Kia ora

I just started a new play thought with ALL DLC's installed.

Got the letter from the Jarl

Been comfronted by the ugly Orc from Dawngaurd

Got attacked by two Cultist in Ivastead when I came down from getting called as Dragonborn

I have now 10 sets of Cultist armor in storeage from random attacks in the wild ( they came in three's)

My question is, do you think it's best to be side tracked into the DLC's before doing any of the main Skyrim quests

or just deal with the extra attacks and do Skyrim central first?,.. Skyrim Central being the original base game

I thought you had to be a certain level to get the letter from the jarl..

Anyways, I did a lot of the DLCs on playthroughs where I didn't finish the main game and it was fine, even more fun at times being attacked

Kia ora

By the time I do a bit of crafting I'm round level 10 -15 depending on how much I do before I go to

bleakfalls, maybe thats why I get the letter. It fell weird getting that letter worded like it is when I done

nothing yet lol

Hey mate,

Good to see another Kiwi here.

I don't think there is anything wrong with getting sidetracked in Skyrim, that's what makes it so fun, but personally I would wait until I had done at least one major questline.

I got the Falkreath Jarl's letter when I hit level 9 on PC.. Have all DLC's on 360 (And beat them all) but only have Hearthfire at this time on PC.

Wait on Dragonborn. If you go to Solstheim without some serious leveling up, you'll be SPANKED!!

Though it does create a good challenge! Just make sure you either have lots of health potions/ingredients or healing magic. I had to gradually decrease difficulty from expert as I was running out of all potions until finally I was forced to use healing magic (which that char wasn't supposed to use, just developed that way due to necessity lol).

Don't start Dragonborn Content until around level 30 (Adept). I'd actually recommend more like 36-40 so Stalhrim is added to the loot pools. It makes dungeon-delving more worthwhile, especially because Stalhrim can't spawn anywhere else.

Dawnguard is a bit trickier. I recommend doing the first main quest and choosing your side before level 30, or you may be facing the most insanely strong enemy in the game during the first dungeon. (A nightmaster Vampire). After that, it's not a bad idea to do Radiants and build up your faction while leveling/questing.

I kind of have your problem, I am always making new characters and don't know where to start lol. usually I do skyrims quests first though.

Kia ora

Thanks for all the thoughts

I just wasn't sure of timers and things like Criminal mentioned, that being said my char is passed 30 now so that might be a challenge lol.

I just didn't want the game getting silly weird with an over spwan of Cultist or Vamps cause I left those to long