So I picked up Dragon Age: Origins this weekend

for the PS3. The guy at Gamestop talked me into it, what with the used price of only $25. I'm just getting into it, and it seems pretty good. Decided to start with an elven mage.

What idiotic mistakes should I avoid here at the beginning? So far, I've survived the demon attack in the Fade, and that's where I stopped for a break.

Also, tips would be nice. I am going to try this without a walkthrough, just see how I do muddling through, as it were.

Only advice I can give without spoiling too much is that sometimes you can miss adding a person to your party through your actions - some areas with party characters are only available very early in the game and once you leave, you can't go back.

Mages rock in this game - so keep your party arranged accordingly (don't go top heavy with magic users, but depending on how you approach leveling up your mage, you may want to keep one in your party to supplement your style).

Otherwise, have fun!

If you'd like a challenge, make your mage a tank/aura mage, turn up the difficulty setting, and wade into combat. :D

Some of the mage spell lines are fairly underpowered, so it helps to take a look at the Wikia for DA before you invest too many points down any given tree. A lot also depends on the makeup of your party. If you're going to play with heavy damage dealers, debuff and control spells (combined with the ability to pause the fight and issue commands to your entire party) actually do an amazing job. But if you want to be the big guns yourself, consider maxing at least 2 elemental lines and the death (forgot the name, sorry) line with horror, sleep, etc.

Oh, and EVERY mage needs the heal spell.

There is a limited supply, use them wisely. You will have enough if you don't waste them on every fight.

The healing specialization, I think it's called spirit healer, is easily the best. You can eventually resurrect your fallen party members in battle!

My wife swears everyone in your party should have the poison skill at least level one. This way, every character can use the "grenades."

I always found plenty of ingredients to make my own healing potions and injury kits. I had more trouble finding materials for traps.

My bad. You are correct, mana potions should be used with great care--definitely a limited supply, even if you can craft your own.

So, I currently have Lilliana (for unlocking stuff), Morrigan (for DPS), and Alistair for tanking. I have Sten and the dog (I name him El Gato) waiting in the wings.

Is the party I have sufficient, or do I want to switch? And what does making nice with my party members, like giving gifts and talking at camp, do for me?

Thanx.

Sten is interesting, but sucks to have around. He hates pretty much everything you say, unless it's about murdering someone.

Talking to party members, etc, is helpful; it not only leads to the romances, but opens up character quests.

DA2 makes it much easier.