A Mage
A person who is able to interact with the forces of magic is called a mage (plural: mages).
Mage: The Class
Mage is one of the three starting classes of Dragon Age: Origins. In order to qualify to be a mage, one must be either an elf or a human, and one will have to choose the Mage origin. Dwarves are unable to connect with the Fade and therefore not able to become mages. While Dalish elves do have magic users in their tribes, all elf mages in DA:O are assumed to have come from an Alienage.
As a class, mages focus on spellcasting to deliver damage and debilitate their enemies, as well as support and heal their allies. One of the more unique features of Dragon Age: Origins is the ability to use multiple spells in a row and achieve a "spell combo". For example, casting Grease, a spell which will cover the ground in a layer of slippery grease, and then casting Fireball onto the greased floor will result in the grease catching on fire, burning anybody caught in the area in a giant inferno. To put out the fire, Blizzard may be used.
Currently, all specializations for the mage class are unknown, although it has been hinted that at some point gaining the ability to use forbidden blood magic, and/or becoming a shapeshifter may be presented.
The default weapon of a mage is the staff. Most staffs deal "Spirit Damage", special damage that ignores armor and to which very few creatures are immune to. Their rate of fire is slightly quicker than that of the bow and arrow, but the damage they deal is less, in order to accomodate this. Despite all this, it will still be possible for mages to use melee or other ranged weapons, but due to some of the later strength and dexterity requirements for some of the more powerful weapons, this will likely come at the cost of sacrificing points that could have been put into Magic, lessening the spellcasting power of the mage.
Talent/Spell Trees
These are the spell trees for the mages at the latest known point in development. They may be subject to change, like everything else, until the game is actually released.
Mage spells are divided into four "schools" of magic: Primal, Spirit, Creation, and Entropy.
Primal
- Primal spells involve dealing elemental damage to foes, and using the elements to protect yourself or your allies
Flame Blast > Flaming Weapons > Fireball > Inferno
Rock Armor > Stonefist > Earthquake > Petrify
Winter's Grasp > Frost Weapons > Cone of Cold > Blizzard
Lightning > Shock > Tempest > Chain Lightning
Spirit
- Spells from the Spirit school allow one to enhance weapons, protect allies, and damage the very spirit of an enemy:
Spell Shield > Dispel Magic > Anti-Magic Ward > Anti-Magic Burst
Mana Drain > Mana Cleanse > Spell Might > Mana Clash
Walking Bomb > Death Syphon > Virulent Walking Bomb > Animate Dead
Mind Blast > Force Field > Telekinetic Weapons > Crushing Prison
Creation
- Creation spells allow mages to heal and boost their allies, as well as render certain foes harmless
Heal > Cure > Regeneration > Purify
Heroic Offense > Heroic Aura > Heroic Defense > Haste
Glyph of Paralysis > Glyph of Warding > Glyph of Repulsion > Glyph of Neutralization
Spell Wisp > Grease > Spellbloom > Stinging Swarm
Entropy
- Entropy spells are all about crippling and damaging foes
Weakness > Paralyze > Miasma > Mass Paralysis
Vulnerability Hex > Affliction Hex > Misdirection Hex > Death Hex
Daze > Horror > Sleep > Waking Nightmare
Drain Life > Death Magic > Curse of Mortality > Death Cloud
Mages in Thedas
Most mages in Thedas belong to the Circle of Magi. As such, they are taken from their families while still children, and highborn children who are able to use magic will lose all claims to their family's estates and titles when they are taken to the Circle. This helps to create a bond stronger than social class or race, since everybody in the Circle is raised and taught the same way.
Some mages manage to escape the notice of the Chantry and the Circle, and grow up without the training that those who are taken from their families will have. Any mage not a part of the Circle is considered to be an apostate, and will be hunted by templars if discovered. Nevertheless, some groups, such as the Dalish, are, for all intents and purposes, outside of the jurisdiction of the Chantry, and the Circle, and will carry on their own magical traditions. The Dalish, in fact, have a very rich magical tradition, supposedly based on the old elven magics. Nevertheless, the Player Character in Dragon Age: Origins will not be given the option of being a Dalish magic-user. Another example of an extra-traditional mage organization are the Witches of the Wilds, to which Flemeth and Morrigan belong to.
Magic in Thedas
In Thedas, magic is a natural phenomenon like air pressure, gravity, inertia, or anything else. Some people are born with the ability to interact with it, and control and shape it.
Magic originates from the Fade, the realm where Spirits dwell and humans and elves visit when they dream. As such, using it can draw the attention of the beings on the other side of the Veil, leading to an increased risk of demonic possession. A possessed mage becomes a distortion of their former self, a twisted monster known as an Abomination.
What a mage is able to do with magic in Thedas is somewhat limited when compared to other fantasy worlds, namely those used by Dungeons and Dragons. Interdimensional travel (discounting interaction with the Fade) and teleportation are non-existent, and the average person will rarely ever see any true example of magical power.
Mages are, however, capable of manipulating the basic elements, such as conjuring gouts of flame and small localized ice and electrical storms. There are also spells that allow for the temporary reanimation of corpses and the draining of an opponent's life-force.
Forbidden Magic
Some uses of magic are strictly forbidden by the Chantry, and, by extension, the Circle. Blood Magic, an offshoot of magical abilities that allow for things like using life-energy to power one's spells and the ability to penetrate the very mind of an enemy, is one example. While not particularly "evil" in their own right, the Circle has adopted a strict no-tolerance policy on the use of these abilities, to protect non-magi from their abuse, and magi from the fear generated by the common use of such powers. It has also been hinted that demons have something to do with the use of these spells, but for now such information remains unavailable.
More coming soon... Stay tuned!