Opinions: Rogue, Warrior, Mage?

[Lord++Revan]

Here she is:

Name: Tali
Race: Dwarf Commoner
Class: Rogue

Str 24 (enhanced by item)
Dex 38 (ditto)
Will 20
Magic 14
Cunning 30
Con 20 (enhanced by item)

Mental Resistance check 17
Physical Resistance check 27
Fire, cold, electrical, nature, & spirit resistances =0%

Rogue
Chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 3 lvls
chain 3 = 4 lvls
chain 4 = 2 lvls

Duelist = 3 lvls

Dual Weapon
chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 0
chain 3 = 1 lvl

Skills
Coercion = 4 lvls
Stealing = 1 lvl
Poisons = 3 lvls
Combat Tr = 4 lvls

Haven't taken any Tactics, cos I control her (but I did think I had one lvl of this!)

Darn good it's just me I guess but I didn't utilize stealth and stuff I played the more shoulder-to-shoulder with the tank hacking and slashing deal.

[Lord++Revan]

I might make a dwarven rogue I'd probably make mine male tho I just can't get used to the ohhhhh hey there what why are you talking to me? OH right I'm a girl ROFL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Does playing a commoner have a huge effect on the character tho or should I play an aeducan noble?

[dcinroc]

I found rogues to be generally superior to warriors.

I split my points between dex, cunning and constitution after getting enough strength to wear Wade's drake scale leather. With the rogue talent that substitutes cunning for strength the damage was far superior to a shield warrior and comparable to a two-hander warrior when you factor in attack speed. Armor penetration and critical chance were superior to either as were attack and defense ratings. I typically had my rogue go single dagger with shield early on (for extra defense), then go double later.

Precise striking gives a +10 bonus to attack for warriors, but rogues can get that with the duelist talents. And the duelist talents don't slow a rogue's striking as precise striking slows warriors. Plus the duelist talents can give +10 defense as well, all for very little stamina. Add in assassin talents and warriors can't compete.

Warriors are tougher in the early part of the game, but the rogue starts catching up around level 7 or so, then leaves warriors in the dust. The warrior specializations just aren't as good as those for the rogue. Also, warriors are more dependent on stamina to do lots of damage. When their stamina runs out, they aren't all that great. Many of the best rogue talents are passive.

I tried to build warriors that could do as well as my rogues, and couldn't do it. Not even loaded up with magic. Warriors can't touch a rogue's defense rating, not to mention the Uncanny Dodge talent, and their attack ratings will be about the same. Give your rogue the LifeGiver ring (+10 Con) and they can take as much punishment as your fighters.

Mages are another ballgame entirely. Power, power and more power. Nobody can dish is out like a mage. Fun to play, but if you take two mages (I had Wynne along with my PC), then things can get too easy too fast.

All in all, I have more fun playing rogues. I too like to pick every lock, sneak in for the kill or disarm traps.

[dcinroc]

Name: Benahir
Race: City Elf
Class: Rogue
Level: 24 (finished game)

Str 24/30
Dex 43/59
Will 18/29
Magic 14/20
Cunning 41/47
Con 31/47
(second number is enhanced by equipment)

Hit Points = 390
Armor = 21
Attack = 111
Defense = 119
Mental Resistance check 33
Physical Resistance check 90 (have GM Hale rune in one dagger for +25)
Fire, cold, electrical, nature, & spirit resistances = 70% fire, 45% nature

Rogue
Chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 4 lvls
chain 3 = 4 lvls
chain 4 = 4 lvls

Duelist = 4 lvls
Assassin = 1 lvl

Dual Weapon
chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 0
chain 3 = 0

Archery
chain 1 = 4 lvls
chain 2 = 1 lvl
chain 3 = 4 lvls

Skills
Coercion = 4 lvls
Trapmaking = 4 lvls
Survival = 4 lvls
Poison = 1 lvl
Combat Tr = 4 lvls

Weapons:
Rose's Thorn (dagger)
Thorn of the Dead Gods (dagger)
Falon 'Din's Reach (bow)

Equipment:
Helm of Honnleath
Wade's Superior Drakeskin leather
Andruil's belt
Spellward (amulet)
Lifegiver (ring)
Key to the City (ring)

[dcinroc]

Yeah... but looking at what Wynne does, I doubt I will be such a good healer, cos I have Wynne operate from Tactics, so she just does stuff. If I was running a healer myself it might be another kettle of fish altogether!.

Just take the Spirit Healer specialization (which you can try to learn from Wynne this go around, once a spec is unlocked it is unocked forever) and you can be just as good a healer as her. Actually, you can be better since her non-healing spells suck.

I always take Wynne, cuz I don't want to be the healer when I play a mage. I want to toast bad guys! I don't like Morrigan's attitude, so she sits in camp...waaaaaaay over there by herself.

[Fljotsdale]

Just take the Spirit Healer specialization (which you can try to learn from Wynne this go around, once a spec is unlocked it is unocked forever) and you can be just as good a healer as her. Actually, you can be better since her non-healing spells suck.

I always take Wynne, cuz I don't want to be the healer when I play a mage. I want to toast bad guys! I don't like Morrigan's attitude, so she sits in camp...waaaaaaay over there by herself.

Good tip about unlocking specialisations - thanks!

