Heroes of Dragon Age

Morrigan HoDA — Morrigan as depicted in *Heroes of Dragon Age*.

Heroes of Dragon Age is a freemium game set for release in late 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.^[1]

The game will be 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.^[1]

In game HoDA — The game features tutorials for combat and other functions.^[1]

At launch, Heroes of Dragon Age will include more than 100 unique characters each with four potential evolutions or variations. Characters will be available through grinding or via an in-game cash store.^[1] 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.^[1]

Classes of characters

HoDA store — The in-game store showing the three pack options.

Characters are sorted into different classes (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary) and have rock/paper/scissor-style pros and cons.^[2] ^[3] 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.^[1] 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.

Unit coloration

There is a methodology in the use of colors to determine the nature of various units.^[4] The colored circular plate in each character's base helps to denote their status. The coloring rationale, with some exceptions, is defined below:

White: "Lawful" units, including some warrior factions
Red: "Lawless" and "outlaw" units (including apostate mages and Qunari) as well as regular (non-Blighted) creatures
Black: Demons and Darkspawn units
Blue: Condoned magic users (such as Circle mages) and supernatural powers

Notable 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 bases, such as some of the Tevinter units.

Consuming

File:Consuming HoDA.jpg

A demonstration of consuming abilities featuring Yavana.^[1]

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.