Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening



"For centuries, the Grey Wardens—the ancient order of guardians, sworn to unite and defend the lands—have been battling the darkspawn forces. Legend spoke that slaying the Archdemon would have put an end to the darkspawn threat for centuries to come, but somehow they remain."

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is the first expansion for Dragon Age: Origins. It is scheduled for release PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 18 in Europe and March 19 in the UK. It was released in the US on March 16th. and will have both retail and download editions. However in the UK the PS3 version will not be available at retail and will instead only be available via the Playstation network.

The writing team on Awakening consists of David Gaider, Sheryl Chee, and Ferret A. Baudoin.

Plot
The game begins six months after events of Dragon Age: Origins have concluded, and the player will take on the role of a Grey Warden commander (who is either an imported character from Origins or an Orlesian Warden). The player will help rebuild the Grey Wardens and to establish Vigil's Keep as a new base of operations, though the Orlesian Warden will be treated differently because of Orlais' history with Ferelden. Despite the defeat of the archdemon, the darkspawn have not returned underground and there are rumours that there are darkspawn with the ability to speak. The Architect appears to be involved and the Warden may have to deal with this creature. Once this mission is complete, the world will have changed dramatically.

Features

 * A total of 6 new specializations, two for each class.
 * New warrior specializations: Spirit Warrior and Guardian.
 * New rogue specializations: Legionnaire Scout and Shadow.
 * New mage specializations: Battlemage and Keeper.


 * 16 new spells and 32 new talents (for a total of 48).
 * 12 new skills on 3 skill tracks


 * The ability to import an old character (either dead or alive), or start as a new Warden from Orlais (if you start a new character, you will instantly get a level 18 character.)
 * All non-DLC items as well as any Return To Ostagar items from your Origins character will be transferred into Awakening. Both equipped and inventory, but not party storage chest items, will be transferred.


 * A higher level cap of 30.
 * All characters The Warden can recruit can be put through The Joining and made Wardens.

Achievements
Completed Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Acquired all upgrades for Vigil's Keep. Reach level 30.
 * Awakening
 * The Enduring Vigil
 * Commander of the Grey

The Calling Characters Appearing in Awakening

 * The Architect is a mysterious darkspawn that can talk and does not feel the calling; he was the main antagonist from Dragon Age: The Calling.
 * Utha is one of the Grey Wardens that went into the Deep Roads to find an ex-Grey Warden commander and has a run-in with the Architect.

Origins Characters Appearing in Awakening

 * Herren and Wade will return to sell new goods.
 * Alistair, Wynne, Loghain, and Anora can make an appearance depending on player choices in Origins.
 * Oghren is a returning party member from Dragon Age: Origins (He will start at 0 approval regardless of your relationship with him in Origins

Awakening Q&A (spoilers)
Q: Do we need to start hoarding runes in our inventory in The Origins so that we could economically use them for runecrafting?'''  A: '''No there are several rune merchants, all of whom have good prices

Q: Do gifts from The Origins work on The Awakening characters? Since Bioware stated that it is impossible to transfer any of our companion Approvals from our save files, figure it's better to save for future than spend.'''  A:''' Gifts from Origins can be used on Awakening characters. Plot gifts for Origins characters can also be used as regular gifts in Awakening.

Q: Do additional talents/spells attained from Tomes transfer to The Awakening?'''  A:''' Yes they appear to be transferred. New characters created in The Awakening will not have any of these additional talents/spells.

Q: Are there any items that will top The Origins most expensive items such as Spellward & Ring of Ages? Since accessory items do not have tiers, are these items still worthwhile investment considering The Awakening loots?'''  A: There are a large number of expensive items in The Awakenings (many more than you will find in The Origins) however most of the top items from The Origins will remain very useful for significant portions of The Awakening''' and depending on your character build may never be replaced.

Q: Is there any item for Arcane Warrior that will top Wade's Superior Dragonskin Armor Set in terms of Fatigue Reduction (-12% Fatigue)?

A: 

Q: Does any of The Origins Exploits contribute to any issues in The Awakening? Specifically: Mountain Top Leveling & Lothering Quests exploits.

