Shale

Plot

Shale is a character that can join the player's party in Dragon Age: Origins through the Stone Prisoner DLC. After defending a village from a Darkspawn attack, the acting mayor will give the Warden the control words for Shale. Shale has retained its free will for an unknown reason and agrees to join the party in the hopes of finding out why. Although Shale was forged by the Anvil of the Void by Caridin using the life magic of a Dwarven female, it has no recollection of this previous life, and constantly wishes harm on many living NPCs throughout the game. After being stuck in the center of the village for 30 years, Shale has also developed an extreme hatred for birds.

Equipment

Shale's equipment is similar to the Mabari Hound's with only two slots: one for large crystals which act as armor, and one for small crystals which act as weapons. These crystals can offer anything from statistical boosts to elemental damage, so they are more versatile than the war paints of the Mabari Hounds. Shale's main strength comes from, well, its strength. It can take and dish out damage just as well as any hardened warrior. Its only downside is its attack speed, which is rather slow. Also, Shale's defense and amount of health are also some of the highest in the game.

Shale has three different combat modes that can be used during fights. Each combat mode grants access to offensive, defensive, or ranger abilities.