- Dragon Age Origins Builds Guide
- Dragon Age Origins Morrigan Shapeshifter Build
- Dragon Age Origins Shapeshifter Guide Pdf
Dragon Age Origins: Nightmare Difficulty Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction [NDG:1]
Difficulty Settings [NDG:2]
Companions [NDG:3]
Party layouts [NDG:4]
The Power of Magic [NDG:5]
The Silent Strikers [NDG:6]
Difficult battles [NDG:7]
Over-powered spells and talents [NDG:8]
Changelog [NDG:9]
Introduction [NDG:1]
Dragon Age: Origins is a role-playing game developed by BioWare. It is available for the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. This guide focuses on the Nightmare difficulty that makes the game much more challenging and rewarding. The Nightmare Difficulty Guide contains information on the character creation process, your companions, talents, skills, attributes and spells.
Made by: Josjie, version 1.1
Credits: Thanks to BioWare for creating such an awesome game. I also used the Dragon Age Wiki for information.
Difficulty settings [NDG:2]
Difficulty settings
There are four difficulty settings for Dragon Age Origins: Casual, Normal, Hard and Nightmare. They alter the enemy A.I., enemy resistances and friendly fire/traps.
Note: you can change the difficulty at any time in the pause menu
Casual - 0% friendly fire/damage from traps, easy A.I.
Normal - 50% friendly fire/damage from traps, moderate A.I.
Hard - 100% friendly fire/damage from traps, full A.I., enemies deal more damage
Nightmare - 100% friendly fire/damage from traps, full A.I., enemies deal more damage and have more resistances
Note: these settings are slightly different for X360/PS3 users where Normal and Hard are a bit easier. Replace 50% with 0% and 100% with 50%. The Nightmare difficulty is still the same (100%).
What's recommended?
If you've never played a role-playing game before, go for Casual. If you've some experience with role-playing games and this is your first playthrough, pick Normal. If you want a bit of a challenge, go ahead and try Hard or Nightmare.
Honestly, Nightmare isn't that much harder than Normal or Hard. The only notable effect are the bosses who are a bit stronger.
Companions [NDG:3]
Regarding companions
You can have a maximum of nine companions. Only three of them can follow you on your adventures, the others will wait at the player camp. This camp becomes available after you've completed the Origin story and the Battle at Ostagar. You can return here at any time.
You can acquire more companions by completing quests or visiting special locations.
Note: Shale requires the Stone Prisoner DLC.
Note: You can acquire 2 Mages, 2 Rogues and 5 Warriors.
Alistair***
Class: Warrior
Specialization: Templar
Starting talents: Templar (1), Warrior (1) and Weapon and Shield (4)
Rating: Alistair is the perfect main tank. He starts with 4 Weapon and Shield talents. Raise his Strength and Constitution spells, get Shield Wall as soon as possible and you'll have a very powerful Warrior in your frontlines.
Dog**
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Dog (4)
Rating: Dog is quite useful in the beginning of the game. After Lothering, he's outmatched by other companions such as Leliana and Morrigan. Dog can't wear armor or wield a weapon which makes him relatively weak in the mid- and endgame.
Morrigan***
Class: Mage
Specialization: Shapeshifter
Starting spells: Shapeshifter (1), Primal (1), Spirit (1) and Entropy (4)
Rating: Morrigan is the perfect damage dealer. It's a shame she starts with the Shapeshifter specialization and not with something better, like Blood Mage or Spirit Healer. Never use any of the Shapeshifter abilities!
Leliana***
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Bard
Starting talents: Bard (1), Rogue (4) and Archery (4)
Rating: Better than Zevran and potentially a very powerful Archer. Only go for Zevran if Leliana annoys you.
Oghren*
Class: Warrior
Specialization: Berserker
Starting talents: Berserker (3), Warrior (4) and Two-Handed (10)
Rating: A Warrior damage-dealer. Strong but not as good as a Mage. Pretend he's Gimli and have him if your party if you want but expect fights to be a bit tougher.
Sten*
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Warrior (4) and Two-Handed (5)
Rating: Same as Oghren. Sten can turn into a killing machine but nothing beats spells like Crushing Prison, Tempest and Mind Blast.
Wynne***
Class: Mage
Specialization: Spirit Healer
Starting spells: Mage (1), Spirit Healer (1), Primal (2) and Creation (5)
Rating: Don't let her age fool you. Wynne is even more powerful than Morrigan. She starts with the Spirit Healer specialization which makes her perfect for a support role: let her heal and revive your team when necessary.
