<font color = lightgreen>Well, I am still working my new party through HoF mode. They are now in the Temple of the Forgotten God and have an average level of 8.5. I must admit that on the last level of Kresslack's Tomb I switched to insane difficulty; the undead swarm you from 3 sides in one location and after 2 hours of trying nearly every tactic conceivable given our resources we could never defeat more than 3 of them before being overwhelmed.
Anyway, my poor mage is still crying--he's 9th level and has no 4th or 5th level spells. Oh, well....</font>

Its semi-cheesy, but have you considered taking out as many as you can and then retreating out that level, regrouping and coming back in?

I just resumed my two character HOF mplayer game with a friend (he got a new ystem and this one runs TOL without ANY trouble). We just went through the underground level of Burial Isle in ONE pass on HOF. No exiting and resting - just line 'em up and knock them down. Spoiler below:
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he was a ranger/cleric and used TWO different spells: sanctuary and static charge! That and turning undead. Went thru them REALLY fast. He may have had to retreat once or twice to cast heal on himself when he got hit when the sancturary ran out. But it worked REALLY well. [img]smile.gif[/img]

for the Temple of thr Forgotten God; they made those Verbeeg strong just so you'd hit a little stone wall. HoF mode must be more like the Great Wall. Here's a simple way of getting through; don't kill anyone. Do your best to hide in shadows, or cast invisible (do you get it by this point? sadly, i only ever found that spell once, i think it's a random treasure?), or better yet cast Sanctuary on your cleric. Then just run all the way through that level and get back out. Of course, depending on the sneakiness of your party, you might get goated into some fights because you do have to trek everyone through at least one or two levels. <shrug>

item spoiler?

Maybe you'd benefit from the magic bow in the treasure chests to the left of the entrance to the Temple. There's a chance of getting the Protector+1; and a rarer chance of getting Protector+2 from that same chest.

I think Azred was talking about the difficulty of the last level of kresselacks tomb, and not the temple of the forgotten gods. Chromatic Orb actually does a pretty good job against the verbeegs in the temple. I'm pretty sure that summoning spells such as animate dead are available by this time and possibly monster summoning 1 for mages (not positive about the mage spell). Doesn't sound like much help; but summoned monsters are also "morphed" with more hit points in HOF mode just like regular monsters. Early on, they are often more powerful than the party itself!

<font color = lightgreen>I have been taking some out and then regrouping; it is slow but it works. Yes, Micah, the last level of Kresselack's Tomb was slow-going, especially with no magic arrows (those monsters which may be hit by only +1 or better weapons means toe-to-toe action *ugh*). Yes, Chromatic Orb and Web are my friends (does that mean I need a real life? :D ) as is Animate Dead.

btw Leafy, I am far from being a newbie (I'm an old pro, in fact) but thanks for the tips! :D Its just that BG2 has lost its charm and the multiplayer game of which I am currently part rekindled my interest in IWD (check e-mail later, Micah). Of course, I am whetting my appetite for the upcoming IWD2 (yeah, baby!). Taking a party through HoF from the start seemed like a good idea to pass the time and pose an interesting challenge (at least for a while). :D

Also, I can't wait for my bard to hit 11th level and we get the regenerating bard song; no healing needed after that. The song that stuns foes works wonders. </font>

[ 04-01-2002, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Azred ]

IWD2 is going to totally rock, and from everything I have read, seen and heard it will resemble the original in name only. [img]smile.gif[/img]

BRING IT ON!!! I can't wait!!!!

<font color = lightgreen>We're now entering Dragon's Eye, still at average 8.5 (it will be a while before anyone levels). Thank goodness that Hold Person works against lizardmen! :D Between that, Enthrall, Web, and Chromatic Orb they don't stand a chance. I am noticing that now foes are not difficult to defeat, they just take a long time to take out. You just have to love HoF hit points! :D My poor mage is still waiting for more higher-level spells. *sigh*

Oh, yes. Can't wait for IWD2!</font>

I can't remember exactly WHEN but keep checking on Orrick's spell inventory. I know it changes at least ONCE during the game and possibly twice.

I know how your mage feels ..... mine was suffering from severe feelings of inadequacy for a while ... but the good thing was i had to learn how to make use of those spells I had always ignored before. lol

BTW, you should the latest version of Eli ..... you think she's bad in OUR game??? LOL

<font color = lightgreen>We keep visiting Orrick every time we go back to Kuldahar to restock supplies, but so far he's still stingy. I think he changes inventory after Dragon's Eye; I'll find out when I get there.
Anyway, we're just about through with the first level of Dragon's Eye, having finished off everything except a couple of spiders and the king. Sword spiders are worth 10k xp! Given the terrain advantage, they are a cake-walk. Average level is now 8.75, but I need to go back to Kuldahar to restock my supply of arrows and bolts; we might also pick up a few extra items (we'll see what they have).

@Micah: What is her latest version like? Will that version be appearing next Sunday?</font>

The fun still awaits in Dragon's Eye ..... beware the High Summoner!!!!

@Azred, her latest version won't be making an appearance .... not yet anyway .... she's currently at 30/28/30! Two mage levels to go before she is totally capped across the board, and we just started the top floor of the third (SE) tower in Trials - Criek of Bane et al. We still have all of the upper floor of the NE tower, the basement levels of all of the towers, the crypts, the castle proper and the dungeon levels of the castle and the Luremaster himself to go before we return to HOW to do the Sea of Moving Ice and Iccassy, and then back to IWD to finish off Behli. The XP really mounts up with only two characters running through the game!

<font color = lightgreen>Venturing into the second layer of Dragon's Eye now; average level is 9. Orrick finally updated his inventory (could this be based on average party level or level of my mage? not sure) so I now have 4th and 5th level spells. Not that Contact Other Plane is even worth having, mind you...but having our invisible scout recon the whole level is helpful (of course, I know what is here to begin with). Not going quite as slowly now; our power level is pretty good. I wonder if my clerics will be able to turn undead on the next level down....</font>

Contact other plane has only ONE real use .... and that's on Burial Isle.

What use does it have? Never used that spell before..

Spoiler:
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You use it to get the true name of the Demon on Burial Isle after you first talk to him so you can command him, and thus wear him as a suit of armor. (Yeah, I know that sounds wierd .. but remember he IS a suit of armor ....)

<font color = lightgreen>Nasty new tactic. Stinking Cloud and then Animate Dead (since skeletons and zombies are immune to Stinking Cloud). The poor little lizardmen....</font>

Despite Orrick telling you that he's prepared to sell you spells based on your level, the level of your mage or party has no effect on the items he sells. He gets new spells and items in stock at the start of each chapter, so his first batch of supplies starts at chapter 1 as you arrive at Kuldahar. He then gets more spells at the start of chapter 2 (when you reach Dragons Eye) more again at chapter 3 (Severed Hand) more spells and some funky items at chapter 4 (upper Dorns Deep) and his final batch of spells and items (including a cool robe) at the start of Wyrms Tooth. He doesn't get any more after chapter 5, so returning to Kuldahar after starting Lower Dorns Deep in chapter 6 won't gain you any more spells or items.