I found it a really tricky choice too. In the end, I just played all of them. Ah well.
The human noble feels, in many ways, the best 'fit' for the Warden. You're tied up quite thickly in much of the central political plot, and especially so if you're a female who has the hots for Alistair. I got a lot of emotional wrangling out of that playthrough.
However. Doing the dwarven origins opened my eyes a lot to the decision you make in Orzammar. First, human time round, I didn't know much about either candidate. But when I played the dwarf noble, I saw how she was set up by Bhelen, how he played everyone around him. I liked how you could get your second to be rude to people on your behalf (not going to deign to talk to the plebs, afterall), but then your brother turns on you and you're cast out, exiled and stricken from the Memories. Incidentally, that's why you can never be a contender for Orzammars throne - you ceased to exist for them anymore. But then the dwarven commoner origin brings you another side to Bhelen, just when you were convinced he was a complete and utter weasel. And weighing all that up with actually, who is best to be King? You might hate Bhelen, but as ruler, he's got the stones for it. Harrowmont is 'nicer', but in the long run, an isolationist. Augh.
So yeah, those were little eyeopeners, right there.
The Mage story I found fairly dull in comparison, though you do gain some insight into Jowan, which I liked. And City Elf bride... Well, I enjoyed her. She's feisty. If she has a problem with you, you will know immediately. She's got a damn good reason to hate most people, and there's some great lines in there too (be in a romance with Alistair and take him with you on the Alienage mission. Fun times).
The upshot... I think whatever you choose, you'll get something out of it, but some origins give more than others,
The human noble feels, in many ways, the best 'fit' for the Warden. You're tied up quite thickly in much of the central political plot, and especially so if you're a female who has the hots for Alistair. I got a lot of emotional wrangling out of that playthrough.
However. Doing the dwarven origins opened my eyes a lot to the decision you make in Orzammar. First, human time round, I didn't know much about either candidate. But when I played the dwarf noble, I saw how she was set up by Bhelen, how he played everyone around him. I liked how you could get your second to be rude to people on your behalf (not going to deign to talk to the plebs, afterall), but then your brother turns on you and you're cast out, exiled and stricken from the Memories. Incidentally, that's why you can never be a contender for Orzammars throne - you ceased to exist for them anymore. But then the dwarven commoner origin brings you another side to Bhelen, just when you were convinced he was a complete and utter weasel. And weighing all that up with actually, who is best to be King? You might hate Bhelen, but as ruler, he's got the stones for it. Harrowmont is 'nicer', but in the long run, an isolationist. Augh.
So yeah, those were little eyeopeners, right there.
The Mage story I found fairly dull in comparison, though you do gain some insight into Jowan, which I liked. And City Elf bride... Well, I enjoyed her. She's feisty. If she has a problem with you, you will know immediately. She's got a damn good reason to hate most people, and there's some great lines in there too (be in a romance with Alistair and take him with you on the Alienage mission. Fun times).
The upshot... I think whatever you choose, you'll get something out of it, but some origins give more than others,