Zevran**
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Assassin
Starting talents: Assassin (1), Rogue (7), Dual-Weapon (4)
Rating: Zevran was born to be a backstabber. If you want, you can further invest in his Dual-Weapon and Assassin abilities. While he'll turn into a skilled fighter, he won't be as strong as Leliana or your player character (if your player character is a Rogue).
Shale**
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Shale talents (depends on your level)
Rating: Shale can be a tank, damage dealer or support role. In my experience using her as the main tank is the best option. While she's not as strong as a fully armed Alistair, she has some powerful talents and her unique personality more than makes up for it.
Party layouts [NDG:4]
Party layouts
We'll be looking at various party layouts, depending on the class of your main character and your preferred team members. I won't cover up all possible combinations, just the ones that I think work well with the Nightmare difficulty.
The Power of Magic
Party members: Wynne, Morrigan, Player character (Mage class) and Leliana
Risky but extremely powerful. Needs some micro-management and good tactics (and you should control one of the mages yourself). Can easily take out bosses but watch out for melee enemies that get too close.
The Silent Strikers
Party members: Leliana, Zevran, Player character (Rogue class) and Wynne/Morrigan
Three Archers capable of stealth and an Arcane Warrior who serves as the main tank (and can heal herself/others). Very powerful and fun but again, watch out for melee enemies.
A few notes
As you can see, ranged combat is the way to go in Dragon Age. Your attacks won't be interrupted and you don't need to worry about your health. There are many other possibilities, you could have four Warriors for instance. This is one of the weakest combinations, however.
Every party needs at least one Rogue. You'll encounter many locked chests and only Rogues can open them. Believe me, you don't want to miss out on all that great loot. Loot and money is important to anyone.
Finally, you'll need a tank. Someone who keeps your enemies busy and absorbs all the damage. Alistair, Shale or an Arcane Warrior (Wynne, Morrigan or your Main Character) should take up this role.
The Power of Magic [NDG:5]
Note: One of your Mages should learn the Arcane Warrior specialization and serve as the main tank. This can be either Wynne, Morrigan or the player character. I assume the player character will be the main tank here, but that is not necessary.
Leliana
Leliana will strike from afar so teach her the Archer talents. She can open locked chests and use stealth to lure enemies into an ambush. She can also disarm traps.
Must-have talents: Device Mastery, Master Stealth, Dirty Fighting, Master Archer, Critical Shot and Scattershot
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (50+), Willpower (25-30), Magic (X), Cunning (25-35), Constitution (X)
Wynne
Wynne is your average damage dealer and she can heal your party. Keep her at a distance.
Must-have spells: Group Heal, Heal, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells
Attributes: Strength (15-20), Dexterity (X), Willpower (40+), Magic (40+), Cunning (20), Constitution (15-20)
Morrigan
Morrigan is a damage dealer. If you want, teach her the Blood Mage specialization to make her even more powerful.
Must-have spells: Heal, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells, Blood Magic/Sacrifice/Wound/Control
Attributes: Strength (15-20), Dexterity (X), Willpower (40+), Magic (40+), Cunning (20), Constitution (15-20)
Player character
This is your main tank. Get the Arcane Warrior specialization as soon as possible. You'll be able to take tons of damage and meanwhile you can use some devastating spells.
Must-have spells: Arcane Shield, Combat Magic, Aura of Might, Shimmering Shield, Fade Shroud, Rock Armor, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Heal, Spell Shield
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (25-35), Willpower (20-25), Magic (50+), Cunning (X), Constitution (15-20)
Strategy
Your player character will fight in the frontlines. Make sure you use Rock Armor, Arcane Shield, Spell Shield and some other protective spells to increase his/her defenses. Two-handed weapons are not recommended, give him/her dual weapons or a weapon and shield instead. Make sure you always have Combat Magic activated! Morrigan, Wynne and Leliana will attack from a distance. Let Leliana use Scattershot when facing multiple enemies. Critical Shot is great against bosses. Morrigan, Wynne and your Player Character should use Crushing Prison as often as possible. When facing a yellow or red named enemy, use this spell! When any of your mages is surrounded by multiple enemies, use Mind Blast. Make sure Group Heal is Wynne's favorite spell. Finally, just let your Mages cast away with Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells, they all deal a great amount of damage.
