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I bought this game a few months ago, and I believe I played it for all of 5 minutes. Barely past character creation, really. I just didn't get into it at all. However, it should be in my wheelhouse. I played through Neverwinter Nights with pretty much every class of character I could, and even replayed some (yeah, the whole OC plus the expansions). I played through NWN2 and expansions and got into being a bit more serious with my character builds. DA:O should be a game I love. Is it because I have grown to love the strong cleric builds? Anyway, help me long to play this game. Its been out for so long now, I should really have at least played through it once.

But, I don't want spoilers.

Can't tell you much other than to grind through the first 2-3 hours of it. Then it gets good with a few highs and lows. I found the Dwarf Noble to be the most entertaining origins story but the others were decent as well. Download the improved texture pack, it makes it much easier on the eyes.

The origin story for each race varies and can be a bit underwhelming overall. The game doesn't really pick up until you get past the initial area and to the highway or whatever.

Also, it'd help if you actually said what it was that you weren't enjoying.

Just play the game further, past the "origin" sections. DA:O is not about playing a "dress-up" at the character's creation screen, it's about story and interaction between in-game characters... Also, make sure you're not playing the "bare" game but at least have the "Stone Prisoner" DLC.

All the DLCs are pretty good. Also keep switching around your "team" The banter between the team members is top notch and funny to boot.

I'm a serious RPG fan. I've played them going back to the days of the C64 and honestly DA/DA2 are not really going to get any better. They are on-rails type RPGs. It's more like BioShock Infinite with RPG style fighting except there's a lot to like about BioShock Infinite and there's really nothing of any value in even playing Dragon Age.

I agree that you have to get past the initial origin story before it really gets super interesting, but I found both of the dwarf origins to be pretty good. The mage one was snooze-ville.

My favorite DA:O character is the dwarf thief.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

My favorite DA:O character is the dwarf thief.

That has to be an oxymoron (but no offense). It's been so long since I've gotten into this game, though, that I could hardly tell you. I'm just now catching up with the Dragon Age 2 DLC that came out after I beat the game!

It was challenging yet rewarding to be a mage at the start of the game. Then you become overpowered and can solo all trash mobs and most bosses, which is fun its own way. Key skills, whose names I've forgotten: cone of cold, lightning storm + blizzard, all blood magic, mana burn, sleep

jossie wrote:

It was challenging yet rewarding to be a mage at the start of the game. Then you become overpowered and can solo all trash mobs and most bosses, which is fun its own way. Key skills, whose names I've forgotten: cone of cold, lightning storm + blizzard, all blood magic, mana burn, sleep

Dual-maging it and simulcasting the lightening storm and earthquake spell meant quick doom for large groups of trash, while a good tank held on to the bosses and semi-bosses.

And that's the nice thing about Dragon Age- four body parties with three hard classes means two mages. One for healing/resurrection (Lee to the rear!) and one for CC, AOE and assassination spells.

Your standard 4-member party for much of DA:O is going to be: Someone who can open locked chests, two mages (one primarily healing, the other offensive with minor healing), and a fourth. If your player character fills one of the three more-or-less mandatory roles, you've got more flexibility for who you can take with you.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Your standard 4-member party for much of DA:O is going to be: Someone who can open locked chests, two mages (one primarily healing, the other offensive with minor healing), and a fourth. If your player character fills one of the three more-or-less mandatory roles, you've got more flexibility for who you can take with you.

Yup;

Though I will add that when you get to Dragon Age 2 (and you will), the DPS Warrior (2-handed) is a hell of a lot of fun. They somehow managed to balance two-tanking that game, and with the move to a more arcade-RPG feel, the actions of the fighters (Rogues and 2H warriors) just add so much fun. You can take your token mage and a ranged rogue (an as mentioned above, the banter is a highlight), making the two characters central to the story great constant companions.

Dragon Age 2 is so dumbed down from DA:O that it makes me hate console game players.

