Oghren Build Guide (Dragon Age: Origins) - B-Tier Guides

Continuing my B-Tier Guides series for DA:O, here's the build guide for Oghren! I decided to make a build guide for him to finish the 3 humanoid warrior companions in Origins - other than you-know-who because that one has a finished build basically so I see no reason to make a guide for him.
As always, I'm pasting the recommended gear list both here in the description as well as below in the comments so that you can look through the item list at your leisure.
Intro 00:00
Starting Skills 01:24
Starting Abilities 01:42
Starting Gear 5:59
Recommended Abilities 6:26
Specializations 07:37
Recommended Attributes 08:07
Recommended Skills 08:22
Recommended Gear 08:42
Tactics 13:36
Conclusions 15:04
It's really unfortunate that you recruit Oghren so late in the game since his attributes are too spread out, because he can be a really good two-handed damager if you can respec him and put the attribute points where they're supposed to be.
Recommended Gear for Oghren:
==Weapons==
Starfang (greatsword) - good stats, but I like the longsword version better so it’s not a must-have
Faith’s Edge - decent stats similar to Dragonbone Cleaver and it’s free - you just need to kill Kolgrim during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest
The Dragonbone Cleaver - amazing due to bonuses to damage, willpower, and critical damage (and 3 rune slots), but it’s a DLC item that you only get if you got the Varterral’s Fall achievement in the Witch Hunt DLC.
Nug Crusher - a great weapon as an alternative to either the Dragonbone Cleaver or the Chasind Great Maul. It’s free - you can get it from the Return to Ostagar DLC, and its +100 bonus to stamina is huge, plus it has a chance to stun which is also great.
Chasind Great Maul - the absolute best two-handed weapon in the game. Bonuses to damage, armor penetration, stamina regeneration, and stamina. But it’s very expensive, and it’s only available to purchase from Gorim in Denerim after you finish 3 main quests.
==Armor==
=Sets=
- Wade’s Superior Heavy Dragonscale (with Evon the Great’s Mail chestpiece) is ideal because it has great set bonuses, plus Evon’s chestpiece has amazing stats
- Cailan’s set of armor has bonuses to armor, mental resistance, critical damage, physical resistance, chance to dodge, as well as -25% fatigue and +5 health regeneration in combat. If you can’t or don’t want to equip Wade’s set on Oghren, Cailan’s set is also great. You can find it in the Return to Ostagar DLC.
- The Warden Commander set is a good third option, though I think Wade’s and Cailan’s are better. You can find it in the Soldier’s Peak DLC by killing Sophia.
=Helmets= (if you’re using Wade’s or Warden Commander sets)
Executioner’s helm - for the stamina bonus of +25. Possible drop from various places, or you can purchase it from Cesar’s special stock in Denerim if you finished the Trial of Crows questline.
Longrunner’s Cap - for the stamina regeneration bonus. You find this in the Carta Hideout from killing Jarvia, as well as from the side quest Jammer’s Stash in the same area.
==Accessories==
=Belts=
Dalish Hunter’s Belt - for stamina regeneration. Sold by Bodahn in the party camp.
Sword Belt - for armor penetration. Sold by Gorim in Denerim.
=Amulets=
Shaper’s Amulet / Par Vollen Willstone - they both offer +2 willpower, and the Shaper’s Amulet is cheaper. Shaper’s Amulet is sold by Levi Dryden at Soldier’s Peak after you finish the DLC. The Par Vollen Willstone is sold by Bodahn in the party camp.
Feral Wolf Charm - a good option for armor and nature resistance. DLC item you start out with.
Heart of Witherfang - great for the +50% nature resistance, and also gives +1 to strength and magic. You get it if you side with the Dalish completely in the elves main quest.
=Rings=
Morrigan’s Ring - +2 willpower. Received by a male Warden who romances Morrigan.
Harvest Festival Ring - +2 strength and dexterity, +4 attack. You get this in Honnleath as part of the Stone Prisoner DLC. It’s good but you may want to use it on a dual-wielder or sword-and-shield character.
Ring of the Warrior - +2 strength and dexterity. Similarly to the harvest festival ring, you may want to use it on a dual-wielder or sword-and-shield character.
The Lucky Stone - +1 to all attributes. It’s a DLC item you start out with.
The Wicked Oath - crit damage, armor penetration, and stamina regeneration. DLC item you start out with.

