Two ideas, one big, one small

[Onmi]

The Big One- Expanded Wardens.

We knows the story, whoever you didn't become of the 6 origin stories got utterly fragged by whatever greek tragedy took their lives... but why does that have to be the case? We know for a fact the origin stories all happen at seperate times, The Dwarf Commoner a single day before the Dwarf Noble, the Circle of Magi somewhere before or after those two, and we know that the Human Noble must be close to the end because their have already been fights at Ostagar when Duncan is there, and the fastest route from Highever to Ostagar is through Denerim and the Brecillian forest, and the Dalish Elf couldn't possibly survive for long without the Joining, so they must come last.

 

I suggest, based on the Concept art presented for each class, (if at all possible) to implement the remaining 5 wardens who you don't pick. Have them show up depending on the origin you picked (Dalish Elf would show all the other origins while Mage would only show the Dwarves) and follow you into Ostagar (is that cutscene maleable?) It's entirely possible to add them and have Duncan never reference them of course, while still letting you talk to them (just give them a phrase based on the origin and backgrounds) now how do we explain them not joining the party while you, Alistair, Daveth and Jory are off doing your joining? We can have another Warden in camp say that the others returned before you did (you WERE delayed by Morrigan after all) and already did their joining. Later in the battle they managed to survive Ostagar and escape. You would then, on your travels, find those Wardens on the road. Contrived? undoubtably!

 

Keep in mind I'm suggesting Static genders based on the Concept art, it is of course up to the modder to make the decision

http://images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/4/4f/Humans_-_Noble.jpg

HUMAN NOBLE: AEDAN COUSLAND

Class: Warrior

Specilization: Champion

Weapon Focus: Sword and Shield

Recruitment Location: Denerim

 

Aedan escaped the battle at Ostagar along side the other new recruit wardens, upon discovering Loghains trechery and Arl Howe instated as the Teryn of not only Denerim but Highever, Aedan swore bloody vengance and tore across the country side seeking his revenge. In Denerim Aedan will be found in one of the Backallys and must be assisted, he will then ask for your aid in assaulting one of Howes safe houses, believing him to have something that belongs to the Couslands. Upon completion of the quest, Aedan joins the party permanently.

 

Relationship with the other Wardens: Aedan is brotherly with Duran Aeducan, knowing what it is to lose everything you hold dear, while he and Theron Mahariel bump heads constantly. He's polite to Kallian Tabris and Natia Brosca despite their feelings about him, and he treats Neria Surana neutrally. (Obviously the warden YOU have picked replaces the one here, instead your dialogue with him is reactive to how you treat him)

 

NOTES: I'm sorry no matter how many times I look at it, I can't see Aedan as anyone but Inigo Montoya-lite, THAT would be a funny introduction scene though

 

http://images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/3/3d/Mage2.jpg

MAGI: NERIA SURANA

Class: Mage

Specilization: Arcane Warrior

Focus: Twin Swords

Recruitment Location: Redcliffe

 

Neria decided that as long as she had her freedom, she might as well take it, instead of heading to the Dalish however as Theron planned to do, she decided to head to Redcliffe following a lead she had picked up on Jowan, not sure whether she wished to kill him or thank him at the moment. The player encounters Neria pretending to be a regular warrior before the Siege, with dialogue options you can trip her up and inform her that you're also a Warden, she will join you when Jowan informs you about the ritual to save Connor, because she wishes to 'properly' leave the Circle.

 

Relationship with Other Wardens: Kallian treats her with awe. She doesn't have any feelings regarding Duran and Aedan but shows a lot of kindness to Natia. The only Warden she does not get along with is Theron who looks down upon an elf who threw away her freedom, though he respects her power.

 

NOTES: You may want to swap up Neria for the Amell Human Mage, I went with the concept art as my only indicator when writing these things, I also picked Arcane Warrior because I do not think any Circle of Magi mage would honestly be dumb enough to consort with demons, after having expressly been told their whole lives not to consort with demons. Also because Arcane Warrior gives her the perfect cover in Redcliffe without needing to reveal her magic.

