I am really baffled that the recommended level for HoS is 30+

[Chronoid]

I am really baffled that the recommended level for HoS is 30+

This doesn't make sense to me. It's a DLC expansion that is supposed to take place before you beat the game. But you're recommended to be at a level that you reach pretty much right around the time you beat the game. Am I the only one who sees the circular logic/conflict here? I suppose you could grind something hardcore but that's not really much of a solution.

 

[Bhall]

If you do all quests without excessive grinding you get to around 36-37 in the end. And not doing all quests is Witcher 3 is a sin!

And who said that DLC expansion is supposed to take place before you beat the game? There is no rule like that, on the contrary i would say. Historically expansions packs took place in most of the cases after the original game, extended its story. Talking about proper, quality expansions. Not DLCs adding one quest or armor set.

 

[pryt86]

What are you talking about?

 

[Chronoid]

If you do all quests without excessive grinding you get to around 36-37 in the end. And not doing all quests is Witcher 3 is a sin!

Oh, that it? I only have to do ALL The quests in the entire game before I can finally undertake the HoS expansion? And acquire the loot? The loot-which I might add-I have no use for now that I've completed EVERY QUEST IN THE GAME? Newsflash: Doing every quest in the game is pretty much excessive grinding.

---------- Updated at 06:45 AM ----------

 

[Marcin Momot]

I don't really consider my playthrough excessive grinding (finished the game in 88 hours while being level 35) so I guess you can play at your own pace and still be able to start the expansion at a reasonable moment.

 

[Chronoid]

I don't really consider my playthrough excessive grinding (finished the game in 88 hours while being level 35) so I guess you can play at your own pace and still be able to start the expansion at a reasonable moment.

That feels kind of contradictory though. 88 hours and level 35? Recommended level for HoS is at least 30. I'm guesstimating you reached level 35 at around the....what, 70 hour mark? Maybe 65 if I'm being generous? That means I'd have to beat 65-70 hours of content before I'd get to use any of the loot in HoS. That seems a bit....excessive to me. I don't know, something about it seems off. Let's say I acquire Iris? I've already beaten most of the game by then. What do I use Iris on? I guess I could run around in post-game but takes half the fun away.

 

[RageGT]

Oh, that it? I only have to do ALL The quests in the entire game before I can finally undertake the HoS expansion? And acquire the loot? The loot-which I might add-I have no use for now that I've completed EVERY QUEST IN THE GAME? Newsflash: Doing every quest in the game is pretty much excessive grinding.

---------- Updated at 06:45 AM ----------

Wrong. Most side quests give low xp (20-100). They are so well written and merged into the world that it is a sin to miss them indeed. Contracts and Main Quest missions give the most XP in the game. And even if you don't like exploration, you should do the most you can, including POI's. Then you'll find advanced formulas for bombs, potions, oils that will really help you further in the game.

I usually end a normal run (on Death March always) at level 34-36. So at level 32 on my latest run I started HoS and it was pretty much awesome. Then I continue with main game and ended up level 41 at the end of the game! No griding, just kicking azz and exploring, whishing end game never came actually.

PS.: I'm using HoS loot in a NG+. Very useful from start!

 

[Chronoid]

---------- Updated at 07:02 AM ----------

Wrong. Most side quests give low xp (20-100). They are so well written and merged into the world that it is a sin to miss them indeed. Contracts and Main Quest missions give the most XP in the game. And even if you don't like exploration, you should do the most you can, including POI's. Then you'll find advanced formulas for bombs, potions, oils that will really help you further in the game.

I usually end a normal run (on Death March always) at level 34-36. So at level 32 on my latest run I started HoS and it was pretty much awesome. Then I continue with main game and ended up level 41 at the end of the game! No griding, just kicking azz and exploring, whishing end game never came actually.

I suppose that's a good point. Honestly, the only reason I Rushed through the game (the first time) was because I Wanted to see the story as fast as possible so I wouldn't be spoiled anything on the internet.

 

[Medy89]

You dont have to use the recommended lvl ... you can go there like lvl 20 to 25 if you are good... this way you can go there before entering the isle of mist ... it works ... its just way too hard... but not impossible ... if you do hos before isle of mist you even get some extra dialogue in hos...

If you stick to recommended lvl then yes ... the main game is over by that point..

You are right though .. it would make more sense to lower the recommended level to make it more viable to go there earlier... but I guess they made the decision because at this point ppl alr3ady finished the game and want to play just the expansion... maybe they will adjust it once both expansions are out... but they dont need to ... because it also makes sense for geralt to go there later ... who knows

 

[scotlandii]

Chances are you missed a lot of content then and should do NG+ for replayability.

 

[Burza46]

This doesn't make sense to me. It's a DLC expansion that is supposed to take place before you beat the game. But you're recommended to be at a level that you reach pretty much right around the time you beat the game. Am I the only one who sees the circular logic/conflict here? I suppose you could grind something hardcore but that's not really much of a solution.

Hi! Lvl 30+ is not that hard to reach in the game. If this is problematic you can always start Hearts of Stone from the main menu as a new game, but you won't be able to use your build - this makes the expansion available to everyone. :smile:

 

[LadyStoneheart]

I'm treating HoS as the main reason for a second play through, and only doing as much of the main story as I need to unlock certain characters and areas - I'm level 30 and haven't yet done Ugly Baby, although I have done the Eskel/Lambert side quests so that Vesemir would talk to me about Berengar, and I can play Lambert at Gwent(even though I played him after his personal quest, it didn't seem to register for Old Pals). Also because I like the scenes with Eskel and Lambert. I'm just a monster hunter monster hunting, and on my way back to Novigrad to get a new sword I'll stop by that noticeboard.

