User blog comment:Nord Ronnoc/A Tale Of Two Game Series/@comment-2250460-20121111231413/@comment-4721065-20121112081602

I will just paste my recent argument from the blog where all of this has started. Behold:


 * There are 6 PLAYABLE origins in DA:O, all of which take up 1-2 hours to finish and define your character the way psychological profile and place of birth never could. They also present unique outcomes at the epilogue: Human Noble can actually rule the country, alone or married to the loyal Warden companion/ secondary antagonist's daughter; Dwarven Casteless gets promoted to the Paragon, highest rank of honour in Dwarven society (which also makes your relatives and offspring nobles, hugely important in the impoverished dwarven lands), Mage can control all other mages in the country if you let the previous occupant die, etc.


 * You can have a game-confirmed son, or even two, if you're of a Dwarf Noble Origin and take specific choices.


 * Many of DA:O enemies actually gain NEW skills as they level up, whereas ME adversaries only gain increases in health/shielding. This makes encounters far more challenging, especially since it is almost impossible to retreat from combat into "peaceful" zone to regenerate health.


 * The overall number of skills is MUCH higher in DA:O than in ME, and their effects are more diverse than in Mass Effect.


 * As I have mentioned before, no morality bar. The conversation is further freed by not including the dialogue wheel "good, neutral, evil" layout. Your ability to persuade others is also not tied to whether you have made consistent choices but to the persuasion skill, which is available to all classes and requires considerable sacrifices to max out.


 * Generally greater leeway on whether or not you have to fight, as well as being able to skip most of fighting through stealth if you're rogue.


 * Greater differences in classes and associated gameplay, as well as far more fleshed out specialisations, which can make your class and your combat role DRASTICALLY different from what it used to be before.


 * Companions react to your choices in a more detailed manner and there is greater scope for influencing them.


 * A LOT more items, EVERY one of which has some kind of text description, (usually about 20-40, but occassionaly numbering in hundreds.)