 

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091120060259/dragonage/images/4/40/Concept-Rogue.png

DALISH ELF: THERON MAHARIEL

Class: Rogue

Specilization: Ranger

Focus: Bow and Arrow

Recruitment Location: Brecellian Forest

 

Theron, now cured of his taint and under no obligation to do anything but protect his clan, sought them out in the forest once again, However when he was told his camp had moved on he made it a goal to try and find a cure for the Werewolf plague his people were suffering. He refuses to rejoin with the Wardens until the clan is safe. As such he will only join proper once the Elf main plot is completed. During his time in the forests he learned to communicate with the animals, hence his Ranger specilization.

 

Relationship with Other Wardens: Theron is an out and out dick to Aedan and Neria, the former for the grevious crime of being a human and the latter for the grevious crime of being an Elf who isn't Dalish. He's more open to Kallian, if only because 'murdering an Arls son for raping [her] best friend' earns a big thumbs up in his book. He shows neutrality with the dwarves however.

 

NOTES: "Wait don't we already have a male elf rogue" Yes... "Don't we also already have an archery focused rogue" Yes. "And wouldn't him being a ranger mean that the mod becomes incompatible with Extra Dog Slot?"I actually don't know. the reason for the suggestion is entirely personal, There are no Female Warriors. In mods I guess you can count Valeria but she's pretty much the only one (that's worth the install anyway) every other female is a rogue or a mage, So yes this means that Theron is left with the unfortunate feature of being stuck in a bad specilization, in a weapon Focus Leliana is already doing. I could just make him a warrior with a focus in bows... but then we run into the problem where you're swarmed with ENOUGH male Warriors (even if oddly enough none of them focus in Two Weapon fighting, huh, food for thought)

 

http://images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/8/84/Cropped_city_elf.JPG

CITY ELF: KALLIAN TABRIS

Class: Warrior

Specilization: Templer

Focus: Twin Swords

Recruitment Location: Lake Calenhad

 

Kallian put off going with Theron to the Dalish because he did wonders to shatter her opinions on them, she did intend to meet up with Neria however, and thus went to Lake Calenhad after they had discovered the situation at Redcliffe, hoping to gain the help of the mages and templars in stopping the undead horde. Kallian will join up with the Wardens to get across the lake, having studied magic disrupting techniques in case she encountered a Blood Mage, Kallian is a templar in all but training. And will join the party upon completion of Broken Circle

 

Relationship with Other Wardens: Kallian is the most distrusting of the Wardens, Duran and Aedan are on the hitlist for being nobles, Theron is on the hit list for being a pompous ass. It's only Natia, who she see's as also throwing off her opressors, and Neria who acts in a respectful manner that she fully trusts.

 

NOTES: At this point I'm kinda becoming upset with the limited Spec choices, but to make this mod as stand alone as possible, I'm not suggesting anything from Awakenings in the OC or Class and Specilizations (though if the mod maker doesn't care, by all means pick better fitting specs) Remember that friendships etc. and be one way, Theron respects Kallian but she thinks he's an a**hole, ruining her view of the Dalish myths she had built up entirely. Also Baan Vaughen should under suggestion be permanently removed from the dungeons, let the a**hole rot.

 

http://images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/0/0f/Dwarves_-_Noble.jpg

DWARF NOBLE: DURAN AEDUCAN

Class: Warrior

Specilization: Berserker

Focus: Sword and Shield

Recruitment Location: Frostback Mountains

 

Duran travelled with Natia (though both swear they can't stand one another) to the Frostback mountains, intent on settling the unrest in Orzammar he heard on the road from Old Tegan, he is outside the gates having been turned away multiple times, and having no idea where Natia has gotten too. He rejoins the Wardens straight up, feeling it's his duty to stop the blight. Duran is the easiest character to recruit "Lets go kill Darkspawn" "Bitchin" and there you have it.

