Specialization locations?

[BlackDragon]

Where do you get access to the various specializations? I know you get Shape Shifting from Morrigan, and I'm guessing you can eventually coax Alistair into giving up the secrets of the Templars... but what about the others? Particularly the last two Warrior-specializations, Berserker and Reaver. What'cha gonna do to get access to those?

[Darkness Falls]

Originally Posted by BlackDragon

Where do you get access to the various specializations? I know you get Shape Shifting from Morrigan, and I'm guessing you can eventually coax Alistair into giving up the secrets of the Templars... but what about the others? Particularly the last two Warrior-specializations, Berserker and Reaver. What'cha gonna do to get access to those?

For Berserker you can get it from your Dwarf Companion Oghren. For Reaver i im not sure it's just like blood magic specialaization for mages . just check each character's First specializtion to know who can teach you a specific Specializtion.

[kr4t0s]

Zevran unlocks assassin. And ranger form a book you can buy in camp.

[Darkness Falls]

Originally Posted by kr4t0s

Zevran unlocks assassin. And ranger form a book you can buy in camp.

correct, but assassin is for Rogue class. Reaver and Beserker are for Warrior class.

[kr4t0s]

Originally Posted by Darkness Falls

correct, but assassin is for Rogue class. Reaver and Beserker are for Warrior class.

True but useful for other people. Ow and Lelianne unlocks Bard. And Wynne spirithealer (I think)

[roulex]

Short list of where to get all the specialities:

Warrior:
Berserker: from Oghren (if his rep is high enough, you get him near the start of the Orzammar quest chain) or from Gorim (in Denerim Market)
Champion: from Arl Eamon (after the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest chain, ask for a reward) or from

Spoiler! (click here to reveal)

Loghain (if you recruit him into your party)

Reaver: from Kolgrim (in the Wyrmling Lair during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest, you have to defile the Ashes for him to teach you)
Templar: from Alistair (if his rep is high enough), or from Bodahn (the vendor dude in your party camp)

Rogue:
Assassin: from Zevran (if his rep is high enough), or from Alarith’s store (in denerim market after landsmeet starts)
Bard: from Leliana (if her rep is high enough), or from Alimar (vendor in Dust Town section of Orzammar)
Duelist: from Isabela (The Pearl in Denerim (location, not a quest)
Ranger: from Bodahn (the vendor dude in your party camp)

Mage:
Arcane Warrior: from The Presence in the Brecilian ruins (during the Nature of the Beast quest chain)
Blood Mage: from the Desire Demon (during the Arl of Redcliffe chain, it's tricky and you pretty much have to be evil or be aiming for it)
Shapeshifter: from Morrigan (if her rep is high enough) or Varathorn (vendor in the Dalish Camp)
Spirit Healer: from the Wonders of Thedas (in Denerim after Landsmeet)

[roulex]

Important note: the way Specializations work is once you unlock them once with any character, even if that character is the wrong class for that specialization, they are saved to your profile and can take that speciality on any future character. A helpful tidbit for some, like the Reaver one, would be to save your game just before that choice, taint the ashes (which would prevent you from getting Champion from the Arl, Leliana and Wynne will leave your party, and just about everyone else will lose massive rep points), get the reward (which is Reaver), then load your save game. Hope this is helpful.

[BlackDragon]

Niiiice... any more information on how to coax the Blood Mage specialization out of that demon, though? I already did that quest, so it's too late for this run anyway, but I didn't notice any options to make nice with the demon...

[roulex]

Well, this is one of the few cases where you actually have to be the required class (aka Mage) in order to have the choice to pick it up, but how it works is this.

Spoiler! (click here to reveal)

You have to let the blood mage free when you find him in the duengon. After that, when you confront Connor, you need to choose to do the ritual and enter the fade, sacrificing the mother. When you enter the fade and fight the demon, in the final encounter with her she tries to bargin with you. If you agree to let her have Connor at a later date after the blight is ended, you can choose a reward-one of them is to learn the Blood Mage spec.

[BlackDragon]

Ahhh... I DID follow that line, but since I'm playing as a Warrior, I sent Morrigan in my stead. (And she even complained about it, even thoguh she'd advocated that same solution earlier.)

[SpinelesS]

The same works for books in stores btw.

Save your game before you buy the book, and afterwards load your game, the book will be gone from the store, and the skill will be unlocked, but you will have your cash back.

[BlackDragon]

How do you get Wynne to give up her secrets of Spirit Magic? I've got her Affinity past the point where all the OTHER party-members gave up THEIR specialization-secrets, and yet, no options are popping up. I even learned about her specific relationship with the spirits, and still nothing.

Do you have to complete her "Wynne's Last Regret" mission first?

[SupremeRapier]

so, just to clarify, do the specializations save throughout multiple playthroughs?

Also, how exactly do you earn specialization points? I got one after leaving the fade for the first time so I wasnt sure if it was story related and limited or if it was just a coincidence

[BlackDragon]

Yes, unlocked Specializations are permanent - whether you reload your game or start a new one, they stay forever.

As for the Points, you get one at level 7, and one at level 14. Hence, you can choose two specializations.

Though oddly enough, Sten - the one party-member who joins your party without a preexisting specialization - doesn't get a point at 7. So perhaps the '7' point is only for you...

[roulex]

You get your first specialization point at level 7 and your second one at level 14. Specializations do save through multiple playthroughs. As far as Wynne goes... according to a Bioware Dev. here they took out the option to have her teach you Spirit Healer, I'll edit my post. Apparently the only way to learn it is through buying the book during/after Landsmeet.

[BlackDragon]

Now THAT is good to know... guess I don't need to worry about appeasing her anymore. If she doesn't like me fooling around with a Dark Sorceress, the old maid can just go back to playing bridge with her knitting-club, or whatever...

Still, while I can understand the justification that the dev puts forth - that she doesn't really understand her spirit-magic, and therefore can't teach it - it's still silly, since it makes her the only party-member who won't pass on her specialization to other members. It wouldn't be very hard to come up with a justification for her being able to teach it regardless. Really, they should've just done that instead...

[SupremeRapier]

for Spirit Healer you can get it anytime after Lothering

[BlackDragon]

Apparently, you can also buy it from the trader at Warden's Peak, anytime after finishing it - assuming you've BOUGHT the damned place, anyway.