With no combat training and no connection to the Fade, the numerous nations of Thedas are peopled with civilians. The laborerers, the diplomats, the merchants and the priests. Most wouldn't know the first thing about fighting, and even those that do rarely engage in combat.

Where they lack in training, they more than make up for in skill. It's very rare to see a master carpenter that part times as a warrior, after all. Most of the movers and shakers in the world dodge the battlefield with ease.



Mages are the most divisive group in all of Thedas.

Some countries view magi with reverence. Rivain is matriarchal and ruled over by hedge mage women, who voluntarily allow spirits into their body. Tevinter all but worships magic, and its whole society is based off of magical potential. Nevarra holds necromancers in high regard, for their dressing of the dead, so much that the necromancers may hold sway over the royal family.

But most countries have a less than positive opinion. Following the Chant of Light, most Thedosians are taught that mages are to be feared. Mages are said to be responsible for the absence of the Maker, the death of Andraste, and the corruption of the Darkspawn. With these teachings close at hand, the nations of the world built the Circle of Magi to protect the common citizen. In some Circles, the mages are granted a degree of freedom, and can even wander about the cities which the Circles are in. In others, the mages are locked inside and heavily policed, even abused.

No society holds mages so low as the Qunari, though. Known as Sarebaas, mages are heavily subjugated. Some mages in Qunari culture are collared, puppeted by control rods, and may even have their mouths bound and their eyes blinded.

Perhaps the only society without much of an opinion on the magi are the dwarves, who have no mages of their own, and are only familiar with the concept from their trade with the surface world.

Even without the Andrastian line of thought, or the teachings of the Qun, a few things are certain. One, mages draw off of the fade, the realm of dreams, spirits, and the place where the Maker once resided. Two, demons are drawn more to mages than any other. Three, mages are powerful, and can be capable of bending another to their will.

Being a mage is a guarantee of a hard life, with most being taken away from their families at a young age. Still, circle mages have a camaraderie that is difficult to find elsewhere, and command powers no others have.



Rogues are not nearly as easy to identify as their mage or warrior counterparts. Perhaps that's the whole point.

Though just as skilled in combat as warriors, there are many differences between rogues and their brawnier cousins, mostly stemming from a difference in philosophy. Where warriors prefer direct action and the satisfaction that comes with smashing a skull in, rogues view a problem with many possible solutions. Guile, stealth and subterfuge are common weapons of the rogue, who may just as easily disappear from a situation as tackle it head on. Better, they may frame someone else as the villain, and let them take the fall.

Though not all rogues are thieves or liars (as rangers can attest), stealth and speed are defining traits of the class. Small weapons and ranged weapons are generally preferred to hefty blades, shields and heavy armor, although some rogues may use them.



Warriors are the hallmark of Thedas. History has been shaped by foot soldiers, templars and guards, all of which are generally warriors.

Where rogues might skulk in the shadows and fire at a distance, or use guile and subterfuge to avoid conflict entirely, a warrior prefers direct and violent action. This is not to say that there cannot be cunning and diplomatic warriors, just that they are primarily known for their roles as stalwart defenders, or ruthless assailants, and their appearance typically reflects as much. Favoring brawn and defense over agility, warriors are usually heavily armored and come with large, two-handed weapons, or a long sword and a shield. As such, warriors are evenly balanced, and can usually take as much damage as they can deal before they are finally brought down.