Dragon Age Origins is a role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts in 2009. The game is set in the fantasy world of Thedas, where a dark force known as the Blight threatens to destroy the land. The player assumes the role of a Grey Warden, a member of an ancient order of warriors who are sworn to fight the Blight. The player can choose from six different origins for their character, each with their own backstory and motivations. The player also recruits a diverse group of companions, who can influence the player’s decisions and relationships throughout the game.
The game features a branching storyline, where the player’s choices have significant consequences for the outcome of the game. The player can ally with different factions, resolve conflicts in different ways, and shape the future of Thedas. The game has multiple endings, depending on the player’s actions and decisions. Some endings are more satisfying than others, depending on the player’s preferences and goals. In this article, we will explore how to achieve the best ending in Dragon Age Origins, based on the following criteria:
- The ending is morally good, meaning that the player acts in the best interests of Thedas and its people, and avoids unnecessary violence and suffering.
- The ending is politically stable, meaning that the player establishes a strong and peaceful leadership for Ferelden, the kingdom where the game takes place, and maintains good relations with other nations and factions.
- The ending is personally fulfilling, meaning that the player achieves their personal goals and desires, and maintains a happy and healthy relationship with their companions and love interest.
How to Achieve the Dragon Age Origins Best Ending
To achieve the best ending in Dragon Age Origins, the player needs to make the following choices and decisions throughout the game:
Origins
The player can choose from six different origins for their character: human noble, dwarf noble, dwarf commoner, city elf, dalish elf, or mage. Each origin has its own advantages and disadvantages, and affects the player’s interactions with other characters and factions. However, to achieve the best ending, the origin does not matter much, as long as the player follows the general guidelines of being morally good, politically stable, and personally fulfilling. Therefore, the player can choose any origin they like, based on their preference and role-playing style.
Companions
The player can recruit up to nine companions during the game, each with their own personality, skills, and backstory. The player can also romance some of the companions, depending on their gender and race. The companions can influence the player’s decisions and relationships, and can also leave or betray the player if they disagree with their actions. Therefore, the player needs to be careful about how they treat their companions, and try to keep them loyal and happy. The player also needs to complete the personal quests of their companions, which can improve their approval and unlock their special abilities. The companions that the player should recruit and romance for the best ending are:
Alistair: A human warrior and a Grey Warden, who is also the illegitimate son of the late King Maric of Ferelden. He is a potential love interest for female characters of any race. He is a good-hearted and humorous person, who values honor and loyalty. He is also the rightful heir to the throne of Ferelden, but he does not want to be king. The player should recruit him at the beginning of the game, and keep him in their party as much as possible. The player should also romance him if they are female, and support his claim to the throne. The player should also harden his personality by convincing him to stand up for himself during his personal quest, which will make him more confident and assertive.
Morrigan: A human mage and a shapeshifter, who is also the daughter of Flemeth, a powerful and mysterious witch. She is a potential love interest for male characters of any race. She is a cynical and pragmatic person, who values freedom and knowledge. She is also the key to a ritual that can save the life of the player or their love interest at the end of the game, but at a cost. The player should recruit her at the beginning of the game, and keep her in their party as much as possible. The player should also romance her if they are male, and agree to her ritual at the end of the game. The player should also soften her personality by showing her kindness and compassion during her personal quest, which will make her more empathetic and loyal.
Leliana: A human rogue and a bard, who is also a lay sister of the Chantry, the dominant religious organization in Thedas. She is a potential love interest for male and female characters of any race. She is a cheerful and optimistic person, who values faith and love. She is also a spy and an assassin, who has a dark past that haunts her. The player should recruit her at the beginning of the game, and keep her in their party as much as possible. The player should also romance her if they are male or female, and support her faith and love. The player should also preserve her personality by encouraging her to follow her heart and her vision during her personal quest, which will make her more confident and happy.
Wynne: An elderly human mage and a healer, who is also a senior member of the Circle of Magi, the official organization of mages in Thedas. She is not a potential love interest, but a mentor and a friend to the player. She is a wise and compassionate person, who values life and duty. She is also possessed by a benevolent spirit, who gives her a second chance at life. The player should recruit her during the quest to save the Circle of Magi, and keep her in their party as much as possible. The player should also respect her wisdom and experience, and support her duty and life. The player should also accept her personality by understanding her reasons and choices during her personal quest, which will make her more peaceful and grateful.
