New warden?

[Quizdonkey]

Hey all,
I'm thinking of buying dragon age awakening, and can't decide if I want to play through origins again to get the benefits from having an old warden.
I just wanted to know the differences between the new and old warden options, I enjoy being attached to my character, and the story and dialogue of origins.
Now before I get any answers, i just want you to consider I beat origins 4 times, I LOVED that game, got the plat and everything, so I will probably find it hard to play through it again, since I have already so many times.

I also wanted to know if the addon content for origins is worth it, I have wardens keep and stone prisoner already, but the other ..4(?) are they any good?

Thank you all in advance!

 

[Naheal]

The new warden is one from Orlais and he lacks the history of the "hero of Fereldin". Folks treat you a bit differently and it's assumed that the Warden-Commander from Origins wasn't a complete prick..

 

[NewYork_Comedian]

The story will be a little better becuase [although only a few] of your choices that you made in the original game come back. Some of your equipment also comes back, and you start out as a higher level if you beat the game past level 18.

 

[Cherry Cola]

There isn't that much to be honest. At least not from what I saw.

You get a character who is essentially already in level 20, so starting anew doesn't really feel like starting anew.

 

[Quizdonkey]

Wow quick replies on these forums!
Thanks you two, I'm leaning towards replaying it then for sure, but is the rest of the DLC for it worth it? if I can play awakening with a better character AND play new origins content, I will for sure

 

[Blank Verse]

I'd replay both old and new content. On September 7th the final chapter of DA:O will be released-- a resolution with Morrigan called "Witch Hunt." If you want that resolution to be more of a meaningful experience, I advise both. Replaying Origins will refresh and embellish a sense of story and plot direction, and make your character and his companions easier to relate with, and the render the period of Morrigan's separation from you potent. Awakening, should you replay Origins, would increase the previously mentioned gains.

I'm roughly in the same situation you are. I haven't played DA:O in a while (my data is gone, in fact), so I'm replaying through Origins to experience it again. I'll pass through Awakening before finishing business with Morrigan. Given that the experience is more important to me than achievements or finishing a story merely to have done that, this is what I recommend.

Edit: To me, finishing the Dragon Age installments inconsecutively would be akin to reading Gulliver's Travels in pieces rather than as one story. Surely possible, but understanding it and relating to it would be more challenging.

Edit 2: Oh, I missed your above post. Much of the downloaded content helps one relate to the lore of DA:O and your companions. Leliana has a decent story through DLC, and you can play through the perspective of the Darkspawn in another. They're fun, elucidate lore, but don't really apply to the primary adventure like... the primary adventure does. I've never used Shale, so I can't comment on him, but Warden's Keep was nifty. Return to Ostagar is eye-opening, and it provides some fun dialogue between the characters associated with it.

 

[Shilkanni]

I'm in a similar boat to you, I played through the original 3 times before starting Awakenings, and I'm not sure if I could get through another full playthrough of the original campaign unless I had a particular goal in mind.

If you still have your Dragon Age: Origins savegames you can just pick one of those characters to take into Awakenings, isn't that an option?

 

[Quizdonkey]

I'm in a similar boat to you, I played through the original 3 times before starting Awakenings, and I'm not sure if I could get through another full playthrough of the original campaign unless I had a particular goal in mind.

If you still have your Dragon Age: Origins savegames you can just pick one of those characters to take into Awakenings, isn't that an option?

You can pick any character you finished the main game with. I took my Dwarf Noble personally. I'm thinking of rolling an Elven Mage and turning him into an Arcane Warrior.

That is an option I suppose, I would rather make a new character and get re-attached with them.. but considering if I did play through origins again I would want to buy the DLC which is about 25-30 dollars, I think I might just get awakening and use my old rogue, hopefully I still have the data, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[WaywardHaymaker]

If you don't have a Warden in import you aren't losing THAT much.

Basically, people don't trust you QUITE as much and you start at level 18 instead of whatever level you were in Origins. And, honestly, you get some pretty kick-ass starting equipment as a fresh Orlesian Warden.

But it was cool for my Elf Mage and Oghren to join up again, if weird seeing as they never actually had any extended interaction in Origins.