DA:O Noob Very Basic Questions

[ebonmort]

Hello Forum,

 

I just downloaded DA:O from Gog.com. It seems to have all the DLC.

 

I vastly preferred playing first-person, turn-based RPGs, but haven't played ANYTHING in years. DA:O's reputation and the low cost made this a

 

no-brainer.

 

I'll be playing on a PC, without mods, on "Normal" difficulty.

 

My preference is to play a Male Elf Mage. I want to grow him as an all-offense damage dealer.

 

Character Creation Questions:

 

1) Should I put all 5 Attribute points into Magic, and keep that up at level-up until Magic reaches 36? This for spell power and quickest access to

 

strongest spells, or:

 

2) Will I have to spend early points on Willpower to build up a big enough mana pool?

 

3) I want access to all Dialogue options, so that means selecting Coercion. How much Cunning will my Mage need to access all Dialogue options?

 

Thanx in advance for reading and answering.

 

WARNING: Answering these questions will inevitably lead to many more asked questions. <g>

[aeroldoth]

1) Everyone plays differently. I suggest magic until you notice yourself running out of mana a lot. So long as you usually have enough mana for each combat, keep pumping magic.

 

3)

25 cunning = 1 persuasion

25 strength = 1 intimidation

1 coercion = 1 persuasion/intimidation

 

Hardest conversations = 100 strength / 100 cunning, or 4 coercion. You can mix and match coercion with a stat.

 

As a mage you don't need str or cun, so just get 4 coercion and you'll have it all. Take it from a fellow elf mage.

[ebonmort]

Thanx Aero. Been away from gaming with family issues, but GLAD to be back.

 

1) In order to get 4 coercion, I'll need to raise cunning to 16, right? That's what my character screen seems to be telling me. And, items that raise cunning don't seem to apply. So, I'll need to decide if I want to put 5 points into cunning, or go with less coercion?

 

2) First impression is that I want to specialize in Blood Magic. How high a "constitution" should I have to be a kick-ass Blood Mage?

 

3) A lot of forum members seem to swear by the Blood Mage/Arcane Warrior dual specialization. Is there any loss (or gain) to sticking to a single specialization? Arcane Warrior is going to leach attribute points into "Dexterity", while I'm also putting points into "constitution' for Blood Mage. And, therefore, not putting points into "magic." ANY 2nd specialization is going to require taking attribute points from Magic/Constitution and putting them elsewhere, not to mention using up skill points elsewhere. Am I being naïve in thinking to stay with one specialization, keep attribute points on Magic/Constitution (and Willpower as needed) and using spell points to max out more Mage trees?

[ebonmort]

Anyone?

[theskymoves]

There is a main quest arc which can grant as many as five free points in Cunning. (And that's all I'll say 'bout that, because I don't want to spoil you. :D)

 

I've never played the 'traditional' Blood Mage/Arcane Warrior combo (with my one foray into Blood Mage being a Spirit Healer, actually, because I'm a rebel yes I am), but IIRC, I buffed her CON to around 35 or 40-ish in DAO, and supplemented that investment with +CON gear; all her other attribute points went to Magic and Willpower.

[ebonmort]

Alistair or Shale? Who's the better Tank? DPSer?

 

In Ostagar, I Persuaded the guard to give "The Hungry Deserter" his lunch. But, "Deserter" never gave me the key to the chest. He always acknowledged that his "belly was at least full," but never gave me the key. The Tranquil leaves the chest after Korcari Wilds, but I can't open it without a key.

[theskymoves]

Neither Alistair nor Shale will do much DPS, and I prefer Alistair as my traditional meat shield' tank; with a proper build, he's pretty much indestructible, and if specced into both Templar and Champion, he can provide a lot of crowd control.

 

When I do use Shale, it's for buffs and support, rather than as a damage dealer. (Too much friendly fire for my taste.) I do find Shale's talents are a bit quirky, and require some attention on the part of the player to use them for best advantage.

[Thandal]

Agree with tsm about Shale. I always consider Shale my "bunker", not my "tank". (And "Rock Barrage" talent has been bugged from Day 1.)

[ebonmort]

A couple more VERY Noob Questions:

 

1) Leliana has made like 20 Deathroot Extracts for my party. But, I can't figure out how to use one on a weapon. I right-click on the extract, then click on "use." The extract icon

 

blinks, but then I can't attach it to a weapon. I left-click the extract, and drag it over a weapon. The extract disappears, but the weapon doesn't show an acknowledgement that it's

 

coated, or that it's attack effects have changed. The Manual (ROFL) has nothing to help, and haven't found this BASIC function covered anywhere else.

 

2) Is there a way for me to REALLY micro-manage my central character during combat? I press "Pause", then click on the spell I want him to cast. Then I release "Pause" and he

 

casts the spell, but instantly picks up on his "tactics" commands before I can hit "Pause" again. If I erase all of his Tactics slots, will the AI stop and wait after every combat round for

 

me to give my Mage his next order?

 

Or, is this old-time, turn-based guy going to be dragged into the 21st century (kicking and screaming)?

[Thandal]

1. "Deathroot" is a required raw ingredient for a variety of useful things, (poisons) but not a "useful thing" itself.

 

2. Yes, if you "Clear" the Tactics rows, the character will basically stand still until directly controlled (or killed. :tongue: )

 

(The wiki is your friend. :thumbsup: )