The Silent Strikers [NDG:6]
Leliana/Zevran/Player character
Must-have talents: All Archery talents (especially Critical Shot, Scattershot and Master Archer), Dirty Fighting and Master Stealth. Teach one of your Rogues Device Mastery so you can open locked chests.
Specializations: Ranger/Duelist
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (50+), Willpower (25-30), Magic (X), Cunning (30), Constitution (15-20)
Wynne
Morrigan is another possibility but I recommend Wynne.
Must-have talents: All Arcane Warrior talents, Heal, Group Heal, Mind Blast, Crushing Prison, Rock Armor, Arcane Shield
Specialization: Teach her the Arcane Warrior specialization at level 14
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (25-35), Willpower (20-25), Magic (50+), Cunning (X), Constitution (15-20)
Strategy
Wynne is your main tank who can heal herself and the other team members. Leliana, Zevran and the player character are all archers that strike from afar. Sometimes you won't even need Wynne as enemies will die before they reach your archers. Use Critical Hit against single targets and Scattershot against large groups of enemies. Set up ambushes by using Stealth.
Difficult battles [NDG:7]
Some battles may seem difficult at first but with the right strategy they're easy to win. A few examples:
Redcliffe
During the Attack at Nightfall, Walking Corpses attack the Chantry. This is a difficult battle with dozens of Walking Corpses. It'll be very difficult to keep Murdock alive so why not let him die right away? Do not go to the Chantry, instead let your party hold position on the rope bridge that leads to a house. Wait until all the militiamen near the Chantry are slain. Now tell your party to wait and walk up to the Chantry with an archer or mage. Don't descend the hill! Attack one of the corpses and run back to the rope bridge. He'll be chasing you. Wait until he reaches the rope bridge and then slay him. You can now easily kill all the corpses one at a time! It's also possible to attack 2 or 3 corpses with your mage before retreating to the bridge, otherwise the battle will take a very long time.
Note: if everyone survives, you'll get the Helm of the Red as a reward. This is quite difficult to achieve and requires you to make all the preparations in the 'A Village Under Siege' quest (do not intimidate Lloyd, he dies very quickly). Move to the Chantry as quickly as possible and start killing Corpses. Use Mind Blast spells to stun them. Use Force Field on Murdock and the Militiamen. Remember you can also heal them with the Heal spell. You can also lower the difficulty during this fight.
Redcliffe Castle
When entering the Castle for the first time, you'll encounter a Revenant and some Corpses. Tell your party to wait and move your Rogue a few steps forward (be sure to activate stealth mode). Attack the Corpses on the stairs and kill them all. If done properly the Revenant will not attack you and all Corpses on the stairs are dead. Now attack one of the Corpses next to the Revenant and let him get close to you. Quickly slay him.
After a while, only the Revenant is left. Move your Rogue to the handle that opens the gate. Open it and now attack the Revenant.
Over-powered spells and talents [NDG:8]
Talents
Master Stealth - Great for luring enemies to your party one for one or setting up ambushes.
Scattershot - Only a few enemies can resist this attack. It basically stuns an entire group of enemies!
Critical Shot - Very powerful attack. Great against bosses.
Shield Wall - Perfect for your Main Tank.
Shield Mastery - Improves other Shield talents.
Two-Handed Sweep - One of the better Two-Handed talents
Riposte - Very powerful, use this against Mages!
Mark of Death - Use this against Revenants and Dragons!
Pinpoint Strike - Every hit is a Critical Hit (timer of course). Turns your Rogue into a killing machine.
Spells
Crushing Prison - Target is immobile for a moderate duration and receives damage as well. Perhaps the best spell in the game?
Mind Blast - Stuns all enemies around you. This will be a life-saver.
Telekinetic Weapons - Use this against Dragons and Revenants!
Force Field - Use this on your main tank to make him immune to damage for a moderate duration. You can also use it on an enemy as a paralyze spell.
Heal - Simple but effective.
Arcane Shield + Rock Armor - Not very expensive but very useful.
Winter's Grasp + Stonefist - Freeze your enemy and then shatter him.
Blizzard/Inferno/Tempest - Great for ambushes
Changelog [NDG:9]
December 16, 2009 - Added rating notes for all companions (basically a small explanation of the rating I've given them), a Table of Contents and a Changelog. Redcliffe strategy expanded: new note if you want all the villagers to survive.