 

Relationship with Other Wardens: Duran and Natia do not get a long at all (up to the mod author to decide whether it's love hate or just hate hate) whether it's about Caste, nobilitiy, or what type of cheese tastes better they will find any excuse to but heads. Duran actually thinks Theron is a fine fellow who has strong opinion and isn't going to back down just because someone says otherwise. He and Aedan also get along quite well due to their similar situations. He enjoys goading Kallian when he can, because her angry reactions make for a good laugh. the only character he's neutral with is Neria, who he just respects for being a talented mage and doens't have any other feelings.

 

NOTES: Duran would be one of the easiest Wardens to get along with, he would also be one of the easiest to recruit because of his knowledge of the Darkspawn. I decided to go standard Sword and Shield because of Aeducans Shield even though the party already has two of those.

 

http://images.wikia.com/dragonage/images/0/0f/Cropped_dwarf_commoner.JPG

DWARF COMMONER: NATIA BROSCA

Class: Rogue

Specilization: Duelist

Focus: Twin Weapons

Recruitment Location: Tapsters

 

Natia didn't just run off and abandon Duran, she simply snuck back into Orzammar and neglected to inform him. making sure to keep herself disguised, she waited at Tapsters for the opportunity to present itself where she could contact Rica and Leske, when the Wardens come in after her she agrees to come along on the condition they make Orzammar a better place for the Casteless (Even if it includes "Murderin the whole sodding Noble Caste") After the Second task she'll join permanently.

 

Relationship with Other Wardens: Natia is quite happy around anyone who treats her as a person, really only butting heads with Aedan for being a noble (which she'll get over once getting to know him) and Duran for being an Aeducan noble. Otherwise she gets along very well with Theron, Neria and Kallian

 

NOTES: Yup, right after saying there aren't enough female warriors, Neria is a Rogue. Although at least in her case it makes sense, then again it's all up to the mod creator to do as they wish. My idea was that Natia would simply like anyone who treated her as a person, after all how many people do you know like that as a Casteless?

 

---

 

The Small One - Grey Warden Talents

 

Honestly I can't see why this isn't in the game normally. There is literally NO benefit for becoming a Grey Warden, I know they intended to let you sense Darkspawn (but couldn't figure out how to do it), but in the end there's no change (except for a new talent point, which you also get at other parts of the game) for becoming a Grey Warden. So much like the Specters in Mass Effect, why not create a new Grey Warden talent tree? specificly one for Rogues, one for Mages and one for Warriors. None of them need to be offensive abilities, they can all be passive, but it just makes you feel like somethings changed from the whole Joining thing not "So I'm going to die in thirty years and all I got was this lousy ability to be seen by the enemy and see them right back, that's balls."

 

Hell make it interesting, have the talents correspond with Darkspawn traits, Rogues like Shrieks, Warriors like Ogres, Mages like Emissarys. Balancing talents isn't my Forte (nor is making them only activate upon becoming a GW) but those are my two ideas, one ungodly huge one with a ridiculous amount of effort needed, and a new abilitiy tree.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Onmi

[Onmi]

Since the first post is long enough, and since I've had more ideas since, I'll use this as my general ideas thread. Apologies in advance for the Double Post

 

Specializations Expanded

 

A simple enough mod in theory, expanding each spec from a simple 4 talent pool to an 8 talent pool. the Paladin Spec mod has already shown this is possible (And the Chantry Monk even more so) just giving each spec pool greater depth. I can't expand on what I think the abilities should do, simply because I don't understand the engine.

 

And as standard for me, the huge part of this update.

 

ARCHDEMON DREAMS

 

Wardens have dreams after having succeeded in the joining, after leaving Lothering you see the Archdemon in your mind again, and after a few story missions you're attacked by a band of shrieks... but what if there was more behind that.

