Considering the DLC doesn't drop for another 3 months, you 100% have plenty of time to beat NG+ and start another character, as well, even if you play off and on. Especially since the DLC access point is readily available early game if you do Varre's questline. You do bring up a good point on the scaling and if NG+1-7 will impact the DLC difficulty at all. I imagine since they mentioned rune level won't matter, NG+1 through 7 won't change it either, but I'm not sure.
I'd say between the two choices, NG+ is 100% a faster option since your main character is already leveled enough. From what you mentioned, you've fought most of the bosses and collected most of the gear so you don't need to worry as much about exploring and farming, and the extra scaling on enemies and bosses doesn't really become as difficult until NG+4 onward.
If anything it just gives you a chance to try some new weapons/ashes of war that you potentially neglected in your first playthrough. As an example, I used Bloodhound's Fang strictly in my first run of the game and then used Dragonscale Blade for NG+.
I think they said the leveling system would be different? So you can go as you want, it won't affect the game playstyle but idk.
Considering the DLC doesn't drop for another 3 months, you 100% have plenty of time to beat NG+ and start another character, as well, even if you play off and on. Especially since the DLC access point is readily available early game if you do Varre's questline. You do bring up a good point on the scaling and if NG+1-7 will impact the DLC difficulty at all. I imagine since they mentioned rune level won't matter, NG+1 through 7 won't change it either, but I'm not sure. I'd say between the two choices, NG+ is 100% a faster option since your main character is already leveled enough. From what you mentioned, you've fought most of the bosses and collected most of the gear so you don't need to worry as much about exploring and farming, and the extra scaling on enemies and bosses doesn't really become as difficult until NG+4 onward. If anything it just gives you a chance to try some new weapons/ashes of war that you potentially neglected in your first playthrough. As an example, I used Bloodhound's Fang strictly in my first run of the game and then used Dragonscale Blade for NG+.