Table of Contents
Introduction [NDG:1]
Difficulty Settings [NDG:2]
Companions [NDG:3]
Party layouts [NDG:4]
The Power of Magic [NDG:5]
The Silent Strikers [NDG:6]
Difficult battles [NDG:7]
Over-powered spells and talents [NDG:8]
Changelog [NDG:9]
Introduction [NDG:1]
Dragon Age: Origins is a role-playing game developed by BioWare. It is available for the PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. This guide focuses on the Nightmare difficulty that makes the game much more challenging and rewarding. The Nightmare Difficulty Guide contains information on the character creation process, your companions, talents, skills, attributes and spells.
Made by: Josjie, version 1.1
Credits: Thanks to BioWare for creating such an awesome game. I also used the Dragon Age Wiki for information.
Difficulty settings [NDG:2]
Difficulty settings
There are four difficulty settings for Dragon Age Origins: Casual, Normal, Hard and Nightmare. They alter the enemy A.I., enemy resistances and friendly fire/traps.
Note: you can change the difficulty at any time in the pause menu
Casual - 0% friendly fire/damage from traps, easy A.I.
Normal - 50% friendly fire/damage from traps, moderate A.I.
Hard - 100% friendly fire/damage from traps, full A.I., enemies deal more damage
Nightmare - 100% friendly fire/damage from traps, full A.I., enemies deal more damage and have more resistances
Note: these settings are slightly different for X360/PS3 users where Normal and Hard are a bit easier. Replace 50% with 0% and 100% with 50%. The Nightmare difficulty is still the same (100%).
What's recommended?
If you've never played a role-playing game before, go for Casual. If you've some experience with role-playing games and this is your first playthrough, pick Normal. If you want a bit of a challenge, go ahead and try Hard or Nightmare.
Honestly, Nightmare isn't that much harder than Normal or Hard. The only notable effect are the bosses who are a bit stronger.
Companions [NDG:3]
Regarding companions
You can have a maximum of nine companions. Only three of them can follow you on your adventures, the others will wait at the player camp. This camp becomes available after you've completed the Origin story and the Battle at Ostagar. You can return here at any time.
You can acquire more companions by completing quests or visiting special locations.
Note: Shale requires the Stone Prisoner DLC.
Note: You can acquire 2 Mages, 2 Rogues and 5 Warriors.
Alistair***
Class: Warrior
Specialization: Templar
Starting talents: Templar (1), Warrior (1) and Weapon and Shield (4)
Rating: Alistair is the perfect main tank. He starts with 4 Weapon and Shield talents. Raise his Strength and Constitution spells, get Shield Wall as soon as possible and you'll have a very powerful Warrior in your frontlines.
Dog**
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Dog (4)
Rating: Dog is quite useful in the beginning of the game. After Lothering, he's outmatched by other companions such as Leliana and Morrigan. Dog can't wear armor or wield a weapon which makes him relatively weak in the mid- and endgame.
Morrigan***
Class: Mage
Specialization: Shapeshifter
Starting spells: Shapeshifter (1), Primal (1), Spirit (1) and Entropy (4)
Rating: Morrigan is the perfect damage dealer. It's a shame she starts with the Shapeshifter specialization and not with something better, like Blood Mage or Spirit Healer. Never use any of the Shapeshifter abilities!
Leliana***
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Bard
Starting talents: Bard (1), Rogue (4) and Archery (4)
Rating: Better than Zevran and potentially a very powerful Archer. Only go for Zevran if Leliana annoys you.
Oghren*
Class: Warrior
Specialization: Berserker
Starting talents: Berserker (3), Warrior (4) and Two-Handed (10)
Rating: A Warrior damage-dealer. Strong but not as good as a Mage. Pretend he's Gimli and have him if your party if you want but expect fights to be a bit tougher.
Sten*
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Warrior (4) and Two-Handed (5)
Rating: Same as Oghren. Sten can turn into a killing machine but nothing beats spells like Crushing Prison, Tempest and Mind Blast.
Wynne***
Class: Mage
Specialization: Spirit Healer
Starting spells: Mage (1), Spirit Healer (1), Primal (2) and Creation (5)
Rating: Don't let her age fool you. Wynne is even more powerful than Morrigan. She starts with the Spirit Healer specialization which makes her perfect for a support role: let her heal and revive your team when necessary.
Zevran**
Class: Rogue
Specialization: Assassin
Starting talents: Assassin (1), Rogue (7), Dual-Weapon (4)
Rating: Zevran was born to be a backstabber. If you want, you can further invest in his Dual-Weapon and Assassin abilities. While he'll turn into a skilled fighter, he won't be as strong as Leliana or your player character (if your player character is a Rogue).
