Just downloaded it and was going to start for the first time tonight. I was going to use a level 75 character after hearing that you needed to be that high to fight the Legendary Dragons. I've seen a few people suggest that using high level characters might make you feel overpowered. This character started as a mage, and has a lot of perks in those trees. However, I eventually morphed it into more of a warrior type character, so those combat skills are actually still in the mid-levels and don't have many perks. I rarely use magic anymore except for healing, and maybe a bit of conjure if things get really dicey. I always play on Master.

Anyone who played Dawnguard...think this would be okay to go with?

IMO, 75 is too high to do anything in SK. Not while keeping it engaging.

1) I don't have a level 75 character. Highest is level 62
2) PS3 user, waiting for the DLC


However, I've heard there can be some tough stuff regardless of level.. so.. idk

its pretty hard, i started it at level 81, and there were hords of Master Volkihar Vampires. Id rather fight an Ancient Dragon then just one of them.
So i started a new character and did it at level 20, a lot easier. Now im going to go back and try to finish it on my level 81

My husband is on XBOX and has it. I'm on PS3, and,well...you know. Anyway, he said my level 50 character would probably be too OP for it. That's just his opinion, but I guess I'll make another character.

Thanks for the tips folks...sounds like I might be better off coming in with a lower level character. Fresher experience too. I have a level 9 Necromancer that I could level a bit, and a level 20-something Bosmer archer/alchemist. Maybe I'll use one of those instead to get my feet wet.

I have a level 25 Breton Battlemage-ish type character I am waiting to play through that I created for the DLC. I also have a 41 Orc warrior, 53 Dunmer pure-mage, and 62 Khajiit assassin in line (PS3 user.. just waiting).

Anxious to play! I could be this moment, but I am not going to buy Skyrim again as well as DG for PC just to play it. So... I wait

Me I always start the dlc at level 1 and always finish it at level 10-15 but I say a level 10-20 will work for just starting the dlc.

Expect your towns to be wiped out at that level.

I did it at 71, and it was fun. A tad OP, but that's what I expect from him.

One of my characters was around 75 when he started, but no way was he trying to wade through all those vampires he would have got on the Dawnguard side, he had enough trouble with what he got before he signed up for anything. He was always slated to try out being a Vampire Lord. I am hopeless at fighting and had no problems getting through Dawnguard with most of the NPC's surviving. The only ones I lost were two from an attack I never realised happened till it was too late. My other main character did the Dawnguard side and was in the high 60's by the time she eventually decided to joined up (she ignored the Dawnguard quest for a long time), she had a lot more attacks but all her NPC's survived. I would hesitate to try it with a mage character in the high 70's, since the fighting seems to be a lot deadlier for NPC's, but I had fun with my two who never specialised in anything magic related. Both those characters were good archers, although the first had the problem with one of the perks sabotaging his archery skills. The second was reasonable with other weapons so preferred the more personal touch unless she was pressed for time.

My third character an Orc who is supposedly a warrior is not working out so well he is around level 20 and has not started Dawnguard yet, he told the recruiter he was not interested. A vampire would only need to look at him and he would die.

well i dint got much of a challenge in dawnguard and i was level 40 whene i started it, put your game to really hard and you should have a good challenge if your not used with warrior skillz, and dont use dragonrend agains the dragon, it add some challenge

If you're really interested in playing Dawnguard with your high level character, try jacking the difficulty up. If you're worried about being over-powered that should certainly help.

What?

You can never be too high of a level to experience any type of content!

That sounds good. My high level is kind of misleading, since most of my perks are in Mage skills (all 6 are at 100) that I don't use much anymore. I found that I preferred the warrior style, so I've switched to heavy armor and melee weapons, all of which are in the high 50's and low 60's, so playing on Master I definitely don't feel overpowered. I do a lot of healing. I'd kind of like to see just how strong the highest level Dawnguard enemies are.

Why would my towns all get wiped out? From the Vamp attacks? Would a pair of summoned Dremora Lords help curb that problem?

I did dawnguard with my level 69 character on adept. It was still pretty fun and revered dragons give me a run for my money even with 65% magic resistance.

Its as easy or hard as you like, want to make it harder?, play with unimproved weapons and armour, use < common gems when enchanting and you can also revert to using adept level magics. Just because you can be OP'd it does not mean you have to be.

Forgot to state the obvious master difficulty setting too.

Haven't read the posts, so I don't know whats been suggested.

My thought is that you should be fine. You might find it a bit under you, but based on your mid level melee skills you shouldn't feel too over powered....just tough maybe .

If you want to start with a fresh new character begin DG at around level 20. Its a decent level that isn't too OP or underpowered.
I suggest working on your weapon and armor skills as they will be your best friends in the game. Between events, creatures and people, decent skills in those areas are nice to have. DG's MQ is not to be ignored so be warned.

A good challenge: Dead is Dead on Master....

I discovered when I attemped playing with a high level character, and NOT using its most developed skills, that I put myself at a severe disadvantage in many places (at least on Master). That mage that I was morphing into a warrior has a pile of perks in Illusion and Conjure, and almost nothing in the blade and armor skills. I thought some enchanting would be enough to overcome the impairment, but it wasn't long before I noticed myself getting bent over by some high level vamps. I think if I'd been playing it by using the illusion skills and high sneak, it would have been different.

By contrast, I used a level 14 Necromancer that I had, and faced lower level vamps. It felt a lot more balanced. Maybe balanced is the wrong word, since it's not a criticism of the game, but rather my approach to combat using skills I hadn't perked.

I decided to stick with the Necromancer, mostly because I liked the idea of actually getting some use out of the goodies I found, and upgrading the gear as I went.

I'm going to try this again and do the Dawnguard side, but use a Warrior class that was built specifically for that (around level 50).

I usually start Dawnguard after i kill Alduin, around level 25ish.

Try it on a level 81 and half character.

Its pretty fun.

Dawnguard introduces random vampire attacks on settlements until the DLC main quest is finished. At higher levels the vampires will basically be one shotting towns folk including vendors and misc quest givers.