I want to start playing Skyrim for the first time but I'm a little confused. I'm not sure if activating any of the DLCs (Dawnguard, Dragonborn and Hearthfire) will affect the original storyline and side quests.
If yes, in what order should I use the DLCs?
If no, can I use them all at once?
Best Answer
Both Dawnguard and Dragonborn have new map areas added. When you start dealing with named vampire NPCs, that's Dawnguard (although there are a couple named vampires in the main game, but no major plots). If you traveled to Solstheim, that's Dragonborn. The DLC quests are independent of the main quests so you can't accidentally mix them up.
Hearthfire don't really have quests. It has extra custom houses which are significantly better than the vanilla ones.
As for using them, you really should have all your DLCs activated at the start, before you create your character, since converting your save file at a later date can cause unforeseen issues. However, if you have already played for a bit with the vanilla game, it is still playable to convert later, since these official DLCs expect you to have an existing character.
I also recommend looking for the unofficial patches as they resolve multiple issues not fixed by the official patches.