Which AC Valhalla DLC is first?
Let‘s kick things off with a clear answer – the first major downloadable content (DLC) expansion released for Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla was Wrath of the Druids in May 2021.
The Full Rundown of Valhalla DLC Releases
Since launching in November 2020, three major paid DLC story expansions have been released for Valhalla across Ireland, France and a mythical Norse realm. Here‘s the full rundown:
| DLC Title | Setting | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Wrath of the Druids | Ireland | May 13th, 2021 |
| Siege of Paris | France | August 12th, 2021 |
| Dawn of Ragnarök | Mythical Svartalfheim | March 10th, 2022 |
As you can see, the Ireland-based Wrath of the Druids kicked things off first. Let‘s take a deeper dive into what each DLC expansion delivers…
Wrath of the Druids
Set against the backdrop of medieval Ireland, this expansion introduces an all-new map region filled with lush forests, bustling towns and castle fortresses.
You take on the role of legendary Viking raider Eivor once again, sailing for Dublin to find your lost Viking clan member Barid mac Imair, the self-proclaimed King of Dublin. Without spoiling too much, you quickly become embroiled in the regional conflict boiling between Gaelic druids and the occupying Norse foreign power.
The green hills and bogs of Ireland are brought to life beautifully, packed full of new activities like taking part in Celtic festivals, discovering monastic secrets and even laying siege to the brick fortifications of towns built by the invading Norse. It provides a fun, refreshing change of scenery after spending so long roaming around England!
Key Features:
- A whole new map region – Ireland
- Approx 15 hours of new storyline content
- New enemy faction – the druids!
- 40+ new abilities to unlock
- Range of new side activities like horse racing, river raids and more
Siege of Paris
The second Valhalla DLC chapter transports us away from the isles over to mainland Europe and the famous city of Paris circa 885 AD.
Eivor‘s raiding adventures feel reinvigorated with fresh impetus as you jump in to help a struggling Frankish king fend off a massive invading force led by the ambitious Norse chief Sigfred.
It brilliantly portrays the epic scale of a Viking assault on the grandeur and riches of Paris. The new French region expands the open world substantially again, giving us a chance to walk the streets of history and meet famous figures like Emperor Charles the Fat.
Key Features:
- Storm the iconic city of Paris!
- 30+ hours of storyline content
- New weapons like the guisarme polearm
- Fresh abilities like crowd-control grenades
- Take on new mini-bosses like the sinister knight Engel Winn
Dawn of Ragnarök
The most recent DLC chapter transports us somewhere completely new – the mythical dwarf world of Svartalfheim from Norse legend!
Rather than playing as Eivor this time, you actually take on the mantle of the Allfather himself in the form of the god Odin. Odin must venture into the fantastical subterranean home of the Dwarves to save his son Baldr from the clutches of fire giant Surtur and his cultist followers.
With a radically different setting full of magical enemies and wondrous loot, Dawn of Ragnarök mixes up the base gameplay nicely with new divine god powers and the ability to shapeshift.
Key Features:
- Take on the role of Odin himself!
- 35+ hours of content
- Wield crazy new powers like teleport dash and supersonic scream
- New weapons like Atgeir polearm and Baldr‘s Arc bow
- Fresh abilities from Odin‘s Hugr-Rip
When Do The DLCs Take Place in the AC Timeline?
A common question newcomers have is – when do these DLC releases fit within the timeline of the wider AC franchise universe?
Well, the base Valhalla game is set in the 9th century AD during the height of the Viking invasions into Britain, putting its overall events after the previous ancient Greece of Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey but before later entries like Assassin‘s Creed and AC II.
In turn, all three Valhalla DLC chapters also take place around similar a timeframe in the mid to late 9th century – though Dawn of Ragnarök stretches to the fringes of history and myth!
Here‘s a quick look at the DLC settings in the context of the full AC timeline:
| 431 BCE – 422 BCE | Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey |
| 49 BCE – 44 BCE | Assassin‘s Creed Origins |
| 872 AD – 878 AD | Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla |
| 1191 AD | Assassin‘s Creed 1 |
So while Valhalla‘s main story starts in 872 AD, the Siege of Paris chapter takes place later circa 885 AD at the tail end of the Viking invasion of Europe.
Wrath of the Druids is more vaguely set during Eivor‘s adventuring prime rather than pinned to a specific year. And Dawn of Ragnarök as part of Norse myth stretches across vague ancient times.
