Oghren

Oghren is a crude dwarven warrior fond of all things alcoholic. He is a possible companion to the Warden in Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.

Background
{{DAOSpoiler| Oghren used to be a promising warrior of House Kondrat in Orzammar. He married a Smith Caste girl named Branka, who would later become a Paragon. Soon after founding House Branka – which absorbed the entire House Kondrat – Branka took her household, with the sole exception of her husband, and entered the Deep Roads in search for the secrets of the legendary smith Caridin. They were not heard from again. Oghren, left behind, became a laughing stock. He started drinking, making his situation worse as he challenged another warrior over an insult and killed him in a first-blood match while drunk. Oghren was stripped of his house name and barred from bearing weapons within the city, a punishment considered worse than exile for a warrior. Oghren has spent the last two years trying to convince the Assembly, or anyone else who will listen to him, to look for Branka in the Deep Roads.

Involvement
After the Warden has spoken to either Bhelen's or Harrowmont's representatives and given a task, Oghren appears, arguing with a guard in Orzammar Diamond Quarter. This guard can be questioned about Oghren and Branka after Oghren leaves. He can be found again at Tapster's Tavern in the Orzammar Commons. The Warden can talk to him there, and learn more about Branka. However, he is aware that the Warden is working for one of the candidates for the throne, which makes him think that any concern expressed about Branka is not genuine. If the Warden attempts to talk to Oghren at Tapster's again, no matter how the conversation is structured, Oghren will tell the Warden to "sod off".

Oghren will only become a member of the party when the Warden is sent into the Deep Roads by Bhelen or Harrowmont to find Branka and secure her support for their ascension to the throne. He can leave Orzammar and the Deep Roads at this point, but he will not talk until A Paragon of Her Kind has been completed.

He is eager to reunite with his wife, but when the truth is revealed, he is shocked at what she has done in her quest for the Anvil of the Void, including causing the death of most of her House. Yet, despite this he is willing to offer her a second chance, and he disapproves if The Warden chooses to side with Caridin and destroy the Anvil. After a new king has been chosen, Oghren then throws his lot in with that of the Warden's and leaves Orzammar to help fight the Blight.

Once Oghren's approval is high enough, he can teach the Warrior specialization, Berserker. }}An old companion from Origins, Oghren is back and drunk as ever. Ogrhen is eager to become a Grey Warden and fight by your side. If you imported a character, he would be the only companion with a link to your past.

Quests Given
Origins

Awakening

Initial Statistics
Relative Attribute Weightings on Auto-Level: Strength 1.4, Dexterity 0.25, Willpower 0.5, Magic 0, Cunning 0.145, Constitution 1.9.

Class: Warrior

Specialization: Berserker

Starting Talents:

Berserker: Berserk, Resilience, Constraint

Warrior: Powerful, Threaten, Bravery, Death Blow

Two-Handed: Pommel Strike, Indomitable, Stunning Blows, Sunder Arms, Shattering Blows, Sunder Armor, Mighty Blow, Powerful Swings, Two-Handed Strength, Two-Handed Sweep

Plot Skills
As you befriend Oghren and gain his approval he will gain the following additional abilities:

Strategy
Maximize Oghren’s berserker speciality and the Two-Handed school when the player gets the chance to do so. Capitalize on some of the top-tier talents quickly, that will increase his damage potential and make him an excellent damage oriented character. As with rogues, Oghren should allow the tank to control enemy mobs and then attack from the rear or flank. Because Oghren is so durable, he doesn’t have to watch his spacing as much as a rogue. His skills are best used with heavy armor or massive armor.

Berserk increases Oghren’s damage and the player can use Mighty Blow to hammer an adversary. Sunder Armor rips through heavily armored enemies, while Pommel Strike and Stunning Blows can knock an enemy out of combat for several seconds. Two-Handed Sweep is great at striking multiple foes, but make sure that you do not steal threat away from the tank. Even though it drains Oghren’s remaining stamina, Final Blow deals massive damage and is suitable for ending battles.

Gifts
Oghren's approval will increase when you give him any alcohol, especially Ale. The one exception is Wine, which is preferred by Wynne.

Quest Given
Once The warden become friendly enough with Oghren he will ask you to help him find a very special someone to him, a female dwarf named Felsi who has moved to live on the surface. This quest consists of nothing more than taking Oghren to The Spoiled Princess and helping him win the heart of an old flame. In order to win his approval, you must either have a rather high coercion check and speak positively of him (the two "Whisper to Oghren" options are all it takes for a positive outcome). If you speak negatively of him to the old flame, Oghren will get very angry with you.

In Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, Oghren gives you a personal quest Oghren the Family Man.

