I am fully expecting to see (or be the cause of) most of my favorite characters' deaths. *sigh* I both love and hate that about the series. They giveth and and then they taketh away. 
I would really hate it guts when they kill the warden and/or Hawke off. I mean, they already disappeared and a written out of the series, kind of. No need to kill them. But I'm absolutely prepared for companions to die or to leave. Because...
Part of the fun for me is playing unspoiled. I mean, the lead up here, I want to know ALL THE THINGS. But once I actually load up the game? I don't want to know sh!t. I want to stand or fall on my own choices (And the more I think about it, the more I think my first playthrough may be something of a self insert, for that reason.
)
...I also try to go in as blind as I can (let's say half blind) I usually don't get it right for the first time. In DAO Sten left me in the middle of the tower of magi quest, I think (although - how did he get out there?). I'm sure that one of my companions left me in DA 2. Much to my surprise I kept my group together during Mas Effect 1,2 and 3. But it's so much more interesting IMO if I don't know beforehand what happens.