Dragon Age: Origins - Tactics (possible spoilers)

Post by **Dog Pants** » November 10th, 2009, 13:26

shot2bits wrote:isuppose that could work
Spoiler:
after a while i realised you could open the gate and let soldiers inside and it suddenly becomes piss easy

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » November 10th, 2009, 13:48

shot2bits wrote:isuppose that could work
Spoiler:
after a while i realised you could open the gate and let soldiers inside and it suddenly becomes piss easy

I did wonder about that after my last, successful attempt. Are you able to operate the switch while in combat? I tried the door at the top of the stairs and that wont open while in combat.

shot2bits · Post by **shot2bits** » November 10th, 2009, 14:02

spoodie wrote: I did wonder about that after my last, successful attempt. Are you able to operate the switch while in combat? I tried the door at the top of the stairs and that wont open while in combat.

yup, just run over to it at the start, obviously it agros everything but you have a load of knights ready to buttfuck them by the time they get to you

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » November 10th, 2009, 14:13

I sent my archer to activate the switch while the other 3 were engaged. Ofc, this was after I got smooshed by bigguy's area attacks...

Yes you can activate the switch during battle. I also loot during battle sometime to pick up health potions. Well, so far, atleast.

I put hottie on "DESTROY" or whatever its called....she's been doing quite well with damage and draining life for herself (=less potions).

Post by **FatherJack** » November 10th, 2009, 17:18

You can operate switches in battle - there's one bit where you get separated and have to, but I managed the courtyard one ok.

My best tactic so far is instead of letting the enemy have me where they want me (usually all squashed up after coming through a door) I try and get them into a choke point - like the Battle of Thermopylae which is the only thing I remember from history at school.

I put the three followers in 'hold' mode a way back (out of archer range) from ominous-looking doors then with my main stand to the side of the door and pop it open. If there's lots of nasties there, I dodge in front of the opening so they see me, then leg it back to my mates until they engage. I then release the hold, take a few steps back and get busy with the firebombs, lighting storms and deathclouds. Can usually see fuck all while this is going on, but when it clears everything's usually either dead or hasn't noticed us yet and needs pulling in a repeat of the above.

I've done some ludicrously hard bits using this tactic - places I'm not sure I was supposed to go to yet they were so hard and where I wiped in seconds just charging in.

Sometimes a cut scene horses you into a doorway with your mates magically transported beside you, so you have to release them, put them all on passive and run back through the doorway a ways then lock them again.

Also I made Morrigan a full-time healer except when attacked. <75% Self=Heal, <50% Party=Heal, <10% Party=Use Max Potion plus <90% Party Rejuvenate All for belt and braces. Before I got Rejuvenate All, I had her do Lowest Health Party=Rejuvenate - which is a bit overkill as she does it all the time even out of combat. At the default levels she always seems a bit late with the spells.

friznit · Post by **friznit** » November 10th, 2009, 19:03

I've been using the choke point tactic much like FJ to good effect. Stick the rogue bird on a hill/at the back with a crossbow and regular ranged tictacs, me (dwarf warrior tank) up front grabbing aggro and gayboy (reminds me of eRabbit) as off tank running squishy protection or archer mashing (doggy does this well too as an alternative). Mage bird is a veritable Mrs Frosty, aoe freeze and hex debuffs while Miss Rogue plinks away with whatever shit she does.

So far this has got me through everything without too much trouble, although gayboy tends to fall over a lot. I've just gone back and got the ugly chap out of a cage to try with a bit more mad 2H hitty shit.

Post by **Dog Pants** » November 10th, 2009, 19:27

I've got Alaistair with a big two-handed stick now. He seemed to fall over a lot either way, so I figured he might as well do some damage before he does. And he does. I've got Wynne as my mage, her sole purpose to keep the rest of the party alive, although she does spam little magic attacks as a sideline. One nice thing about not taking Morrigan is that I'm not constantly fighting for her approval.

In other news, I've just hit a small plot fork where I'm presented with the choice of helping someone or fighting them. It's just before I go find the ashes, for spoilerificness:

Spoiler:

*Spoiler in a spoiler, ref the guard sgt in the city:

Spoiler:

Post by **FatherJack** » November 10th, 2009, 20:00

friznit wrote:Mage bird is a veritable Mrs Frosty, aoe freeze

Yeah, she's good at that, sleep works well too. There's a good tactic trigger based on clusters of x+1 enemies you can put it on to stop her spamming it always.

