Though Dragon Age 2 wasn't the most well-received game when it was first released, it has begun to enjoy a surge in popularity within the fanbase as an underrated gem. In Dragon Age 2, players once more find themselves in Thedas, though this time only in the city of Kirkwall. Players take on the role of Hawke, a refugee from Lothering, which has been ravaged by the same Blight from Origins. Players carve a name and a place for Hawke and his friends in Kirkwall by fighting bandits, slavers, and monsters and eventually becoming its Champion.
Like other RPGs and other games in the Dragon Age series, due to the large number of choices players need to make and possible outcomes, there are many reasons to revisit Dragon Age 2. Though neither the city nor story are as expansive as either Origins or Inquisition, there are still many paths to try. If the regular game has started to become stale, however, or players want to introduce some new and useful features, they can download and install mods. Here are some of the best and most essential mods for Dragon Age 2 and how to install them.
Best Dragon Age 2 Mods
Players should always be careful when modding their game, as mods can sometimes cause games to act up and ruin a player's save files. It is a good idea to back up all saves and any game files prior to installing mods.
Many of the mods available for Dragon Age 2 are cosmetic, changing some aspect of Hawke's or his companions' appearances. These will largely be up to a player's specific preferences. The mods in this guide are considered the best because they can be universally applied, and many players are likely to enjoy using them. The best mods for Dragon Age 2 enhance the game and add key features, like allowing the player to choose how to spec their companions when they are first recruited, to improving armor and weapons, to making the game more accessible for players with arachnophobia.
Valuable Junk
Players are bound to collect a lot of junk throughout Kirkwall, including gem fragments and many, many pairs of Torn Trousers. Normally when selling these items, players won't notice that they earn very much coin. However, with the Valuable Junk mod, created by mogbert, Hawke will earn more money for the junk items in their inventory. Players can choose to multiply the value of the junk by either 10 or 100.
No More Bloody Teeth
The persistent gore feature is a mainstay of the Dragon Age Universe, but the kills in Dragon Age 2 were apparently extra messy. During cutscenes following a fight, players may notice their character or their companions have blood on even their teeth. To remedy this, players can install the No More Bloody Teeth mod by zombiezer0. The rest of the blood will spatter as it normally does, but characters' bottom teeth will remain clear of it.
Evolving Champion Armor
Usually, Hawke doesn't receive their Champion armor set until Act 3 and are stuck wearing armor that may not look too great. With the Evo_Champs Armor mod by Cheese, players will receive the Champion armor of their specific class. This armor will evolve as Hawke levels up, so players can wear it from the beginning of the game and keep it on with improved stats as they progress the main campaign.
Rune Expansion Pack
Sandal makes a return appearance in Dragon Age 2 to perform Enchantments on any of Hawke's or their companions' weapons and armor. The options are somewhat slim, however, and can get old very quickly. Players can improve their rune selection with the Rune Expansion Pack by Veridical. This mod adds 24 new weapon and armor runes, plus obtainable recipes, to the game. Players can pick up any recipes they miss from Hubert in Hightown. The new runes can do everything from boosting threat generation to allowing players to cast certain spells without using any mana.
No Follower Auto Level
Each time Hawke meets a new companion, they come auto-leveled with a handful of skills and all attribute points allocated. This means the player can't be the one to decide whether Aveline is a weapon and shield or two-handed warrior, or whether Isabela has any proficiency with a bow, or what kind of spells Merrill knows. To change this, players can install the No Follower Auto Level mod by Veridical Q. Players can choose the skills, tactics, and attribute distribution for each of their companions from the moment they are recruited. Even Hawke is affected, and players will need to choose their starting spells, skills, and attribute distribution. This mod also works with the DLC for Sebastian and Tallis. There is an optional set of files players can download with this mod to intelligently auto-level companions' stats prior to recruitment and still not auto-level their abilities if players prefer.
No More Spiders
The giant spiders in Dragon Age 2 are particularly horrible, often descending with a loud hiss when the player least expects it. There are many of them, including a few bearing the name Monstrous for their unnecessarily massive size. If players are struggling with the spiders in the game, they can install the No More Spiders mod by Icerf00. This mod simply replaces all the spiders in the game with Mabari war hounds. They will still make the spider hissing noises and be called Giant Spiders, but they don't drop from the ceiling or stare with those beady eyes.
Faster Runspeed
Despite being such a small city, Kirkwall can feel massive when players are trying to quickly move through each area or through dungeons. For anyone interested in a speed run or just picking up the pace, the Faster Runspeed mod by Muckbeast is a must-have. Base movements speed for the characters is set to 6, and this mod increases that speed. Players can choose whether movement speed is increased both in and out of combat or just out of combat. They can also choose whether their speed is doubled (12) or increased by half (9).
How to Install Mods in Dragon Age 2
Installing mods for Dragon Age 2 is fairly easy. Players will need to follow these steps:
- Download a mod or mods.
- Open the Downloads folder, left click on the zipped mod folder, and choose Extract All. If the program is not a traditional zipped Windows file, players can open the folder with and extract mods using a program like 7-zip or WinRAR.
- Navigate to the game files for Dragon Age 2. This will typically be Documents > BioWare > Dragon Age 2 > packages > core > override.
- Click and drag the extracted mod files from the Downloads folder to the override folder in the game's file path.
- Launch Dragon Age 2.
Some mods have special instructions for installation. These instructions will often be included on the mod's page or as a readme file. There is a chance players will need to download the CharGenMorph Complier from Nexus Mods as well to ensure some mods, especially those ending in .xml, will work together.
Dragon Age 2 is available for PC and Xbox 360.