 

After each main quest is resolved, the Warden enters the Fade, the first time he simply exchanges words with a personification of the Demon, and then fights it. After the fight he wakes up with a reward

 

(Reward Type ideas: New Talent/Point to spend, Stat Font boost, equipment)

 

After the second quest the Warden is greeted by Uther, a wanderer of the Fade who doesn't know how he got there, only that Remiel another wanderer has begun taking over the Wardens Fadespace (Described as being the location of the fade the Warden goes to when dreaming, the Joining awakened the mind to it) Uther is your temporary party member for these dreams, he has dialogue with you, his own backstory and reacts based on how you treat him (Friendship to Contempt)

 

Each dream expands the Fadespace even more, making it more and more like a true world inside the Wardens mind, that is until Remiel flees to the Black City. the player takes control of Uther and braves the halls of the city until confronted with Remiel and the truth. The Archdemon defeated in the first dream split the mind of the demon into two portions, Uther and Remiel are both names derived from Urthemiel the Dragon the current Archdemon was created from. The pair return from The Black City and confront the warden, at Friendship, Uther will express remorse at having to fight the Warden again, and be absorbed by Remiel, upon defeat you'll gain your last upgrade.

 

If however you were a complete prick to Uther, he will absorb Remiel and your reward will be different.

 

The point of this mod is to make the player connect more with the Archdemon as a villain, previously a figurehead atop a horde. We know the Archdemon can communicate with Wardens, and we know the Fade is where you go when you dream, It's a little (okay lot) lore breaking, but I think it gives you a reason to personally hate the demon either way. If you were friends with Uther, then you lost a good person to the demon, and if you hated him well that makes killing him all the sweeter.

 

I'll come back and edit this post to flesh this out at a later date.

[Faceshifter]

I'd be happy already if a Warden, meaning you, Alistair and all the others in the Awakening; gets + X damage to Darkspawn and maybe some survival thing.

[RFAurora]

I find the idea extremely interesting. You should have had a button for all of the above and worked with modders to make an in-game expansion with these ideas kind of like the RCM for KoToR 2.

[Jueg]

I must admit your ideas are really interesting. Had you permitted multiple vote, I would have chosen them all. Simply because they are all good ideas.

In fact, I was building a mod very similar to yours. In my head, that is, not literrally. Truly, I liked yours better than mine.

[Onmi]

Got distracted writing Dragon Age: Corruption, then I got distracted from that for another unrelated project, then I got- You get the idea.

 

Anyway since I got struck with illness for the past few weeks and I had drug induced visions while my body tried to sort itself out, I came up with another idea (Okay slight lie, just re-purposing an idea from Corruption).

 

This is a Post-Campaign campaign, Shores of Seheron. Sten and Dog are carried over party members.

 

Plot Synopsis: Shores of Seheron stars the Warden, Sten and Dog, as the former is invited to see Qunari culture for him/herself, leaving Nathaniel and Anders in charge of Amaranthine while the warden enjoys what should be an easy vacation. Of course if anything went right for the Warden it just wouldn't be Dragon Age, so returning to Seheron plants the party straight in the middle of the continuous battle between Tevinter and the Qunari, and the third party Fog Warriors who want both sides to just piss off and die. Two new party members join during the campaign, an elf fencer using an enchanted gauntlet, and a female Saarebas Arcane Warrior who is his friend and confidant.

 

The story is a bit of a crux for Sten, because he has to balance his beliefs, along side what's in-front of him, especially when Saarebas is captured by the Qunari and he is the only one who can get her pardoned.

 

back in Corruption this was an Act-3 expansion after the Warden had broken the blood-thrall over his party members and was gearing up for war with Tevinter, Sten would offer to bring him to Seheron to get Qunari support. The Elf here is a stand in for Fenris who got pushed to Seheron and changed exactly as described above (Fencer/Gauntlet) Though the Saarebas gender jumped back and forth.

