Although the Dalish elves draw their magic from Fade also, their magic is a little different from that of the Circle's mage. How do you think they are different?
According to ingame rules, they aren't, that I've seen. The distinction is just a writer's bit of making things interesting.
"As mentioned, there are more "mages" in the game than just the Circle of Magi. However, to answer the initial question, you will not play one.
There is a mage origin for player to choose that is open to humans or elves, but not one specifically for Dalish elven mages. Sorry."
There is another post from David that I can't find now, saying that the Dalish mages are different, but not going to detailed how. They are more nature-related that the other mages and probably will have a different repertory of spells.
Are they, perhaps, like Druids from DnD? Or at least more tilted towards that? If so, it's certainly an idea of how to design for them.
Yes it should be something like that. They probably have different spells that are related to nature, like lightning I guess. Bioware will develop this class in their next DA game or expansions for sure, so I doubt they are going to give us more canon information about this one. I definitely would like to see this class implemented, it'd be something totally different.
Well, normal wizards already have the "Primal" section, which is effectively nature magic.
Yes you are right, there is even lightning already available. I don't know how their magic is different. The only thing I am sure is that they draw their magic also from the Fade, by they manifest it differently somehow.
Right now, that only appears to be mana points, so while the flavour and spell access is different, I'm not sure on how the mechanics are different.
I have just noticed this thread while I was thinking of creating the same.
As I had outlined, the following changes would make sense for such a class. As you go with the dalish origins, you can grasp a bit of lore as you speak with Wynne in Ostagar and as you speak with morrigan in your camp.
It would make sense to have the basic keeper skills to be the current in-game skills of a ranger and a shapeshifter combined. This is based on the fact that the dalish are much closer to nature than any other groups in the Dragon Age lore.
The only thing I was thinking is that the spider form might be changed to a Halla?
Seems like a lot of work and this would need it's own origin as well unless you re-use the current dalish origins. However, it would mean replacing Menarill with yourself since there is only 1 keeper and 1 apprentice at the same time.