Should I go to Skellige?

[PrinceParadox.372]

Should I go to Skellige?

I'm level 15 and suggested level to go to Skellige is 16. I keep hearing that it's best to go now because then I will have many below leveled quests but story wise it wouldn't make sense for Geralt to leave unfinished business in Novigrad just to head to Skellige to meet up with Yen.

I really don't know what to do.

 

[jon7882]

Well It all depends on what you do. What I've been doing is doing as much of the quests that are below my level first. I went to Skellige and have done a few quests but not the main part of the skellige quests. You can explore all you want but BEWARE. I'm lvl 19 and can't stray too far in Skellige yet. I went mainly for the Bear School Armor.

 

[MikeP999]

I'm level 13, I'm not leaving Novigrad until I tidy up any quests that are around my level or lower.
I don't think there's a right or wrong way to go about it. If you're close to the recommended level, there's nothing stopping you from seeing a new location.

 

[Maerd]

Problem with Skellige is that it has a few really low level quests. If you don't go there before level 16 then you won't get XP for them with 20 coins reward (if you care, of course, about it).

 

[Behemothius]

CDPR really need to increase Skellige by at least 5-6 levels. If you follow the story, it makes sense to first wrap up Novigrad story quests and THEN go to Skellige. But if you do it like that, you will be lvl 19-20 coming to Skellige and doing lvl 12-16 quests.

Skellige should start with quests around lvl 18, so it feels more natural to follow the story and go from Orchad to Velen to Novigrad to Skellige. Currently Skellige is a big snoozefest.

 

[KiriSilvermane]

i agree here:
i was heading through missions quite nicely in Novigrad etc then headed to Skellige following parts of the main quest.
Its fairly low level in the most part; think i headed there at lvl 18 and gained 2 levels following the story with a couple of side quests.
Ive now jumped back to mainland and ill wander around there for awhile clearing up ? marks and lvl suitable quests

 

[Kurgen]

CDPR really need to increase Skellige by at least 5-6 levels. If you follow the story, it makes sense to first wrap up Novigrad story quests and THEN go to Skellige. But if you do it like that, you will be lvl 19-20 coming to Skellige and doing lvl 12-16 quests.

Skellige should start with quests around lvl 18, so it feels more natural to follow the story and go from Orchad to Velen to Novigrad to Skellige. Currently Skellige is a big snoozefest.

Yep, I'm half-way through level 15 and have just arrived at Novigrad... The completionist in me insisted I eradicate every single question mark in Velen before venturing northward. Well, all but those level 26(?) Foglets in the south. Or I could take others' advice and do Skellige first? Dunno... this quest levelling / XP decimating mechanic is a bit crap, and makes a mockery of the "in command of your own destiny" stuff.

 

[GabrielH100]

CDPR really need to increase Skellige by at least 5-6 levels. If you follow the story, it makes sense to first wrap up Novigrad story quests and THEN go to Skellige. But if you do it like that, you will be lvl 19-20 coming to Skellige and doing lvl 12-16 quests.

Skellige should start with quests around lvl 18, so it feels more natural to follow the story and go from Orchad to Velen to Novigrad to Skellige. Currently Skellige is a big snoozefest.

Head. Nail. Hit.

There are two side quests that are picked up in Novigrad that were of particular annoyance to me. Lambert's quest and Black Pearl. Both required going to Skellige, one was level 13 the other 14. It is almost like Skellige content was designed separately from the rest and, for me, felt very forced and hashed into the game.

I was expecting Skellige to start at Level 16 rather than running around one shotting level 12 and 13 mobs.

 

[JackofTears]

Completionist that I am, I didn't get to Skellige until I was level 22 and there were quite a few quests lowever level than myself ... I didn't much worry about it because I only do the missions for the story content, and - honestly - I'm not that great of a player so if I raise the difficulty it's still a challenge if I'm overleveled. Personally I can't imagine how you'd get everything you need, done in time to get to Skellige at 16th level, but I suppose it must be possible if you're willing to skip some stuff and jump back and forth between the zones.

 

[Behemothius]

Head. Nail. Hit.

There are two side quests that are picked up in Novigrad that were of particular annoyance to me. Lambert's quest and Black Pearl. Both required going to Skellige, one was level 13 the other 14. It is almost like Skellige content was designed separately from the rest and, for me, felt very forced and hashed into the game.

I was expecting Skellige to start at Level 16 rather than running around one shotting level 12 and 13 mobs.

Yeah, Lambert quest was also a big irritation for me. Here I was, almost catching up with Ciri and planning to release Dandelion and then the game comes and suggests I abandon all that shennanigans and go to Skellige for a while. Why would Geralt do that? I would prefer they just lock Skellige until you free Dandelion, and then balance all the Skellige quest based on the expected character level, which is probably 18-20 by the time you are done with Novigrad (and with some quests and ? left unfinished).

 

[mp84]

What's worse is after you do the first Suggested Level 15 Quest in Skillage, the rest of the following main quests will be around Suggested Level 12-13, than ramp up slowly again.

Yennefer's Main secondary quest starts Suggested Level 12 I believe... So indeed 14-15 is a safer bet to get out there so you don't outlevel the content to bad.

 

[GabrielH100]

Yeah, Lambert quest was also a big irritation for me. Here I was, almost catching up with Ciri and planning to release Dandelion and then the game comes and suggests I abandon all that shennanigans and go to Skellige for a while. Why would Geralt do that? I would prefer they just lock Skellige until you free Dandelion, and then balance all the Skellige quest based on the expected character level, which is probably 18-20 by the time you are done with Novigrad (and with some quests and ? left unfinished).

I made the 'mistake' of completing all side quests (that I could find) and exploring all ?'s in Novi/Velen that were level suitable before I went to Skellige. I was level 22/23. So upping the Skellige content by 4 levels would have made the place a little more captivating for me.

Spoiler

Side note on Skellige: I'm now hunting down all the left over ?'s in Skellige. All the outlying ones that require a lengthy trip by boat are a disappointing level 12-16 mob level. I recently came across some 10 level bandits too.

---------- Updated at 01:31 AM ----------

What's worse is after you do the first Suggested Level 15 Quest in Skillage, the rest of the following main quests will be around Suggested Level 12-13, than ramp up slowly again.

Yennefer's Main secondary quest starts Suggested Level 12 I believe... So indeed 14-15 is a safer bet to get out there so you don't outlevel the content to bad.

Thinking back you are indeed correct.

Spoiler

I also seem to recall that I didn't kill all the pirates before the boat sank (one left). I wasn't paying attention and so joined the fight late, which leaves me wondering if killing them is not a requirement and could you just wait it out or survive long enough against them, given they were level 16 and I wonder if that why the quest is that suggested level.