Shale**
Class: Warrior
Specialization: None
Starting talents: Shale talents (depends on your level)
Rating: Shale can be a tank, damage dealer or support role. In my experience using her as the main tank is the best option. While she's not as strong as a fully armed Alistair, she has some powerful talents and her unique personality more than makes up for it.
Party layouts [NDG:4]
Party layouts
We'll be looking at various party layouts, depending on the class of your main character and your preferred team members. I won't cover up all possible combinations, just the ones that I think work well with the Nightmare difficulty.
The Power of Magic
Party members: Wynne, Morrigan, Player character (Mage class) and Leliana
Risky but extremely powerful. Needs some micro-management and good tactics (and you should control one of the mages yourself). Can easily take out bosses but watch out for melee enemies that get too close.
The Silent Strikers
Party members: Leliana, Zevran, Player character (Rogue class) and Wynne/Morrigan
Three Archers capable of stealth and an Arcane Warrior who serves as the main tank (and can heal herself/others). Very powerful and fun but again, watch out for melee enemies.
A few notes
As you can see, ranged combat is the way to go in Dragon Age. Your attacks won't be interrupted and you don't need to worry about your health. There are many other possibilities, you could have four Warriors for instance. This is one of the weakest combinations, however.
Every party needs at least one Rogue. You'll encounter many locked chests and only Rogues can open them. Believe me, you don't want to miss out on all that great loot. Loot and money is important to anyone.
Finally, you'll need a tank. Someone who keeps your enemies busy and absorbs all the damage. Alistair, Shale or an Arcane Warrior (Wynne, Morrigan or your Main Character) should take up this role.
The Power of Magic [NDG:5]
Note: One of your Mages should learn the Arcane Warrior specialization and serve as the main tank. This can be either Wynne, Morrigan or the player character. I assume the player character will be the main tank here, but that is not necessary.
Leliana
Leliana will strike from afar so teach her the Archer talents. She can open locked chests and use stealth to lure enemies into an ambush. She can also disarm traps.
Must-have talents: Device Mastery, Master Stealth, Dirty Fighting, Master Archer, Critical Shot and Scattershot
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (50+), Willpower (25-30), Magic (X), Cunning (25-35), Constitution (X)
Wynne
Wynne is your average damage dealer and she can heal your party. Keep her at a distance.
Must-have spells: Group Heal, Heal, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells
Attributes: Strength (15-20), Dexterity (X), Willpower (40+), Magic (40+), Cunning (20), Constitution (15-20)
Morrigan
Morrigan is a damage dealer. If you want, teach her the Blood Mage specialization to make her even more powerful.
Must-have spells: Heal, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells, Blood Magic/Sacrifice/Wound/Control
Attributes: Strength (15-20), Dexterity (X), Willpower (40+), Magic (40+), Cunning (20), Constitution (15-20)
Player character
This is your main tank. Get the Arcane Warrior specialization as soon as possible. You'll be able to take tons of damage and meanwhile you can use some devastating spells.
Must-have spells: Arcane Shield, Combat Magic, Aura of Might, Shimmering Shield, Fade Shroud, Rock Armor, Mind Blast, Force Field, Crushing Prison, Heal, Spell Shield
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (25-35), Willpower (20-25), Magic (50+), Cunning (X), Constitution (15-20)
Strategy
Your player character will fight in the frontlines. Make sure you use Rock Armor, Arcane Shield, Spell Shield and some other protective spells to increase his/her defenses. Two-handed weapons are not recommended, give him/her dual weapons or a weapon and shield instead. Make sure you always have Combat Magic activated! Morrigan, Wynne and Leliana will attack from a distance. Let Leliana use Scattershot when facing multiple enemies. Critical Shot is great against bosses. Morrigan, Wynne and your Player Character should use Crushing Prison as often as possible. When facing a yellow or red named enemy, use this spell! When any of your mages is surrounded by multiple enemies, use Mind Blast. Make sure Group Heal is Wynne's favorite spell. Finally, just let your Mages cast away with Fire/Earth/Cold/Electrical spells, they all deal a great amount of damage.
The Silent Strikers [NDG:6]
Leliana/Zevran/Player character
Must-have talents: All Archery talents (especially Critical Shot, Scattershot and Master Archer), Dirty Fighting and Master Stealth. Teach one of your Rogues Device Mastery so you can open locked chests.
