10 réponses à ce sujet

[Didiz]

Am I the only one hoping that in the next DA, there will be a companion that will be a Dwarf mage? I mean yeah they live close to Red Lyrium so they are immune to it BUT being a mage is more like a connection to the fade and whatnot. What if some 4th generation surface dwarve or something sudendly started having those weird mage dreams and could preform magic? That would be cool in my oppinion. It could be something like the main character would have to choose if brings the dwarve with him/her or if he/she i sent to one circle of a college of magi or something. I think it would be interesting to see all the personal confusion and at the same time an entire race being confused about a dwarve being able to preform magic.

[vertigomez]

We've sorta had that with Sandal and a dwarven Inquisitor... if you squint.

I don't know if I want dwarf mages, though. They lose some of their specialness if they're throwing fireballs like everybody else.

[straykat]

They lose some of their specialness if they're throwing fireballs like everybody else.

 

It's already gotten to that point by focusing on surface dwarves two games in a row. But I agree, they need more distinctive things. What's the point of having extra races if all they do is make them like humans? Let alone rule over humans.

 

I like seeing different cultures in fantasy.. just like I want to see different cultures in real life.. but Dragon Age has succumbed to just signifying culture and race mostly as something with "appearances". Making them mages would just make it worse than it already is.

[vertigomez]

It's already gotten to that point by focusing on surface dwarves two games in a row. But I agree, they need more distinctive things. What's the point of having extra races if all they do is make them like humans? Let alone rule over humans.
 
I like seeing different cultures in fantasy.. just like I want to see different cultures in real life.. but Dragon Age has succumbed to just signifying culture and race mostly as something with "appearances". Making them mages would just make it worse than it already is.

I agree with your overall point, but I don't think dwarves lose any of their specialness just by being from the surface. I love exploring the cultural impact of Orzammar on dwarves (and foreigners, for that matter), but surface dwarves have a culture all their own. It's like saying that alienage elves don't have a distinct culture from the Dalish. There's the Carta, the whole merchant prince(ss) angle, stereotypes unique to dwarves who're surrounded by other races...

I think we'll see more of it if we ever get around to Tevinter.

[Wolven_Soul]

We've sorta had that with Sandal and a dwarven Inquisitor... if you squint.

I don't know if I want dwarf mages, though. They lose some of their specialness if they're throwing fireballs like everybody else.

 

I think they could still retain some of that uniqueness if they give them a specialty.  Like they specialize in earth magic.  They can't hurl a fireball, but they could summon a big stone hand to come out of the earth and grab a hold of your enemy.  

[straykat]

I agree with your overall point, but I don't think dwarves lose any of their specialness just by being from the surface. I love exploring the cultural impact of Orzammar on dwarves (and foreigners, for that matter), but surface dwarves have a culture all their own. It's like saying that alienage elves don't have a distinct culture from the Dalish. There's the Carta, the whole merchant prince(ss) angle, stereotypes unique to dwarves who're surrounded by other races...

I think we'll see more of it if we ever get around to Tevinter.

 

The only culture the surface gives them is just more human stuff. And worse, they're the only ones with a criminal or worldly background now (or merchant based), as far as playable origins go. That really irks me more than anything... that it now encroaches on my own options too. They're just taking away what makes many surface humans or city elves interesting. Even DA2 didn't screw that up.

 

Tevinter will just be more merchants. Unless they actually plan on an explorable Kal Sharok. Then I'll be happier.

[Merela]

I think they could still retain some of that uniqueness if they give them a specialty.  Like they specialize in earth magic.  They can't hurl a fireball, but they could summon a big stone hand to come out of the earth and grab a hold of your enemy.  

 

Thing is, only Valta has been able to cast a "spell" so far, more out of reflex than anything else, and she's vanished into thin air by the end of The Descent - and the way leading to the Titan has collasped, if I remember right. Unless a dwarf finds another Titan (with no more Breach to stir it up from its sleep), or Valta returns as a companion or even as a NPC, it's very unlikely there will be a spell-casting dwarf in DA4.

[Solusandra]

Am I the only one hoping that in the next DA, there will be a companion that will be a Dwarf mage? I mean yeah they live close to Red Lyrium so they are immune to it BUT being a mage is more like a connection to the fade and whatnot. What if some 4th generation surface dwarve or something sudendly started having those weird mage dreams and could preform magic? That would be cool in my oppinion. It could be something like the main character would have to choose if brings the dwarve with him/her or if he/she i sent to one circle of a college of magi or something. I think it would be interesting to see all the personal confusion and at the same time an entire race being confused about a dwarve being able to preform magic.

We've sorta had that with Sandal and a dwarven Inquisitor... if you squint.

I don't know if I want dwarf mages, though. They lose some of their specialness if they're throwing fireballs like everybody else.

If you watch the dwarven lore throughout the three games and pay attention to Dagna during DA3 Inquisition, dwarven mages are possible. They would also be significantly different from human elven and Kossith mages. Back in the time or Arlathan dwarves had dreams, strange powers and were convinced that to go to the surface would have them flying off into the sky.

