Dragon Age: DLC

[Azazel]

Just a quick one to see if these DLC are any good/worth picking up for 50% off?

Warden's Keep
Return to Ostagar

thanks!

[jakonovski]

Return to Ostagar was crap, the bare minimum of gameplay to justify a new armor set. Warden's Keep on the other hand is pretty cool, my Dwarf Warrior can now vomit toxic blood at his enemies.

[Merusk]

I just got the darkspawn one and felt good about the price.  It was only the end battle at Denerim from the Darkspawn POV but it was still fun.  Plus you get to kill Allistair. 

If you buy it check out the codex stuff, it gives alternate histories for the characters if your protagonist had died during his joining.

[Fabricated]

Warden's Keep is a bit short for my tastes but there's a lot of good items there (if you go there right away you can get a set of massive steel armor that will last any warrior for 90% of the game), a sort of interesting story, and more importantly a storage chest and a guy who makes great armor and weapons.

[Velorath]

I'd say they're both skippable.  I can't justify telling you to buy DLC based on loot, since the game isn't challenging enough to the point where you need the best gear to survive, and there's isn't enough to the story in either of them to justify it on those grounds either.  I never really used the storage in Warden's Keep either.  I'm not that much of a packrat, and having to go all the way to the Keep anytime I wanted to access the storage was a bit tedious as well.  Save your money and pick up Awakening at some point instead.

[caladein]

I thought Warden's Keep was one of the better areas in the game when it first came out and still do.  I agree the loot and vendors are mostly inconsequential, but I the story was quite well done.

[Azazel]

I just got the darkspawn one and felt good about the price.

Which one is that?

edit - I do already have awakening

[rk47]

Off the top of my head:

Darkspawn - Take control of Darkspawn n fight against King Alistair - the last of Grey Warden

[Lantyssa]

Wasn't Warden's Keep free?  Why are you asking as if you have to pay for it?

[Reg]

I think Warden's Keep was only free if you bought the super duper edition. The Shale DLC was what was free for everyone.

[koro]

I'd say they're both skippable.  I can't justify telling you to buy DLC based on loot, since the game isn't challenging enough to the point where you need the best gear to survive, and there's isn't enough to the story in either of them to justify it on those grounds either.  I never really used the storage in Warden's Keep either.  I'm not that much of a packrat, and having to go all the way to the Keep anytime I wanted to access the storage was a bit tedious as well.  Save your money and pick up Awakening at some point instead.

And if you're on the PC, you can easily get a storage chest mod (Bioware-made even) for free from their social site that plops it smack in the middle of your camp.

For 50% off I could probably recommend Warden's Keep. I bought it at full price on the recommendation of most people I knew and felt completely ripped off.

[Sjofn]

I thought Warden's Keep was one of the better areas in the game when it first came out and still do.  I agree the loot and vendors are mostly inconsequential, but I the story was quite well done.

This. In addition, I like the armor set from a dress up perspective. 

[Velorath]

I thought Warden's Keep was one of the better areas in the game when it first came out and still do.  I agree the loot and vendors are mostly inconsequential, but I the story was quite well done.

This. In addition, I like the armor set from a dress up perspective. 

The story wasn't bad, but it was completely unconnected to the main game.  You could skip it and not feel like you're missing anything.

[Sjofn]

Sure, you could skip it. You can skip any of the DLCs, including Shale.

[Goreschach]

At least Shale was actually related to the main game, if somewhat peripherally. But yeah, I don't think any of the DLC qualifies as a must-have. You should probably go ahead and skip them all, if only to not encourage them.

[Velorath]

Sure, you could skip it. You can skip any of the DLCs, including Shale.

Shale can interact with you and the other party members though, plus he has some connections to the some of the plot stuff in the Deep Roads.  Even the Ostagar and Leliana DLC packs are at least somewhat connected to the story and some of the party members.  The Warden's Keep stuff isn't bad or anything, but for people who are on the fence about buying it, I do think that it's important to note that it's a side story that has no connection to the plot of the game, nor does it have any sort of connection to any of the party members.

[Sjofn]

It expands on Grey Wardens, though, so it's not like some sort of weird out-of-left-field thing. It may not have much connection to the main story, but it's connected to the world, which isn't a bad thing at all. Frankly, I find that DLC's story way more interesting than stupid ol' Leliana's DLC, which kept making me think "This is not even remotely close to the story she originally told me, that crazy, lying trollop."

Shale has a speaking role and is connected to the Deep Roads sort of, but she's still totally skippable. If you didn't have her, you'd never notice, which is all I really meant. Also, Shale is a lady.  

[Velorath]

Frankly, I find that DLC's story way more interesting than stupid ol' Leliana's DLC, which kept making me think "This is not even remotely close to the story she originally told me, that crazy, lying trollop."

I guess it's probably a good thing I didn't pick that one up then.

[Merusk]

I just got the darkspawn one and felt good about the price.

Which one is that?

edit - I do already have awakening

The Darkspawn Chronicles.  2nd down on the left on the PC page.   The Golems of Amgarrak looked interesting, too, but it says it's challenging and I can't get my original saves to load due to incompatible mods and I don't want to try it on this level 8 rogue elf I just made.

[Azazel]

Thanks guys! Worked out what to get for now.