe if I have another mage that can Mass Paralyze or Mind Blast enemies into place, I could then get my allies out of are before I follow up with a Fireball.

Quit being a little bitch and blast stuff

Yeah. I, however, chose the the dumbest line of spells in the Entropy category, the Hex one. I am kicking myself for not choosing any of the others, all of which are incredible. I could've also gotten the glyphs in the Creation Tree I suppose. I don't have Death Hex yet, nor am I close to getting it, but hopefully that'll make the sunken ability points more worth the expense.

Sleep plus Horror is the best single target damage ever. I'm serious ever.

Under spirit, I went with Mind Blast/Force Field/Telekinetic Weapons/Crushing Prison. Mind Blast is the only other AoE disabler that will not affect party members, aside from Mass Paralysis which you can't get until far later in the game. It's pretty useful for helping to get control of the situation if things get hairy.

Force Field is highly exploitable; it not only makes the target invulnerable for a whole half a minute (I believe), but it actually also increases the effective size of the target. Given the mechanics of how the enemy melee AI chooses its target, it's rather easy to have the force fielded party member act as an invulnerable tank while the rest of the party can pick off the enemies one by one. This has saved me from a wipe more than once.

I haven't been paying attention to the damage difference due with my melee members due to Telekinetic Weapons, but I'm assuming it's substantial on armored foes.

Crushing Prison is both a single target disabling spell and really excellent DoT. Even without the chance to shatter petrified/frozen targets it'd be great.


I got the first Heal spell in the Creation category. Every mage should have it; it's too bad it took me so long to realize how necessary it is.


In Primal, I have Flame Blast/Flaming Weapons. In retrospect, it would have been better if I went with Frost for the Freezing effects or to have just stayed out of Primal.


The Mage abilities I have are Arcane Bolt and Arcane Shield. I don't know how great Arcane Shield is. Considering how much I use my staff's basic attack, I should probably get Staff Focus the next time I level up.

I'm happy you wrote a huge thing, but I'm also ashamed you think I'm gonna read it

Originally Posted by captain castle

Not a possibility.

Well, you suck at a video game.

Quit being a little bitch and blast stuff

Can't lower difficulty; must protect e-peen.

Sleep plus Horror is the best single target damage ever. I'm serious ever.

I know. Like I said, I would totally have done it differently if I could do it over again.

I might just spend my next ability points on this.

I'm happy you wrote a huge thing, but I'm also ashamed you think I'm gonna read it

I'm ashamed whenever I become so enthusiastic about a video game that I write a long post like this. But Dragon Age is probably the most fun I've had with an RPG. Like ever. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I probably haven't enjoyed an RPG this much.

And really that post wasn't that long, but since you're a lazy fat ass here's the summary: all mages should at least get the Heal spell. Force Field can give you an invulnerable tank that can distract a whole pack of melee while your other party members pick them off one at a time. People speccing into Primal should probably go for Frost and leave it at that.