A: 

Q: Can I respec my character in The Awakenings? If So how many times can I do this and can I respec my party members as well?'''  A:''' You can purchase a Manual of Focus from Herren in the Vigil's keep courtyard for 6. You then take control of the character you wish to respec and use that Manual from the potions menu in-game (not from the inventory screen). You will be stripped nude and forced to reassign all specialisations, attribute points, talents, spells, and skills. As long as you have 6 you can do this as many time as you like and to any party member.

New Companions

 * Anders is a human mage who has escaped the Circle of Magi countless times, but always seems to get caught. The woman Templar in the trailer claims he is a murderer and is not to be trusted. The nature of how he is a "murderer" is currently unknown. It may be that she blames him for the death of the Templars that were guarding him at Vigil's Keep when the Darkspawn attacked.
 * Velanna is an elven mage of rather unknown and questionable origin, as seen in her very short trailer. She is rather aggressive and has the ability to animate the trees (which are similar to sylvans). According to the trailer, she is hunting the merchants who took her sister, and attacks the warden for killing her "Friends" (likely meaning the sylvans). Who her sister is and why they took her is unknown.
 * Sigrun [sig-grun] is a dwarven rogue who is a member of the Legion of the Dead. She fought the darkspawn with her group in the Deep Roads, and she is the last survivor. Also, she thinks that something odd is happening in the fortress of Kal'Hirol.
 * Mhairi [mai-ree] is an ex-army sword & shield female human warrior. She admires the two Wardens who defeated the Archdemon "single-handedly" and jumped at the opportunity to help rebuild the order.
 * Nathaniel Howe is a rogue and the son of Arl Rendon Howe.
 * Justice is a noble spirit from the Fade, bound to the body of a dead Grey Warden.

New Locations

 * Amaranthine: Rendon Howe's previous property estate, with lots of fishing going on.
 * Blackmarsh: Former bustling village abandoned into a gloomy, desolate marsh.
 * Kal'Hirol: The dwarven fortress long known as a center of learning for the smith caste.
 * Knotwood Hills: An area of inhospitable and barren hills to the west of Amaranthine.
 * Vigil's Keep: An ancient fortress in Amaranthine.
 * Wending Woods: Forest area divided by Pilgrim's Path, leading to Amaranthine.
 * Dragon Bone Wastes: Wasteland where dragons go to die and the Tevinter Imperium attempts to harvest greater power from their remains. The area of Drake's Fall lies here.

New Creatures

 * The Architect
 * The Children
 * The Disciples
 * Queen of the Blackmarsh (a spectral dragon)
 * The Withered

New Specializations

 * Battlemage
 * Keeper
 * Legionnaire Scout
 * Shadow
 * Guardian
 * Spirit Warrior

New Spells

 * Fade Shield
 * Elemental Mastery
 * Attunement
 * Time Spiral


 * Repulsion Field
 * Invigorate
 * Arcane Field
 * Mystical Negation


 * Battlemage


 * Draining Aura
 * Hand of Winter
 * Stoic
 * Elemental Chaos


 * Keeper


 * One With Nature
 * Thornblades
 * Replenishment
 * Nature's Vengeance

Rogue

 * Heartseeker
 * Ghost
 * Weak Points
 * Flicker
 * Legionnaire Scout


 * Mark of the Legion
 * Strength of Stone
 * Endure Hardship
 * Blessing of the Ancestors
 * Shadow


 * Shadow Form
 * Decoy
 * Shadow Striking
 * Pandemonium

Warrior

 * Second Wind
 * Peon's Plight
 * Grievous Insult
 * Massacre
 * Guardian


 * Guardian's Shield
 * Fortifying Presence
 * Master Guardian
 * Aura of the Stalwart Defender
 * Spirit Warrior


 * Beyond the Veil
 * Soulbrand
 * Fade Burst
 * Blessing of the Fade

Weapons

 * Weapon and Shield


 * Juggernaut
 * Carapace
 * Air of Insolence
 * Bulwark of the Ages
 * Dual-wielding Weapons


 * Twin Strikes
 * Find Vitals
 * Low Blow
 * Unending Flurry
 * Two-handed Weapons


