Controversy about the "new" combat system

iirc, they already mentioned that Warriors block, rogues parry and mages can maintain a magical shield using mana.

Ya know. I can deal with a lot of different varieties of combat. I like turn-based but it gets a bit slow, I like action but sometimes I just wanna relax. If a game has combat that's not working for me, I just turn the difficulty down until I can ignore it and enjoy the story.

What really bothers me about DAV's combat is that we're restricted to only 3 abilities at a time and this is being spun like it's a good thing. How is that good or fun? I can understand only having so many on the ability wheel at a time. I guess. It's good for people using controllers for sure, and you can put your favorite moves there for quick access. But in the past games we've always been able to pull up the ability menu and access the rest of them, and now we cant? I hated that about MEA and they even gave an in-game reason for it with SAM. What's the reason mages will only know 3 spells at a time in DA? Sure, they can shield or dodge or whatever (often less necessary at a distance), but suddenly we forget how to heal cause we decided we needed a fireball? It just seems so pointless. I think it would annoy me less if they stopped trying to insist that it's strategic~

I'm guessing it'll function well enough, like DAI and no normal magic healing, but it just seems like a restriction for no reason. Rogues and warriors probably won't suffer for it, but mages definitely will. I'm going to go back to trying not to dwell on it and instead focus on all the fun story and companion stuff. Hopefully they show us some mid-game mage combat soon and prove me wrong.

Their could be more than 3 spells.

Dragon Age isn't a MOBA game though, it's a party-based RPG (or at least it should be).

The combat system was the main reason I never got into the ME series (aside from not really liking Sci-Fi stuff unless it's pre-Disney Star Wars or Star Trek: Next Generation). RPGs and action combat rarely mix well, especially as action combat relies on player skill and reflexes whereas RPG combat should rely on the character's stats and abilities.
I suspect they'll end up alienating more fans than they actually gain, but we'll see once the game is released.

They mentioned mages conjuring up magical shields, instead. Honestly, can't think of anything cooler for a Mage character. And I'm imagining it's gotta be a little akin to MEA's "Backlash" biotic ability (which was 🔥!) and less like DA's Barrier, as we're used from previous games, just way more dynamic and real-time. Maybe even throw in a little Shield Wall in there (cuz it drains stamina/mana as long as you're holding it up).

Honestly? Here's what i think.

There is NO way, Spellblades are gonna be mage-rogues only. You can't go in your face melee with only a dagger and cloth. You need defenses and protection. Combat magic is not arcane tricksters.

Also, i don't care about this playstyle, because it is aesthetically exclusive. You decide to affiliate someone's favorite spec with murderhobo child abductors. You decide to limit their weapon usage to daggers. What do you get? A melee mage that does the same thing with a dagger that they would do with a sword as well, and whatever armor they choose.

There is no distinction between mage rogue and mage warrior in DA gameplay wise, especially when you have like 5 abilities tops. This isn't d&d.

So IF it was mage rogue, why would they limit it to that? Besides pissing me off obviously, after all the emphasis and talk about inclusivity. Hey gishes, you are excluded! How about that?

Yeah, i don't think so.

Reapers do sound interesting, but we'll have to see.

We also need to see how are the spellblades associated with crows, because right now we have no idea, and Gameinformer, instead of giving some actual info about gameplay issues that might leave some of us feeling left out, are more concerned to tell me what i already know, that i can customize my character, my pronouns and my difficulty options.

Why would you knowingly, deliberately, limit the aesthetic of a melee mage to a dagger wielding rogue wannabe? As an Arcane Warrior or a Knight enchanter, you could mimic almost anything(aesthetically), and still had distinct gameplay. The most popular archetype in rpgs and my favorite is gonna get shafted for association with a dispicable faction like the crows? Not cool. And not inclusive. And that's why i don't think Bioware would do it.

P.S. I am very sensitive when it comes to gameplay aesthetics. All the story in the world does not matter to me, if i can't play my favorite archetype.

Might be an age thing.

For me personally, as one who's no longer in his 20s the kind of super fast twitch gameplay that Veilguard appears to be offering where success is a measure of you reaction time, accuracy and how fast you can click does not appeal to me anywhere near as much as the tactical combat delivered by earlier games in the series. Old farts such as I have slower reactions, we're not generally as good at twitch games as our teenage counterparts.

