There are two types of people: those who use mods and those who are missing out. Modding a game achieves various things, from texture updates and patch fixes to customized hair and armour improvements. These mods are created by the community, for the community, based on what the player base feel the game lacks or needs to have fleshed out. It can help fill the holes in your gaming experience and even provide hidden last-minute removed dialogue or items.
It's also important to recognize that not all modding means you're 'cheating', and vice versa! For example, many mods don't alter critical gameplay mechanics or adjust the game difficulty/how overpowered your character is. Instead, many are purely for visual effects or quality-of-life adjustments that help to immerse you in the game, especially if it hasn't visually aged well. This can be especially important in older games that aren't up to par anymore!
Dragon Age: Origins has a plethora of mods available for download, and trudging through them to find the best ones would be almost as dull as doing the Fade questline again (There's even a mod for that!). Luckily, we've compiled the Top 10 Dragon Age: Origin's mods that are essential for you to use. Discover what you've been missing out on below.
An Important Note
While you're searching for the ideal mods for you, you'll need to be mindful of their file type. Mods for Origins come in two file types, DAZips and .rar or equivalent. There are different ways to install each type correctly.
DAZips can be downloaded and added to the game through a DAO Mod Manager. To do this, you need to download the manager and place the folder into your Origins game file in the same section as your bin_ship, packages and addins folders. After that, fire up the manager and leave it open. You'll then download your chosen mod with a DAZip and then drag it onto the Modder window. It's just that simple.
For other types, most commonly .rar files, you'll need to download the mod and place the file (once extracted) into the games override file. You can find that by going to Documents > Bioware > Dragon Age > Packages > Core > Override.
You'll know if you've done everything correctly if your new mods show up in your Installed Content section on the games Main Menu.
Additionally, we suggest you install the 4GB Patch if you're looking to use mods. Due to the memory leak Origins suffers from, the additional memory you get from the patch helps run more extensive, intensive, or multiple mods simultaneously.
Now, with all the jargon out of the way, let's see what the Top 10 mods are for Dragon Age: Origins!
Make Console Commands Visible
While this mod doesn't do anything in terms of gameplay, improved textures or added content, it's a worthwhile one to have for several reasons. It allows your text in the console command to become visible, so it's easy to type in the text box when needed and avoid any pesky typos.
It may not seem like a groundbreaking mod, and it doesn't add anything to the game on its own; however, it can be a lifesaver if things go wrong.
Why Make Console Commands Visible is good:
- The text box in the commands console becomes visible, making it easier to use and avoid typos.
- You can use the commands console to make other mods work correctly.
- You can also use it to fix broken mods.
- Additionally, if modding becomes a hobby of yours, you'll constantly have the console open. It makes it easier to use with visible text.
Get the mod here.
White Teeth
Sometimes it's essential when making a medievalesque fantasy game to be historically accurate. It helps provide a submersive experience for the player. However, sometimes we need to suspend our belief just a touch, and that's why the White Teeth mod is a small but perfect mod to have. Instead of NPC's and companions having yellow/brown teeth, this mod replaces them with pearly whites.
Why White Teeth is fun:
Stops your romance companion coming in for the kiss with gnarly yellow teeth.
It makes NPC's and companions look more attractive and like they have better hygiene standards.
It avoids you from focusing on the NPC's mouth during otherwise captivating cutscenes.
Get the mod here.
Personal Annoyance Remover
Some visual effects from spells in Dragon Age: Origins look fantastic, and others are less so. Character buffs that display a colourful aura to show it's active can be hit and miss with how they look. It can be an excellent visual reminder of when it is and isn't active but can look ridiculous when turned on all the time.
The Personal Annoyance Remover mod adjusts these auras and visuals to last for approximately a second before turning off, even though the buff stays active.
Why Personal Annoyance Remover is fun:
Removes awful or awkward looking character buffs that break immersion.
Improves roleplaying aspects in cutscenes and dialogue scenes by removing the visible buffs that don't belong outside of combat.
Get the mod here.
No Helmet Hack
Footage of how to install the No Helmet Hat mod and some gameplay, courtesy of Weng Gaming
It's no secret that some of the helmets in the game (especially for mages) have truly awful appearances that look clownish or fail to match armour tastefully. Having to stare at an ugly cowl for 20+ hours gets boring very quickly.
The No Helmet Hack mod is a simple fix that allows you and your companions to wear helmets without them appearing during combat, exploration, and cutscenes. With the use of a No Helmet Handbook in your inventory, you can quickly enable or disable helmet visuals.
While this mod works flawlessly, there is one cutscene that breaks immersion if you have helmets disabled. So when you go to the Proving, make sure your helmets are visible to avoid an awkward cutscene involving a helmet removal.
Why No Helmet Hack is fun:
Removes awful helmet appearances without sacrificing the ability to wear a helmet and gain additional stats.
Works during cutscenes so you can view companion facial expressions and reactions.
Unlike some mods, you can use this during the Awakening DLC as well as the base game.
Get the mod here.
Extra Dog Slot
Footage of how to install the Extra Dog Slot mod and some gameplay, courtesy of Xuul
Mabari's are known to be highly intelligent, social, and loyal to a fault. Bonding with one master for life means having one as a companion speaks highly of your character. It seems a shame then that most playthroughs have your Mabari sent to the sidelines, with you instead favouring vocal humanoid companions.
