Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

Overview

Awakening builds on the rich world set up in Origins with new characters and another player driven storyline. Unlike the smaller DLC-content packages, this expansion is a direct continuation of the main Dragon Age: Origins story. It is also the first content added to the game simultaneously on all three compatible platforms. It was made available in both retail and download form on March 16, 2010 in the United States.

Plot

The Stronghold of Vigils Keep

Awakening takes place in the land of Amaranthine, several months after the events of Origins. Players can either import their veteran Grey Warden from the first game who has been promoted to the rank of commander or start a fresh new Orlesian Warden. If the player chooses the Orlesian Grey Warden they will be treated with disgust and disrespect from the natives of Amaranthine because of Orlais's past occupation of Ferelden.

The main plotline in Awakening revolves around rebuilding the Grey Warden's new stronghold of Vigil's Keep. Also, in spite of their defeat, the Darkspawn still occupy parts of Ferelden. Players must uncover the secrets behind this and make difficult decisions in their fight against The Architect and The Withered.

In a break from BioWare's tradition, Awakening does not have any romantic interest for the main character. The emphasis is on the immediate threat to Ferelden.

Gameplay

Powerful new dangers await the Grey Wardens

The expansion raises the level cap from 20 to 30, adds six new class specializations (see the specializations section below) and abilities to combat the blight. Players can choose to create a new Grey Warden with an Orlesian background whose level will be randomly chosen from 17 to 20, or you can import any old save from Origins to continue their adventures.

Importing Old Save

Continuing with an old character will have multiple effects in Awakening

• Choices: Characters will carry over all their choices from Origin and this will directly impact the story driven elements in Awakening.
• Automatic Level-up: Players can import their Origin saves without actually completing the first game's campaign. Due to the passage of time between these two game's storyline, this process will automatically level you up, but you won't be able to take this leveled up character back to Origins. However, you can always continue your Origins storyline by loading from an old save. As always, it's advisable that you make a back-up save before importing it into Awakening.
• Dead Warden: If the player chose the ultimate sacrifice at the end of Dragon Age: Origins, they can still import their Dead Warden into Awakening.

New Specializations

Awakening introduces two new specializations for each class. There are also 32 new rogue & warrior talents and 24 new spells for mages.

Warrior

• Spirit Warrior - The Spirit Warrior's become one with the Fade and use its powers to defeat enemies.
• Guardian - Allows the warrior to endure more damage and rescue their allies from certain death.

Rogue

• Shadow - They leap from their hiding spot in the shadows then strike with devastating blows, inflicting damage with crippling/mind altering poisons.
• Legionnaire Scout - The Legion scout can endure tremendous pain and damage, allowing themselves to survive to the bitter end.

Mage

• Battlemage - Battlemages like to get up close and personal with their foes. They use close range area of effect spells that either deal damage or function as crowd control.
• Keeper - A Druidic specialization with a strong focus on nature oriented spells, such as tree branches bursting out of the mage & inflicting damage upon their unlucky foes.

Re-Spec

Players will have access to new tomes called "Manual of Focus" that will allow them to re-spend all of their points at any time. This includes everything from attribute points, skills, talents, spells and specializations. It's a way to give old players access to new specializations and abilities without forcing them to start a whole new character. It can also be used to re-spec party members, allowing players to fully customize their party to their play style instead of building around the default specializations. These tomes can be purchased from Herren (another returning Origins NPC) for 6 gold each.