But the key point is all three DLCs broadly fit alongside the same era and timescale as Valhalla itself in the late 9th century Viking age. So you don‘t need to worry about any continuity or crossover issues regarding when you choose to play them!
When Should You Start Each DLC Storyline?
A common question for players tackling the DLCs is when exactly is the optimal timing to begin them in relation to Valhalla‘s core storyline progression?
After polling various team members hereabouts and researching multiple expert gaming sites, the basic consensus seems to be:
- Wrath of the Druids – After completing one of the first two story arcs and achieving power level 55
- Siege of Paris – During mid-game, ideally after building up to power level 200
- Dawn of Ragnarök – Late game, after power level 340+
So in essence, Wrath of the Druids is designed to kick in earliest at a modest power level, Siege of Paris slots in during the mid-game climbing phase, whilst Dawn of Ragnarök is best enjoyed later once you‘re already near max power.
But in truth, the dynamic scaling of zones means you can pretty much start any of them at your own pace without major difficulty spikes. Think of the levels more as guidelines based around getting the most immersive experience!
One key advantage of jumping into Ireland nice and early before you grow too powerful is it makes tussles with crowds of angry druids genuinely challenging and engaging. It also helps immerse you in Eivor‘s early raider days.
Whereas by saving Paris until midway through the base game, you hit its epic set-piece sieges and mass battles at a power level where you truly feel like a seasoned warrior-chieftain leading the assault, not just a lone fighter.
And holding off on playing Odin‘s almost god-mode power fantasy romp through Dawn of Ragnarök until you‘ve already conquered most of England and beyond just feels right thematically!
That said this is just guidance – as a fellow completionist gamer I say ultimately just let your own playstyle and whims guide you to tackle them in whatever order excites you the most!
Interconnectivity Between Valhalla & DLCs
You may also be wondering – do choices or progress carry over between the DLCs and original Valhalla adventure?
The answer is yes indeed for the most part. Whilst played independently as very much standalone expansions, your earned skill points, gear loadouts and overall power rating all seamlessly cross over.
New treasures, weapons and abilities unlocked in Ireland or Francia can then be carried back to Britain and vice versa. And narrative choices with certain characters generally remain consistent across both, again underscoring that direct interconnectivity with the same Eivor storyline.
Admittedly Dawn of Ragnarök as a magical god tale does sit slightly apart without direct crossover. But unlocking melee skills and rune buffs in Svartalfheim similarly stays permanently applied to Odin anywhere afterwards. So a definite sense of persistent player progression remains!
Should You Finish Valhalla Before Starting DLC?
Given various story and character crossovers, a common question is if players should finish (or come close to finishing) AC Valhalla‘s base game first before diving into the DLC expansions?
The answer based on my experience and others I’ve spoken with is…not at all!
In true open world Ubisoft fashion, the DLC stories sit nicely standalone without needing to complete Valhalla’s lengthy 60+ hour core storyline first.
You’ll receive invites via letters back at your Ravensthorpe settlement to head off on these aside adventures organically through regular play at times that fit your journey.
Key characters like your brother Sigurd or the seer Valka feature to keep things cohesive. But there are rarely any major late game narrative spoilers.
I’d suggest just following the suggested power levels above, and allowing yourself to take a break from battling the Order of Ancients to go on these rich side-stories when prompts arise!
Personal Recommendation
To wrap up this tour through Assassin’s Creed’s Ireland, Francia and Norse myth expansions, here’s my personal advice on tackling them for new and returning players…
I’d advocate starting the Ireland episode fairly early once settled in England, around power 55. Embracing the emerald isles whilst still an upstart feels great with challenging combat versus mystical druids.
Then allow yourself to get embroiled in building up your settlement for 30 odd hours, take down most Zealots etc. After hitting around power 200 and hearing whispers of a growing Paris crisis, sail out for Siege of Paris to truly test your combat mettle!
Finally, hold off on embracing Odin’s almost godly magical powers until a fittingly epic showdown later around level 340. Saving the crazy mythic abilities and iconic city assault for the climax makes narrative sense. But of course, feel free to just enjoy these beautiful expansions however you desire!
So there you have it friends – hopefully this guide has given you clarity on the key question of which Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla DLC chapter should be played first, plus clarity on what the best timing looks like based on my own 100+ hour journey through glorious Viking era England, Ireland, Francia and the Norse realms!
If you have any other questions feel free to hit me up. And whatever you decide keep enjoying the Animus adventures!
Skål!