What's great about the Extra Dog Slot mod is that you can have your Mabari accompany you throughout Ferelden without taking up a companion slot. That means you can have your complete 4-person party, as well as a new slot reserved for your Dog. A Dog Whistle activates this additional slot in your inventory, so no dog lover has to say goodbye at camp for hours at a time.
Some players may view this mod as a cheat, but it's minor compared to the cheats you'd find in the console command, so we can overlook it. The only issue you may find with this mod is during the kidnapping scene towards the end of the game. We suggest you disable Dog before beginning that encounter and then re-summon afterwards.
Why Extra Dog Slot is fun:
Allows your Mabari to accompany you all over Ferelden without sacrificing a standard party slot.
You can still take advantage of his dialogue options, banter and special abilities wherever you are.
Your Mabari aids you in combat to provide additional damage during fights.
Get the mod here.
Unique Face Textures for Companions
Now that Dragon Age: Origins is over 10 years old, textures and appearances are unimpressive and aged. It can be a significant adjustment from more recent games and could do with some cleaning up (or a remaster Bioware! No?)
The Unique Face Textures for Companions mod does what it says on the tin. It upgrades the appearances of your companions, retaining their face shape but altering the textures.
Why Unique Face Textures for Companions is fun:
It softens the rough textures and appearances of your companions.
It makes companions more palatable to look at and romance.
It can help give your companions facial expressions and reactions more character
Get the mod here.
Madd Gift Guide
Footage of how to install the Madd Gift Guide mod and some gameplay, courtesy of Weng Gaming
Keeping a wiki open alongside your game can be infuriating to avoid messing up gift-giving and ultimately tanking your companion approval. Madd Gift Guide solves this issue by adding your companion's name to gifts meant for them. Each gift description includes the companion's name in front of the description text, avoiding unnecessary back and forth codex checks.
Why Madd Gift Guide is fun:
Avoids lost approval and wasted gifts from incorrect gifting.
Erases the need to have wikis and codex entries open alongside the game.
The light-duty mod makes minimal changes in the game and is less prone than others to breaking or becoming incompatible.
Get the mod here.
Grey Wardens of Ferelden
Footage of how to install the Grey Wardens of Ferelden mod and some gameplay, courtesy of Xuul
When fans got a good look at the Grey Warden armour in Dragon Age 2, a lot of them were disappointed that in comparison, Origins' armour looked dull and uninspiring. For those proud to be part of this order, the armour didn't represent that sense of loyalty, pride, and significance befitting Grey Wardens.
The Grey Wardens of Ferelden mod adds armour models styled off Dragon Age 2 Warden armour. This mod is all about aesthetics and gives the Wardens the colourful and attractive armour they deserve without affecting stats or overpowering your character.
Why Grey Wardens of Ferelden is fun:
It improves plain and boring armour textures in Origins to those from Dragon Age 2.
It helps during roleplay to show the Wardens as a dedicated and inspiring order worthy of impressive armour.
It provides more continuity between armour sets across the games.
Who doesn't love shiny new armour?
Get the mod here.
Improved Atmosphere
Footage of how to download the Improved Atmosphere mod and some gameplay, courtesy of Xuul
Many fans were left disappointed by the lifeless appearance of NPC's and companion behaviours. The majority stand in the same spot, idle, rarely moving around or interacting with their surroundings.
While we appreciate these issues were likely due to technical limitations, it taints the idea that the world is alive and exists beyond our current story. An excess of game bugs also affected how engrossed a player could become in the world of Thedas.
The Improved Atmosphere mod is a considerably sized mod that changes/improves many things in the game. From party banter to armour tints to NPC idle animations, Improved Atmosphere helps breathe life into the game and is highly customizable, so you can choose exactly what bits you want and those you don't.
Why Improved Atmosphere is fun:
It improves NPC ambient behaviour routines. Activities now include talking, walking, drinking, sitting, resting, foraging and more.
Dozens of new colour tints and items increase your customizable options.
Appearance and statistics of original items have been revised, helping to improve early unique items to remain useful throughout the game.
The volume of party banter has increased, allowing you the chance of hearing much more banter over just one playthrough.
It restores previously cut content, resulting in additional in-game encounters and roleplaying opportunities.
Many more changes and additions are available than just those in this list.
Get the mod here.
Skip the Fade
Footage of how the Skip the Fade mod works courtesy of Kyle Blane
Speak to any Dragon Age: Origins fan about the worst location in the game, and it'll be one of two answers: the Fade or the Deep Roads. The former is part of a questline where you must escape the Fade and rescue your companions from their nightmares. The gameplay is thick with puzzle-solving and is quite convoluted, so a guide is almost always required to get through it as quick as possible.
Thanks to the power of modding, this laborious gameplay aspect can be mostly skipped, aside from rescuing your companions. It's truly a lifesaver for any player who can't bear to walk the Fade again.
Why Skip the Fade is fun:
You get to skip the worst bits of the Fade and only do the necessary or exciting bits (like rescuing your companions).
You'll still gain all the codex entries, experience and skill points you would have earnt completing the questline naturally.
You'll be teleported to your companions' nightmares instead of having to unlock them one by one. You'll also be teleported to the final boss.
Get the mod here.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, modding can often be used to bring an old game back to life. Mods can enhance a game without removing its original feel and atmosphere. They can fix errors, bugs or glitches that were abandoned and ignored. And lastly, they can make a great game even better.
These top 10 mods that everyone should use are less about creating new ways to have fun in the game and more about improving how it feels to play and the experience you get from it.
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