[@joannadavis5146]

great guide :D two handers are slow but satisfying when they kill enemies in one hit

[@btiermutineer]

Recommended Gear for Oghren: ==Weapons== Starfang (greatsword) - good stats, but I like the longsword version better so it’s not a must-have Faith’s Edge - decent stats similar to Dragonbone Cleaver and it’s free - you just need to kill Kolgrim during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest The Dragonbone Cleaver - amazing due to bonuses to damage, willpower, and critical damage (and 3 rune slots), but it’s a DLC item that you only get if you got the Varterral’s Fall achievement in the Witch Hunt DLC. Nug Crusher - a great weapon as an alternative to either the Dragonbone Cleaver or the Chasind Great Maul. It’s free - you can get it from the Return to Ostagar DLC, and its +100 bonus to stamina is huge, plus it has a chance to stun which is also great. Chasind Great Maul - the absolute best two-handed weapon in the game. Bonuses to damage, armor penetration, stamina regeneration, and stamina. But it’s very expensive, and it’s only available to purchase from Gorim in Denerim after you finish 3 main quests. ==Armor== =Sets= - Wade’s Superior Heavy Dragonscale (with Evon the Great’s Mail chestpiece) is ideal because it has great set bonuses, plus Evon’s chestpiece has amazing stats - Cailan’s set of armor has bonuses to armor, mental resistance, critical damage, physical resistance, chance to dodge, as well as -25% fatigue and +5 health regeneration in combat. If you can’t or don’t want to equip Wade’s set on Oghren, Cailan’s set is also great. You can find it in the Return to Ostagar DLC. - The Warden Commander set is a good third option, though I think Wade’s and Cailan’s are better. You can find it in the Soldier’s Peak DLC by killing Sophia. =Helmets= (if you’re using Wade’s or Warden Commander sets) Executioner’s helm - for the stamina bonus of +25. Possible drop from various places, or you can purchase it from Cesar’s special stock in Denerim if you finished the Trial of Crows questline. Longrunner’s Cap - for the stamina regeneration bonus. You find this in the Carta Hideout from killing Jarvia, as well as from the side quest Jammer’s Stash in the same area. ==Accessories== =Belts= Dalish Hunter’s Belt - for stamina regeneration. Sold by Bodahn in the party camp. Sword Belt - for armor penetration. Sold by Gorim in Denerim. =Amulets= Shaper’s Amulet / Par Vollen Willstone - they both offer +2 willpower, and the Shaper’s Amulet is cheaper. Shaper’s Amulet is sold by Levi Dryden at Soldier’s Peak after you finish the DLC. The Par Vollen Willstone is sold by Bodahn in the party camp. Feral Wolf Charm - a good option for armor and nature resistance. DLC item you start out with. Heart of Witherfang - great for the +50% nature resistance, and also gives +1 to strength and magic. You get it if you side with the Dalish completely in the elves main quest. =Rings= Morrigan’s Ring - +2 willpower. Received by a male Warden who romances Morrigan. Harvest Festival Ring - +2 strength and dexterity, +4 attack. You get this in Honnleath as part of the Stone Prisoner DLC. It’s good but you may want to use it on a dual-wielder or sword-and-shield character. Ring of the Warrior - +2 strength and dexterity. Similarly to the harvest festival ring, you may want to use it on a dual-wielder or sword-and-shield character. The Lucky Stone - +1 to all attributes. It’s a DLC item you start out with. The Wicked Oath - crit damage, armor penetration, and stamina regeneration. DLC item you start out with.

[@mightyn8]

thanks for the guide! i never thought to make oghren a templar, i just always made him a champion or reaver

[@sharkdentures3247]

Yeah, Wicked Oath is great IMO. I love how the DLC items are powerful/ useful but not "game breakingly" so. I've heard Precise Striking CAN be useful for two-handers. But you pretty much ONLY activate them just prior to spamming abilities (like Sunder Armor & then Sunder Weapons). Because the slowdown effect doesn't affect the speed of abilities. And then you immediately DE-activate it when you resume your regular (slow) attacks. (To avoid them becoming SUPER-slow attacks.) Useful, I suppose, but requires an annoying bit of attention & micromanaging.

[@btiermutineer]

The Wicked Oath is one of my favorite items tbh! It's not overpowered like some of the other items in the game, and I also like how it looks and the little flavor text about Antiva it has. Precise Striking can be useful exactly in the way you mention, but that's a bit too much micromanaging for me to do 😅 it can also be useful in the early game if your warrior's attack score is too low. Though you can get gear with bonuses to attack, as well as put points into STR to increase it, so it's usually not a problem for long.

[@christinefarrell6438]

I typically give Oghren the Legion of the Dead armor set, but I notice you didn't include it. Is it because the bonuses aren't as good?

[@btiermutineer]

Yeah, the bonuses of the legion of the dead armor aren't very good (especially for a damager two handed warrior). You can definitely equip him with it if you aren't having issues getting through the game that way, but a lot of players tend to struggle with two handed warriors which is why I recommend less items than usual for them (only the items with really good bonuses)

[@christinefarrell6438]

@@btiermutineer I normally use it because it don't use Oghren very much after the Deep Roads and because it gives continuity with his starting Awakening gear (he didn't get rid of everything I gave him in six months!) but he does end up on the weaker side of the party members...

[@btiermutineer]

@@christinefarrell6438 fair enough! I also don't really use Oghren other than the deep roads 😅