Here is what I started with in my inventory or could bye at (totally) bargain price at the camp merchant:
Bergen's Honor (best helm in game)
Type: Massive Helmet
Material: Dragonbone (Tier 7)
Requires: 42 strength
Armor: 3.75
Fatigue: 3.90%
Stats: +2 armor, +6 attack, +25 physical resistance
Where: Promo (Collectors Edition)
Band of Fire (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Ring
Stats: +3 constitution, +25% fire resistance, +10% spirit resistance
Where: Promo (EA Store)
Dalish Promise Ring (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Ring
Stats: +1/+2 health regeneration in combat, +15% to Healing Received, Reduces hostility
Where: DLC (free)
Blood Dragon Plate Helmet (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Massive Armor
Set: Blood Dragon Armor
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 38 strength
Armor: 3.15
Fatigue: 3.75%
Stats: +1 armor, +10 health
Where: DLC (free)
Blood Dragon Plate (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Massive Armor
Set: Blood Dragon Armor
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 38 strength
Runes: 0
Armor: 18.38
Fatigue: 26.25%
Stats: +3 strength, +3 willpower, +3 armor, +50 health, -10% fatigue
Where: DLC (free)
Blood Dragon Plate Boots (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Massive Boots
Set: Blood Dragon Armor
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 38 strength
Armor: 3.15
Fatigue: 3.75%
Where: DLC (free)
Blood Dragon Plate Gauntlets (useful all the way to endgame)
Type: Massive Gloves
Set: Blood Dragon Armor
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 38 strength
Runes: 2
Armor: 2.63
Fatigue: 3.75%
Where: DLC (free)
Formari Tome (very good item)
Type: Tome (Grants a skill point)
Where: DLC (free)
The Edge (best dagger in game)
Type: Dagger
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 26 dexterity
Strength Modifier: 0.85
Damage: 6.00
Critical Chance: 4.50%
Armor Penetration: 7.00
Runes: 2
Stats: +5 damage, +3% critical strike chance, +4 attack
Where: DLC (free)
Plus a couple of lesser items already mentioned (+1% XP Ring, many pockets belt)
Here is what I got after doing the Wardens Keep and Stone Prisoner DLC:
(I did these early on so I could get Shale and the party chest, though I admit you at least had to put some effort into getting these, as they were directly related to a quest. Though the cost/benefit scale was way off, with it being highly beneficial at little cost. Also, you can pick all these items up straight after Lothering)
Dead Thaig Shanker (second best dagger in game)
Type: Dagger
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Requires: 26 dexterity
Strength Modifier: 0.85
Damage: 6.00
Critical Chance: 4.50%
Armor Penetration: 7.00
Runes: 2
Stats: +5 cunning, +0.5 armor penetration, +6 attack, Interrupts spellcasting
Where: DLC The Stone Prisoner
Harvest Festival Ring (useful until endgame)
Type: Ring
Restriction: Warrior or Rogue
Stats: +2 strength, +2 dexterity, +4 attack
Where: DLC The Stone Prisoner
Starfang (hands down, best longsword in game)
Type: Longsword
Material: Starmetal (Tier 8)
Requires: 31 strength
Strength Modifier: 1.00
Damage: 11.90
Critical Chance: 3.40%
Armor Penetration: 4.20
Runes: 3
Stats: +3 dexterity, +3 damage, +2.5 armor penetration
Where: DLC Wardens Keep
Grey Warden Plate Helm
Type: Massive Helmet
Set: Grey Warden Plate Armor Set
Material: Silverite (Tier 6)
Restriction: The Warden
Armor: 3.15
Fatigue: 3.75%
Stats: +3 defense, +5 mental resistance, +5 physical resistance
Where: DLC Wardens Keep
Warden Commander Armor
Type: Massive Armor
Set: Warden Commander
Material: Varies (Tier 2-7)
Armor: 12.25 to 21.88
Fatigue: 23.1% to 27.3%
Stats: +1 armor, +0.5/+1 stamina regeneration in combat, +15% critical/backstab damage, +10% physical resistance
Where: DLC Wardens Keep
All of these items was directly related to me doing promotional stuff (DA Journeys, clicking on links, simply just getting free stuff, etc.), pre-ordering, buying from the EA store and buying collectors edition.
Then there is all the later DLC. If you purchase the "ultimate edition" today, you'll receive a lot more overpowered crap, which is either put in you invo, available for purchase on the cheap or easily (cost/benefit wise) obtainable from doing side quests.
You can simply choose to ignore it, but a blind monkey stumpling around Ferelden would find these items, so it is very hard. Plus, as I stated earlier at the time of DAOs release I hadn't a clue, and was very excited about the prospect of getting free and promotional stuff, in game. So as far as I'm concerned, EA/Bioware can stick their promo/pre-ordering/"premium edition" stuff up their arse, this time around. I'll take a copy of the bare-bone/sytripped-down/slim/lite edition of DA2, thank you.