Highlights
- The Magi origin in Dragon Age: Origins may not be the most popular, but it offers deep lore, forgotten history, and insights into the elves of Thedas that fans will appreciate.
- The Magi origin is heavy in mage-specific content, including flashy class-specific opportunities and flexible quest lines catered specifically to Magi Wardens.
- Playing as a Magi Warden allows players to experience the rich legacy of the Amell line and the deep relevance of Surana's elven heritage, as well as explore the cultural and religious aspects of the Circle of Magi.
The Magi origin of Dragon Age: Origins is not the most popular of the six. The Fade quests don’t inspire many gamers to get to know the mage class more intimately. The Circle Tower isn’t a wholesome family setting unless players mentally adopt First Enchanter Irving as a father figure for their Warden. But fans who love the forgotten history, the deep lore, and the elves of Thedas will thank themselves if they down the lyrium and try a Magi Warden playthrough anyway.
The arcane knowledge Magi Wardens discover taps into some of the most fascinating and occult parts of Dragon Age lore. Some of it is quite useful, and a lot of it is quite forbidden. If nothing else, players who thirst for more after Dragon Age: Inquisition will have ample motivation to go back to the start of it all, and find out what mysteries the Magi origin reveals. The secrets of Thedas hinge on magic, and together with the Dalish Elf origin, these stories take the cake when it comes to giving players delicious insights.
10 Origins Is Heavy On Mage-Specific Content
The later Dragon Age games may feature more magic, but Origins is just as chock-full of the arcane. The Magi origin sets itself apart by offering flashy class-specific opportunities, including influencing major story events. The Redcliffe and Circle quest lines are a lot more flexible for Magi Wardens, and magical talents are continually called upon.
There are also shops, mysteries, and quests that all cater specifically to Magi Wardens who hunger for arcane knowledge and gear to enhance their story experience. The mage specializations also have their unique draw for Wardens who understand how sensational, unique, or disturbing they are in the eyes of the Chantry.
9 The Amell Line Is Brimming With Magic
Players have the unique choice between playing a human or an elf mage with this origin. Many opt to roll with Amell, a human from a noble house seated in Kirkwall. Those who already played Dragon Age 2 are right to think they recognize that surname: the Amell Warden is Hawke’s cousin.
The legacy of the Amells gives players a sense of continuity like no other between Dragon Age games, especially if players make their Hawke a mage as well. Cullen fans also have the rare pleasure of having their first hero admired by this romantic templar if they choose the Magi origin.
8 The Surana Mage Experience Has Tenure
Despite the lack of famous relatives, Surana’s legacy across the Dragon Age games has deeper relevance than the human version. The elves of Thedas have a mysterious, ancient, and highly magical legacy, and the plot of Origins offers plenty of it to enrich a mage of elven heritage.
By the end of the game, a Surana Warden is not just a hero, but a character of historical importance. Origins becomes a cathartic story of discovering Surana’s true hidden legacy by embracing the kind of ancient power that makes the fear of magic seem justified.
7 Lore Of The Fade-Touched
There is a thick blanket of fear and vigilance that can be felt in the Circle Tower. The Magi origin showcases everything from terrified novices to absent-minded scholars. In this insular but lively society, the Warden is admired as an exceptionally talented mage.
Despite how engaging Circle life seems, the rigors of this life are as harrowing as the ritual players must undergo of the same name. But it’s paired with invaluable hands-on experience in understanding the relationship between magic and the Fade, which makes it a must-try for anyone intrigued by Dragon Age's magic lore.
6 Culturally And Religiously Arcane
One of the benefits of a Magi Warden is that Surana or Amell goes into the world without a lot of the cultural and religious biases the other origins feature. Magi focus solely on magic. It's fascinating to see Thedas through the lens of the Circle of Magi, and how starkly different it looks once it shatters.
No longer under Templar scrutiny, players can reject their early indoctrination and embrace practices that would have definitely earned them the Tranquil’s mark had they stayed in the Circle. Having no allegiances outside the Circle also has decided roleplaying advantages.
5 Mages Have Total Battlefield Control
Players will need to keep a rogue in their party if they want all the loot, unless they get the Lock Bash mod, and early gameplay may make the mage class seem relatively restrictive and squishy compared to the others. But mages have Area-Of-Effect prowess that is unparalleled, especially when combined with other class abilities and more magic.
Not only can a mage take care of the bulk of enemies before the Warden’s allies even knock an arrow, but Magi players can also hold their own in close quarters. At a high enough level, mage specializations synergize spectacularly, which can result in overpowered builds. There are also a lot of different ways a Magi Warden can be built.
4 Blood Magic Is On The Table
Dragon Agelore will explain at length why it’s not worth it, this class of magic is neither considered safe nor humane. This means it’s a lot of fun for players who like breaking taboos and who value raw and ruthless power. There’s nothing that says “future abomination” like performing blood magic in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This specialization doesn’t draw a reaction from the world, perhaps because the Grey Wardens have been known to bend a few rules before in the name of stopping Blights. But blood magic will make Magi Wardens a punishing presence on the battlefield, and it’s absolutely worth experiencing. If the mana is out, there’s always blood.
3 Arcane Warrior Abilities Are Surana’s Heritage
The Arcane Warrior specialization comes from the lost Elvhenan Empire, and thus it will mean the most to Surana players. Surana isn’t raised to the modern elven cultures, but players will understand the significance of embracing skills lost to elvenkind.
A Surana Warden will give players a thirst to unlock elven history that rivals the draw of the arcane. While Origins only begins to touch upon these subjects in lore, it already makes a big impact on gameplay. This specialization harmonizes particularly well with Keeper and Blood Mage abilities, essentially turning the Warden into an AOE force of nature.
2 From Circle-Bound To Itinerant Arcana Buff
Roleplaying a Grey Warden mage is a perfect way to experience the mage class in Thedas. Though the Chantry does its best to control every aspect of magic it can, it cannot make demands of members of the Order, even if a mage Warden performed forbidden magic in front of the Divine herself. A Warden is not considered an apostate.
What makes the Magi origin special in this context is how stepping outside the tower also sidesteps societal rules that were imposed on the Warden as a mage. The fabric of reality itself is the limit, although everything the Warden will gather serves the Grey Warden cause. It’s not real freedom in that sense, but it will feel like it.
1 The Plight Of Mages Is At The Heart Of Dragon Age
Players who want to study the nature of magic in Thedas will enjoy the Magi origin the most, but it also offers a palette of satisfying ways to paint the walls with enemies. Magi players are also signing up to experience one of the most tangible evolutions in power Origins has to offer, going from one of the weakest characters to unstoppable.
Perhaps the most compelling reason to try the Magi origin is how central magic is to the events of the various Dragon Age games. The mage class deals with the lifeblood of Thedas, yet magic is far from understood. What better way to fix the Fifth Blight than to flirt with powers that come from the times before archdemons even existed?
Dragon Age Origins
2009 saw the release of Bioware's Dragon Age, an RPG title that would birth a long-running franchise. This original release sets the foundation of the Dragon Age universe, featuring the introduction of the Dark Spawn and a cast of colorful characters.