Specializations: Ranger/Duelist
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (50+), Willpower (25-30), Magic (X), Cunning (30), Constitution (15-20)
Wynne
Morrigan is another possibility but I recommend Wynne.
Must-have talents: All Arcane Warrior talents, Heal, Group Heal, Mind Blast, Crushing Prison, Rock Armor, Arcane Shield
Specialization: Teach her the Arcane Warrior specialization at level 14
Attributes: Strength (X), Dexterity (25-35), Willpower (20-25), Magic (50+), Cunning (X), Constitution (15-20)
Strategy
Wynne is your main tank who can heal herself and the other team members. Leliana, Zevran and the player character are all archers that strike from afar. Sometimes you won't even need Wynne as enemies will die before they reach your archers. Use Critical Hit against single targets and Scattershot against large groups of enemies. Set up ambushes by using Stealth.
Difficult battles [NDG:7]
Some battles may seem difficult at first but with the right strategy they're easy to win. A few examples:
Redcliffe
During the Attack at Nightfall, Walking Corpses attack the Chantry. This is a difficult battle with dozens of Walking Corpses. It'll be very difficult to keep Murdock alive so why not let him die right away? Do not go to the Chantry, instead let your party hold position on the rope bridge that leads to a house. Wait until all the militiamen near the Chantry are slain. Now tell your party to wait and walk up to the Chantry with an archer or mage. Don't descend the hill! Attack one of the corpses and run back to the rope bridge. He'll be chasing you. Wait until he reaches the rope bridge and then slay him. You can now easily kill all the corpses one at a time! It's also possible to attack 2 or 3 corpses with your mage before retreating to the bridge, otherwise the battle will take a very long time.
Note: if everyone survives, you'll get the Helm of the Red as a reward. This is quite difficult to achieve and requires you to make all the preparations in the 'A Village Under Siege' quest (do not intimidate Lloyd, he dies very quickly). Move to the Chantry as quickly as possible and start killing Corpses. Use Mind Blast spells to stun them. Use Force Field on Murdock and the Militiamen. Remember you can also heal them with the Heal spell. You can also lower the difficulty during this fight.
Redcliffe Castle
When entering the Castle for the first time, you'll encounter a Revenant and some Corpses. Tell your party to wait and move your Rogue a few steps forward (be sure to activate stealth mode). Attack the Corpses on the stairs and kill them all. If done properly the Revenant will not attack you and all Corpses on the stairs are dead. Now attack one of the Corpses next to the Revenant and let him get close to you. Quickly slay him.
After a while, only the Revenant is left. Move your Rogue to the handle that opens the gate. Open it and now attack the Revenant.
Over-powered spells and talents [NDG:8]
Talents
Master Stealth - Great for luring enemies to your party one for one or setting up ambushes.
Scattershot - Only a few enemies can resist this attack. It basically stuns an entire group of enemies!
Critical Shot - Very powerful attack. Great against bosses.
Shield Wall - Perfect for your Main Tank.
Shield Mastery - Improves other Shield talents.
Two-Handed Sweep - One of the better Two-Handed talents
Riposte - Very powerful, use this against Mages!
Mark of Death - Use this against Revenants and Dragons!
Pinpoint Strike - Every hit is a Critical Hit (timer of course). Turns your Rogue into a killing machine.
Spells
Crushing Prison - Target is immobile for a moderate duration and receives damage as well. Perhaps the best spell in the game?
Mind Blast - Stuns all enemies around you. This will be a life-saver.
Telekinetic Weapons - Use this against Dragons and Revenants!
Force Field - Use this on your main tank to make him immune to damage for a moderate duration. You can also use it on an enemy as a paralyze spell.
Heal - Simple but effective.
Arcane Shield + Rock Armor - Not very expensive but very useful.
Winter's Grasp + Stonefist - Freeze your enemy and then shatter him.
Blizzard/Inferno/Tempest - Great for ambushes
Changelog [NDG:9]
December 16, 2009 - Added rating notes for all companions (basically a small explanation of the rating I've given them), a Table of Contents and a Changelog. Redcliffe strategy expanded: new note if you want all the villagers to survive.
