Or sequel. Seeing how fast they release ME2 after just 2 DLCs for ME1.
My first play through I did a Dalish Elf. Which was interesting because it is the one that is the biggest outsider to the rest of the game after the intro. And in some ways kind of an unspoiled look at the peoples of Ferelden.
I have now run through every other intro, and they all give some interesting background, that gives some interesting hindsight.
Mage
Like Cullen the trapped Templar who begged me to kill the first Enchanter because he was tainted. It was a big decision and I had to guess, but I was loathe to ignore the advice of a Templar. But after running the Mage intro you get the dialog that Cullen is an idiot who has no idea what an abomination is :smack:
Human Noble.
Well I guess I already trully hated Arl Howl, but now I wish I had taken a bit more satisfaction in killing him
Dwarven Noble
Man I’m pissed :mad: I can’t believe I helped put that son of a bitch Bhelen on the Throne. I didn’t trust him, but he was the son of the King, and the designated heir how could I go against that. I am so gonna kick his ass into a bloody puddle of Bastard sauce. :mad: :mad: :mad:
My first character (before bungling him and the rest of the group with horrible stat allocation and talent picks and starting over) was a Dwarf Noble, so my actual playthrough with a Dalish was colored by my perception of Bhalen as a horrible asshole. I was however surprised to find out that you could follow one would-be King’s questline to gain access to the Deep Roads, then in the end hand the crown to the other guy.
On my next playthrough as a Dwarf, I fully intend to take advantage of that knowledge by pretending to be Bhalen’s buttboy, then in his moment of triumph, give it to Harrowmond for that spiteful, fraternal touch. A PS:FUCK YOU! kind of thing.. That is, assuming it’s not possible to claim the throne for yourself, which would be the first thing on my scheming dorf mind.
I’ve set up a dorf noble playthrough where I think I’m going to
actually give my brother the throne.
Two reasons: I want to keep it in Aeducan hands, and he’s my father’s last son. And then there’s the fact that he actually managed to pull one over on me, which means he might be an awfully effective administrator. Especially if it involves stabbing his sisters in the back. 
Yeah, dwarfs are screwy in the head.
I’m thinking next time I’m going to play through as a city-elf mage and see what kind of thoroughly despicable bastard I can be. I generally don’t like playing evil. I like playing a paragon of righteousness who just happens to be a compulsive pickpocket. But I’m interested in seeing how this would play out if I actually said all that mean stuff they give you the option to say.
If you’re a mage, human or elf, you start out at the Circle Tower.
Last I heard they said they plan to have two years of DLC for Dragon Age.
I’ll plan accordingly, then. I’m thinking in terms of Ian McKellan’s Richard III.
You learn a few things about it later, the joining blood isn’t JUST average darkspawn blood, and there is one “upside” that’s more than just “sense darkspawn.” You’ll have it explained by someone when you rescue him, and before the final battle, respectively.
This one is a bit more complicated. Yeah, Loghain caught t3h stupid, but it seemed to be his fear of Orlais more than complete stupidity. He didn’t want to have to call in Orlesian reinforcements, but he also thought that the Warden’s attack plan was stupid so he opted for losing half the army rather than the entire thing.
As for sitting there doing nothing, well, in a not-entirely-linear game it happens. See Orcus on his Throne.
I kind of thought this too, but in hindsight betraying Flemeth the first time you saw her would NOT have been a wise plan. Actually, betraying Flemeth in general isn’t too wise, but it’s at least doable…
I considered it as well, but not with this rationale. The idea was to hand him the throne firstly as a way to say “heh, it was just the game. You played better than me that time, but no hard feelings”, and secondly as a way to fuck with him, watching him go all paranoid, trying to figure out when the other shoe is going to drop, where the other shoe is, or if there even are shoes involved in my *real *scheme
I’m still weighing both strats - then again, I’m far from finished on my first game, so I’ve still got time to agonize over it, before finally rolling a Blood Mage 
How do you unlock all the specialties? If you unlock them in one game, are they open for everyone else? Do you have to finish a game to get them to stick?
Once you have unlocked a specialty, it stays with the game (like an achievement). Others have mentioned a few up-thread. Here are some additions
Assassin
Sweet-talk Zheveran and he will teach you
Berseker
Book at dwavern merchant at Denerim
Blood Mage
Depends on who you send into the Fade at Redcliffe Castle
Duelist
The Pearl at Denerim, talk to the lady who fought off some guys, play cards with her and have Zheveran or Lelindra in the party OR possess high Dexterity (30+ for me)
Templar
Sweet-talks Alistar
Ranger
Think I spot it at the merchant in camp
For those who really want to know:
You get to fight her as a dragon, if you really want to. Bring lots of fire resistance and physical resistance stuff.
I found the book that unlocks Bard in Dust Town in Dwarvyville. I thought you were supposed to be able to get it from schmoozing Frenchy, but that seemed to stall out.
Reaver
Defile Andraste’s ashes.
Arcane Warrior
There’s a Phylactery during the werewolf mission. Listen to its wisdom.
Well, after 2 and a half weeks,I just finished the Landsmeet and I assume I’m at the end of the game. I simply have to return to Redcliffe to gather my army for the final battle.
But… Wow… I’ve mostly managed to avoid spoilers for the endgame, but that really didn’t go how I had planned or expected at all.
(Spoilers for the Landsmeet, obviously)
[Spoiler] I traded Allistair for Logain, seriously!?
The Landsmeet sides with me 4-1 and I managed to convince Anora and Allistair that marriage was the best option for both of them, but because I decided not to execute Logain and let him go through the Warden ritual, (I was really hoping he’d die, even though that would have anti-climactic), Allistair gets a bug up his ass and threatens to leave on the eve of battle? And then Anora threatens to have him executed because he presents a threat to her power if he goes AWOL? Has everyone gone mad? Does no one remember that the “Evil Army of Doomy Dooms,” is ravaging the nation and threatening our very existence? I’m beginning to regret my decision. I should have just executed Logain myself after the duel and been done with this. At least my party would be intact and Allistair wouldn’t be out there working up his supervillain aura.
I have to confess, I liked it though. I can’t remember the last time a game’s story surprised me so much. I feel like I just stumbled on the worst possible outcome for the Landsmeet because I was trying to be merciful and pragmatic. I think I may have underestimated Anora though…[/Spoiler]
Well, onto the final battle. I expect lots of epic cutscenes.
Jihi, that’s what happened to me the first time round, and it completely took me by surprise too. I actually thought that was pretty good as well, though. It’s an interesting way of allowing you to essentially set up considerable plans and construct schemes by essentially convincing your friends and enemies to work with it, but if you go too far with something they don’t like, they’re going to step up and say something.
It was a nice change from influence systems of old where getting 100 means you can persuade your friends to jump in a gorge if you want. There are some lines that it’s reasonable for characters not to approve of you crossing.
I haven’t finished my first playthrough and I’m starting my second (ugh. Sloth Demon.).
This is a damned good game. I’m going to get the downloadable content for sure.
Awesome game, I only just noticed this thread because the past week I’ve been playing this game in all my free time. I’m a kind of useless mage-of-all-trades right now, still clawing through on hard except for the Revenant fights, which are impossible to do unless on easy. Having so much fun, maybe this isn’t spoiled for me because I’ve never played Baldur’s Gate or any other rpg like this, so it’s all new and fresh to me.
For fans of Baldur’s Gate, there are many small Easter Eggs. My favorite so far is in Denerim, in the tavern.The waitress is none other than Edwina, former Red Mage of Thay. She is a little upset if you don’t kill the mercenaries in her bar.