 

It should be noted that pretty much anything I suggest disregards Dragon Age 2's existence, so is suggested/written not needing to conform to any retcons.

[ladyluck278]

I am glad you added the all of the above button as that is the one i selected. I LOVE your ideas. Maybe you can get someone to make a mod would probably be on the level of Q and Legends or Karmas Companions but would be awesome. Esp if compatible with them. I have always wondered why the people that made the game didn't put at least one of the other characters in the game even if just to help them, like if you are amell and run into cousland. Anyway ANYONE OUT THERE want to do this? hehe sorry but i LOVE DAO and expanding on it like this I think does it more credit, Wish they would have let us mod DA2. So much potential with modding that game.

[Thandal]

... Wish they would have let us mod DA2. So much potential with modding that game.

You're totally "allowed" to. :tongue:

 

It's just very difficult, since the Toolset wasn't updated to match the changes to certain basic elements. :confused:

[kassuper]

I am all for Grey Warden Talents. After the joining was a bit of a letdown for me. I also hated being sent off to light a fire that they thought was out of harms way, after this 'enduring trial' to become one of them. I made a simple mod with a little battle for ostagar (yaaay catapults!) where you join the battle instead. The beacon is still lit by Grey Wardens, just not me. Aaanyway the talent thing is a great idea. Passive is easiest to mod in and even easier to 'balance' (if +2 dex is too much you change to +1 dex, it's not rocket science). I think I might even be able to copy something off the Companion Approval rating passives and have it progress naturally, just something to consider.

 

Really love the idea of having these new Wardens too! And have them carry you along on seperate quest(line)s integrated flawlessly into the DAO universe (thumbs up for that!). I know this can be done but ofcourse to make it properly complex will require a lot of heavy scripting and that's where I fail the most (void wut now?).

 

Love the idea of running into them at Ostagar. A cutscene for this is including dialogue (provided some VO volunteers can be found) would not be complicated and it would make Loghains betrayal worse if you knew anyone except Duncan and Cailan there. It'd be even better if you had banter with these other Wardens, etc (like: you could walk in on them having banter with each other, which really are the best cutscenes). You would be worried about them and wonder what happened (or your character would, I guess).

 

The relationships you describe between these Wardens would add interesting dynamics to the game. I agree about the specs btw, but I think you could just pick and choose a spell or two to add nuances (a knight is a warrior with only heal, a nightblade is a rogue with only entropy, an arcane archer has only primal magic and archery talents, etc. That way these 'classes' don't need to be modded for the player to work for NPCs.)

 

However, (yeah sorry, it's a big butt) when you're talking about modding in these six characters as permanent companions, I get a little dizzy. No offense to companion mods, there's some nice ones out there. But six companions with impressive integrated storylines (meaning you are altering plot scripts in most of the main quest areas in the game) seems, to me, a step too far. That is unless they are mutes, with no reactions to any other current events. My advice is to split the project, go for the meeting at Ostagar and the quests (where they either follow the party or have joined temporarily until you are done or leave the area), they can have programmed, controlled replies to questions you might have about these quests, and you can have the characters tell their stories in the specially made cutscenes for their questlines.

 

This way, you could even add the quests one by one, making the modding process easier. For example you can then divide the work across seven individual modders, six who could handle one Warden each: 2-3 areas, 1-2 cutscenes, and a few conversations each, with corresponding scripts. And one who handles the cutscenes at camp with the banter etc.

[StevoSegalovic]

I like how you are full of ideas. I get like that all the time as well :D

Anyway i really like an idea about giving wardens some skills. Actually my idea is to make one skill that will improve some stats and give wardens glowing eyes during combat. Im huge fan of Sacred Ashes trailer so i want to make game look as much as possible like in that trailer. Glowing eyes just seems to be as some special warden skill so it fits perfectly. Im not sure if it should be active or passive skill though. Seems like warden can use it whenever he wants so maybe it should be sustained. I know DA2 already have mod like that so we should try to create one for origins.