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 |
When she runs low, have Morrigan shift into a Flying Swarm. You must unlock the Master Shapeshifter ability to access this. When you do, she'll regain the health needed to unleash her blood magic once again. Dragon Age Wiki: Spells (Origins) Sorcerer's Place: Dragon Age: Origins Nightmare Guide; Altered Gamer: Dragon Age Origins. Dragon Age: Origins is an epic fantasy role-playing game featuring a rich story, personality-driven characters, and tactical, bloody combat. It is considered a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series. Mage is arguably the strongest class in Dragon Age Origins. This guide outlines the stats and skills of a pure casting type mage and how to build one. The bulk of the guide is a glossary of the spells which are scored and ranked. The guide also contains a solid example mage build which works well on nightmare.
Aldarion | Alistair | Leliana | Mabari War Hound | Morrigan | Oghren | Shale | Sten | Wynne | Zevran | |
MORRIGAN, SHAPESHIFTER / BLOOD MAGE
Strength 14 Dexterity 16 Willpower 21 Magic 24 Cunning 12 Constitution 10
Starting Inventory / Magic Staff (Steel), Morrigan's Robes, Clasp of the Wilds
Talent Selection
Starting Talents at 7th level
- Spider Shape
- Winter's Grasp
- Frost Weapons
- Lightning
- Vulnerability Hex
- Disorient
- Horror
- Drain Life
An alternative build for Morrigan is one that allows her to take advantage of both the Shapeshifter and the Blood Mage specializations in a nearly seamless system. The idea requires a bit of explanation. Once Morrigan develops her Blood Mage abilities, she will always keep the Blood Magic sustained ability active. Blood Magic draws upon health to power spells instead of mana. It amounts to a calculated gamble that the increased spell casting power will suffice to win the battle quickly enough to minimize the risks of drawing on health to empower spells. This gamble is often justified, since a single casting of Blood Wound for example often suffices to win a battle outright. If Morrigan's health is getting too low for comfort, she invokes the Flying Swarm ability. This will basically turn Morrigan into a fast and mobile spell-like entity that inflicts continuous nature damage on all enemies next to her. It also won't affect her comrades. Any attacks no her while in Flying Swarm mode will not detract from her health. It will instead reduce her mana, which will have been untapped while she was in Blood Mage mode. With Master Shapeshifter, the Flying Swarm will recoup health whenever it inflicts damage on the monsters. For an idea of what Morrigan can do with Flying Swarm, check out this video (not made by me):
So, Morrigan can let loose as a Blood Mage. If her health is getting low, she can turn into a Flying Swarm. Any attacks to her only reduce her untapped mana. Her own damage on the monsters recoups her health. Once she's back to full health, she can revert back to human form and resume Blood Magic. This can lead to quite a destructive and self-replenishing cycle, assuming the battle will even last that long.
If you do rely on Morrigan as your single Mage for your party, and whichever build you choose for her, be sure to include Heal in the mix so that she can aid her comrades once in a while. Get her Arcane Tomes if you rely on her as your sole mage. My progression for Morrigan was:
8th level
Bear Shape - More of a stepping stone to other abilities.
9th level
Sleep - A useful spell for a group of enemies that surround the party. Morrigan can also follow up by casting Horror on a sleeping target to either kill it outright or otherwise inflict plenty of spirit damage. This is the Nightmare combo.
10th level
Insect Swarm - See my comments above.
11th level
Death Magic - This doesn't work very well with Blood Magic, so it's really a stepping stone to other abilities in the tree.
12th level
Master Shapeshifter - The real point of this is so that Flying Swarm will recoup Morrigan's health whenever she inflicts damage.
13th level
Curse of Mortality - A deadly single-target spell. It inflicts minor damage, but also prevents the target from getting healed for its duration.
14th level
Dragon Age Origins Builds Guide
Blood Magic - Allows Morrigan to draw upon her health instead of Mana to power her spells.
15th level
Blood Sacrifice - Use with care. Can bail out Morrigan if she's low on health and she wants to continue to use Blood Magic, but can also kill a wounded party member. It's also a stepping stone to ...
16th level
Blood Wound - This is like Crushing Prison on crack. It may not score as much spirit damage on an individual target as Crushing Prison, but the fact that it has pretty much the same effect on multiple foes and can be cast without hurting your comrades even if they're in the area of effect means this spell often suffices to win battles by itself.
17th level
Death Cloud - Blood Wound inflicts spirit damage, so it makes sense to add a storm-spell that also uses spirit damage. This point will become evident when I describe Morrigan's inventory.
