Do I Have To Start DR To Get EXP over lvl50?

lostyus

Hi

I've recently got back from a break with STO and I wanted to play DR but I heard there is a massive grind in between missions.

I'd rather just play the game at my own pace and not grind out these patrol missions, and hopefully gain a lot of the EXP from just doing other story missions. (I know it might take ages, but Id probably actually prefer to get to lvl 60 (somehow lol) and then play through the DR story in one nice chunk)

So, my question is: Do I have to start Delta Rising somehow (like, doing the first mission or talking to a certain officer) to actually start getting EXP over lvl 50?

Thanks.

seazombie64

No..you can get all the way to 60 without doing any DR stuff..but you SHOULD do the DR stuff, it's actually better than the forums would have you believe.

drreverend

Nope. I've gotten one of my alts to 60 largely through running doff missions. Heck, I've been earning about 2 or 3 specialization points a week through doffs alone.

breadandcircuses

You don't have to do Delta Rising, but the story Episodes are pretty good. They also specifically increased the Skill Point rewards in the Delta Quadrant Patrols, so if you want to focus on progression it is the best place to go (hence the many Argala comments). The last time I entered the Delta Rising content it was before they increased the Skill Point payout there, so my experience actually showed that you had to not play Delta Rising even if you wanted to play Delta Rising. Hopefully the change improved that a tad.

You can still level outside of Delta Rising Patrols, of course; it's a matter of "it takes longer" vs. "it is incredibly repetitive". Then again, taking longer is kind of the point of the whole Expansion. Still, the story Episodes at least are worth playing, and the voice work from the Voyager cast is a nice addition.

orangeitis

You can keep on what you've been doing! The content added in Delta Rising is 100% optional. The leveling past 50 sorta counts, but that's just bonus progression.

cookiecrook

The first couple of missions are great! After that, I'd recommend returning to the Alpha Quadrant and never returning. XP now is a huge chore to earn so it doesn't matter how you earn it. It will take you a little bit level regardless of what you play so you might as well enjoy the best of what this game has to play and avoid the new and incredibly boring grind.

lostyus

Thanks everyone for taking the time to give good, detailed information.

I am looking forward to playing it (I play STO and MMO's generally just for the story missions) but I'm not into grinding much, also some people have mentioned that there's so much grind in between missions that they end up forgetting what the previous mission was about, so that is something I'm hoping to avoid (not avoid all patrol missions).

(skippable) I got to lvl50 with plenty of story missions (I think I'm on the 2nd group of missions) so I'll likely play through them first before I jump into the DQ deep end.

cmdrscarlet

Frankly, with all the issues related to DR content, I'm not going to start DR until I get to 60. Then all the bull**** people have been ******** about will not affect me. I'm having fun over in the Alpha Quadrant for it too ... except when I head to the Solonae Sphere :P

kermani

cmdrscarlet wrote: »

Frankly, with all the issues related to DR content, I'm not going to start DR until I get to 60. Then all the bull**** people have been ******** about will not affect me. I'm having fun over in the Alpha Quadrant for it too ... except when I head to the Solonae Sphere :P

I'm right there with ya. Breaking the storyline really bugged me. Waiting till 60 to jump back in to the storyline.

js26568

cmdrscarlet wrote: »

Frankly, with all the issues related to DR content, I'm not going to start DR until I get to 60. Then all the bull**** people have been ******** about will not affect me. I'm having fun over in the Alpha Quadrant for it too ... except when I head to the Solonae Sphere :P

Once again, a person who's been saying "leveling is fine" and dismissing people who complain about the post-level 60 grind as whiners in a rush to finish the game has said they aren't even level 60 yet.

cmdrscarlet

Once again, an unhappy consumer posting their unhappiness at the game and focusing their attention on a fellow player. I'm sorry if I find the game fun and have found a way to make it that way for myself. Do I need to be level 60 to have an opinion?

People in a rush have felt a lot of frustration and post a lot about it on the forums. Although I agree that forcing missions at specific levels is ... odd, I have to thank others for telling everyone else about it. That alone told me NOT to go to DR. And then the XP mess happened and I walked away from trying to considering it. My stress with this expansion is simply not there.

So, I *do* laugh a little inside as people rant all over the forums and dismiss people who are having fun, because I wonder if they forgot how to find it, or make it.

admrenlarreck

OP if you run ALL of the delta rising content, you might MIGHT get One level of experience. Stick to the Alpha Quadrant till you get to at least 59.

That's my opinion.

And yes I do have a lvl 60 toon.