Every origin in Dragon Age: Origins, ranked

GamesRPGDragon Age: OriginsEvery origin in Dragon Age: Origins, rankedWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: EA)

An elf in a blood-spattered bridal gown holds a blade

Dragon Age at 15(Image credit: BioWare)All this week we’re looking back on the best of the Dragon Age series, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. We’ve got loads of greatDragon Age opinions and retrospectives, and we’ll be adding more to the list in the days to come.

Dragon Age at 15

(Image credit: BioWare)All this week we’re looking back on the best of the Dragon Age series, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. We’ve got loads of greatDragon Age opinions and retrospectives, and we’ll be adding more to the list in the days to come.

(Image credit: BioWare)

Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds in the Dragon Age serries, shown wielding magic in front of a Darkspawn.

All this week we’re looking back on the best of the Dragon Age series, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. We’ve got loads of greatDragon Age opinions and retrospectives, and we’ll be adding more to the list in the days to come.

These origins would have made the perfect introduction to an open-world sandbox RPG, but turned out to be an awkward fit for one of BioWare’s narrative RPGs—the kind that let you choose which order to do things, but still demand you do them. No matter what, Dragon Age: Origins tells the story of the Hero of Ferelden who joins the Grey Wardens and saves the land from Blight. Pick as many of the selfish, nasty, or just plain disinterested options in your origin as you like; you’re going to get funneled into that plot regardless.

You can see why they didn’t bother with them in the sequels, even before you get into the issue of all that “content” only a sixth of your audience will see. Still, the origins are your first taste of Dragon Age: Origins, and you’ll want to choose one that makes a decent first impression. Here they are, ranked from worst to best.

Human Noble

(Image credit: EA)

A noblewoman in armor looks distressed

Some people like Human Noble because it’s the origin with the most impact on later events in the game. It sets up a villain you’ll meet later, andmakes that confrontation feel much more personal. Shame it doesn’t put as much effort into the origin itself though, which is so generic the combat tutorial is literally killing rats in a cellar.

But the main problem with the Human Noble origin is that it rushes through a predictable plot that clearly wants to be a George R. R. Martin story of blood and betrayal, though the Couslands are no Starks. It comes off more like a bunch of theater students doing Shakespeare in the park. You get slightly more of Tim Curry’s performance as Arl Howe, but that’s all it’s got going for it.

Dwarf Commoner

(Image credit: EA)

An armored dwarf covered in blood stands in a gladiatorial arena

In terms of atmosphere, the Dwarf Commoner origin is a huge step up from Human Noble. The underground city of Orzammar has a gap between the rich and the poor so wide you could drive an ogre through it, and playing a guttersnipe who works as an enforcer for the same gang boss who pimps out your half-sister gives you a real bottom-up perspective on things. From the confrontation with your alcoholic mother to the dirty work you’re forced to do to protect your family, it’s relentlessly grimy and bleak.

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Dalish Elf

(Image credit: EA)

An elf in a forest draws his bow

While the other origins set up fateful encounters later in the game where you’ll face the consequences of decisions you made back in the prologue, often going home to see what’s changed, the Dalish Elf is more disconnected. You’re part of a tribe of nomadic forest folk who pack up their camp whenever humans get wind of it, a rootless wanderer born to become an adventurer.

That said, it does set up the broader Dragon Age series quite nicely. The Dalish will be an important faction in subsequent games, your fateful encounter with a magical Eluvian mirror pays off in the lore the series later comes to rely on, and you get to meet Merrill, who will go on to be a companion in the sequel. The Dalish Elf origin is a solid setup for a Grey Warden too, giving you a reason to hate the darkspawn and want to take the fight to them—even if you are a slightly basic fantasy elf who likes trees and is probably good with a bow.

City Elf

(Image credit: EA)

A human man leers down at an elven woman

Several of the origins set you up for a roaring rampage of revenge, and this is the one that does it best. If you play as a woman you basically end up with the backstory of The Bride from Kill Bill, an elven Uma Thurman who gets a sharp sword and a whole lot of deserving shitheads to plunge it into. It’s the Red Wedding, and you’ve just been handed the paintbrush.

Circle Mage

(Image credit: EA)

An elven mage with a staff on her back looks quizzical

If you want to be plugged directly into what Dragon Age is about, the Circle Mage origin is for you. Much of the series is focused on the conflict between oppressed mages and repressed templars, and playing a wizard in any of the games gives you a stake in that conflict. (If you don’t choose to play a mage in Dragon Age 2, it gives you one as a sister just to make sure you give a damn about how much life sucks for wizards.)

The Circle Mages live most of their lives in a tower where they’re under constant guard, tested for signs of demonic possession and blood magic dabbling in ways so callous they seem guaranteed to make them want to rebel and fight for their freedom—even if it means dealing with demons and dabbling in blood magic, as this questline makes clear. You’ll want to get the hell out of this tower and go explore the rest of Ferelden at any cost, even if it means signing up to join the Blight War. Which is good because that’s what you’ll be jolly well doing.

Dwarf Noble

(Image credit: EA)

Two armored dwarves stand side by side

Another fantasy game might make its wealthy dwarves honorbound and dutiful. Dragon Age says to hell with that and makes them a pack of absolute degenerates. To emphasize just how great it is to be born into power, the Dwarf Noble origin gives you a loyal sidekick with the voice of Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop (Steve Blum) who supports everything you do and will casually have people killed if you so much as suggest they’re a bit irritating.

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Human Noble#

Dwarf Commoner#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Dalish Elf#

City Elf#

Circle Mage#

Dwarf Noble#

Human Noble

Dwarf Commoner

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Dalish Elf

City Elf

Circle Mage

Dwarf Noble