Dragon Age: Inquistion

[HoonDing]

 

On the plus side there is now a necromancy class.

Does this mean we can finally enslave nations?

 

yes

[aluminiumtrioxid]

 

I personally think it looks badass but then again I am a sucker for wide proportioned collars -- Although I would say it fits a Rogue more than a Mage but it's a step up from your average ballerina skirts of Dragon Age Origins.

 

I agree, it's fairly pimp. Also, an Inquisitor in the Dark Heresy corebook wears something similar, so I think it's intended as a shout out (the fact that said Inquisitor is a psyker, and this is a Mage outfit reinforces this).

[213374U]

 

God damn it, they've scrapped the blood mage specification. I guess having characters react to it was too much trouble for bioware.

Now that's disappointing. I'd actually would have loved for some internal moral struggles, in relation to blood magic, to happen in the game. Origins had something like that going but it was ultimately cut, bah.

 

Yeah, cutting out actual consequences for your choices. Can't have that or somebody over at the 'dex could have a stroke.

 

Cutting the specialization means it's probably just too much work to have the plot recognize and react to the fact that the Inquisitor could be a puppet of the demons of the Fade. While I personally feel like elements being randomly assigned the descriptor: Evil is lazy and silly, I can understand how this can generate a plot thread the writers don't want to explore or is outside of what is feasible with the resources they have. But as others have mentioned this is a consistency problem, caused by the writers' determination to remake Blood Magic into something inherently evil and portray those who practice it as raving madmen, when in previous games this was not necessarily the case.

 

At this point, nobody should be surprised that a Bio game is not an exploration of Hannah Arendt's ideas on the nature of evil. Not sure it needs to be, either.

Edited April 27, 2014 by 213374U

[Malcador]

The hat is silly but otherwise not that bad.

[TheChris92]

I want that outfit for a rogue, so I can roleplay as a Swashbuckler Errol Flynn-type, instead of that atrocious-tacky-cartoonish-looking one that looks like it was ported over from DA2's silly armor design department, currently showcased on their site.

[TheChris92]

Bioware is good at necromancy, they've been bringing back Carth Onasi in one form or another for more than a decade.

They need also be congratulated for coming up with all sorts of contrived reasons as to why Anders did not end up being as blue as Elvis -- after having his day thoroughly ruined, and incidentally his life, by a colossal boulder, which not even the smarmiest of his arsenal of tomfoolery wise cracks could possibly bounce off.  

Edited April 27, 2014 by TheChris92

[aluminiumtrioxid]

The hat is silly but otherwise not that bad.

 

The hat is awesome.

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

 

On the plus side there is now a necromancy class.

 

But wasn't necromancy blood magic in previous games?

 

I don't know. Entropy in the first game had the ability to summon zombies, and it certaintly wasn't part of the blood magic. 

 

But who knows. 

 

Forgot about that. But weren't the blood mages in DA2 summing undead on mass?

 

Also this is mage gear in DA:I?

 

 

 

I think its silly in a good way. No one needs more cowled wizards with mystic runes all over, looking like they couldn't find better garments than someone's curtains.

 

Really walking around with a cowl and a long robe there'd be more dead wizards due to tripping and hitting their heads on the pavement or being blindsided by donkey carts than due to enemy action.

[Oerwinde]

I want that outfit for a rogue, so I can roleplay as a Swashbuckler Errol Flynn-type, instead of that atrocious-tacky-cartoonish-looking one that looks like it was ported over from DA2's silly armor design department, currently showcased on their site.

One of their problems is their approach to rogues isn't what most people associate with rogues. The classes are Warrior, Also Warrior, and Mage.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Oerwinde

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

I want that outfit for a rogue, so I can roleplay as a Swashbuckler Errol Flynn-type, instead of that atrocious-tacky-cartoonish-looking one that looks like it was ported over from DA2's silly armor design department, currently showcased on their site.

One of their problems is their approach to rogues isn't what most people associate with rogues. The classes are Warrior, Also Warrior, and Mage.

 

 

I think they have to compensate somehow for the traditional weaknesses of the class. In BGII it didn't matter that the thief was so specialized since you had 5 other characters to make up for it. If you want to make the PC feel powerful as a thief you basically have to make him into a warrior, to lessen his dependence on other classes in direct confrontation.

I wouldn't mind getting owned by the mobs as a thief but I imagine the imaginary average gamer would. 

 

After the third botched backstab attempt they'd bury their controller in the telly and frothing rage would erupt on the forums. 

Edited April 27, 2014 by Drowsy Emperor

[Drowsy Emperor]

Besides, if we track the rogue to the beginning of the stereotype in swords and sorcery, Conan, the character is basically a cunning warrior. What separates him from knights is his self serving attitude, not a particular skill set.

[213374U]

^ I don't know if I qualify as an average gamer in the sense you mean, but I know that indeed, failed backstabs were some of the most frustrating occurrences in the IE games (until I discovered they had found a way to enable facestabbing for the player, anyway). I don't know, that and the extremely user-unfriendly way traps were implemented made me feel that somebody in the design team had a beef with thieves. After a few tweaks I found especially thief hybrids to be pure awesomeness, but I think the skills a rogue brings to the table are systematically underplayed, when compared to a P&P environment.

[Oerwinde]

I always saw rogues as a support class, they were there to get you through traps, pickpocket, and break into stuff. When it came to combat they were supposed to stay back and snipe, or backstab and run. The fun of them came from their non-combat role. This is again where Quest For Glory shows its superiority of class implementation.

[Bryy]

QfG really did have an awesome character creation system.