Shale: A golem warrior and a former dwarf, who was enslaved by a mage and lost her memory. She is not a potential love interest, but a loyal and powerful ally to the player. She is a sarcastic and curious person, who values freedom and identity. She is also the last of her kind, who has a hidden connection to the dwarven kingdom of Orzammar. The player should recruit her during the quest to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes, and keep her in their party as much as possible. The player should also appreciate her humor and strength, and support her freedom and identity. The player should also restore her personality by helping her recover her memory and her past during her personal quest, which will make her more content and proud.
Zevran: An elven rogue and an assassin, who was hired by the enemy to kill the player, but failed and joined them instead. He is a potential love interest for male and female characters of any race. He is a charming and flirtatious person, who values pleasure and survival. He is also a member of the Antivan Crows, a notorious guild of assassins, who will try to kill him if he betrays them. The player should recruit him during the quest to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes, and keep him in their party as much as possible. The player should also romance him if they are male or female, and support his pleasure and survival. The player should also change his personality by showing him loyalty and affection during his personal quest, which will make him more faithful and devoted.
The companions that the player should avoid or ignore for the best ending are:
Sten: A qunari warrior and a prisoner, who was accused of killing a family of farmers. He is not a potential love interest, but a respectful and honorable adversary to the player. He is a stoic and blunt person, who values order and discipline. He is also a follower of the Qun, a strict and alien philosophy that governs his people. The player should not recruit him during the quest to save Redcliffe, or if they do, they should not keep him in their party. The player should also not trust him or agree with him, and oppose his order and discipline. The player should also not complete his personal quest, which will make him leave the party and lead a qunari invasion on Ferelden in the future.
Oghren: A dwarf warrior and a drunkard, who was exiled from his home and his wife. He is not a potential love interest, but a crude and vulgar comic relief to the player. He is a boisterous and reckless person, who values ale and fighting. He is also a former member of the noble House of Kondrat, who lost his honor and his family. The player should not recruit him during the quest to resolve the civil war in Orzammar, or if they do, they should not keep him in their party. The player should also not like him or laugh at him, and discourage his ale and fighting. The player should also not complete his personal quest, which will make him ruin his chance of reconciliation with his wife and his son in the future.
Dog: A mabari war hound and a loyal pet, who was rescued by the player from the darkspawn. He is not a potential love interest, but a faithful and adorable companion to the player. He is a brave and intelligent animal, who values meat and affection. He is also a rare and valuable breed of dog, who can bond with only one master. The player should recruit him during the quest to save Redcliffe, and keep him in their party as much as possible. The player should also love him and pet him, and reward his meat and affection. The player should also complete his personal quest, which will make him find a mate and have puppies in the future.
Main Quests
The player needs to complete four main quests in order to gather allies and resources to fight the Blight. The player can choose the order of the quests, but they should follow these guidelines for the best ending:
- The Arl of Redcliffe: The player needs to save the village of Redcliffe from a horde of undead, and then rescue the Arl of Redcliffe, Eamon Guerrin, from a demonic possession. The player should also save the Arl’s son, Connor, from being possessed by a demon, by either using the Circle of Magi’s help, or sacrificing the Arl’s wife, Isolde. The player should also convince the Arl to support Alistair’s claim to the throne, and to arrange a marriage between Alistair and Anora, the daughter of the usurper king, Loghain Mac Tir. This will ensure a strong and peaceful leadership for Ferelden, and a happy ending for Alistair and the player, if they are romancing him.
- The Urn of Sacred Ashes: The player needs to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes, a holy relic that contains the remains of Andraste, the prophet and the bride of the Maker, the god of the Chantry. The player should also protect the Urn from being corrupted by a cult of dragon worshippers, and use the ashes to heal the Arl of Redcliffe. The player should also spare the life of the cult leader, Kolgrim, and accept his offer to drink the blood of a high dragon, which will grant the player a special ability. This will ensure a respectful and faithful treatment of the Urn, and a powerful and useful boon for the player.
- The Circle of Magi: The player needs to save the Circle of Magi from being overrun by demons and abominations, and then secure their support for the war against the Blight. The player should also side with the mages against the templars, who want to annihilate the Circle for their safety. The player should also free the First Enchanter, Irving, from a demon’s trap, and persuade him to join the Grey Wardens. This will ensure a compassionate and rational approach to the mage-templar conflict, and a loyal and knowledgeable ally for the player.
