So I'm thinking of reinstalling DAO and plan on modding it. First off I remember that you needed to patch a file in the game to be able to get facial/hair mods to work together, does NMM handle that? Also what mods do you recomend? I already have Advanced Tactics in my must get list. Any other "must haves"? Maybe some texture overhauls, bug fixes?

Skip the Fade

I love Origins dearly, but Skip the Fade is one of the best mods for that game. As the name suggests, it lets you skip the Fade section of the game (probably the least interesting part of the game due to the total lack of choices/exploration). If you've played the game through before, and know what you'll be skipping over, its a must-have mod.

I didn't even know this game had mods? It definitely needs to be modded to be enjoyed, so this is welcoming news.

Then http://www.nexusmods.com/dragonage/mods/181/? is probably something you'll be interested in. So much more customization for the AI of companions and it fixes a lot of their AI flaws.

I will 2nd what Robbio said, skip the fade is a must need mod.