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Dragon Age: Origins Nightmare Guide by David Milward


INTRO & ABOUT  |  CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES  |  EQUIPPING CHARACTERS  |  COMBAT GUIDELINES  |  CHARACTERS
Areas in Order of Appearance:  
Origins  |  Ostagar  |  Lothering  |  Circle Tower  |  Warden's Keep (DLC)  |  Return to Ostagar (DLC)  |  Stone Prisoner (DLC)  |  Brecilian Forest  |  Redcliffe  |  The Urn of Sacred Ashes  |  Orzammar  |  Deep Roads  |  Denerim  |  Final Onslaught  
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The Circle Tower: 
Lake Calenhad  |  Shopping Around  |  Apprentice Quarters  |  Senior Mage Quarters  
Great Hall  |  Templar Quarters  |  The Fade  |  Return to the Circle Tower  
Random Encounters  

Templar Quarters

Extracurricular Studies, First Enchanter Sinclair

I start off by searching a nearby Pile of Rubbish to the left, and finding a Codex Entry for "Extracurricular Studies" left behind by a First Enchanter Sinclair.

I head for the room at the end of the hallway leading east. On the other side of the door will be a group of Charmed Templars and a Blood Mage. This is another fight where it can be quite easy to get blown away as soon as you open the door. I have a plan for this. I have Wynne protect Aldarion beforehand with both Lifeward (to recoup his Health) and Heroic Defense (to increase his magical damage resistances). Aldarion then steps ahead by himself and opens the door. The combination of protective spells from Wynne allows Aldarion to safely absorb the initial shots from both the Templars and the Blood Mage, more or less. And indeed, the Templars now have to wait for their cooldown periods to elapse before they can use Holy Smite again. After that, the rest of the party charges in. Aldarion quickly drinks a Lesser Lyrium Potion, and then gets the Templars with a Cone of Cold. This in turn allows Alistair to Shatter two of them with critical hits. The next step is to gang up on and then take out the Blood Mage. Once the Blood Mage falls, there is no longer any doubt about the outcome.

The Blood Mage's body can be looted for Archon Robes (+1.5 health regeneration in combat, +3 armor, +2 spellpower). A chest, which Leliana can't open yet, has a random item. Another pile of rubbish on the right has more notes on Extracurricular Studies by First Enchanter Sinclair.

Desire and Need

The next battle is one room to the west, against a Desire Demon and a Bewitched Templar. This can be a really tough fight. The Desire Demon can cast cold-based and other spells, and the Templar will invariably fire off Holy Smite at the first opportunity. First, Wynne protects herself with a Lifeward. Aldarion then switches over to his Wintersbreath, so that he can get off a certain spell faster.

Now I enter the room and finish the dialogue leading up to the fight. I manage to get off a Cone of Cold to hold both the Demon and the Templar in place. Alistair also goes first and foremost for the Desire Demon. And indeed, this is the theme, ignore the Skeletons, proceed against the Desire Demon first (who's relatively easier to kill), the Templar is second, then the undead. Alistair actually Shatters the Demon right away. Leliana plants herself in the thick of things and uses her Captivating Song to keep the Skeletons locked down. This leaves Aldarion and Alistair free to go to work on the Bewitched Templar. The Templar must be the next priority, because he can cause a lot of havoc with his Shield talents and his Holy Smite ability. Wynne uses her full range of Spirit Healer and Creation spells to keep everybody on the up and up. Once the Templar falls, it's a mop up.

The vanity at the back has a Sailor's Charm (+10% electrical resistance) and a Sun Blonde Vintage, which can be gifted to Oghren.

Lost in Dreams

The party enters the central room, only for a powerful Sloth Abomination to force everyone into imprisonment in the Fade.



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