- A Paragon of Her Kind: The player needs to resolve the civil war in Orzammar, the dwarven kingdom, and then secure their support for the war against the Blight. The player should also side with Prince Bhelen Aeducan, the younger brother of the late king, against Lord Harrowmont, the king’s trusted advisor. The player should also help Bhelen secure the support of the Assembly, the dwarven council, by completing various tasks and quests. The player should also find and recruit the Paragon Branka, a legendary smith, who has the key to the Anvil of the Void, a device that can create golems. The player should also destroy the Anvil of the Void, and prevent Branka from using it to create an army of golems, at the cost of sacrificing living dwarves. This will ensure a progressive and reformist leadership for Orzammar, and a humane and ethical decision for the golem issue.
The Landsmeet
The player needs to attend the Landsmeet, a gathering of the nobles of Ferelden, and then expose and confront Loghain Mac Tir, the usurper king, who is responsible for the death of King Cailan, the betrayal of the Grey Wardens, and the civil war in Ferelden. The player should also gather as much evidence and support as possible against Loghain, by completing various side quests and tasks. The player should also challenge Loghain to a duel, and defeat him in combat. The player should also spare Loghain’s life, and recruit him into the Grey Wardens, by forcing Alistair to perform the Joining ritual on him. This will ensure a just and honorable resolution of the conflict, and a redemption and sacrifice for Loghain.
The Final Battle
The player needs to lead the final assault on Denerim, the capital of Ferelden, and then face the Archdemon, the leader of the darkspawn and the source of the Blight. The player should also use the army of their allies, and the special abilities they have acquired, to fight their way through the city and the darkspawn horde. The player should also choose Morrigan as their companion for the final battle, and agree to her ritual, which involves sleeping with her, and transferring the soul of the Archdemon to her unborn child. This will ensure a safe and effective way to kill the Archdemon, without sacrificing the life of the player or their love interest.
Conclusion
By following these choices and decisions, the player can achieve the best ending in Dragon Age Origins, based on the criteria of being morally good, politically stable, and personally fulfilling. The player can also enjoy the epilogue, which will show the consequences and outcomes of their actions and relationships, and the future of Thedas. The player can also continue their adventure with the expansion pack, Dragon Age: Awakening, and the downloadable content, Dragon Age: Origins – Witch Hunt, which will reveal more secrets and mysteries about the world and the characters.
FAQ
- Q: What is the difference between the normal and the ultimate edition of Dragon Age Origins?
- A: The normal edition of Dragon Age Origins includes the base game and the downloadable content, Dragon Age: Origins – The Stone Prisoner. The ultimate edition of Dragon Age Origins includes the base game, the expansion pack, Dragon Age: Awakening, and all the downloadable content, which are: Dragon Age: Origins – The Stone Prisoner, Dragon Age: Origins – Warden’s Keep, Dragon Age: Origins – Return to Ostagar, Dragon Age: Origins – The Darkspawn Chronicles, Dragon Age: Origins – Leliana’s Song, Dragon Age: Origins – The Golems of Amgarrak, and Dragon Age: Origins – Witch Hunt.
- Q: How can I import my character and choices from Dragon Age Origins to Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition?
- A: You can import your character and choices from Dragon Age Origins to Dragon Age II by using the Dragon Age Keep, an online service that allows you to create and customize your own world state for the Dragon Age series. You can also import your character and choices from Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age II to Dragon Age: Inquisition by using the same service.
- Q: How can I get the best gear and equipment for my character and companions in Dragon Age Origins?
- A: You can get the best gear and equipment for your character and companions in Dragon Age Origins by completing various quests and tasks, exploring different locations and areas, looting chests and enemies, crafting items and potions, and buying and selling items and weapons from merchants and vendors. Some of the best gear and equipment in the game are: Starfang, a powerful sword that can be obtained by bringing a meteorite ore to a blacksmith in Redcliffe; Cailan’s Armor Set, a royal armor set that can be obtained by returning to Ostagar and looting the body of King Cailan; The Rose’s Thorn, a deadly dagger that can be obtained by completing Zevran’s personal quest; The Spellweaver, a unique staff that can be obtained by completing Wynne’s personal quest; and The Warden Commander Armor Set, a legendary armor set that can be obtained by completing the Warden’s Keep downloadable content.