 

During DAI, near the end, Dagna starts having weird visions when working with her runes and you get a mission to the storm coast where you check out the earthquakes there and find out that you're litterally inside the body of a dwarven god, and the earthquakes are him twitching and screaming in pain as his blood (lyrium) is being infected by the blight (red Lyrium) One of your dwarven companions for the mission ends up getting her mind eaten by the titan at the end of the mission and they give you some insight into the possibility of dwarven mages and the special abilities rumored to be held by ancient dwarven paragons.

 

Dagna and the dwarves you take on the mission start having dreams.

 

Aside from that, Sandel and Fenris in DA2 offers an excelent point as Vertigomez noted. You don't need to be a mage to have mage powers. With a couple of rocks he enchanted Sandel tore apart a swarm of darkspawn and froze an ogre and an emissary in stasis fields. On his own. You as Hawke needed an entire party to do what this autistic kid did with a few rocks and a bit of blood magic. Fenris tattoos... they may be driving his crazy cause his brain isn't meant to connect to comatose titans, but plenty of powers so nuff said. No reason why a dwarf enchanter can't build himself Iron Man armor and a belt full of D&D artifacts.

[SwobyJ]

Predictions for DA4:

-More underground than since DAO

-The Descent was a tease as to how the underground will be (mix of familiar Deep Roads and ..Other)

-A form of magical access will grow for dwarves (whether dwarves overall, or just our character)

 

They won't make 'dwarf mages' the exact same as other mages, but technically even elven mages have a history and composition that makes them different than human mages in lore (note the elven Inquisitor is a different race - Trespasser visions of the Crossroads).

 

Over the course of the series, Dragon Age has set up the foundation for a dwarf protagonist to have, in game mechanics, the same abilities as elf/human/qunari mages.

 

Lore-wise, for all we know, Titan-granting-power may be a part of the next plot regardless of what race we can choose to be in DA4.

 

Kal-Sharok is still a (growing) mystery since at least DA2(? I forget). There's many holes in the dwarven story that we primarily explore in DAI's optional content like the Hissing Wastes and Descent, that can come more to forefront in DA4.

 

Give them a maybe unique casting style and an access to appropriately themed specializations if we wish (though also available to other races - the plot will figure it out), and I'm for it.

 

Oh and the script already put in rumors since DAI that surfacer dwarves are starting to dream. If this is followed up on, it would mean that as they lose connection to the Stone (far degree of connection to Titans), they are of a composition that is enough to reach to the Fade, albeit subconsciously.

The Tranquil and Dwarves (normally) do not dream, and both cannot draw upon the Fade in order to perform their magical spells.

You can see what I'm getting at. If enough dwarves start to regularly dream, we could have a kind of mage dwarf type awaken and be relatively close to the other races that dream (qunari dream but 'not as humans/elves do' - we'll have to see about them).

 

Dwarf mage IMO is very possible. At the same time, Dwarves that have powers that draw on Titans is possible too. To a further and rare extent, we IMO could have Dwarf Dreamers (particularly powerful mages). Or a story could have all three. Depends how Bioware wants to to do things. All I mean is that a foundation has been set up. Dwarves are not immune to dreaming and seem to be able to head there either through special means or through lack of connection to the Stone. With dreaming may come potential for magic (even if it takes multiple generations on the surface for it to arise).

 

We would play a rarity but DAI is fine with rarities - 'Qunari Inquisitor' rofl.

[SwobyJ]

The only culture the surface gives them is just more human stuff. And worse, they're the only ones with a criminal or worldly background now (or merchant based), as far as playable origins go. That really irks me more than anything... that it now encroaches on my own options too. They're just taking away what makes many surface humans or city elves interesting. Even DA2 didn't screw that up.

 

Tevinter will just be more merchants. Unless they actually plan on an explorable Kal Sharok. Then I'll be happier.

 

Ehh... its a back and forth. 'Human culture' would not have nearly as much trade and utility and knowledge of lyrium if it wasn't for what dwarves, including surfacer dwarves, do.

 

Humans may have hedgemony on the surface but its not absolute. Having dwarves and elves (and to lesser degree, qunari) around does impact human culture, and this will probably increase over time and populations seem to be continuing to clash and mesh with each other.

[Ghost Gal]

I agree with your overall point, but I don't think dwarves lose any of their specialness just by being from the surface. I love exploring the cultural impact of Orzammar on dwarves (and foreigners, for that matter), but surface dwarves have a culture all their own. It's like saying that alienage elves don't have a distinct culture from the Dalish. There's the Carta, the whole merchant prince(ss) angle, stereotypes unique to dwarves who're surrounded by other races...

I think we'll see more of it if we ever get around to Tevinter.

 

Agreed. 

 

The only culture the surface gives them is just more human stuff. And worse, they're the only ones with a criminal or worldly background now (or merchant based), as far as playable origins go. That really irks me more than anything... that it now encroaches on my own options too. They're just taking away what makes many surface humans or city elves interesting. Even DA2 didn't screw that up.

 

Tevinter will just be more merchants. Unless they actually plan on an explorable Kal Sharok. Then I'll be happier.

 

What, in your opinion, could BioWare do to make surface dwarves more interesting or unique?

 

How, in your opinion, is having surface dwarves around "taking away" what makes surface humans and city elves interesting? What is it about surface humans and city elves that you find interesting, and how are surface dwarves taking that away?