When should I start the DLC?

Question

I'm late to the Borderlands 2 party, but I picked up the Season Pass for a steal. I'm still only in the teens as far as my level is concerned. However, there are now 3 DLC packs out and I've got them all installed. Sometimes it's tempting to go away from the main quest and just jump into something new and potentially interesting.

In BL1, I played through the DLC between playthroughs of the game, treating the add-ons like continuations of the game post-final-boss. I'm not sure if this is a good idea in BL2 (or even if it was smart in BL1, honestly...)

Is there a recommended level for starting the DLCs? Will I encounter enemies that are too hard if I go early, or too easy if I go late? Are there some weapons or quest rewards that I really can't get the most of until after I'm a certain level?

Answer 1

TL;DR: On Normal, Scarlett's and Torgue's campaigns are supposed to be taken alongside the main quest, at any point since level 15. Hammerlock's and Tina's - after the main quest. On TVHM and UVHM - any campaign at any point.

Campaign DLCs scale to player's level when you first visit them, but with restrictions in Normal and TVHM. These are:

• Normal:
  • Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty - levels 15 to 30.
  • Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage - levels 15 to 30.
  • Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt - levels 30 to 35.
  • Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep - levels 30 to 35.
• True Vault Hunter Mode: all DLC scales up to level 50.

Upper bounds is what I observe when returning my level 50 from TVHM. Lower bounds are what I see when jumping there with a level 8 character.

Big Game Hunt and Dragon Keep are the ones definitely designed to be taken after the main quest - other two are actually a breeze if you are level 33-34 after the main quest, and especially when you complete them at 36-38.

Side note: Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage is NOT similar to Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot - it is not a ladder of lots of rounds on a few arenas. It is what Underdome should have been - a full-sized quest line built around a tournament and several arena (and non-arena) battles (and non-battles).

Answer 2

The Mechromancer DLC, if you have it, is active from the start - but to get any benefit out of it is dependant on you choosing the Mechromancer class and doesn't really have any level requirement of game experience requirements. If you only have the season pass it is unlikely that you will have this DLC.

Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty can be played at any point during the game, the contents of the DLC will of course scale up to your level if you play it late on but it's pretty easy to tackle regardless of what level you attempt it at.

Mr Torgue's Campaign of Carnage is an Arena/Horde style DLC similar to Moxxi's Battledome in Borderlands 1 - this again scales up to whatever your level is and can be completed very early in the game as well.

Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is recommended once you've completed the first playthrough of the game and once you've reached at least level 30. In comparison to the other DLCs it is pretty tough.