If you go for DS 1 or 2, be sure to get the mod that increased running speed (this is really important!) and rebalances a lot of shit. The games were much better with it.
Edit: I'm talking about this:
http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/drakensang-series-123/ergos-fixpack-mods-107436.html
I remember that the new items were kinda sucky, but that's a small price to pay for the overall improvements in difficulty, balance and other stuff. I also think that the new items might've been optional during installation, can't remember though.
I enjoyed playing both games as two-handed sword wielding battlemages or burglars. Always liked hybrid glass cannons in RPGs. Elves are theoretically better suited for being a warrior-wizard but I found that playing elves makes you too reliant on the ice-cold warrior spell and combat gets more boring that way.
The first Drasa got a lot of bad press but with ergo's fixpack it's quite fun and relaxing. I think that it really was the running speed that ruined these games for many people; I still wonder what were the krauts thinking when they designed it.