Favourite Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age 1 (no xpack) character builds?

[Humodour]

So guys, what'd you find the most fun to play in these games?

 

I love fighter mages, so I'm thinking of building:

 

ME1: Vanguard -> Shock Trooper

Use Shotguns, with the Shotgun's powerup ability as a sniper rifle and rocket launcher. Shields augmented with biotics that heal it over time, and Adrenaline Rush to help decrease cooldown times.

 

Dragon Age:

Well, I want mage first and foremost. But I want one that can tank damage, if not able to actually deal physical damage themselves (i.e. be able to fight in a battle without being taken out by a the first enemy that gets your aggro).

 

I am tossing up between Shapeshifter and Arcane Warrior. Shapeshifter seems to suit my playstyle more maybe.

 

What do you guys think? And what do you build and enjoy?

[Gorth]

So guys, what'd you find the most fun to play in these games?

 

I love fighter mages, so I'm thinking of building:

 

ME1: Vanguard -> Shock Trooper

Use Shotguns, with the Shotgun's powerup ability as a sniper rifle and rocket launcher. Shields augmented with biotics that heal it over time, and Adrenaline Rush to help decrease cooldown times.

 

Dragon Age:

Well, I want mage first and foremost. But I want one that can tank damage, if not able to actually deal physical damage themselves (i.e. be able to fight in a battle without being taken out by a the first enemy that gets your aggro).

 

I am tossing up between Shapeshifter and Arcane Warrior. Shapeshifter seems to suit my playstyle more maybe.

 

What do you guys think? And what do you build and enjoy?

Dunno about ME1, but in Dragon Age you could eventually build an "Arcane Warrior", for those who want cake and eat it. You need to unlock it solving a particular problem in a particular way though.

[Nepenthe]

Dunno about ME1, but in Dragon Age you could eventually build an "Arcane Warrior", for those who want cake and eat it. You need to unlock it solving a particular problem in a particular way though.

Of course, you've only had to unlock it once, after which it stays unlocked ad infinitum.

 

Vanguard/Shock Trooper is a personal favourite (these days with assault rifles as bonus talent) as well, so I can't really give other suggestions. Sentinels are a cool concept, but they were only made actually fun to play in ME2.

[HoonDing]

Mage in DA:O was the most fun for me, except that the origin contains probably the most annoying character in the game, and has the gall to make this character your best friend (then again, the female City Elf is forced to marry someone who looks like he stepped out of Deliverance).

Edited November 21, 2010 by virumor

[sorophx]

I played through origins and the follow-up add-on with an arcane warrior, it was loads of fun, I'd also suggest mage because you don't really get cool companions who can be mages. Morrigan is just awful and Wynne should be in your party anyway

[Humodour]

OK so for now I'm in Dragon Age. Making my char, going for the Arcane Warrior route - what stats should I do? Arcane Warriors abilities are dependent on Magic so should I just max that? What about constitution, or is health not a concern for the Arcane Warrior (tanky enough already)? And what's that about being able to unlock Arcane Warrior permanently? So I have to unlock an achievement before I can build this class? Go die in a hole Bioware.

 

 

Nepenthe: I've also contemplated a Sentinel->Bastion. Tanky as a Vanguard->Shock Trooper (i.e. very). Doesn't really get any extra biotic powers, but gets the tech ones to make up for it. Pistols obviously since he gets Marksman. Thoughts? Maybe I could do that thing where you unlock Shotguns by shooting the gas balls at the start repeatedly. **** I hate achievements and Bioware's obsession with them.

[Humodour]

Can I make an Arcane Warrior that uses bows/ranged effectively when not casting spells or is it just melee?

[Labadal]

I played a dual wielding rogue on my first playthrough.

 

I'm also planning to po play an arcane mage, planning to use this guide.

[sorophx]

Arcane Warriors abilities are dependent on Magic so should I just max that?

pretty much what I did, and it wasn't great. you'll get a one-handed sword pretty early on (right around the time you'll be able to unlock Arcane Warrior) which is restricted to mages only. it's a very good weapon. the thing with arcane warriors is they can wear any armor as long as their magic power equals or exceeds the strength requirement. but you'll have hard time making a good melee fighter out of yourself.

