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So I have just bought The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on Steam and noticed there are a couple of free DLCs available. Some of these are armor or weapon sets. However, I am worried that installing those will give me access to powerful equipment/spells/whatever too early on in the game, lowering the difficulty in the progress. Is this the case?

My question(s) in detail:

  • After installing the respective DLCs, when can you get the additional weapons/equipment? Right from the start of the game, only at a certain player level, after a certain story event?
  • How do you get the equipment? Through special quests, ingame crafting (not sure if it exists in this game), or does it just appear in your inventory after installing the DLC?
  • Are the DLC items inproportionately powerful (at whatever point you get them in the game) compared to the equipment vanilla/base game?
  • Are there any other inproportionately powerfuls items/spells/other stuff avialable through the DLC that I should be aware of (such as quest rewards for the quest DLCs or stuff like that)?

Thank you!

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    Just as a note, the late game can be seriously unbalanced depending on your character build. You might have to restrict yourself if you want to be challenged, or play on a higher difficulty. – Mad Scientist May 18 '16 at 20:59
  • @MadScientist What difficulty do you recommend? And what builds/strategies are overpowered in that sense? – MoritzLost May 18 '16 at 21:21
  • If you want more challenge, go Death March. The beginning will be tough, you will have to avoid enemies' attack and learn to use signs, potions and bombs in your favor. Although, in the late game, with the perks and upgraded witcher gear, you'll probably find most monsters and enemies a little easy – Znes May 18 '16 at 21:45
  • I can't say much of the sign build, but the alchemist build which I used have some really overpowered perks later on, making you sort of a Potion Addicted Crazy Butcher. The swordsman build seemed strong as well, seeing some friends playing, and in my opnion it was the strongest/easiest one in Witcher 2. – Znes May 18 '16 at 21:51
  • But yet there are some major encounters and bosses that may give some hard time yet. (Won't spoil but the final battles are hard and fun). – Znes May 18 '16 at 21:52
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Short and simple answer, no, the DLCs equipment are obtainable via crafting or shopping and are similar to same level and type items from the vanilla.

As far as I can tell, the free DLCs are all aditional content that do not affects much of the gameplay. Personally I think you should install them. Only the alternate looks are more a personal choice.

Source: played almost 100 hours on Death March (main story finished) with the DLC's installed.

The equipment DLCs are:

  • Temerian Armor Set
  • Nilfgaardian Armor Set
  • Elite Crossbow Set
  • Skellige Armor Set
  • New Quest – ‘Scavenger Hunt: Wolf School Gear’

Others add new quests or contracts, again, not very different than vanilla ones:

  • New Quest – ‘Contract: Missing Miners’
  • New Quest – ‘Fool’s Gold’
  • New Quest – ‘Contract: Skellige’s Most Wanted’

And some pure cosmetic:

  • Beard and Hairstyle Set
  • Alternative Look for Yennefer
  • Alternative Look for Triss
  • Alternative Look for Ciri
  • New Finisher Animations

And last more Gwent cards (obtaineble via purchase and playing, I believe) and a new and more difficult game mode (after finishing the main story)

  • Ballad Heroes’ Neutral Gwent Card Set
  • NEW GAME +
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As far as I remember you have to buy all the DLC armor at various NPCs. And for most of the game the Witcher sets that are part of the base game are usually the most powerful armor you can get.

The Wolf school witcher armor is one of the DLC items, but you get it rather late compared to the other Witcher armor sets, which makes it comparatively weak.

I played the game while the DLC were still being released, and I don't remember any instance where the released items were particularly powerful. The items were mostly cosmetic, you don't start out overpowered like in some other games with DLC.

I wouldn't worry about the DLC in terms of game balance, it doesn't have any major effect on it.

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