# The Dragon Age thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 3, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156 "2009-11-03T12:34:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![EastCoastPearl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/aeb1de/32.png) [@EastCoastPearl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastCoastPearl)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/401 "2009-12-02T18:28:58Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > I found [this](http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/stolen-pixels/6831-Stolen-Pixels-147-Naked-Greed) comic on the [Escapist](http://www.escapistmagazine.com/) amusing (link contains mild spoilers of the early part of the game). I admit I do that in RPGs. It’s painfully obvious who is and who isn’t going to stick around. If you enjoyed that, you’d enjoy [this fun little thread](http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/47/index/338906/1)on the Bioware social forums. Beware that there are plenty of spoilers in the thread - it’s mostly entertaining to folks who’ve played through the game a couple times and know what’s going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/402 "2009-12-04T08:26:05Z")
I have a lore question. Probably not too much of a spoiler, but still: [spoiler]So, the archdemon is one of the dragon Old Gods, buried deep somewhere, right? And the darkspawn dig around, fighting dwarves until they find one, after which they all swarm to the surface and there’s a Blight. Now, in order to stop the archdemon, it has to be killed by a Grey Warden or the soul or whatever just moves to the nearest darkspawn and it keeps going, whereas if killed by a Warden, it moves to the soul-wise occupied body of said Warden and both are explodoed. I don’t quite get the need for the Warden. Seems to me the power comes from the archdemon’s body, i.e. the big fucking dragon thing. If the taint moves on to the nearest darkspawn, it’ll just be one more wussy darkspawn to kill, right?[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/403 "2009-12-04T08:36:47Z")
> [@Claptree](#): > > I have a lore question. Probably not too much of a spoiler, but still: > > [spoiler]So, the archdemon is one of the dragon Old Gods, buried deep somewhere, right? And the darkspawn dig around, fighting dwarves until they find one, after which they all swarm to the surface and there’s a Blight. Now, in order to stop the archdemon, it has to be killed by a Grey Warden or the soul or whatever just moves to the nearest darkspawn and it keeps going, whereas if killed by a Warden, it moves to the soul-wise occupied body of said Warden and both are explodoed. > > I don’t quite get the need for the Warden. Seems to me the power comes from the archdemon’s body, i.e. the big fucking dragon thing. If the taint moves on to the nearest darkspawn, it’ll just be one more wussy darkspawn to kill, right?[/spoiler] The power isn’t from the archdemon’s body, per se, but the soul. I think at one point they specifically say that over time, the soul of the archdemon would eventually warp the random wussy darkspawn into another dragon, or some other similarly powerful frame. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/404 "2009-12-04T09:05:51Z")
OK, I can buy that. So what makes the archdemon an arch demon is the fact that it’s a tainted Old God soul? I can’t put my finger on it, but I still feel like there’s a loophole here somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/405 "2009-12-04T14:14:23Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > The power isn’t from the archdemon’s body, per se, but the soul. I think at one point they specifically say that over time, the soul of the archdemon would eventually warp the random wussy darkspawn into another dragon, or some other similarly powerful frame. I got the sense that there was no eventually about it. That the god-soul would immediately turn the new host into a dragon, and you’d just start over killing a dragon. Which I guess makes you wonder how long it took until they figured out the whole warden-drink-blood-supress-soul deal. That first battle must have been a biotch. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/406 "2009-12-04T14:47:24Z")
Ah, now, that’s a whole 'nother story. I had the idea that you could just keep hacking at wussies until there were none left, but hacking at badasses is a bit worse. Thanks for the answers. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/407 "2009-12-04T17:35:09Z")
So, has anybody found any use for Morrigan’s shapeshifting? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/408 "2009-12-04T17:47:06Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > So, has anybody found any use for Morrigan’s shapeshifting? Yeah. You turn into a bear. I don’t have much of a use for it either, honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/409 "2009-12-04T20:39:50Z")
