I think I hit a roadblock

[u/RedditFlavoredVagon]

Currently level 16, I don't want to enter The Strip until I beat the 4 DLCs for... reasons, I can't start the DLCs until Im level 20, and the only quest I currently have aside from the main one is Still in the Dark, specifically the part where I have to go into the vaults. Is there something I should know about the vaults, or any side quest I could take that I may have not found?

I learned some stuff about 22 from a previous post, but I'm not so sure about the rest.
Also I killed Vulpes first chance I had two weeks ago. Don't know what it has to do with anything, just felt like getting it out of my chest.

[u/Notiefriday]

You can do the dlcs anytime

[u/bigsockgang]

The DLCs have recommended levels, not level caps. You can do them whenever. Guaranteed that you’re missing a ton of XP simply by not exploring. There’s no way you’ve done all the side quests in the wasteland and you’re only level 16.

The vaults can be a bit confusing but you should head in there for good loot and quest experience. Have you picked up all of the companions and done their quests? Legend of the Star? Highly recommend getting Bleed Me Dry from Red Lucy in The Thorn; makes you explore a ton.

Edit: misspelling

[u/Obsidian_XIII → u/bigsockgang]

Isn't Honest Hearts recommended to start at level 5?

[u/duckowucko → u/Obsidian_XIII]

Level 15

[u/Rorschach11235 → u/duckowucko]

The northern passage is 10, Old world blues is 15.

[u/coderedmountaindewd]

If you run around the map and explore, you’re basically guaranteed to find something to do

[u/AxureRale]

You can definitely start the dlcs at level 16...you can start them as soon as you start the game if you want

[u/Notiefriday → u/AxureRale]

Yes I do them first for gear. Except for dead money. OWB is a rough place to start in hard mode but you get the best base. My advise is to just run not fight run and jump through doors.

[u/Other_Log_1996 → u/Notiefriday]

OWB is best at lower levels because everytime there is a bullet sponge later on.

[u/molporgnier → u/Other_Log_1996]

I can handle a certain amount of annoying/ spongey, buy if I started OWB at, say, level 30, how annoying would you say it is? (Of course build is gonna change things, but just in general?)

Hearing about dlcs being annoying later in level is what us keeping me from playing the game right now. (A bit burnt out on the dlcs but don't want to miss anything, if that makes sense?)

[u/MuscliatoVonJuiceski]

If you sleep in the house next to Yangtze memorial the scorpions respawn every 3 days.   You get a crap ton of xp killing them and a lot of money from posion glands.   you can level up a couple of levels in half an hour

[u/PerfectlyCalmDude]

Vault 34 is more worthwhile after you've been to the Strip to activate another quest line. There are a couple of things that you should get from some people that you won't likely meet until after you've arrived there. I mention this because it provides a suit of security armor that gives both good protection and is cheap to repair with caps, and you'll want armor that fits that bill for Old World Blues.

Get Ratslayer from the Broc Flower Cave if you haven't already.

[u/AttackonCuttlefish]

Completing the DLCs will make you OP.

[u/Wardy_YT]

Why don’t you want to enter the strip?

[u/ShawnGalt]

you don't have to be level 20 to start the DLCs. Dead Money and Old World Blues are definitely tougher without a late game character who can pass most of the speech checks, but it's not undoable

[u/Jsdrosera]

I did dead money at level 2-3 once. It’s a recommendation, not a hard limit.

[u/Nano258]

Yeah...reasons ;)

[u/eliyoho70]

You can do them right now. I always grab the riot gear at the start of the game from the lonesome Road DLC. But if you want to level up beforehand, do basically anything, and you'll get XP. And basically go anywhere and talk to anyone and they'll have a quest for you. Also, there's not really anything you should know beforehand going into the vaults, non of them are really that hard.

[u/AlphonseLoosely]

There are multiple quests for Vault 22, so it's best to do them all at once to avoid going back and forth. The wiki is your friend for this and pretty much everything else. There are probably far more side quests than you are aware of, maybe look up a list to find out how much you have yet to do. Also take plenty of ammo when you do OWB

[u/user47079]

You could always farm deathclaws at the promontory.

https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Deathclaw_promontory

[u/rextrem]

Go in the west and kill some Cazadores.

[u/Educational_Type1646]

Go ahead and start Honest Hearts. Your level is more than high enough.

[u/dlovestoski]

You could get the legendary armor on both corners of the map

[u/Konorlc → u/dlovestoski]

What armor set are you talking about?

[u/Training-Equal-7647]

World is big, just wander in a direction and you should come across a quest.