Just bought game + expansion

[Monado]

The start menu makes me choose normal xcom 2, or the expansion pack. I would guess I should be starting the normal xcom 2 section, but I just want to make sure. For all I know, not selecting he expansion option I might be losing out on content.

Thanks for any clarification.

[Greb]

You'll be wanting to pick War of the Chosen and then deselecting the "Integrated DLC" option just before starting a new game.

[Roderick]

War of the Choosen has everything the normal campaign has plus the content from the addon. You are not missing anything by starting the addon right away.
Be carefull if you have installed Alien Ruler, though it makes the game considerable harder for beginners.

[øøøøøøø]

If I installed mods like Long War for XCOM2 legacy, I am forced to choose the normal campaign before starting the addon?

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Angry white man:

If I installed mods like Long War for XCOM2 legacy, I am forced to choose the normal campaign before starting the addon?

It depends on the mod. Some mods work in both vanilla and WotC, others don't. If it doesn't explicitly say that it functions in WotC then assume that it doesn't.

[donald23]

Long War explicitly doesn't work with WotC.

[benr313]

WotC is the same campaign with more content. It has more information to process for beginners, but you may find that the more content makes the game much more interesting. If you want to try it with the extra content, there's an option before you start the campaign to integrate the DLC (Alien Hunters and Shen's Last Gift) or have the normal start missions. I would recommend not integrating the DLC until you adjust to the regular game (The content will still be there but both DLCs involve an intro mission to introduce the content instead of just rolling it in to the main campaign).

Personally, I'd recommend playing with WotC if you want the extra depth. It adds three new soldier types, a bunch of new mission types, new enemies, more story elements, and several other significant gameplay updates and additions.

If you want a smaller-scale experience to get used to the base game's mechanics first, then absolutely start with just the base XCOM 2.

If you have any questions as you start playing regarding advice on how to play better, then don't hesitate to ask.

[Shadow of Epsilon]

Personally, I'd advise you play regular XCOM 2 first. You can get plenty of joy out of that while learning the game. (Then you can do Long War 2 for regular XCOM 2. When you start up the game you have the option of selecting which mods you want active. Non-compatible mods will likely have a little exclaimation point, but some compatible voice-packs still have it.)

WotC is such a big expansion that if you do it first, then regualr XCOM 2 may start feeling lacking. If you do XCOM 2 then WotC, you'll feel like the game has gotten bigger and better, instead of the other way around.

[benr313]

^ That's a very good point. If you want to try both versions of the campaign, then take this recommendation.

[Monado]

Thanks for all the information everyone! Lots of helpful answers.

[Chard]

Fair warning, while WOTC is the same campaign as vanilla XCOM 2 with extra contnent, it MAY be a bit overwealming to someone new to the series jumping straight into the deep end. If you're struggling with WOTC or the chosen themselves, it may make sense to jump to vanilla XCOM 2 for your first playthrough.

[Alex_x86]

WotC may be a bit overwhelming for the 1st playthrough due to the chosen (especially Assasin who has shadowstep). Probably you would better off to play vanilla otherwise missions may become chore when you have no good idea or strategy on how to play and that damn chosen getting at leat one of your soldiers wounded every mission. And if in addition to that you ran into the Rulers...

[EarthN]

Originally posted by Greb:

You'll be wanting to pick War of the Chosen and then deselecting the "Integrated DLC" option just before starting a new game.

Sry for necro, but I also just bought complete edition and am a little confused. Decided to play all content on first playthrough right away, as a have some experience (played and finished xcom, tftd, xcom 1) and so hope i can manage.

But dont get it with the "integrated dlc" oprion. Started the campaign with this option selected (so the two dlcs shens gift and the other one, forgot the name) were de-selected. Is the content of those dlcs included in my campaign now or not ?? As it says there are missions for them, are they essential or good ? Can u activate these missions later in the campaign somehow, or are they lost if u do not activate those oprions at the start right away ?

Dont wanna miss anything, never know if i ll do a second playthrough...mostly i move on to other games aftet first playthrough...

Thank ypu

[Often]

Originally posted by EarthN:

Originally posted by Greb:

You'll be wanting to pick War of the Chosen and then deselecting the "Integrated DLC" option just before starting a new game.

Sry for necro, but I also just bought complete edition and am a little confused. Decided to play all content on first playthrough right away, as a have some experience (played and finished xcom, tftd, xcom 1) and so hope i can manage.

But dont get it with the "integrated dlc" oprion. Started the campaign with this option selected (so the two dlcs shens gift and the other one, forgot the name) were de-selected. Is the content of those dlcs included in my campaign now or not ?? As it says there are missions for them, are they essential or good ? Can u activate these missions later in the campaign somehow, or are they lost if u do not activate those oprions at the start right away ?

Dont wanna miss anything, never know if i ll do a second playthrough...mostly i move on to other games aftet first playthrough...

Thank ypu

When you integrate the missions, it basically nixes the "intro" missions for them and just mixes them into the campaign. So you get surprised by alien rulers. With it unchecked, you have to trigger the content with the intro mission. So you'll still be able to access it, you just have to trigger it yourself. Ends up making it a bit easier for yourself, which is good as the alien rulers can be a bit overwhelming.

[EarthN]

Still dont get it, sorry. I understand there is one special (hand-made, with cut-scen maybe ?) intro-mission for each dlc ? Do i get these in the campaign at some point (by tiggering it somehow) if i uncheck the dlcs in the menu or do i only get the content, but not these special missions (if there are any) ? In that case i consider starting a new capaingn, i only did the titorial missions so far, so that would not be a big setback...

[Often]

Originally posted by EarthN:

Still dont get it, sorry. I understand there is one special (hand-made, with cut-scen maybe ?) intro-mission for each dlc ? Do i get these in the campaign at some point (by tiggering it somehow) if i uncheck the dlcs in the menu or do i only get the content, but not these special missions (if there are any) ? In that case i consider starting a new capaingn, i only did the titorial missions so far, so that would not be a big setback...

If you choose to integrate the content or not you'll still be able to use the new stuff.

If you don't integrate it, you have to trigger it with a tutorial mission that will show up on your map. So if you don't ever go to that place and do the mission, it'll never launch the alien rulers stuff. If you choose to integrate the dlcs, the alien rulers will show up and ruin your day at the worst possible moment if you're not expecting it. It's really in your best interest to not integrate it if its your first playthrough. You get a tutorial that explains how they work and you get to choose when to trigger then. They won't show up randomly and mess your crap up early. You also don't get a random chosen showing up eating your face early, it's a scripted mission that sort of tells you how to deal with one of them, then the others get introduced.

So, long story short, if it's your first playthrough, I'd recommend not checking the integrate DLC box. You'll still have access to the content, but you just get to trigger it when you want. And you get a scripted tutorial mission in game that teaches you how to deal with it. If you're cool with the "that's x-com baby" lifestyle, then checking it is ok, but you might get a bit overwhelmed with the alien rulers, as they can be a bit much early on.