Re: DP's first spoilery bit. One of Leliana's stories gives you the history of the deity you mention which leaves you in no doubt as the deity's alignment and what Leliana thinks of her.

They do seem to use the "and after all that, the good guy was really the bad guy" perhaps overmuch in other bits too, sometimes frustratingly when it's bloody obvious, but you don't get the conversation options to say so. Fortunately you can usually just kill everything and still claim the moral victory.

Post by **Dog Pants** » November 10th, 2009, 20:05

I've had more of the bad guy is realy the good guy thing, but this one was completely lost on me. I think in this instance I'll just kill everyone.

Post by **HereComesPete** » November 10th, 2009, 20:30

Dog Pants wrote:I think in this instance I'll just kill everyone.

I've tried the being nice thing first and it goes well until it get to the mercy bits and butcher people. Someone always whines, surprisingly its very rarely lilollama who seems fine with me fucking everyone up, then alistair has a moan and I tell him to knob off and he sulks then morrigan sulks because I decided to help at all.

Bloody soft shites the lot of them.

Post by **FatherJack** » November 10th, 2009, 21:03

HereComesPete wrote:I've tried the being nice thing first and it goes well until it get to the mercy bits and butcher people. Someone always whines, surprisingly its very rarely lilollama who seems fine with me fucking everyone up, then alistair has a moan and I tell him to knob off and he sulks then morrigan sulks because I decided to help at all.

Yeah, the old Lawful/Neutral/Evil mechanic is still lurking underneath there somewhere - so you can never please all the people at the same time. Fortunately you can get them on their own at camp and find out what they're really like - as well as making them less boring it gives some nice bonuses and quests. Also Leliana stops trying to do that stupid French accent when she has long speeches to deliver.

Post by **Dog Pants** » November 10th, 2009, 21:09

Well I'm fucked now in the quest I'm on (Ashes). I can:

1.

Spoiler:

2.

Spoiler:

3.

Spoiler:

Bit of a brick wall.

Post by **deject** » November 10th, 2009, 21:44

Dog Pants wrote:One nice thing about not taking Morrigan is that I'm not constantly fighting for her approval.

I just sweet talked her up to like 98% approval and from there I don't have to worry about it frankly.

buzzmong · Post by **buzzmong** » November 10th, 2009, 22:03

Erugh, I think I've gone a bit different from some of you.

I'm currently farting around in Bascillia Forest doing some Elven quests, bugger me, difficulty spike or what

Spoiler:

, or even you go downstairs in the ruins

Spoiler:

Might have to hunker out and go-a-leveling. And possibly exploring as it was obvious you are perhaps meant to follow something else first.

Also, that Leliana girl just loves you when you're being good doesn't she?

friznit · Post by **friznit** » November 10th, 2009, 22:13

If I want to do something particularly questionable that's sure to piss a party member off I leave them all at camp and just take doggy. He whines less.

Akiakaiu · Post by **Akiakaiu** » November 10th, 2009, 22:28

I must be doing something right cause everyone in my group loves me, only got to bed two of them so far though.

For DP

Spoiler:

For Buzz

Spoiler:

Post by **Dog Pants** » November 10th, 2009, 23:59

I'm doing the forest at the moment, since I got stuck with the Ash Urn. I'm not finding it difficult at all (around lvl11), but I did get my arse kicked by the

Spoiler:

.

Post by **FatherJack** » November 11th, 2009, 2:19

From DP's list: I said I'd do 2, but didn't do it.

friznit · Post by **friznit** » November 11th, 2009, 3:09

Just spent all night in the mage tower. I'm turning into Berk, damn game. Enjoying myself way too much. One thing I love is that you can fight effectively with a shield. Also, the levelling thing lets you look at the talents then go back to tweak your stats. OK, that's two things. Oh, and fire is yummy.

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » November 11th, 2009, 5:53

I think I'm headed up to lvl 4 in the mage tower...ran out of inventory room and I still got more to go b4 I can get out to sell!

Aki gave me a clue to "gift" em there to make room...which allowed me to

Morrigan on the altar by the big statue...then about 15mins later...

whatshername behind the bookshelves...

TIP: Empty out your inventory as much as possible b4 going to a new area...ya never know when you'll be able to camp/sell again...