 

if you decide to take Blood Mage further down the road, it should be enough to make you a tank. I never did it because getting Blood Mage requires completing a pretty stupid quest, so I passed on it.

[Labadal]

But if he already unlocked the classes on his first playthrough, they are unlocked for every other replay of the game.

[sorophx]

to me it looks like it's his first playthrough

[Rosbjerg]

If you are a good character, it's hard to justify the action required to unlock bloodmage.. but save before it happens, take the evil route, then load the save - voila - it's unlocked and you can still be a good guy.

[Humodour]

Fair enough guys, but I think I really would prefer an Arcane Warrior, so does anybody know what stats I should build, or if ranged/bow combat is viable?

 

I don't want a mage that can replace a fighter. I want a mage that can cast spells a bit less effectively (or as effectively) as a pure nuker, but with significantly increased survivability. Being able to do decent physical damage (ranged or melee) when spells run out would also be ideal but is gravy (have my cake and eat it as Gorth says).

 

And what about diplomacy? Do my stats change dialogue options?

 

I'm also planning to po play an arcane mage, planning to use this guide.

 

Cheers man, I'll take a read.

Edited November 21, 2010 by Krezack

[sorophx]

the thing is, you can take both Arcane Warrior and Blood Mage, which makes the most effective combination imo

[Rosbjerg]

Fair enough guys, but I think I really would prefer an Arcane Warrior, so does anybody know what stats I should build, or if ranged/bow combat is viable?

 

I don't want a mage that can replace a fighter. I want a mage that can cast spells a bit less effectively (or as effectively) as a pure nuker, but with significantly increased survivability. Being able to do decent physical damage (ranged or melee) when spells run out would also be ideal but is gravy (have my cake and eat it as Gorth says).

 

And what about diplomacy? Do my stats change dialogue options?

 

I'm also planning to po play an arcane mage, planning to use this guide.

 

Cheers man, I'll take a read.

 

The AW is ok with a sword (and the shield is nice) - but I've never tried the ranged approach, mostly because I think your staff is a better ranged attack? It's however important to remember that you can't cast certain spells while you have a sword or bow in hand. See this list to see what you can and cannot.

[Cantousent]

Definitely go for Arcane Warrior, kid. I prefer more fireball to the groin builds, but Arcane Warrior is a great build with lots of potential.

[Orogun01]

Arcane Warrior + Blood Mage = Power build.

[Humodour]

Fair enough guys, but I think I really would prefer an Arcane Warrior, so does anybody know what stats I should build, or if ranged/bow combat is viable?

 

I don't want a mage that can replace a fighter. I want a mage that can cast spells a bit less effectively (or as effectively) as a pure nuker, but with significantly increased survivability. Being able to do decent physical damage (ranged or melee) when spells run out would also be ideal but is gravy (have my cake and eat it as Gorth says).

 

And what about diplomacy? Do my stats change dialogue options?

 

I'm also planning to po play an arcane mage, planning to use this guide.

 

Cheers man, I'll take a read.

 

The AW is ok with a sword (and the shield is nice) - but I've never tried the ranged approach, mostly because I think your staff is a better ranged attack? It's however important to remember that you can't cast certain spells while you have a sword or bow in hand. See this list to see what you can and cannot.

 

I did not know the staff was ranged! No need for a bow, then! Hah.

 

Any downsides at all to taking Blood Mage + Arcane Warrior?

 

What skills does everyone take? I'm leaning towards Coercion and Poison-Making or Herbalism? How many skill points do I get and which skills are useless? Heh.

 

And which spells are good (not necessarily great, but good enough, useful)?

Edited November 21, 2010 by Krezack

[Cantousent]

The staff provides a weak but consistent ranged attack. For the most part, if you want ranged, take a more conventional mage build and blast the crap out of stuff with spells. Arcane warrior has a bunch of thing going for it. Blood Mages can be powerful also, but it depends on how much you roleplay and what you think of going the blood mage route. Frankly, although I can hear the howls already, I would probably go for Spirit Healer/Arcane warrior. Less distasteful than Blood Mage and I went through the entire game on the hardest setting with Spirit Healer and it provided for a really powerful build. Sometimes a bit slow, but you can outlive folks pretty easily. Group heal and revival can come in quite handy.

