Are any of the DLC Essential for a First Time Play Through?

[Kronovan]

I've owned Grim Dawn for a while, but just never got around to playing it. I'm about to start playing, but I'm wondering if any of the DLC are considered essential for a 1st time play through.
I should probably mention that I own and have completed Titan Quest Anniversary, but IMO the DLC for that wasn't essential since you play it after the completion of the main campaign. As a contrast, I got the DLCs for Pillars of Eternity before I started playing and considered them essential as they add story branches and regions you can access early on.

Knowing little about the game though, I'm admittedly ignorant of how the DLC comes into play. Additional classes are nice, but I don't necessarily see them as essential either. I'm also not that interested in costumes and weapon boons at the start, as IME these games are heavy on loot drops.

Anyhow...if anyone could give me feedback or opinions as to whether any of the DLCs are essential, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

[MedeaFleecestealer]

No, they're not. You can have a lot of fun with just the base game. Both expansions add the things you mention as well as new map content and for Forgotten Gods there's an endless dungeon if you like that sort of thing. But neither are essential to enjoy the game.

The only problem you might find is guidance on how your build may or may not work since most of the builds these days include the expansions. But you can always post on the forum and as long as you make it clear you have the base game only, people should be able to point you in the right direction.

[@Ixxmantisxxl]

Originally posted by MedeaFleecestealer:

No, they're not. You can have a lot of fun with just the base game. Both expansions add the things you mention as well as new map content and for Forgotten Gods there's an endless dungeon if you like that sort of thing. But neither are essential to enjoy the game.

The only problem you might find is guidance on how your build may or may not work since most of the builds these days include the expansions. But you can always post on the forum and as long as you make it clear you have the base game only, people should be able to point you in the right direction.

This is almost as perfect as I would suggest,
I consider them essential to the game.
Ashes of Malmouth adds a branching story to the game, a lot of new loot, new dungeons, new bosses, and raises the difficulty (Originally game capped at like level 50 when this Expansion came out it raised to 100. . . Don't quote me can't remember)
Forgotten God's is pretty much the same story(not a copy of the story told in Ashes of Malmouth ... Just a figure of speech to indicate that you are getting the increase to the story and increase in loot and increase in difficulty... No need levels added, however.)
With both expansions you get 3 new Masteries that as of now bring's the total class combination to like 48? 46? I can't remember, There's a lot. Point is, you can continue to play the game with just base and miss about 1200 hours worth of content. Or you can be amazed at the developed game and drop a few coins on the DLC... (Even with it being on a sell it's worth it .. I got mine on sell long, long ago... No Regerts. )

Sorry if that was winded and long.
TL;DR BUY IT ALL! It's good. Won't regret it.

[Rikkore]

Well ashes of malmouth is a continuation of the main story as it leaves you on a cliffhanger.

Forgotten gods is a side story that can be accessed after act 1

[MedeaFleecestealer]

Base game level is 85, not 50. Devotion points max is 50, not 55.

[Myagony]

Essential isnt really a matter of opinion. The game works and is also great w/o them.

You will want them to get access to all the things... gear, stats, content.

[Gregor]

Originally posted by Rikkore:

Well ashes of malmouth is a continuation of the main story as it leaves you on a cliffhanger.

Forgotten gods is a side story that can be accessed after act 1

I personally feel FG offers a cliffhanger as well. I won't mention more now (-:

Originally posted by Kronovan:

I've owned Grim Dawn for a while, but just never got around to playing it. I'm about to start playing, but I'm wondering if any of the DLC are considered essential for a 1st time play through.
I should probably mention that I own and have completed Titan Quest Anniversary, but IMO the DLC for that wasn't essential since you play it after the completion of the main campaign. As a contrast, I got the DLCs for Pillars of Eternity before I started playing and considered them essential as they add story branches and regions you can access early on.

Knowing little about the game though, I'm admittedly ignorant of how the DLC comes into play. Additional classes are nice, but I don't necessarily see them as essential either. I'm also not that interested in costumes and weapon boons at the start, as IME these games are heavy on loot drops.

Anyhow...if anyone could give me feedback or opinions as to whether any of the DLCs are essential, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

I personally feel, that depending on how much you like to use your imagination of what should and could happen a playthrough through Forgotten Gods and Ashes of Malmouth will offer a bit at least to a lot.
I feel, that a playthrough through the higher difficulties does not offer a lot storywise, though the DLCs themselve do have some interesting lorenotes that mentions spoilers of possibilities that you might want to discover yourself instead of me laying out to you , what I expect or assume to happen.

[Brother Arivus]

The DLC Ashes of Malmouth is similar how it works with the Immortal Throne/Ragnarok DLC in which you need to beat the end boss of the first game to get to it act, the Forgotten Gods DLC works similar with The Atlantis expansion, it can be skipped but can also be started later in the game, the different is Atlantis can be done after Act 3 while Forgotten God can be done anytime after Act 1

[D#]

I think all but crucible are essential as each adds a new class, plus a lot more content in general.

[Van Damage*]

Ashes of Malmouth like the others have said is the continuation of the story. IMO, AoM has the best landscapes and settings of any ARPG ive ever seen. Ugdenbog and the areas before you reach the Coven are my favs. The dark twisted forest looks pretty awesome.

[Gregor]

Originally posted by Van Damage*:

Ugdenbog and the areas before you reach the Coven are my favs. The dark twisted forest looks pretty awesome.

And the music to it is also great! At least that's my perception.