I've finally started playing DAO again. Want to run through everything once before Awakening if I can. Had a really hard time getting myself to stop playing ME2 but I'm into it now.

Anyway, missed this a few days ago. The first new spells and mage specialization are out.

The spells are here and they're called Arcane Field, Elemental Chaos, Hand of Winter and Repulsion Field and look pretty badass. And the new specialization is Battlemage

I played through DAO once as a mage; trying again as a warrior but it does not have the same appeal. The mage's area affects are so completely and totally badass that simple hack & slashing one on one seems trite and boring.

I mastered the earthquake + death cloud + inferno combination to devastating effect. A room full of blighted stood no chance. The only real challenges came from dragons: the big ones, not the drakes and younglings. The ArchDemon kicked my ass.... it really takes a sword-wielder to take that bitch out.

Just finished playing through as a Dalish Warrior. What an incredible game it's been so far. Just downloaded "Return to Ostragar" and will be playing that scenario soon.

Giving serious thought to playing through again as a Human Mage.

I am completely stoked for Awakenings.

Playing as a Mage was my favorite and I found it a bit easier for battle tactics; being a healer also helps.
Cone of cold plus something that has a chance to shatter = death.

I'm thinking I'm gonna pick up return to ostagar.. Anyone played through it yet? If so, worth it?

I took down the archdemon with two mages; morrigan and myself. It took about 40 minutes to finally kill him.

I just finished it. I'd read a lot of bitching on the bioware forums about how short it was, but it took me about 2 and a half hours to do it at around level 8, right after I finished up in Lothering. I think that was a good time to go, since it seemed to me to be geared around that low- to mid-level range. I liked it, for what it was. Didn't feel like a waste of 5 bucks to me.

This is my 3rd time through, my first two being mages (well, I never finished the 2nd mage). I'm on a Daelish rogue archer. It's definitely more challenging without all the AoE power. I'm trying some different stuff on Morrigan, working up to Spell Power to get her Storm of the Century and then, eventually, Advanced Reanimation (super-powered Animate Dead). I may work her up to Entropic Death, too. That's a pretty wicked one, Death Cloud plus Death Hex.

I'll be back on a mage for Awakening, I'd imagine. I always tend to migrate towards spellcasters in RPGs.

Next time I play through it I will use Morrigan -v- the ArchDemon. The first time through I told her to take a hike when she proposed her alternative to sacrifice. (I played through as a altruistic fire/healing Mage).

One thing I will definitely do the next time I play as mage is forgoe the Shapeshifter specialty class! What a useless turd.

Pretty cool little vid, obviously spoilery.

<object id='ignplayer' width='480' height='270' data='http://media.ign.com/ev/embed.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash'><param name='movie' value='http://media.ign.com/ev/embed.swf' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='allowscriptaccess' value='always' /><param name='bgcolor' value='#000000' /><param name='flashvars' value='vgroup=dragonagewakening_gmp_beforeboss&object=56427'/></object><div style='width:480;'><a href='http://pc.ign.com/objects/056/056427.html'>Dragon Age: Origins -- Awakening at IGN.com</a></div>

Latest Awakening companion: Mhairi

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I should probably pick this up for the PC at some point - I was having major computer issues and got the Xbox version because I didn't want to wait. I assume the price has come down some at this point, and I can always trade the Xbox game in.

Started a new game last night with a human mage. I have to remember to keep my distance from the enemies. This lack of armor is getting my ass whupped.

Question though, did anyone else have issues with Return to Ostragar? I can play the first scene but when we actually leave camp to go to Ostragar, the game starts loading and never seems to stop. Either this is one hell of a load or I have a corrupted download.

I can get that bug at any point in the game, although it doesn't happen very often. I usually shut it down down after it happens and then reload.

As for the dlc itself, I've made it through return to ostagar twice without any issues.

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Be sure to put lots of points into magical armor... it shields you from attacks. I used mage robes almost exclusively. The magic shield spells + robe bonuses to spell power were more effective than armor... even drake scale and dragon scale armor.

The mage area affect spells are phenomenal. You won't have enough points to open them all, so choose a path e.g. "fire", "ice", "lightening", or "entropy" and build it up.

I had earthquake, whirlwind, and death cloud.... could obliterate swarms of dark spawn by the end. I brought at least 2 melee chars with me to draw off the stragglers: one sword/axe-wielder and one archer. The fourth was either a second sword/axe wielder, or a support mage (healer). I also invested heavily in healing spells... they come in very handy!

Don't waste time on Shape Shifting. It's crap IMO.