18th level
Cone of Cold - Now she starts to round things out by adding cold damage to her repertoire, which will be enhanced by her Robes of Possession. It may be an equally valid choice to take this and Blizzard earlier, especially if you rely on Morrigan as your only Mage. I suspect the reason I put it off till this point may be because Aldarion already had it.
19th level
Blizzard - Icing on the cake.
20th level
Dragon Age Origins Morrigan Shapeshifter Build
Affliction Hex - A minor spell with the benefit on reducing the target's elemental resistances.
21st level
Misdirection Hex - A spell that causes its target to pretty much miss all of its physical attacks. Keep in mind that it will draw that target's 'aggro' when you use it.
22rd level
Death Hex - The target will be vulnerable to critical hits for the duration. It will also draw 'aggro' from the target. This spell, in conjunction with Death Cloud, can also subject the target to the Entropic Death combo that inflicts massive Spirit damage.
23rd level
Blood Domination - This has some utility, but Morrigan's other abilities often prove decisive.
24th level
Waking Nightmare - Another card for Morrigan's deck. It works very similarly to Chaos in older D&D rules systems whereby multiple foes simply wander around and become sitting ducks for the party's attacks.
Skill Selection
Starting
- Herbalism
- Improved Herbalism
- Combat Training
- Improved Combat Training
9th level
Expert Herbalism - The real point to this is to be able to take advantage of a method for raising limitless gold that involves selling Potent Lyrium Potions at a profit. The method requires the Master Herbalism skill, so Expert Herbalism is really just a stepping stone.
12th level
Master Herbalism - And voila.
15th level
Combat Tactics - Unlike Wynne or Aldarion, I heavily script Morrigan since her participation is often in situations where I don't have direct control over her. I thus like to give her as many tactics slots as possible.
18th level
Improved Combat Tactics - Same thing.
21st level
Expert Combat Tactics - Same thing.
24th level
Expert Combat Training - Improving her ability to cast a spell despite damage.
Script
Self: Any - Blood Magic
Self Health < 50% - Flying Swarm
Enemy clustered with 3 other Enemies - Blood Wound
Self Mana - 10% - Deactivate Flying Swarm
Self surrounded by at least 4 Enemies - Waking Nightmare
Self surrounded by at least 3 Enemies - Sleep
Enemy Sleeping - Horror
Enemy Health > 75% - Winter's Grasp
Enemy Health > 50% - Lightning
Nearest Visible Enemy - Attack
Self Health < 50% - Flying Swarm
Enemy clustered with 3 other Enemies - Blood Wound
Self Mana - 10% - Deactivate Flying Swarm
Self surrounded by at least 4 Enemies - Waking Nightmare
Self surrounded by at least 3 Enemies - Sleep
Enemy Sleeping - Horror
Enemy Health > 75% - Winter's Grasp
Enemy Health > 50% - Lightning
Nearest Visible Enemy - Attack
I actually have rather more extensive scripting for Morrigan since many of her abilities will not harm comrades, and since her participation is often in scenarios where all of the other comrades have to join in as well.
Dragon Age Origins Shapeshifter Guide Pdf
Inventory
Weapon: Corrupted Magister's Staff
Helmet: Reinforced Magus Cowl
Armor: Robes of Possession
Gloves: Silk Weave Gloves
Boots: Enchanter's Footing
Amulet: Lifedrinker
Belt: Destructionist's Belt
1st Ring: Blood Ring
2nd Ring: Dreamsever
Helmet: Reinforced Magus Cowl
Armor: Robes of Possession
Gloves: Silk Weave Gloves
Boots: Enchanter's Footing
Amulet: Lifedrinker
Belt: Destructionist's Belt
1st Ring: Blood Ring
2nd Ring: Dreamsever
Some items provide bonuses that are helpful for any Mage build: Magic, Willpower, Spellpower, mana regeneration, and defense. Items that provide bonuses to Spirit damage will augment Blood Wound, Death Cloud, and the Nightmare combo. The Robes of Possession provides a hefty bonus to cold damage that will augment Cone of Cold, Winter's Grasp, and Blizzard. The Silk Weave Gloves will increase the damage she inflicts while in Flying Swarm form. The Blood Ring will also reduce the hit on health that she takes whenever she uses Blood Magic to cast spells.
Attribute Increases
I pump up Magic first to get fourth talents in various spell trees. After that, I go with +1 Magic and +2 Constitution. This makes sense, considering the particular system I have set up for Morrigan, and also because she has items that provide considerable boosts to Spellpower so there isn't as much of an onus to increase Magic as much.
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