Your favourite Dragon Age Origin?

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I'm the same. I've noticed that some of these differences and choices in the Origin part could mean a lot story wise.

The Dwarf Noble is a perfect example of this. You can be innocent but you can also be guilty regarding Trian. That makes quite a difference IMO.

I actually think it really could make a lot of sense. depending on how you played the Origin you could have serious misgivings about the First Enchanter

Spoiler

who asks you to be dishonest and betray Jowan's trust rather than acting in an honourable manner. Actually that part made me think about the new Star Wars trilogy (Anakin being asked to spy for the Jedi Council). Slightly farfetched but still...

 

Not to mention he's only letting you do it so he can get back at Gregoir, by implicating the other's apprentice. The First Enchanter is a good man, but at that point in the game you simply won't know enough about him yet.

 

Having tried all of the origins, except the dwarf commoner one, I think i preffer the human noble one. All of the origins has something good about them though. If i have to pick one I enjoyed the least, I would say the city elf one. Allthough I am not sure why. Still. all were good. Will be doing the dwarven commoner one next time. Am thinking about a classic dwarven warrior, wielding an axe + shield.

 

Dwarf Commoner is really good (my favourite after City Elf). You'll get a very accurate idea of what it means to be a Dwarf Commoner right from the start. By the way you should definitely give your casteless dwarf a brand (i.e. a facial tattoo).

 

If you forget to give the casteless dwarf a brand/facial tattoo, when you go to start the game, there will be a pop up warning letting you know that without it, you won't get the full effect of what it's like to truly be casteless.

 

For entirely subjective reasons (I'm a huge sucker for loyalty/duty types) I voted Dwarf Noble (played it as female - Gorim, as a character, helped the mood greatly), although the middle part of Dwarf Commoner was pretty breathtaking, and quite possibly better.

Spoiler

From the Duncan meeting in the Proving antechamber, to the cell. The way you could build up the driving force of the character and have them commit all that they do to the Wardens (fumbling with opponent honour greetings) - pretty damn impressive Not to mention that Duncan was perfect.

In general, I was quite surprised with how much I enjoyed Dwarf Origins. I rarely play dwarf PCs, but in DA I loved their backstories most.

I had played my first char with Dalish origin, and that one really conveyed a "home" feeling for my char to me. (Although, yes, Tamlen doesn't think much, does he? )

The Mage origin was the one I was really interested in and couldn't wait to play, since the interaction between Templars and Mages I find rather fascinating, (not Chantry and Mages relationship, just Templars and Mages) and one of the things I really enjoyed in the game, but that origin, while not bad, mostly left me with disappointment in Irving and a lingering wish to kick Jowen for bloodmaging on the side.

City Elf was compelling to finish, but in a narrowly focused manner of - Char, to enemies: "Ok, I tried to be a nice and reasonable normal person, now I'll just be happy and bathe in your blood, idiots, 'cause I'm certainly skilled enough for it. Boo." It was a simple exercise in pushing a char to a more-then-happy-to-carve-enemies-up mode.

Human Noble... I don't know, out of sync for me. Trying to hit but not quite hitting the cords.

With Suspension of Disbelief active for some details (mirror, Braveheart, etc) the origins were all ok for me - each worked to set its own atmosphere.

 

Dwarves are really interesting in DAO and they do make great warrior types. In comparison humans are not that impressive and things like the Provings only reinforce this feeling of badassness (if there is such a word).

 

If there isn't such a word, I make a motion that it be made one

 

I'll second it. Badassery works just as well, though.


And yeah, Dwarves are pretty impressive to play. Provings are amazing. Can't wait to get my Halada Aeducan (female, warrior) back to Orzammar. Girl won her own Proving

 

lets face it.... how can you lose at the proving?

 

You can not participate...

 

Yeah but if you do you always win.

 

Good points regarding the Proving.

Or you can reload.

I'm surprised that the Dwarf Commoner origin doesn't get more votes. It's incredibly cool. You can play a real thug and winning the Proving as a Commoner is way cooler than as a Noble IMO.

I've been replaying the City Elf origin with a male and a female to compare them. I like the difference but I think it plays better as a male (although some female options are cool). Why would a female City Elf hang out with Soris and not with the other bride?

By the way, on Nightmare with difficulty mods, the City Elf origin can be really hard if you don't use a combat oriented build. That forced me to explore another option. At least the game takes into account your character's clothes and weapons when you infiltrate the Arl's estate.

 

The only origins I noticed that was not gender specific was the mage and human. All the others are and play out differently if you go with a female. I still have yet to play either of the elf origins.

The time I use to use to play DAO I'm now doing Power 90 with my wife. Health before gaming. As it stand I get about an hour a week to play DAO. Since my wife is working 8-10 hours of overtime again I will once again have my Saturday's to play DAO.

 

Have any of you realized that the human and mage origins are the only ones where you do NOT come in contact with darkspawn? With the elves, the Dalish have a spot where you come in contact with them, and dwarf noble also comes in contact with them. The only ones who don't actually meet darkspawn are human, mage, city elf, and dwarf commoner don't see darkspawn. I guess, what I mean to say, is that of the origins, of the two types of elves and dwarves, one of each type has an interaction - but since there's only one subset of human and mage (no human commoner or mage subset), neither of them experience a darkspawn until they get to Ostagar.

Ok, sorry for my rambling. My brain is going in a thousand different odd directions today and I don't know why lol. I think weird stuff sometimes.

 

Yup, I'd wondered about that myself. At least the options you get when meeting Alistair reflect the difference, though.

 

Is it me or do most of the origin have a life or death scenario to them.

Human - If you stay and protect your father you will die so you have to go with Duncan.

Dwarf Noble - You are sentence to the deep road to die so you must look for Duncan to escape.

Dalish - You are tainted and the only known cure is to become a GW.

Mage - If you willingly helped Jowan without notifying Irving you will be sentenced to death or become tranquil (don't remember which).

Dwarf Commoner - You are going to be sentenced to death for fighting at the proving.

Elf Commoner - ??? (I have yet to play)

The only origin I know that does not put the player in a life or death situation is the Mage origin if you inform Iriving of Jowan plans and work on Irving behalf; at that point you can refuse Duncan but he conscripts you to join and off you go.

 

So all but the mage origin Duncan is saving the life of the PC. Great way to start a game. I thought Bioware could do better than that.

I do enjoy the various origin but they all end the same with Duncan giving the PC a second chance.