 * Sweeping Strike
 * Two-Handed Impact
 * Onslaught
 * Reaving Storm
 * Archery


 * Accuracy
 * Arrow Time
 * Burst Shot
 * Rain of Arrows

New Weapons

 * Vigilance (Longsword Crafted from Dragon Bone)


 * Heartwood Bow (Crafted from Heartwood)

New Armor

 * Heartwood Shield (Crafted from Heartwood)


 * Sentinel Armor


 * Hirol Defense Armor

Main Plot Quests

 * The Awakening
 * The Righteous Path
 * Last of the Legion
 * Shadows of the Blackmarsh

Vigil's Keep

 * A Medical Necessity


 * The Survivors of Vigil's Keep


 * The Assault on Vigil's Keep


 * Defending the Land


 * Oaths of Fealty


 * Adria's Plight


 * Far Afield


 * A Daughter Ransomed


 * Bensley's Gratitude


 * A Brewing Conspiracy


 * It Comes From Beneath


 * Elemental Requirements


 * Cost of Doing Business


 * A Masters Work


 * Heart of the Rorest (Crafting the Heartwood Bow or Heartwood Shield)


 * Golem's Might


 * The Wraith's Vengeance


 * Worked to the Bone (Crafting the Dragon Bone Sword)


 * Trade Must Flow


 * Elemental requirements


 * What is Built Endures


 * The Peasant Revolution


 * Salvage Operation


 * A Day In Court


 * Bomb's Away


 * The Shrine of Korth

Companions

 * The Prisoner


 * Nathaniel's Joining


 * The Howe Family


 * Freedom for Anders


 * Sigrun's joining


 * Velanna's joining


 * Oghern the family man


 * Justice for kristoff

Knotwood Hills

 * The long-buried past


 * Lucky charms


 * Memories of the stone

The Black marsh

 * The Burden of Guilt


 * Tears in The Veil


 * A Maiden in Distress


 * Ser Alvard's missing sword


 * The Trail of Love


 * The Lost Dragon Bones

The Wending wood

 * Brothers of Stone


 * Ines the Botanist


 * Trading Troubles


 * The Merchant's Goods


 * Maferath's Monuments


 * From the Living wood


 * Last Wishes

City of Amaranthine

 * Smuggler's Run


 * Preying on the Weak


 * The Blight Orphans?


 * Law and Order


 * The Sermons of Justinia II


 * Out of Control


 * Moonshine for the Children


 * The Blight Orphans (Again)


 * Till Death Do Us Part


 * Those Sweet Orphans


 * The Scavenger Hunt


 * A Present for Melisse


 * Keep Out of Reach of Children


 * A donation of injury kits


 * Making Amends

Differences Between Origins and Awakening

 * There will be no romance options in Awakening.


 * Items will go up to tier 9. There are 2 teir 9s and teir 8s one set is metal the other is dragon.
 * There are several new materials for weapons and armor to be made from including White Steel, Ancestral Heartwood, Volcanic Aurum, and a wood called Vhendahl.
 * You will be able to craft your own runes and use them on armor.


 * You will have the ability to re-spec your character without losing plot decisions made in Origins through an unlimited amount of Manual of Focus tomes, sold for 6 each.


 * Most promotional and DLC items will not transfer into Awakening. However, items received during Return to Ostagar, The Stone Prisoner, and the Memory Band will transfer.
 * Characters approvals from The Origins will not be translated into The Awakening. Everyone (including Oghren) will start at 0 approval. (ref: I received Awakening today @ Bioware forums)
 * The Origins characters who used Character Respecialization Mod can be imported to The Awakening without any issues.
 * Oghren will meet you with his new Legion of the Dead gear set with a magical weapon (be sure to strip himout prior to The Awakening)

Importing an Origins Warden versus creating an Orlesian Warden

 * People of Amaranthine will treat a Ferelden Warden with respect, as opposed to suspicion towards an Orlesian Warden.
 * An imported Warden appears to tier all companions to his/her level also.
 * An imported Warden will only be imported with the weapons and armor that it was equipped with when imported, but will have all unassigned accesories and all basic items.
 * New Wardens do not benefit from the stat or talent gains garnered from Lost in Dreams or increases from tomes.