As for Morrigan - yeah. Same here. But I DO like the way she looks! I'd be happy if I looked like that! (Only not pixelated, obviously. ):laugh:

[Fljotsdale]

Name: Benahir
Race: City Elf
Class: Rogue
Level: 24 (finished game)

Str 24/30
Dex 43/59
Will 18/29
Magic 14/20
Cunning 41/47
Con 31/47
(second number is enhanced by equipment)

Hit Points = 390
Armor = 21
Attack = 111
Defense = 119
Mental Resistance check 33
Physical Resistance check 90 (have GM Hale rune in one dagger for +25)
Fire, cold, electrical, nature, & spirit resistances = 70% fire, 45% nature

Rogue
Chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 4 lvls
chain 3 = 4 lvls
chain 4 = 4 lvls

Duelist = 4 lvls
Assassin = 1 lvl

Dual Weapon
chain 1 = 3 lvls
chain 2 = 0
chain 3 = 0

Archery
chain 1 = 4 lvls
chain 2 = 1 lvl
chain 3 = 4 lvls

Skills
Coercion = 4 lvls
Trapmaking = 4 lvls
Survival = 4 lvls
Poison = 1 lvl
Combat Tr = 4 lvls

Weapons:
Rose's Thorn (dagger)
Thorn of the Dead Gods (dagger)
Falon 'Din's Reach (bow)

Equipment:
Helm of Honnleath
Wade's Superior Drakeskin leather
Andruil's belt
Spellward (amulet)
Lifegiver (ring)
Key to the City (ring)

Nice! Though I want to do more with Dual Weapon, I think you were probably wise to go for Survival instead - I might just copy you in that - and I'm doing Poisons rather than Trapmaking. VERY useful!

[Fljotsdale]

I might make a dwarven rogue I'd probably make mine male tho I just can't get used to the ohhhhh hey there what why are you talking to me? OH right I'm a girl ROFL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Does playing a commoner have a huge effect on the character tho or should I play an aeducan noble?

Dunno. I've only played Commoner. This is my first full run, not yet complete. I chose Commoner because... well - I don't have much time, in RL, for 'the Nobility'. And I don't think they are any better in games! :laugh:

[dcinroc]

Dunno. I've only played Commoner. This is my first full run, not yet complete. I chose Commoner because... well - I don't have much time, in RL, for 'the Nobility'. And I don't think they are any better in games! :laugh:

I like both origin stories for the dwarves (though my fave is city elf). None of the origin stories has a direct impact on gameplay (aside from some origin specific items) but will certainly affect dialogue options.

The Dwarf Noble has some really funny lines though ("Gorim, why is this man talking to me?").

It's worth playing through all of the origins even if you don't actually complete the game with each one.

[dcinroc]

Nice! Though I want to do more with Dual Weapon, I think you were probably wise to go for Survival instead - I might just copy you in that - and I'm doing Poisons rather than Trapmaking. VERY useful!

Either dual-wield or archer works. Just depends on how you want to play. I've never been into using poisons in any game. I'm just too lazy to keep up with it, lol. I chose trap making more for the increased trap detection range and survival for the increased nature resistance and for spotting enemies (tho there is one little side quest that requires two ranks, hardly a big deal if you don't qualify).

The main reason I chose archer with that character was planning ahead for DA: Awakenings. Master Archery combined with the new talents in Awakenings is devastating. Puts melee weapons to shame (well over 100pts/hit, with something like a 45% crit). If I was doing Origins only, then I'd have stuck with the dual-wielding. In either case, I think it is worth spending one talent on Rapid Fire. There are some situations where archery is very handy.

[GoldDragon]

Wynne doesn't teach any specialization. IIRC, that is available only from books sold in the Wonders of Thedas, Denerim or (DLC) Warden's Keep.

[dcinroc]

Wynne doesn't teach any specialization. IIRC, that is available only from books sold in the Wonders of Thedas, Denerim or (DLC) Warden's Keep.

Now that you mention it, I think you're right. I unlocked it on my first playthrough, but forgot where.

EDIT: According to the walkthrough Wynne does teach Spirit Healing.

[Lord++Revan]

Now that you mention it, I think you're right. I unlocked it on my first playthrough, but forgot where.

EDIT: According to the walkthrough Wynne does teach Spirit Healing.

If you're playing a mage when you cure arl eamon and become champion of redcliffe you get.

[Lord++Revan]

One nice thing is that you can try out different mage talents with Morrigan or Wynne. And with Sten and Alistair you can try out damage dealing 2 hander and sword and board tank. Leliana and Zhevran are two styles of rogues. I am starting to get interested in another run hopefully to actually complete the game. But then I won't complete my plan of 20 runs through dungeon lords with each third tier class .

I don't like playing as my companions.

[Fljotsdale]

I don't like playing as my companions.

I agree.

And especially, I just hate anyone else to be the Rogue. Yeah, I know Leliana and Zevran are great in their own ways, but...

I'm running a Mage at the moment, and am practically jumping up and down with frustration that she can't open locks! Grr! I know Mages are amazing. I like what she can do - but... she ain't a Rogue!

[GoldDragon]

Now that you mention it, I think you're right. I unlocked it on my first playthrough, but forgot where.

EDIT: According to the walkthrough Wynne does teach Spirit Healing.

Again, I say: Wynne does NOT, I repeat, does NOT teach any specializations, and this is confirmed thru the Wiki and the Dragon Age Editor. Gamebanshee's walkthru is wrong.

Spirit Healer Specialization is available only thru the Manual sold in the Wonders of Thedas shop in the Denerim Marketplace, with a second Manual available from Levi Dryden upon completion of the Warden's Keep DLC.

From the [url="http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Spirit_Healer_%28Origins%29"]Wiki[/url]:

Becoming a spirit healer, however, is no simple matter. To gain the services of such benevolent and righteous beings requires that the mage earn their trust. Often this requires a series of trials to prove that the mage’s goals are as noble as the spirit demands, though some mages have claimed to command the compliance of such spirits through sheer force of charisma. Some spirit mages even claim they did not choose their calling; instead, a powerful spirit chose them and led them into lives of service and ordeal.

Wynne is one of the latter. Thru a Spirit of Faith.