Companions

Character	Description
"I didn't do it!"	Character Bio Full Name: Anders Race: Human Gender: Male Class: Mage Specialization: Spirit Healer Overview: A talented mage and a bit of a troublemaker. Unlike most mages, he was admitted to the Circle of Magi as an adolescent and had a different perspective on life inside the Circle Tower. As a result, he frequently tried to get away from the Templars by breaking out, however he has been unsuccessful so far.
Nature's Fury	Character Bio Full Name: Velanna Race: Dalish Elf Gender: Female Class: Mage Specialization: Keeper Overview: The Dalish lost their culture and heritage when the humans burned their lands and forced them into slavery. It's no surprise then that Velanna was grown up hating the humans. This Dalish elf is a powerful Keeper who is out for vengeance. She has a strong command over the trees and the forest.
Last of her Legion	Character Bio Full Name: Sigrun Race: Dwarf Gender: Female Class: Rogue Specialization: Legionnaire Scout Overview: Sigrun is a Legionnaire Scout and a member of the Legion of The Dead. She is the sole survivor of an ambush on her group at the front doors of Kal'Hirol in the Deep Roads. She has reason to believe that the Darkspawn are forming a army inside Kal'Hirol and she joins you to put a stop to it.
Grey Warden in the making	Character Bio Full Name: Mhairi Race: Human Gender: Female Class: Warrior Specialization: Champion Overview: Mhairi grew up with dreams of kings & nobles and joined the king's army at the age of 16. When she learned about the Grey Warden's fight against the Blight, she vowed to join their cause. When the players meet her, she is still working towards this goal and hasn't completed the Grey Warden ritual of "The Joining" yet.
The Indomitable Warrior	Character Bio Full Name: Oghren Race: Dwarf Gender: Male Class: Warrior Specialization: Berserker Overview: A returning member from Origins. After his last outing, this mighty dwarf warrior decided to settle down with his old flame, Felsi and start a family. But the hunger for battle never died in him and he looks to get back in the action, by joining back up with the Warden, with the desire to become a Grey Warden himself.
Prepare For Justice	Character Bio Full Name: Justice Race: Human/Spirit Gender: Male Class: Warrior Specialization: Spirit Warrior Overview: Justice is a spirit from the Fade that is bound to a deceased Grey Warden's body. In contrast to most Fade spirits, Justice embodies nobler qualities, such as hope and compassion.
The prodigal son returns	Character Bio Full Name: Nathaniel Howe Race: Human Gender: Male Class: Rogue Specialization: Assassin Overview: He is the son of the once honorable Arl Rendon Howe. He has a desire to seek revenge for the death of his father because the warden not only killed the corrupt Arl, but also received Nathaniel's childhood home as the new base for the Grey Wardens.

New Monsters

ELECTRIC DRAGONS?!

Awakening also introduces new Darkspawn creatures and monster types like the Inferno Golem, Queen of the Marshes, The Disciples, and The Children . The Disciples are the most significant of the new threats as they are Darkspawns with the ability to speak and act with a reason. This makes them a much greater tactical threat.

PC Requirements

Minimum:

• OS: Windows XP (SP3) or Windows Vista (SP1) or Windows 7
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Single 1.6 Ghz Processor (or equivalent) or AMD 64 2.0 GHz Processor (or equivalent)
• Memory: 1GB (1.5 GB Vista and Windows 7)
• Graphics: ATI Radeon X850 256MB or NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT 128MB or greater (Windows Vista: Radeon X1550 256 MB or NVidia GeForce 7600GT 256MB)
• DirectX®: DirectX (November 2007)
• Hard Drive: 20 GB HD space
• Sound: Direct X Compatible Sound Card

Recommended:

• OS: Windows XP (SP3) or Windows Vista (SP1) or Windows 7
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz or AMD Phenom II X2 Dual-Core 2.7 Ghz Processor or equivalent
• Memory: 2 GB (3GB Vista and Windows 7)
• Graphics: ATI 3850 512 MB or NVidia 8800GTS 512MB or greater
• DirectX®: DirectX (November 2007)
• Hard Drive: 20 GB HD space
• Sound: Direct X Compatible Sound Card

Useful Links

Awakening Official Site - A good source for Dragon Age related products like comics and books

BioWare Social Network - Official forums and the hub for all patch notes, redeem codes and the official Dragon Age toolset.