 

No matter what specialization, and I think you can take both SH and AW, you will be able to use a wide variety of mage abilities and mages are simply the most versatile of the classes. At least that's my take.

[sorophx]

Group heal and revival can come in quite handy.

that's what Wynne is for

[mr insomniac]

Force Field + Crushing Prison is a good combo, for spells. I also like Tempest and Blizzard for AoE. Winter's Grasp/Cone of Cold + Stone Fist. Mind Blast is good if you get surrounded by enemies. I always liked Virulent Walking Bomb, at least early in the game. Best visual spell effect yet.

 

Survival is a good skill, but really only one person in your group has to have it.

 

Even playing as an arcane warrior, you won't be able to gain any of the special archer/warrior talents, so no real need for using bows at all. Staff is lower damage but it never misses.

 

For stats, pump magic and willpower. I usually go with a 2:1 ratio on level ups. Get cunning up to 16 to max out Coercion, and some other skills, if you go that route. No need for anything else. Dex does increase your defense rating but killing everything as quickly as possible is better.

 

I also liked spirit healer as a specialization, but then I'm usually the only mage in my group when I leave camp.

[Humodour]

Hahaha thanks for that post mr insomniac. Pretty much confirms what've I've already started doing with this char, which is good (maxing Coercion, 2:1 ratio, and getting Crushing Prison first). That will keep me busy for a while. Choosing spells carefully because I've decided I want to be ABLE to use a sword on whim, so this play through I'm only picking spells that are usable with swords. After Crushing Prison I'm going to grab Mana Clash.

 

I know I have to do a certain quest to activate Arcane Warrior. How soon can I do it and where do I go? Any special conditions I need to meet?

[Cantousent]

I unlocked Arcane Warrior fairly early in my first run. I seem to recall that I went to the wood elf lands and there was some sort of glass bauble or something that I found. Interacting with it, I found that there was a spirit trapped within and I freed the spirit after it taught me the specialization. You can hit the Elf lands early, but I wouldn't wade right into the tombstones with the undead right away. Go get your arcane warrior spec first and then come back to fight the undead. You don't need them to do the main questline for the area but you *will* find the arcane warrior spec on the werewolf crit path.

 

If I recall correctly, I learned the Spirit Healer from Wrynn and shapeshifting from Morgan. I never went the blood mage route because, while some might be worse than others, they're a pretty unsavory lot altogether.

 

The big thing about dual speccing for Arcane Warrior/x is that the stuff that lets you live longest also sucks up mana like crazy, but that's why blood mages can get away with things a little easier, I think. I've never played one, but I understand, from in game, that they have an alternate source for magical power such as hit points. Of course, you don't really want to sacrifice a lot of hit points from your main tank either.

[Humanoid]

I got Arcane Warrior early too and regretted it - mostly due to my own bad planning though. Turned my balanced 2 melee 2 ranged group into a more fragile 3+1. Couldn't afford to lose my tank (Al) and I had specced thief-girl into full melee as well. Too many point blank aoes tended to devastate my party even on easy/normal difficulty. Now in hindsight I could have reversed the decision with a mod but I didn't know about it.

 

So yeah, impulse decision ruined my game (I abandoned that game a couple of quest hubs after) but it should be fun if pre-planned properly. And I still haven't gotten any further than 2 quest hubs complete on any subsequent character either....

 

 

 

I can't say much about my ME choices - skill cooldowns looked too long to bother with so I just set it on easy and killed everything with pistols.

Edited November 21, 2010 by Humanoid

[mr insomniac]

I just had a look at the list of spells that Rosbjerg put up. Good stuff, I'd never seen the complete list before. As to how it works, it doesn't mean you can't ever cast those spells if you're an Arcane Warrior. It just means your weapon will become unequipped when you try to cast one. You can re-equip the weapon again afterwards.

 

You don't get to pick a specialization until you hit level 7, and you get a second one at level 14. Other than that, the only requirement is unlocking them.

 

Some spells will have a casting time, eg: chain lightning, AoE spells. There's a combat skill that, for mages, will decrease the likelihood of your spell being interrupted. Also very useful to max that out, even before coercion.