Simply not enough XP

[Cool Guy Sky.]

Okay...so in act 1 I started by doing everything I wanted to do and got to level 3. Great! Seems to advance the game wants me to be level 5. So then I go ahead and do 1-2 more side quests. Level 4. Then I go back and literally kill anything and everything I haven't killed yet. Still level 4. One enemy encampment I simply can't kill yet because they're too strong. Involves spiders. Will not spoil

Then go to Under dark and it looks like I can get level 5 here but half the things here are waaaaay too tough. Such as stumbling into a beholder that wiped my party first turn with 5 actions.

I LOVE what I've played but it seems kind of like a big flaw that instead of doing what you want, you have to do everything, then genocide everyone, then wander around hopelessly stepping into too-deadly quests simply to be proper level. Anyone else have this problem? Act 1 could use a couple more ways to get to level 5 in my estimation.

[canuck250]

there are only 12 levels in the whole game. I got to level 6 in act 1 without killing everything. Even then I only got to level 6 during the hardest fight so level 5 is all what is needed to beat act 1 on tactician mode. This is also done with base companions, as in I did not respec them at all.

Also, Larian has said part of why they wanted the tadpole progression is because they feared only 12 levels was not enough for players so wanted more progression for the player.

[Draescan]

Two things,

1. Tons of xp is hidden behind inspiration chances for your party and your journal updates often have exp associated with them too.
2. There's enough xp in the first zone to comfortably get to level 5 MAYBE 6, without murder hobo-ing and ruining your roleplaying if you enjoy playing that way.

In essence, read everything, even if you don't actually care about the stories in them, just read it. If it's a book, if it's a journal, just read it. Trust me. Then poke around more on the map. You'll find the missing xp.

[>//The_FALCON]

i am halfway to 6 already and still in act 1. you're doing something wrong

stuff to do in act 1:
- crypt (bandits and secret room)
- harpy
- mourning bard
- stopping khaga
- halfling in the hidden entrance to the grove
- absolute followers and the owlbear
- hag
- village, blacksmith cellar with spiders, doctor's cellar, cellar under the mill
- yeen road, yeen cave
- tyr tollhouse
- burning inn, hidden zentheram entrance
- creche
- goblin camp, the 3 leaders, halsin
- underdark, 2 mino, last of us camp, diet rek'sai, bibberbang dwarf, sussur bark tree, stone statues, black dwarf village, tower
- underdarker (grimforge)

all of this doable before you can even step foot in act 2 area. if you're too underleveled, then you didn't explore enough.

[Varanus]

I almost level 6, and not done with act 1 yet. Seems like there plenty of xp.......especially if the dice hate you, and make you have to fight your way through every situation. XD

[SlickDrickle]

Biggest tip i can give you is to start thinking outside the box while in combat. running in gung ho will get you killed especially if you dont know what you are doing.

[Crown]

bro... i BEAT act 2 and am still lvl 7 feeling this rn going into act 3, feel really weak, but honestly i love hard fights makes me actually stratigise, but yeah i think i went into act 2 at lvl 5

[xxx RIP xxx]

Obviously you have miss out a lot of side quests and monsters in Act 1 to only get to level 4. After i finish Act 1 minus one side quest which i miss out. I am already close to level 6. I don't understand how you can be only at level 4 after finishing all the quest at Act 1.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

Originally posted by Nephis:

bro... i BEAT act 2 and am still lvl 7 feeling this rn going into act 3, feel really weak, but honestly i love hard fights makes me actually stratigise, but yeah i think i went into act 2 at lvl 5

What? I was 10 half way to 11 when I started act 3. How much stuff did you miss?

[Dragon Master]

Each time you level up the amount of xp needed to level up again increases dramatically.

[Fauxsteel]

Need more levels or less exp.

[Aidenwolf]

You don't seem to be the type to explore, I've just about done everything in act 1 and I'm level 7. On my first playthrough I made it to act 3 at level 9, even with missing out on a lot of act 1 content. Since act 3 is the biggest act of them all, hitting 12 should be a sinch.

[Wiwra]

I got to lvl 7 in act 1, normal mode, didnt murder druids and mushroom ppl from Underdark. Now I'm in act 2 and nearing to 7,5 lvl.

[Wolfherz]

There's more than enough xp in the game. Honestly probably too much. Just sounds like you missed out on a lot of things to do.