I think I can get that achievement on Nightmare now that I have Anders. I haven't even been close to unconscious in an encounter for two days now. Although I have a feeling the boss fights aren't going to be fun.

I'm trying to clear a warehouse with Isabela tanking instead of Aveline.

This is a wipe waiting to happen.

This. Playing a 20 minute boss battle in a highly rigid manner, or restarting multiple times, is not my idea of fun.

I'm the exact opposite. Have beaten most CODs, both Mass Effects, etc. on the hardest mode.

haven't even look at abyss/hemorrage yet.

anyone found a good talent/spells damage description site yet?

It looks like Assassins/Rogues get poison at level 10.

D'oh.


I play on Nightmare because I like friendly fire. The game isn't a challenge at all on normal. I'll play that when I'm in a hurry. But the first time in pretty much anything RPG, I play on the hardest setting. If I can't get past something, then I'll lower the setting (not a problem on DA2 so far). Did it for ME2, did it for DAO.

Did not do it for Starcraft 2, although I have played on the higher settings to finish out achievements.

Part of it's because I'm such an achievement whore. Although DA2 doesn't have a Nightmare achievement like DA2 (or ME2's Insanity achievement).

It hasn't been frustrating to the point where it isn't fun...

(yet)

The Dragon Age Wiki.

Here's the section on Mages:

http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Mage_(Dragon_Age_II)

Oh, I did get past this, but there were injuries aplenty.

I'm on a quest in the docks now which spawns not one but two assassin/rogues.

Fun!

That unleashed many "you got to be ****ing kidding me" moments. Thankfully I was geared and had a good party for it - got past it on the first try.

21 hours in, 3/4 of the way to level 11 - I think i'm nearing the end of Act 1. I have Fenris, Anders, Merrill, and one remaining quest - "Enemies among us"

And Hawke is going absolutely gay for Anders.

Just beat the game. I found it to be pretty underwhelming.

And I don't know about you guys, but, this game like a Final Fantasy game to me. Big boss battles where you have to hack them down for an eternity. meh.

It's been about 15 years since I played a Final Fantasy game, so I'm a little out of date, but that's not the first thought that's come to mind while I'm playing DA2. I'm only in Act 1 still, but I've been playing for almost 40 hours (Nightmare...), and it still seems pretty much the same as DAO to me, just that the actions I queue up in combat happen immediately (well, mostly - sometimes spells have a delay). The world lore, the things that happen on quests, the way that people behave, all seem very reminiscent of Origins.

But that's just my impression. Don't take it as argument or criticism. Reading the BioWare forums from time to time, you're not the only person that thinks what you do.

I'm really impressed with the writing, especially in Act 2.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but, combat to me, feels VERY FF-ish. Even battling groups of Templars yields the same combat experience: Lots of Templars with little HP, Templar Hunters with a lot of HP, and Templar Lieutenants with gobs of HP, that you have to hack to bits before he falls. All the game is missing is the multiple flashes of '9999' as you hack away. LOL

Combat aside, my number one complaint has to be the generic equipment. Where is my Andruil's Blessing belt? Where is my Staff of the Magister Lords? Lifegiver anyone? Key to the City? I did come across an Andruil's Belt towards the end of the game, unfortunately, it was comparable with the generic 'Belt' that I had found multiple times previously.

Alright, 38 hours for me (christ), I'm almost halfway to 12, on the final quest before I head to the Deep Roads, Act of Mercy.

And I gotta go to work. :(

Yeah, apparently the primary way to get interesting items is dlc. Although I have been collecting a very nice set of mage armor through the first act.

I have gotten a few drops though. Mostly generic equipment, but good enough to begin to replace my dlc gear.

Clearly, though, they're pushing dlc, and I would not be surprised to see ME2 style item set dlc in addition to what I expect will be a lot of story/content dlc (which may or may not sell - while I'd never say the bw forums are a good reflection of the game's reception, it is very negative there, even more than usual immediately after a release).