Heroes of Dragon Age

Heroes of Dragon Age is a freemium game released on 5th December 2013 for iPhone and Android devices. The download lets players purchase and collect 3D figures of key characters from the Dragon Age universe, form them into a squad, and then battle human and AI-controlled foes. The game functions as a squad-based strategy game with the battles played out automatically and the outcome contingent upon the selection of characters in the five-person party, their abilities and formation on the battlefield, as well as any runes that are buffing the team.

The game is light on lore, and rather than telling an original story, is instead based on "what if?" scenarios. Each quest--there are 10 available in the single-player format, exploring extant game lore--is self-contained and lets players re-experience key moments from not just the previous Dragon Age games, but also the novels, codex entries and more. PvP will be available as well. For example, quests during the Fifth Blight, and through Arlathan are available.

At launch, Heroes of Dragon Age includes more than one hundred unique characters each with four potential evolutions or variations. Characters will be available through grinding or via an in-game cash store. Post-launch support will increase this number with characters from the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition game and other pieces of franchise lore. How much the game will interact with Inquisition has not been confirmed but the game's producer noted that the developer is working closely with BioWare and such interaction would make sense.



Developer Capital Games predicts that the game will be supported for at least a year after release, perhaps even several years, with new characters and features continually added.

Classes of characters
Characters are sorted into different classes (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary) and have rock/paper/scissor-style pros and cons. When a new character is obtained the resulting character is determined in a "lottery" style, with a random chance of obtaining any one character, the likelihood of receiving a Rare or Epic character, for example, which can be increased by grinding or payment.

The classes are purchased from "packs" in the in-game store. The Recruit pack is more likely to produce Common characters. Warrior packs produce at least an Uncommon or higher ranked character. In the Warrior pack there is the chance for a Rare, Epic, or Legendary character. The Champion packs contain the most desirable characters. It should be noted that all packs have a chance at producing a Rare, Epic or Legendary character, yet the lower level the pack, the less chance of granting a more desirable character.

"Ultimate" packs, a one-time-use pack that guarantees an Epic unit, are also available for purchase by payment.

Characters can also be earned through the completion of challenges. Every map has 5 quests and one challenge at the end. After a map is conquered, the challenge may be repeatedly farmed for a chance at a character or rune. In the bottom right corner above the "Enter" button, the possible rewards are scrolled through. The more difficult the challenge, the better the possible rewards.

Unit faction coloration
Heroes of Dragon Age uses colors to display the nature, or faction, of the units. The colored circular plate in each character's base denotes their status. The coloring rationale, with some exceptions, is defined below:


 * White: "Lawful" units and characters who use predominantly physical attacks, such as most warrior and rogue units
 * Red: "Lawless" and "outlaw" units (including apostate mages and Qunari) as well as regular (non-Blighted) creatures
 * Black: Demons and darkspawn units
 * Blue: Sanctioned magic users (such as Circle mages) and supernatural entities

Exceptions appear to be instances where a character's nature is mixed. An example is Alistair's color plate, which is black/white, denoting his status as a Grey Warden. There are also blood mages, for example, who have white plates, such as some of the Tevinter units, while Merrill, alternatively, has a blue/black plate, denoting her status as a Dalish blood mage.

When four characters of the same faction are used simultaneously, a faction bonus is granted. This bonus is the character's percentages added together. Common characters add 1%, Uncommon characters add 2%, Rare characters add 3%, Epic characters add 4%, and Legendary characters add 5%. For example, a party comprised of 1 Rare (3%), 2 Epic (4%) and 1 Legendary (5%) characters of the same color would grant a 16% Faction bonus.

Consuming
The game encourages the purchasing of lower rank characters in order to use their abilities to develop more desirable characters in a process called "consuming." The abilities of unused characters can be applied to--or consumed by--other characters to strengthen them and improve their abilities. Common units in particular are encouraged for use in consumption but characters of any rank can be consumed, but consuming uncommon or rare characters will provide a higher boost in XP and 2x damage %.

Consuming transfers XP to the main character and also increases the 2x damage % chance, which is currently capped at 15% for tiers I and II, and 20% for tiers III and IV. However, consuming does not transfer the 2x damage % of the character being consumed to the main character.

Combining
The game allows the player to combine two of the same hero to increase both the level cap for the hero (5 levels per combination) as well as the hero's experience and stat potential. Combining identical tiers (such as combining Ashaad I with another Ashaad I) results in a 10% experience bonus.

