History TabletopGame / DragonAge

The game's core mechanic, similar to that of the MediaNotes/D20System, is to roll a TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}-like 3d6 (three six-sided dice), add the ability score and skill modifiers, and compare the result to the target difficulty score. One unique aspect of UsefulNotes/{{dice}}-rolling in ''DA'' is the so-called "dragon die"--a die that is colored differently from the other two. When doubles turn up on a roll, the dragon die's value determines the number of "stunt points" that the player can use to enhance their action on that roll, such as combat maneuvers or extra spell effects. Its value can also determine the ''degree'' of success on certain rolls, including acting as a tiebreaker.

* PrestigeClass: At level 6, characters can choose one of seven specializations available for their class. These specializations are special talent trees that have tighter restrictions on who can take them, and they provide huge bonuses that heavily lean towards a particular playstyle. For example, the [[ArcherArchetype marksman]] specialization is exclusive to rogues who are at least a journeyman in the archery talent, and grants special attacks and heavy bonuses when wielding a bow, while the [[MageKiller templar]] specialization is exclusive to warriors who possess high Magic (normally a DumpStat for non-mages) and grants them the ability to nullify ongoing magic and attack a mage's mana directly. At level 14, players can choose a second specialization to further add to their arsenal of special abilities.

The game's core mechanic, similar to that of the UsefulNotes/D20System, is to roll a TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}-like 3d6 (three six-sided dice), add the ability score and skill modifiers, and compare the result to the target difficulty score. One unique aspect of UsefulNotes/{{dice}}-rolling in ''DA'' is the so-called "dragon die"--a die that is colored differently from the other two. When doubles turn up on a roll, the dragon die's value determines the number of "stunt points" that the player can use to enhance their action on that roll, such as combat maneuvers or extra spell effects. Its value can also determine the ''degree'' of success on certain rolls, including acting as a tiebreaker.

* BalefulPolymorph: The Revengers are actually [[spoiler:the Dalish elves captured and corrupted by Mythallen]].

* DungeonCrawling: Largely averted: the only "dungeon" in the module is one-and-a-half rooms long.
* FantasticRacism: The anti-Dalish sentiment runs deep in (some citizens of) Vintiver. [[spoiler:Likewise, Harralan/Mythallen harbors deep hatred of "shems".]]

* TheLostWoods: The Brecilian Forest next to Vintiver is just as ominous as in ''Origins''.

* WeaponsOfTheirTrade: In the free module "The Dalish Curse", the village smith Coalan fights with his smithing hammer.

* CombatMedic: Since the mages combine the healer and the nuker roles, they can become this.

The game's core mechanic, similar to that of the TabletopGame/D20System, is to roll a TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}-like 3d6 (three six-sided dice), add the ability score and skill modifiers, and compare the result to the target difficulty score. One unique aspect of UsefulNotes/{{dice}}-rolling in ''DA'' is the so-called "dragon die"--a die that is colored differently from the other two. When doubles turn up on a roll, the dragon die's value determines the number of "stunt points" that the player can use to enhance their action on that roll, such as combat maneuvers or extra spell effects. Its value can also determine the ''degree'' of success on certain rolls, including acting as a tiebreaker.

* DualWielding: It is possible to dual-wield weapons with a proper perk, but the rules of two-weapons combat are somewhat murky.

* MultipleChoicePast: Like in ''Origins'', the players can select one of pre-generated backgrounds for their characters, which affect their starting stats. You can no longer play as a dwarf/human noble, but get additional backgrounds to choose from, depending on the set:

** Magic also follows this to a degree, in the form of requirements. More powerful spells require that you already know a certain other spell as a prerequisite, which can lead to entire trees of magical effects. For example, in order to be able to create miniature lightning storms in an area of effect, you must first know how to zap enemies with individual lightning bolts, and so forth. Having a wider array of spells can make you more versatile, but more powerful and devastating magic requires you to dedicate yourself to certain spell types.

** This also applies to skill tests in both social and exploration encounters, with the game including separate stunt charts for each type of encounter. Roleplaying stunts involve getting extra skill rolls in before anyone else can respond, flirting with other parties to affect their dispositions, steeling yourself against threats or flattery, etc., while exploration stunts involve giving yourself an advantageous environmental position, performing actions quickly or with less resources lost, giving yourself skill bonuses you wouldn't normally have by improvising with what's around you, etc.

* BloodMagic: A mage who wishes to learn TheDarkArts can take the blood mage specialization, which grants them access to an array of truly gruesome spells that are CastFromHitPoints, and eventually a blood mage can replenish their mana by sacrificing either their own blood or that of a willing ally. Taking this specialization outright requires a high Constitution score.

* CripplingOverspecialization: Mostly averted due to how leveling up works: On even-numbered levels, characters must upgrade and choose a focus for one of their three primary attributes, while reaching odd-numbered levels forces characters to take upgrades and focuses in one of their five secondary attributes. This effectively forces characters to upgrade stats and take focuses that their class wouldn't ordinarily use for the sake of being well-rounded in a greater variety of situations. In addition, increasing stats beyond a certain threshold requires multiple level-ups in order to increase as a measure against MinMaxing.

* DemonicPossession: Being possessed by a demon is a risk all mages face when they blow their casting checks (but only when they use spells with prerequisites--the most basic ones taught to apprentices are safe from such catastrophic failure).

* GuestStarPartyMember: Profiles were created to allow players to include some of the popular canon characters, such as [[VideoGame/DragonAgeII Varric]], in their campaigns. The profiles include specs for armor and weaponry as well as providing information about the character's past.