My weapon skill path for my Dwarf Rogue in DA:O was dual daggers.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Your standard 4-member party for much of DA:O is going to be: Someone who can open locked chests, two mages (one primarily healing, the other offensive with minor healing), and a fourth. If your player character fills one of the three more-or-less mandatory roles, you've got more flexibility for who you can take with you.

2 Mages? What for? I've enjoyed the whole game with only one "active" mage. Wynne is an old and boring hag, better kept in a camp... Or sacrificed during certain events You can't romance her and her "moral police" whinings are annoying, especially about "blah, blah, blah, you shouldn't romance him/her, you'll get herpes, put your duty above lust" stuff

Speaking of romance - there are some nice mods that improve it, like "Better Sex Cutscenes" and "the Pearl Redone". Highly recommended, especially if you will "romance" male companions

JohnC wrote:

Speaking of romance - there are some nice mods that improve it, like "Better Sex Cutscenes" and "the Pearl Redone". Highly recommended, especially if you will "romance" male companions

That sounds like a trap... but I think Bioware has struck a pretty good balance of 'romance' in their games.

Nah, they really "missed out" on The Pearl... Which is what one of these mods fixes, without "breaking" any immersion or storyline

JohnC wrote:

2 Mages? What for? I've enjoyed the whole game with only one "active" mage. Wynne is an old and boring hag, better kept in a camp... Or sacrificed during certain events You can't romance her and her "moral police" whinings are annoying, especially about "blah, blah, blah, you shouldn't romance him/her, you'll get herpes, put your duty above lust" stuff

I couldn't stand either of the NPC mages, one's a biddy and the other is Stupid Evil. And PC mage didn't seem like a good fit for a number of reasons. When I get around to replaying this I need to see about finding a mod with another option.

Airmantharp wrote:

JohnC wrote:

Speaking of romance - there are some nice mods that improve it, like "Better Sex Cutscenes" and "the Pearl Redone". Highly recommended, especially if you will "romance" male companions

That sounds like a trap... but I think Bioware has struck a pretty good balance of 'romance' in their games.

Heh. I prefer the Witcher. Geralt's a boss. Maybe I prefer a more casual fantasy since I'm more romantic in reality.

NovusBogus wrote:

JohnC wrote:

2 Mages? What for? I've enjoyed the whole game with only one "active" mage. Wynne is an old and boring hag, better kept in a camp... Or sacrificed during certain events You can't romance her and her "moral police" whinings are annoying, especially about "blah, blah, blah, you shouldn't romance him/her, you'll get herpes, put your duty above lust" stuff

I couldn't stand either of the NPC mages, one's a biddy and the other is Stupid Evil. And PC mage didn't seem like a good fit for a number of reasons. When I get around to replaying this I need to see about finding a mod with another option.

I wouldn't necessarily say that Morrigan is a "stupid evil", just, well, more like a "token evil-ish person" because RPG games with "party" system need to have such person. And at least she's not against having a "good time" even without long-term relationships (which might change in next DA game)

Speaking of next DA - I really hope the Bioware will concentrate on more story/dialog and "meaningful" relationships between characters instead of simply going "OMG, our in-game world is huge! Like, 100x the size of previous gaem! And you can just aimlessly roam around it with no glass walls!".

Like every one else has said the game gets better once your past the Origins part. I tend to play a Rogue or a Mage, I just can't get into how shield works in DAO so I tend to not play a warrior. I do not see much use in Warriors when a Rogue can use all the armor types that a Warrior can if you so choose. Want to be a heavy tank and a damage dealer, Rogue can do that. Plus playing a Rogue will free up a party slot you have to use for a Rogue just so they can pick locks for you. When I play a Mage I only stay a pure casting Mage for a short time until I can pick a specialization. Then I go the Arcane Warrior, which has to be unlocked before you can use this specialization, route where I can be a casting tank.

I recommend you give the Dragon Age Wiki a look at specializations and what each class can do. http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age_Wiki