Dragonage 3 - Spoilers, Just Frickin' buy it already. Options

[Tiralee]

Ok, been a few days deep in DA3 Now, so I'm pretty versed.

Firstly, Bioware made a really, really good game.
Secondly: and haven't patched it properly yet.
Thirdly: Aaaaaaaaaaaand EA published it. Fuck EA.

Forthly: if you've invested a good few weeks of game time in DA1 & 2, please, PLEASE go to the dragonage keep website and import your custom world, when EA (Fuck EA) finally have the servers working properly, because it'd be too fucking hard to include that glorious summary and plot details in the frickin' game.

Again, fuck EA.

As I was unable to do so, I'm playing through the Bioware generic crapsack world with my champion klepto and all-round face-stabbing poisoner of worlds.

Seriously, if they made MA$$ Effect 3 half as good as DA3, they'd still be lining up to suck the rancid, unwashed cocks of the publishers (fuck EA) rather than bitch about the wonky abortion that wobbled onto our gaming platters so many years ago.

Plot's awesome, Dialogue is funny, epic, tragic, hilarious, combat is chaotic BUT you can pause-and-assign like the PC Version of DA:Origins, which can be helpful in some of the more stupidly complicated battles, the strategy and tactical choices a lot better than "we need more Crystals, Sheppard".

Yes, there's some grinding - and you'd going to be thankful for that come the second act of OMGWTFBBQ, when the "huh, choices ae looking a bit sparse" turns into "OMGodfuck, that was the TRAINING MODE" and you bitterly, bitterly regret all those influence perks you've wasted on stupid things.

Influence perks are crack. Sweet, glowing addictive crack. (Avoid the herbalism Trainee/expert/master, and the "get a shipment of semi-rare, rare goods" as they will do NOTHING for you in the 2nd act. Now recommend unlocking someof the more martial stuff, but the extra search area is a godsend.)

Influence points are mechanics, letting you know that, yes, you might want to level a bit twinky because the baddies have the gloves off and the swords to hand.

Oh, and don't be a dick, find interesting people and use their skills wisely. Never will you wish for more than 5 spymasters than when you've got 6 irons in the fire and another lot of crap avalanching downhill to ruin your perfectly-apportioned plan.

Oh, and collect ALL the things. Seriously, I spent 34 hours without finding a single piece of velveteen, until I wandered into a new area and has a gross drop out of the undead. Seriously Bioware, the fuck?. Now I have a mental images of rotting corpses dressed like Prince in Purple rain.

Some not-too-spoilery stuff:
Make some weapons ASAP, the stuff for sale or drop are crap. You won't get runes until act 2, so just find some patterns and have at it. Forget Bianca upgrades.
Make your gear out of Tier 2 materials as soon as you can, that's Paragon's Lusture or Obsidian (can be found in the first map, where the dragons are) and bear's hide and then you're cooking with evil gas.
Get patterns - cheaper than buying the suits when they start getting good.
If you're lucky enough to get Tier 2 patterns (god yes) as a random drop early on, make it with the best stuff you have and don't be afraid of upgrading. Your damage will double.

Classes?
Mages: Get dispell. Trust me. The hurty-mind stuff is great to, but don't neglect the elemental awesomeness that is the lightning school. Also, everything resists, get magic up fast.
Rogues, Stealth, Poison and if you can, the grappling hook (It beats walking over to stab someone in the face) Cunning = Crit. Crit = fast/instakill. The math isn't hard.
Warrrrrriors, come out to plaaaaaay...and yes, also get grappling hook/tumble asap. makes the battle run hard and fast if you don't just waddle over there.

Balance your party. You will need a warrior, a mage and a rogue, not all the time, but enough to make you curse your all-mage party.
Note: all-mage party = lyrium-fueled armageddon. Be wary, your tricks are used by the npcs.

Oh, and enjoy the pub music. God DAMN, some it if is catchy.

-Tir.