Possibly stupid White March question (high level or standard?)

[Sarsben]

Okay, so I was about to head to Stalwart and begin the White March content, but I got a bit tripped up when the game asked me to select either "high level" or "standard." I knew there was an option to have the enemies scale up with you in the White March, but which one is which? I was planning to choose the scaling option and assumed it was the "high level" button, but then I started wondering if "high level" actually means "let me stay higher level than the enemies here" and got confused and decided to stop until I knew for sure.

Probably my first assumption was correct, but I think the game could have been a bit clearer about this. Do I choose "high level" if I want the enemies to scale up?

[mah boi]

Agreed, I got hung up on this as well. Looks like "high level" means the enemies will scale up.

[DaveYVR]

Also getting a little confused here. I would prefer no scaling. The exact text in the game is:



" Your party is considered high level for the content in The White March.

If you would like, the critical path can be increased in difficulty to give you more of a challenge.

The rewards you will receive will be the same regardless of the option you choose.

Your choice cannot be changed once it is selected. "

I agree with the above that "High Level" could mean remain at a high level for the content, and "Standard" could be scaling. My original thought was Standard was what the game was shipped with. But who knows what Black Isle is now considering "Standard".

[CoolLew]

Yeah, I'm about to go to White March also, I'm 9th level, so some clarification here would be good, thanks

[yhal003]

I started White March few days ago choosing "high level" and one of the enemies in Russetwood was 13th level fish, so it looks like "high level" means tougher encounters.

[DaveYVR]

Not sure what the fish is?? But thanks for the feedback. I went with Standard for now, and the first encounter is fairly easy. If it had been scaled, I imagine those particular enemies would have been very tough.

[yhal003]

Ogres are easy either way. Fish people are new enemies in the expansion. Lagufaeth broodmother is a proper name :).

[Sarsben]

So, I've finished the game and expansion content by now, but for anyone else who is confused by this, as I was: it seems that the "high level" option is the one that scales the enemies up, and "standard" keeps them at their base level. At least, this is what I gathered based on the fact that I chose the high level option and the enemies I fought in the White March showed up in my bestiary at a higher level (I think some were even at the maximum level).

Most of the fights were still fairly easy for me, so I can only assume the "standard" option is very easy if you're overleveled.

[Jung133]

I just want you to know that I had this exact same question and just replayed the first fight 3 times to figure it out.. lol

[shmigy429]

Yeah the wording on this, for a non-changeable option, is pretty terrible guys... "if you would like, the critical path can be increased in difficulty to give you more of a challenge." and the options are 'high level' and 'standard' maybe say 'Increase difficulty', like you're asking in the previous sentence. Had to google this like the people above to make sure I selected the option to scale content, my party is level 10 and I didn't want a snorefest; hoping 'high level' option was the scaling one cause the first few ogres were pretty damn low level.

[Cutlass Jack]

This is directly what a dev said about it on the Obsidian forum:

Pillars of Eternity has 4 possible spots to activate 'High Level Scaling';

- Entering The White March Pt. 1

- Entering The White March Pt. 2

- Beginning Act 3

- Jumping into the pit in Burial Isle


Each of these require different levels for the prompt to appear. You can answer 'Yes, I would like high level scaling' or 'No, I do not want high level scaling'.

With high level scaling 'ON', selected encounters throughout the area it has been engaged will be increased in level difficulty by 33%. For example: a level 3 enemy will be increased to level 4.

I got your backs

-Sking

I haven't extensively tested leveling myself though. Its been awhile.
I think the suggested level for White March pt 1 is 9, and 12 for part II.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by shmigy429:

my party is level 10 and I didn't want a snorefest; hoping 'high level' option was the scaling one cause the first few ogres were pretty damn low level.

Since you hear about Stalwart around level 4 or 5 already, yes, level 10 is much too high for the beginning of The White March 1.

[Sarsben]

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Each of these require different levels for the prompt to appear. You can answer 'Yes, I would like high level scaling' or 'No, I do not want high level scaling'.

Hmm... did they perhaps change the wording of the prompt to something clearer? That's good, if so. When I began the White March content and the final dungeon, my prompt definitely just offered "high level" and "standard," which confused me.

I also went straightaway into the very high level new area from the expansion before going into the White March region itself and struggled through several fights before realizing it was essentially meant for max level parties, and one of my friends who plays the game did the same thing. I think there was a bit of introductory dialogue for the quest that suggested it would be difficult, but it wasn't obvious to me, or to more than a few others apparently.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

The Steward of Caed Nua's warning about Crägholdt is strongly worded. The resulting quest entry in the journal is missing such a hint.

[Vitor McCury]

Originally posted by CoolLew:

Yeah, I'm about to go to White March also, I'm 9th level, so some clarification here would be good, thanks

I started at this time in level 8 and it's challenging enough in standart mode in my opinion.

[Jung133]

Agreed ^

Depends on the gamer I suppose