As far as I can tell Bioware have not yet released any details on how the Mage class will play, but if it's going to be a case of rapidly spamming left click to launch a spell while constantly trying to aim while dodging and running, and then having to rapidly execute a complex series of key combinations to switch to your second spell then I'm going to be finding it a pretty miserable experience. Hopefully this power wheel thing will be the solution.

That said, if it's anything like Mass Effect I'm sure I'll manage - but then again Mass Effect was a cover shooter where the very act of using cover gave me time to think and plan. Having to plan out all those biotic combos while constantly dancing and leaping around in order to avoid enemy attacks or AOE effects might be a whole different ballgame.

Guess we'll see. All I can say right now is, I have some reservations.

It was

Until the best ME for combat came out (Andromeda). You don't need to cover anymore, at least not in every fight and not so frequently. it also depends on the abilities you pick

In ME enemies could all shoot at you. Melee enemies were rare (some animals) so that you need cover more, and as i said even if 95% of the enemies were attacking at range you didn't need cover so badly. in Dragon Age there are more melee enemies than ranged (let's say about 60%-40%?) and all classes can dodge and parry (or use a shield if you are a mage) without taking a specific power like you had to do in MEA

This is something i don't mind, you can customize your character in various ways, ok, that's a good thing.

But it is absurd that the modern DA audience doesn't give a @@ about gameplay inclusion. Bioware speaks about inclusivity, about being who you want to be. But that is also about who you are, and what your abilities are. Are you a tall jacked elf or qunari? Purple hair? ok, but that's just one part.

The second part is how do you look like in armor or gear. In other words, inclusion and representation of archetype iconics. You have representation, do you also have iconic representation of the archetypes in rpgs? Like, can you look like a paladin or whatever? a mage etc, and how much variety is there. Do you also have full plate armor, or a half assed attempt at it? This is your second part of the visuals. This is supposed to be a fantasy RPG after all.

After character appearance, and gear appearance, the third, and most important for gameplay part of inclusion is, mechanics and aesthetics of your abilities. You're in a fantasy world, and can be anyone right? Ok, who are you? Are you a melee mage? And that's the last part, right there. What is a melee mage for you? Are you really inclusive? Are you going to let people play like they want aesthetically? Can they wield swords in heavy armor AND rapiers or shortswords in lighter? Arcane Warrior could do it, Knight enchanter less so, but still had customization and variety. Sword is a universal thing anyway. If you allow only daggers for spellblade, the whole part where you talk about inclusivity and advertise it as well through GameInformer, goes down the trash. Because you failed on the most important part of inclusion. The third one.

That's why i find the idea that spellblades will only use daggers, as absurd to even think of. Also i find it amusing how can people think the association with Crows(which we have no idea how and why exists), would mean you only use daggers. The only thing they know, is that one evoker mage of a journalist equipped magical daggers they had found. That's all it took for them to assume everything.

Anyway. TLDR, inclusivity is super, as long as it's real inclusivity. Looks and whatever comes with it, gear and whatever comes with it, and abilities. We know mages can wield swords if they want. Don't force on me, limiting ideas like daggers only. Just don't. It's a bad idea.

P.S. About the crows thing. Assassins are not rogues, i mean lore wise. Crows are something like the mob. They will have warriors, rogues, and mages all for different things.

Remember the Dark Brotherhood from Oblivion? There was a brute orc(?) guy in it, that said something like " I assassinate, i just go in their face and want see the fear in their eyes as i cut them down. I want them to see me coming, and know i'm coming for them"

Although crows are not rogues as a whole, people indeed went on to associate spellblades with rogues. I think it's just another example of how people think with stereotypes.

True, i don't like limitations imposed, which have a strong mechanic AND aesthetic impact on how i can play and customize my character.

Class identity is ok, but no class identity was ruined in other rpg systems that allow more freedom and customization.

DA has always been-barring Origins- extremely exclusive and limiting on that front, no dual wield for warriors - but Taash is super special and can do it somehow, you just can't- and makes me skeptical about the options, freedom and customization we will have in the game.

I will wait for more info. Actual info, not the gameinformer tiny bits of it. Until then i will remain skeptical.

P.S. Give full plate armor and swords for mages(melee mages even), or RIOT

Wish i knew. I would guess we get some info every week? But dunno what kind of info.

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