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Is starting from scratch in HoF fun?

Discussion in 'Icewind Dale (Classic)' started by Dr_Asik, Aug 31, 2011.

  1. Dr_Asik Gems: 6/31
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    So yeah basically what the title says. I like having a challenge, but HoF seems like it's going to take 5 minutes per goblin in Easthaven. Is it actually fun? Another similar question is: what do you think is the most fun difficulty level to play at?

    Thanks!
     
  2. kmonster Gems: 24/31
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    Most fun is normal mode, no spoilers and trying to keep the number of reloads as low as possible.
    Other levels give too much XP and let you level too fast, making the game too easy.

    I had fun doing HoF solos from scratch, if you use an imported party it's too easy. You can try a dwarf fighter/cleric, I'm curious if it's possible.
     
  3. Dr_Asik Gems: 6/31
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    Oh you think it's easier on insane because you get twice the xp? Interesting. Yeah I beat the game on normal before, I was looking for more of a challenge, but HoF with a level 1 party just looks painful. My entire party got slain by the first batch of goblins in easthaven, and I think one of them was barely injured in the exchange.

    You mean you soloed HoF with a single level 1 character? How do you even kill a single goblin?!

    ---------- Added 7 hours, 52 minutes and 55 seconds later... ----------

    Well I started it anyway, in HoF. Here's my party:

    Savorek(:D) - Cleric/Ranger Half-Elf.
    Denerria - Fighter/Mage/Thief Elf.

    Savorek starts with proficiency in missile weapons and maces, as maces seem to do the most damage among the weapons he can use. Denerria starts with proficiency in bows and great swords.

    I started by killing the bugs which don't attack if you don't melee them. Then I completed all the non-combat quests. By that time Savorek could cast Hold Person. With that and Denerria's Charm Person, we took the goblins one or two at a time, preventing them from fighting at all.

    For the wolf quest in Easthaven, Savorek used his Charm Animal which solved the quest immediatly.

    Liberal use of incapacitating spells (Hold Person, Charm Person/Animal, Chromatic Orb after a certain level, Entangle, etc) is vital, as well as summons. The level 3 undead summon spell is essential. Overall, I find that the Cleric/Ranger does almost everything - summons, buffs - while Denerria provides solid damage output with her Composite Long Bow, and the occasional Charm and Chromatic Orb.

    Right now I'm in the Vale of Shadows and doing fine. We're around level 7 in all classes. Monsters take ages to kill, but it's mainly a matter of patience. The biggest issue is not finding any 3rd or 4th level spells for Denerria. Orrick says we're not worthy yet and maybe later he'll sell better stuff, but we're already ready for it! So this greatly hampers her abilities as she simply has no 3rd and 4th level spells to cast.

    I'm not sure I'm going to have the patience to finish this. Every battle takes forever as every monster has in the 100+ hp with very good AC. Paralysis helps drastically (hold person, chromatic orb) in making ennemies die quicker, but it doesn't always work. Leveling up at an insanely fast pace is cool, but the gear and spells aren't following, so it's somewhat broken in that regard.
     
  4. kmonster Gems: 24/31
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    When soloing HoF mode I always started HoW very soon, usually in chapter 1. This way you get powerful weapons and other equipment, many XP and access to high level mage scrolls very fast.
     
  5. Fallen Paladin

    Fallen Paladin The One and the Same Veteran

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    You could try playing through normal mode with a bunch of mismatched bums :D . I'm currently facing Belhifet with an all-human party of:
    - fallen paladin
    - druid
    - cleric
    - thief
    - bard
    - diviner
    I'm playing on very hard and without the expansion so no war chant of sith, sucky druid spells all around, sucky high level cleric spells, sucky high level mage spells... I get no extra XP for the harder difficulty level so my characters are like over 400 thousand XP away from the XP cap, plus they have horrendous stats. I also don't use max hp on level up, which gives my two tanks a little over 50 HP... If i fail to learn a spell successfully, I don't reload. And so on :D.
     
  6. Dr_Asik Gems: 6/31
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    Interesting! I had just finished chapter 1 and was frustrated by how Dragon's Eye has many, many monsters - main issue in HoF is number of ennemies, if we get swarmed we die. I guess I should take a break from that and pay a visit to Lonelywood then. :D
     
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