Never used it. She’s more useful as mage/arcane warrior, IMO. I do occasionally call for bears and spiders with my ranger, though. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/410 "2009-12-04T21:06:58Z")
> [@Claptree](#): > > Never used it. She’s more useful as mage/arcane warrior, IMO. I do occasionally call for bears and spiders with my ranger, though. Ranger. Pleh. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/411 "2009-12-04T22:07:15Z")
I plead poverty of invention, but I just could not forsee me ever saying, “Geez, I’m glad Morrigan turned into a spider and lost access to her spells. And her healing potions. What a break for me!” ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/412 "2009-12-04T22:24:48Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > I plead poverty of invention, but I just could not forsee me ever saying, “Geez, I’m glad Morrigan turned into a spider and lost access to her spells. And her healing potions. What a break for me!” I’m right with ya, dood. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/413 "2009-12-04T23:28:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > So, has anybody found any use for Morrigan’s shapeshifting? Once. The first time I played the game. Fighting the bandits in Lothering and she had no lyrium potions and was out of willpower. Turned her into a melee bear and she was the last one standing. Never since. Shapeshifting adds flavour I guess, a little bit of dialogue about Morrigan’s childhood and Wilding magic and whatnot. Otherwise it is pretty much useless. And I say that as someone who doesn’t necessarily prefer optimum builds - sadly “virtually useless” is a lot worse than “suboptimum” ;). ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/414 "2009-12-04T23:39:32Z")
I wouldn’t say the shapeshifting is completely useless. The insect swarm has its uses. If she gets surrounded she can turn into the swarm and avoid most attacks; any damage she takes will be to mana. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/415 "2009-12-04T23:51:39Z")
I have experimented with setting Morrigan to turn into the Swarm if she blows through her mana. So far, it not particularly handy. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/416 "2009-12-04T23:55:34Z")
If she’s blown through her mana, the swarm won’t last too long. ---
**Author:** ![Neverending\_Elbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e274bd/32.png) [@Neverending\_Elbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neverending_Elbow)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/417 "2009-12-05T00:01:28Z")
Shapeshifting sounds really, really awesome, and in stories I suppose it could be, but in the game turning your spellcaster into a sub-par tank is not very useful. Now turning your enemy’s shape, that’s useful. In theory. I still fondly remember the spell that could turn someone into a squirrel in BG I. 🙂 But it was almost only good for a giggle — those spells almost never work on bigger enemies, and by the time you get that spell, you can kill anyone who would be affected by it without much problem. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/418 "2009-12-05T00:45:23Z")
> [@Claptree](#): > > Ah, now, that’s a whole 'nother story. I had the idea that you could just keep hacking at wussies until there were none left, but hacking at badasses is a bit worse. > > Thanks for the answers. Hmm, I wonder what would happen if you killed all the darkspawn and THEN killed the archdaemon… ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/419 "2009-12-05T03:00:52Z")
They could give the shapeshifted form some new abilities. There are mods which let her shapeshift into a _dragon_. Now that’s nasty. The ranger is a meh; I gave Lelindra ranger as her second specialisation and balk at the amount of Stamina it takes just to keep a critter around. There are a lot of cool ideas, but the brutal difficulty in the game just mean you have to opt for most efficient ways over the cool ways. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156/420 "2009-12-05T04:16:24Z")
> [@CrazyChop](#): > > They could give the shapeshifted form some new abilities. There are mods which let her shapeshift into a _dragon_. Now that’s nasty. > > The ranger is a meh; I gave Lelindra ranger as her second specialisation and balk at the amount of Stamina it takes just to keep a critter around. There are a lot of cool ideas, but the brutal difficulty in the game just mean you have to opt for most efficient ways over the cool ways. Why not both? Sleep - \> haunt -\> death hex -\> cloud of death. Nothing survives and it’s incredibly awesome. I’ve also found running up to a room, casting waking nightmare and tempest and running away tends to be equally hilarious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dragon-age-thread/516156.md?page=22)