(Before anyone says what about Ciri, well, didn't care much about her first time and the game discouraged any urgency right from the start in Vizima)

 

[Geragio]

You are right though .. it would make more sense to lower the recommended level to make it more viable to go there earlier... but I guess they made the decision because at this point ppl alr3ady finished the game and want to play just the expansion... maybe they will adjust it once both expansions are out... but they dont need to ... because it also makes sense for geralt to go there later ... who knows

I would like this to happen. The levelling for this questline feels wrong. But I suppose when you have any extra content thrown into the mix of a game which is supposed to be about finding someone urgently nothing is going to feel right.
HOS doesn't feel like an expansion, don't get me wrong, its a wonderful DLC and I enjoyed it, but what actually does it expand. It certainly doesn't expand on the story or any of the other characters from the main game. And because of this, having it taking place at the point when you really should be wrapping the main story up just doesn't fit.

 

[WolvenGear]

Spoiler

If you do most side-quests and play on deathmarch you should/could start HoS after you beat Imlerith. You should be at around level 25, but make sure you do some contracts that fits your level and you should be around level 27 when you start the expansion.

 

[Rawls]

I actually agree with the belief that level 30 isn't the best place for HoS. This is because the quest feels more like a mid-game quest than end-game quest to me, which is where level 30 places it. Once you play Isle of the Mists, any quest not directly related to the main quest seems more like a distraction than a service to the story. If you accept that premise as true, then it follows that HoS would make more sense somewhere from level 20-25 rather than 30.

Having said that, it's not a big deal and I respect the developers choice. From a gameplay standpoint, having the difficult bosses like HoS has probably makes more sense late-game. It's just not as good of a fit into the story there.

 

[gabo007x]

I don't know, something about it seems off. Let's say I acquire Iris? I've already beaten most of the game by then. What do I use Iris on? I guess I could run around in post-game but takes half the fun away.

That's exactly my problem as well. All those cool weapons, and nothing to use them on.
The runewright is kinda useless too, he needs so much money that it's only really worthwile when you're close to finishing the game, and by that point, you're already owerpowered and don't even need those upgrades anymore. Plus, the stuff you can craft becomes obsolete very quickly in NG+ (as soon as you can craft Legendary Witcher Gear).

 

[Pug.]

This doesn't make sense to me. It's a DLC expansion that is supposed to take place before you beat the game. But you're recommended to be at a level that you reach pretty much right around the time you beat the game. Am I the only one who sees the circular logic/conflict here? I suppose you could grind something hardcore but that's not really much of a solution.

They probably set the level cap at around 30+ because most people have finished the game by now and are up in their 30's. If they made an expansion that was targeted at level 15's or something, I'd be SOL since I don't have a save going that far back.

 

[Rawls]

They probably set the level cap at around 30+ because most people have finished the game by now and are up in their 30's. If they made an expansion that was targeted at level 15's or something, I'd be SOL since I don't have a save going that far back.

But they could address that issue by having the direct to HoS start like they do currently. It would just be level 20 instead of level 32 (or whatever it is). Granted it wouldn't be "your" game, but it would fix the inconvenience for players w/o save files.

 

[Triss.Hasengold]

The new runewright, the Viper Gear (Level 39) and all the other stuff you get after finishing the HoS DLC is for NG+.
It`s impossible to get 10.000 Crowns for the second runewright tier (and maybe he wants 50.000 Crowns or whatever for his master rune level), it is very hard on the first playthrough to get Geralt above Level 37 because there is nothing left to do nor to achieve in the game, no open quests no witch hunters or enemys left alive - just some drowners and the endboss Eredin.
For example I´m on Level 38, cannot use the Viper Gear in the actual game because there is nothing left to do and no open quest to get experience points for Level 39 (except killing Eredin), no Witch Hunters are alive so there is no loot to sell to pay the runewright, and there is nothing else to do but some Gwent Games and finish off Eredin.

Some of the fine loot you get in HoS was really made to enhance the Next Game+ because it`s almost impossible to get on Level 40 in the first game.

I don`t know what Level is recommended for Hearts of Stone in Next Game + but I guess you can start the DLC missions whenever you want in NG+

 

[RageGT]

@Triss.Hasengold
Not sure what you mean. I started HoS at level 32 with some 140,000 and after HoS I had some still some 120k. Plus I was level 41 then. And had the Skellige act 3 missions to complete the game. Not only I could afford tier 3 Master Craftsmanship but the loot around HoS was pretty good too. I made quite a lot from it and still kept the better items in my stash.

HoS suggested level is 32. In NG+ just add 30 levels so it is 62. (I'm on NG+ now and it does say level 62). I finished normal game with the items I had prior to HoS (upgraded to mastercrafted, of course, when I reached 34), for RP reasons. Started NG+ and respec'ed to use the new gear from HoS and I plan to go with it as far as possible. And it's very effective so far. (DM diff).

Starting HoS after finishing the main quest is, in my opinion, a waste of a good character development playground. Doing it as a side quest (huge, with many mini side quests inside) while waiting to advance the main quest, feels a lot more natural. I can't touch Geralt after finishing MQ except to save and start a new NG+ run.