Dialogue Points
Below are the spots where you can initiate dialogue with Oghren in Awakening. On the PC, it can be hard to find the correct spot to click; make sure to hit "tab" and rotate the camera if it's not letting you click on it. This list is incomplete; please add to it if you know more locations.
 * City of Amaranthine: Billboard by the stairs to the Chantry. (Note that making fun of Oghren causes him to disapprove.)
 * The City of Amaranthine: The table of the weaponsmith in the market district (When talking to Sigrun)
 * Kal'Hirol - Trading area: The anvil in the prison room.
 * The Blackmarsh Undying: boat in the area you wake up in (There is an alternative dialogue if the Warden is imported and Oghren was trapped in the Fade in the Circle of Magi).
 * Vigil's Keep: The cask behind Oghren in the throne room (Can be used to initiate several conversations)

Quotes

 * (When told Branka could be dead) "Well, aren't you a sodding bright spot today?"
 * "Yeah, you know that husband of your's he's dead, his bad" (if told to inform the blackstone widow of her husband's death)
 * "If you've ever heard of me before, it's probably all been about how I piss ale and murder little boys who look at me wrong. And that's mostly true..."
 * "Misery, vomit and malt liquor. Ah, reminds me of home."
 * "I'm not saying I should be your first pick for a dance partner at the inaugural ball, but in the Deep Roads, I'm your man."
 * "Hey, Warden! You gotta hear this one! This human walks into a tavern! Eh heh. And there's an elf there. Ah ha ha ha! And she says, Ha ha ah ah ha! She says." [Snorts] "Ah ha!" [Falls Down]
 * "Let's show them our hearts, and then show them theirs!"
 * "You mean to tell me you've never polished your sword?"
 * "I'll show that sodding dog! I don't need my pants anyway!"
 * (After finishing combat) "Excuse me while I do my happy dance!"
 * (During combat) "Let's see what your innards look like!"
 * (Snorts and laughs) "Asschabs!"
 * "Upset? *Scoffs* I don't get upset, I get drunk!"
 * (At Lake Calenhad Docks) "Ooh, that's huge. [Giggles] I wonder how long it took to erect it. [Giggles] Get it, erect it!"
 * (Becoming thrall of Sloth Demon) "I feel like I've had a bellyful of warm meat and cool ale... Now I just need a pleasant bosom to rest my head on... [Falls Down]"
 * "By the tits of my ancestors!"
 * "You know that husband of yours, dead, sorry"
 * "Shave my back and call me an elf!"
 * "That son-of-a-whore Teagan said I can't drink a whole barrel of pickle juice without passing out first. I aim to prove him wrong."
 * "Fart me a lullaby!"
 * "Hey, can I borrow a sovereign? I've always wanted the head of an adulterer preserved in honey" (While in the Wonders of Thedas shop in Denerim)
 * "Heh. Sorry, wrong room." (If the Warden is female and has Oghren in the party at the Pearl in Denerim and chooses a female companion)


 * (If removed from party) "Thunderhumper!"


 * (Referring to the Grand Oak) "Hey look, it's a poet tree. (laughs) Get it? Poetry? (laughs more)"
 * (Awakening, after defeating a Wild Sylvan) "Hey, look at me - I'm an elf! 'Trees are pretty! Tra-la-la!' "
 * "Careful. This one might just go all Zevran on you."
 * (Referring to The Mother in Awakening) "That is a lot of nipples."
 * Aye. I've tried twenty-seven different types of ale and learned I'm just the right height to give a human girl a good time. That doesn't make me a good man.
 * (Awakening) "Where's the tavern?"
 * (Awakening) "No one touches Oghren's junk and lives!"
 * (In Awakening imitating Anders) "Oh no, big templar man! What are you going to do with that sword?"
 * (To the Architect) "Yeah, the sort of 'misunderstanding' that ends with a field of dead bodies. Uh huh, I get those sometimes."
 * (Awakening) "Anyway, can I have a pony?"

Dialogue
--- --- ---
 * The Warden: "A lover in the dark, no wonder she left Oghren."
 * Oghren: "Eh, if I knew she had those interests I would have made some...adjustments."
 * Shale: "There was a man in the village who reminded me of the drunken dwarf."
 * Oghren: "They had some dwarves just like me, huh?"
 * Shale: "No. None of the dwarves were similar. They were quiet and respected, more or less. No, the one I remember was a human. He vomited in the street constantly. Then he wandered into a snowstorm and froze to death."
 * Oghren: "Huh? And how is that like me?"
 * Shale: "Did I say similar? I meant I hoped he was similar."
 * Oghren: "I think I had a wife like you, once."
 * Shale: Go on, order me to do something.
 * The Warden: Throw Oghren as far as you can.
 * Oghren: Hey! No dwarf tossing! (This is a reference to The Lord of the Rings movie by Peter Jackson, when Gimli claims "No one tosses a dwarf!").

Trivia



 * According to Sheryl Chee, though Oghren was written mostly by Jay Turner, most of the BioWare writers, including herself, Mary Kirby, and David Gaider, have had a hand in writing him.
 * Steve Blum, the actor who voices Oghren, also provides the voice of the temporary companion Gorim. Steve Blum also voiced the character Vincent Valentine in the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children film. Other roles include Spike Spiegel in the English version of Cowboy Bebop, Wolverine in Wolverine and the X-Men, and Grunt in Mass Effect 2.
 * Oghren is one of two companions with their own unique hairstyle, the other being Morrigan.
 * Although Oghren is barred from bearing arms in the city, nothing happens if you equip him with weapons in Orzammar. He even joins your party with an axe equipped.
 * In Awakening Oghren will get a second codex entry about his new role.
 * Oghren's battle cry "Let's see what your innards look like!" may be a referance to the dwarven companion of a very chaotic nature, Korgan Bloodaxe in the Bioware video game Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn who shouts "Let's see what yer guts be lookin' like!" during combat. Korgan is also a berserker and has an insatiable bloodlust.