[Humanoid]

The other thing is that there's often a fear about allowing one class to get significantly wealthier than the others. God forbid a thief actually be able to steal stuff worth anything. Playing a bit of TOR back in the day as a smuggler, the first act has you acquire a fantastic treasure worth a fortune as a final reward. Except that it isn't worth anything and you end up with the same amount of cash as that altruistic monkjedi who has spent exactly 0% of the game pursuing material riches.

 

Sure, that extreme measure of equalisation tends to be associated with MMOs, but it's also prevalent in most single player games to some extent. Dragon Age for example gave out a few unique items, but a pittance in gold, and the items sell for mere pocket change.

 

As absurd as it sometimes gets, I respect the Elder Scrolls games for at least allowing you to take anything and everything to feed your personal fortune.

[licketysplit]

 

The hat is silly but otherwise not that bad.

 

The hat is awesome.

 

 

Looks ridiculous. I hate the stupid hat.

[Bos_hybrid]

I think its silly in a good way. No one needs more cowled wizards with mystic runes all over, looking like they couldn't find better garments than someone's curtains.

 

Really walking around with a cowl and a long robe there'd be more dead wizards due to tripping and hitting their heads on the pavement or being blindsided by donkey carts than due to enemy action.

 

 

How about mages wear armor?

 

No silly dresses, no cowl and no silly hats. Just plate mail and chain mail.

 

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

The mage looks like a pimp from a 70's crime show.

[Orogun01]

 

I think its silly in a good way. No one needs more cowled wizards with mystic runes all over, looking like they couldn't find better garments than someone's curtains.

 

Really walking around with a cowl and a long robe there'd be more dead wizards due to tripping and hitting their heads on the pavement or being blindsided by donkey carts than due to enemy action.

 

 

How about mages wear armor?

 

No silly dresses, no cowl and no silly hats. Just plate mail and chain mail.

 

Plate mail and chain mail are both heavy(as heavy as modern infantry armor) and don't have good ventilation. A mage will likely succumb to fatigue since they haven't trained to use armor, plus armor is redundant when you can just cast a spell to increase your armor rating. So why not look fabulous instead?

[Bos_hybrid]

 

 

I think its silly in a good way. No one needs more cowled wizards with mystic runes all over, looking like they couldn't find better garments than someone's curtains.

 

Really walking around with a cowl and a long robe there'd be more dead wizards due to tripping and hitting their heads on the pavement or being blindsided by donkey carts than due to enemy action.

 

 

How about mages wear armor?

 

No silly dresses, no cowl and no silly hats. Just plate mail and chain mail.

 

Plate mail and chain mail are both heavy(as heavy as modern infantry armor) and don't have good ventilation. A mage will likely succumb to fatigue since they haven't trained to use armor, plus armor is redundant when you can just cast a spell to increase your armor rating.

 

 A mage throws a fireball and no one bats an eyelid, but put them in armor and that's just unrealistic.

 

So why not look fabulous instead?

 

No.

[Orogun01]

A mage throws a fireball and no one bats an eyelid, but put them in armor and that's just unrealistic.

A mage spent a lot of time learning how to throw a fireball instead of training with armor and doing long marches.

Its really like saying that a scientist should be able to wear heavy armor as well as a soldier does.

 

No.

I get the feeling that you just don't have a fashion sense.

[Bos_hybrid]

A mage spent a lot of time learning how to throw a fireball instead of training with armor and doing long marches.

Its really like saying that a scientist should be able to wear heavy armor as well as a soldier does.

 

So I'm guessing rouges train with armor and do long marches.

 

I'm it's saying it's fantasy and the thought that mages can't wear armor, is the same as thinking a female can't swing a great sword.

 

 

No.

I get the feeling that you just don't have a fashion sense.

 

If that's fashion, then I happily confirm I don't.

[Volourn]

"One of their problems is their approach to rogues isn't what most people associate with rogues. The classes are Warrior, Also Warrior, and Mage."
 

I agree and that's what is happening with PE too. Rogues are now warriors in the new age of RPGs.

 

 

"A mage throws a fireball and no one bats an eyelid, but put them in armor and that's just unrealistic."

 

Depends on the game. In DnD,  armour intevered in the magiks (that was story excuse for game play reason). Plus, as mentioned above, majority of mages spend their time studying books, and spells. They don't focus on gaining muscles to wear they can conceivably left armour let alone war it  for long times.

[TheChris92]

The mage looks like a pimp from a 70's crime show.

To me, he looks like Inigo Montoya out of The Princess Bride, a bonifide Swashbuckler, which is a look I'd see better suited for a rogue. I've always picture the rogue as a smarmy non-authority character with a cunning wit, who makes his own rules and uses elaborate tricks during combat as well as speed to win. Like some people mentioned earlier -- BioWare's idea of a rogue doesn't sit right with me at all. Mostly due to how the armor looks like something out of DA2, which was just terrible in general.

Edited April 28, 2014 by TheChris92

[Nepenthe]

"One of their problems is their approach to rogues isn't what most people associate with rogues. The classes are Warrior, Also Warrior, and Mage."

 

I agree and that's what is happening with PE too. Rogues are now warriors in the new age of RPGs.

 

 

"A mage throws a fireball and no one bats an eyelid, but put them in armor and that's just unrealistic."

 

Depends on the game. In DnD,  armour intevered in the magiks (that was story excuse for game play reason). Plus, as mentioned above, majority of mages spend their time studying books, and spells. They don't focus on gaining muscles to wear they can conceivably left armour let alone war it  for long times.

 

 

Traditionally it was warrior, tank + single target damage, rogue sneaky support stuff, mage area dps and crowd control... increasingly, and not just in DA, it's warrior tank/tank that tries to be something else than a tank (ie. offtank, which really only works if you have the fourth character, which you do in DA), rogue = single target dps with obligatory tacked-on trap detection, mage area dps and crowd control...