Combining a tier I with a tier I will produce a tier II. Tier II with a tier I will create a tier III. However combining a tier II with a tier II will only produce a tier III, not a tier IV.

This combination will not only produce a higher tier character, but will also add the characters experience together, as well as their 2x damage chance.

Characters


Players will be able to purchase generic playable characters such as Abominations, Ferelden Ash Warriors, Carta thugs, Circle of Magi Apprentices and Senior Enchanters, Beasts (such as nugs and halla), Coterie agents, City Elves, Elven Bards, Dalish Elves (including archers, Keepers and Arcane Warriors), Darkspawn, Ferelden Knights, Grey Wardens, Legionnaire Scouts and Tevinter units (including slavers and battlemages), among many others.

Other characters scheduled for future appearance:
 * Zevran Arainai

Combat features
Stun - makes target lose one turn

Gains power - gains a large amount of power per attack (First round x1, second round x2, third round x3, etc.)

Slows - lowers initiative of target by 1

Heals - gains health

Drains power - lowers power of target (possibly by half?)

Cross faction hit (bonus for attacking the opposing color): add 25% damage

Runes
Runes can be used (maximum of two at once) to give an advantage in battles and/or quests. Runes expire after a certain time if unused, and have varying effects and duration based on their rarity. They can be obtained by summoning a hero through a pack, or by farming nodes on the quest map.


 * Brave Targeting: Units in your squad have a higher chance of attacking the enemy unit with the highest power
 * Control: Increases the stun resist of every unit in your squad
 * Greed: Increases the gold you earn
 * Health: Increases the health of every unit in your squad
 * Knowledge: Increases the XP each unit in your squad earns
 * Power: Increases the power of every unit in your squad
 * Quick Targeting: Units in your squad have a higher chance of attacking the enemy unit with the highest speed
 * Shielding: Reduces the damage done to units in your squad
 * Slow Targeting: Units in your squad have a higher chance of attacking the enemy unit with the slowest speed
 * Speed: Increases the Speed of every unit in your squad
 * Wounded Targeting: Units in your squad have a higher chance of attacking the enemy unit with the lowest health

Legendary Runes

 * Rune of Brave Targeting:
 * Rune of Control:
 * Rune of Greed:
 * Rune of Health: Health + 25% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Knowledge:
 * Rune of Power:
 * Rune of Quick Targeting:
 * Rune of Shielding:
 * Rune of Slow Targeting:
 * Rune of Speed:
 * Rune of Wounded Targeting:

Epic Runes

 * Rune of Brave Targeting:
 * Rune of Control:
 * Rune of Greed:
 * Rune of Health: Health + 10% for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Knowledge: XP + 20% for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Power: Power + 10% for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Quick Targeting: Fastest Level 4 for 00:20:00
 * Rune of Shielding:
 * Rune of Slow Targeting: Slowest Level 4 for 00:20:00
 * Rune of Speed:
 * Rune of Wounded Targeting:

Rare Runes

 * Rune of Brave Targeting: Highest Power Level 3 for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Control: Stun Resist + 25% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Greed: Gold + 10% for 00:30:00
 * Rune of Health: Health + 10% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Knowledge: XP + 10% for 00:30:00
 * Rune of Power: Power + 10% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Quick Targeting: Fastest level 3 for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Shielding: Damage - 50 for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Slow Targeting: Slowest Level 3 for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Speed: Initiative + 1 for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Wounded Targeting: Lowest Health Level 3 for 00:15:00

Uncommon Runes

 * Rune of Brave Targeting: Highest Power Level 2 for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Control: Stun Resist + 15% for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Greed: Gold + 5% for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Health: Health + 5% for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Knowledge: XP + 5% for 00:15:00
 * Rune of Power:
 * Rune of Quick Targeting: Fastest Level 2 for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Shielding: Damage -25 for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Slow Targeting: Slowest Level 2 for 00:10:00
 * Rune of Speed: Initiative + 1 for 00:30:00
 * Rune of Wounded Targeting: Lowest Health Level 2 for 00:10:00

Common Runes

 * Rune of Brave Targeting:
 * Rune of Control: Stun Resist + 15% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Greed:
 * Rune of Health: Health + 5% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Knowledge:
 * Rune of Power: Power + 5% for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Quick Targeting: Fastest Level 1 for 00:05:00
 * Rune of Shielding:
 * Rune of Slow Targeting:
 * Rune of Speed:
 * Rune of Wounded Targeting: Lowest Health Level 1 for 00:05:00