What Order to Play the DLC?

[Coma-Toast]

I got the DLC for the game running but what order do I play them in? Does the DLC effect the main game and can the main game effect the DLC?

[!RJ_Truth]

Awakening is that natural story progression. None of the other DLC's are actually required for story cohesion in my opinion. They might be fun to play, but Awakening is the only thing you need to have the series as a whole make sense because new characters in Awakening are in DAII, so if you plan on playing the series. You'll need Awakening before playing DAII, but that's the only one. All others can be played in any order you want.

[Nova]

My suggestions are mostly based on what makes the most sense from a narrative perspective. The main game doesn't really affect the DLC, but you can get some items from the DLC for the main game.

Leliana's Song takes place before the main events of the game and gives Leliana's backstory, so you could do it right when you meet Leliana in Lothering or mid-game after you've learned a bit more about her character. Either way works. It'll give you a great armor that you can use for Leliana later in the game.

Stone Prisoner can be played pretty early on in the campaign. You should be levelled up enough for it by the time you reach Redcliffe and do some quests around there. This DLC gives you a new companion, so do it before getting too far.

Warden's Keep isn't that difficult, but I'd recommend playing it sometime mid-game. Do it after you get one or two of the main treaty quests done. There are some pretty good items and a chance for new abilities. (Mid-game is ideal so that the early game isn't too unbalanced from these rewards.)

Return to Ostagar is best left for later in the game if you want it to have the most impact story-wise. I'd do it towards the end of the treaty quests or right before the Landsmeet in Denerim. You can get some neat items in this one.

The Darkspawn Chronicles takes place during the last main quest, so I'd recommend doing it after you've beaten the game. (You can use the bonus item that you get from it in the Awakening DLC.)

Right after you beat the main game and all of the DLC I listed above, you can import your Warden into the Awakening expansion. After that, import your character into Golems of Amgarrak, and then you can finish up with Witch Hunt! Have fun!

[Ninjasquirrel]

If you want to start your origins campaign with all the cool DLC items unlocked, by order of difficulty its pretty much same as chronological order except Golems of Amgarrak. which is harder than Witch Hunt. In fact Golems of Amgarrak is so much harder than everything else it'll leave you thinking if you're still playing the same game lol. That's the only DLC that I recommend you using your imported character, all other DLC you can beat relatively easily with a created character.

Items from Warden's Keep and Return to Ostagar that scales to your level can be upgraded by putting them in the party storage chest.