I'm currently lvl 13 and all the story quests throw mobs at me of lvl's 14-15, like the Jahan quest, Advocate Quests and On the Ropes ... I feel like I'm terribly underleveled...
I can understand. In my opinion these are the hardest three encounters in Act 2. I save them for the end when I'm strong enough to face them.
I was able to progress, but now it just feels I've hit a wall. What do I do?
From what I've read, this is not an uncommon experience at Level 13: it can be difficult to find ways to progress. There are a few ways to move forward. For example, XP can be gained through exploration, through non-violent solutions to quests, and by finding the battles you can win. Compared to the three hardest battles mentioned above, most of the others are easier.
I'm not sure if I need to upgrade my equipment, most of my equipment is quite alright, atlough perhaps also underleveled, but how exactly do you get better stuff? It's not like I have the gold to purchase all the stuff.
If gold is a challenge, you might want to invest more in Lucky Charm and Bartering. (You could respec if needed). Also, as one reviewer wrote, you can pick up just about anything in Rivellon and sell it. Another option is to craft items and then sell them. These ways to earn gold are not required, but they can get you out of a cash crunch.
I really just want to progress the story without having to do a plethora of arbitrary quests just for XP and gear (which I feel is a waste of time, I'm not really the completionist type of gamer), but at this point I feel this might be the only way.
Another possibility is to adjust the difficulty level of the game, if you feel to, to keep it fun.
ANd once I get out of act 2, does this become worse? The need to do all kinds of extra stuff to keep up with the mobs, leveling your characters and gear accordingly?
I don't think so. It wasn't my experience. Things get easier as you go forward. In some ways, the there battles described above are among the hardest in the game.
The thing I loved about BG3 is that your gear did not matter that much and if you know the core mechanics you can basically just beat the game with strategy and sometimes a bit of cheese/creativity.
You've said it perfectly. I have to say, this exactly describes my experience with DOS2. It's what I love about the game. It's why I've played through it several times. And it's what keeps me coming back for more.
I've found that just about every hard challenge has a solution -- a solution that eludes me at first. So, at first, I spend a bit of time feeling frustrated! But when I find a solution, it's very rewarding. I enjoy the thrill of discovery. And the new solution then can often be applied to other challenges in the game.
I haven't mentioned anything specific to your situation. If you'd like hints or suggestions, I can try (with a spoiler alert). In any case, I hope you find some solutions that are fun for you!