* MightyGlacier: Warriors have the largest selection of armor types, but each has its own ups and downs; heavier armors give more damage reduction, but impose harsher penalties to speed and mobility in battle. A character who clanks around in heavy plate gets a whopping 10 damage shaved off of each attack they endure, but they can only move a fraction of the distance other lightly-armored characters can move on a given turn in combat.

** The sourcebook Faces of Thedas adds Ben-Hassrath, Dalish Mage, and Incarnated Spirit to the list of backgrounds, making a combined total of thirty-three backgrounds across all of the game's materials.

* OneStatToRuleThemAll: The Magic ability is the one stat that determines a mage's proficiency with [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin magic]]. It determines accuracy and damage with all basic ranged attacks, mana reserves, success on casting rolls, damage dealt by most spells, and it also influences how hard it is for enemies to resist those spells.
** Mostly averted for non-mages, mainly rogues. While some weapons use Dexterity to determine accuracy, all melee weapons use Strength to calculate damage, and bows use Perception. A rogue can't rely on Dexterity alone to be a competent fighter, though it is still an important stat for them. Strength-based, melee-oriented warriors get the better end of the deal with Strength being used for both attack rolls and damage.

* PrestigeClass: At level 6, characters can choose one of seven specializations available for their class. These specializations are special talent trees that have tighter restrictions on who can take them, and they provide huge bonuses that heavily lean towards a particular playstyle. For example, the [[ArcherArchetype marksman]] specialization is exclusive to rogues who are at least a journeyman in the archery talent, and grants special attacks and heavy bonuses when wielding a bow, while the [[MageKiller templar]] specialization is exclusive to warriors who possess high enough Magic (normally a DumpStat for non-mages) and grants them huge advantages when fighting against mages. At level 14, players can choose a second specialization to further add to their arsenal of special abilities.

* MagicAIsMagicA: It doesn't matter if your mage character is self-taught, specially trained in a circle, or hails from a completely different culture with its own beliefs about magic or methods of teaching it, all mages draw power from the Fade through the use of mana (or blood), and all mage characters use the same spell list, with some spells here and there restricted by [[PrestigeClass specializations]]. All mages risk DemonicPossession if they're not careful, and healing and defensive magic are available to any mage who wishes to learn them.
* MagicIsMental: Averted. Magic is an inborn ability that each mage learns to control in their own way. As such, though Cunning and Willpower are both primary attributes of the mage class, the Magic ability is the sole factor in determining how proficient you are with spellcraft as well as maximum mana, meaning that mages are not automatically TheSmartGuy of the party.

** Set 3 adds Orlesian Noble, Escaped Elven Slave and Tevinter Altus (noble mage). Across all three of the player guides, there are a total of thirty backgrounds.

The TabletopRPG [[TheRolePlayingGame adaptation]] of the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' role-playing video game series, designed by Chris Pramas and published by Creator/GreenRonin in 2009. The players take on the roles of the [[FighterMageThief warriors, rogues, and mages]] in a {{dark|Fantasy}}ly HeroicFantasy [[ConstructedWorld world of Thedas]] and specifically, in the Southern kingdom of Ferelden known from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''. The game was released in three sets, for character levels 1-5, 6-10, and 11-20, respectively. A [[http://greenroninstore.com/collections/dragon-age-rpg/products/dragon-age-rpg-core-rulebook Core Rulebook]] was released in August 2015.

* FighterMageThief: Like the video games, the tabletop adaptation includes three basic classes known from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' (the Clerics are lumped with the Mages).

* HitPoints: All characters start with a preset number (e.g. warriors with 25), which grows as they progress.

* {{Mana}}: Mages have a pool of mana points from which they can cast their spells (except the very basic ranged attacks, which are free).

* OneStatToRuleThemAll: The Magic ability is the one stat that determines a mage's proficiency with [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin magic]]. It determines accuracy and damage with all basic ranged attacks, mana reserves, success on casting rolls, damage dealt by most spells, and it also influences how hard it is for enemies to resist the nastiest effects of spells.

* SkillScoresAndPerks: Focuses and Talents vaguely correspond to Perks and Skill Scores, respectively. Focuses represent a particular expertise in a narrower subset of certain [[TheSixStats Attribute]] checks (e.g. "Perception: Seeing") and give a flat +2 bonus to rolls where they apply. Talents have three levels, each of which gives the character a unique gameplay advantage. New Focuses can be learned at every new level (alternating between primary and secondary class Attributes), while Talents can be acquired or upgraded every other level.

* SpecialAttack: If an attack roll (typically 3d6) produces a double (two dice with the same number), you can perform a "Stunt" of your choosing against the targeted enemy instead of a basic attack. Stunts can entail dealing extra damage, or targeting an additional enemy, etc.

* NonCombatEXP: The game outright states that any investment or spending of resources into an encounter should earn EXP, whether or not combat is involved. These resources can include health and mana, time and money, political favors, etc. in order to make roleplaying and exploration encounters worth the effort. The game even goes as far as to include entirely different stunt systems for social encounters and traversing the wilderness in order to keep gameplay engaging.

* {{Mana}}: Mages have a pool of mana points from which they can cast their spells (except the very basic ranged attacks, which are free).

* CombatMedic: Since the mages combine the healer and the nuker roles, they become this.

* MagicIsMental: Averted. Magic is an inborn ability that each mage learns to control in their own way. As such, though Cunning and Willpower are both primary attributes of the mage class, the Magic ability is the sole factor in determining how proficient you are with spellcraft, meaning that mages are not automatically TheSmartGuy of the party.