I have played bothe BG and Tales from the Sword Coast. I was really dissapointed with them both in lack of challenge and the low exp. cap. Also with the fact that to get good items there were to many sub-quest. Is HOW the same way ( not with low exp. cap though). I do have to say that IWD was a lot more chalenging though. But all in all is HOW worth it or should I just Get BG2 instead?

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The Windrunner, Ranger of the Wolf Clan

I just bought IWD and HOW after playing BG2 for the last four months. HOW winter gives IWD some features like BG2 and improves the original. I don't think you'll get much more gameplay from the expansion. I'm only in the Vale of Shadows but I'll compare it to BG2.

BG2 has so many subquests in the begining you will lose track were it not for your journal. I don't know if its more or less than BG1 however. If IWD were BG2 this would happen in Easthaven: Hrothgar asks you to go check on the caravan. Along the way a messenger comes and tells a party member his mother is dying and to come at once. If you don't go he will leave. You go to the house and the grand mother tells you where a man is who can help. You go to his house and he tells you he won't help unless you get his amulet from this mage. Go to the mage and he says he will help the mother if you go back and kill the man etc. That is somthing I loved about BG2. But you said you don't like that sort of thing.
The exp cap is 17-21 depending on class except for druids at 14. Druids are much better in IWD-HOW
If BG2 is too easy set the game to hardest level
There are great kits for you character in BG2
HOW will give you another 10-20 hours but BG2 will keep you busy for a few months.

I really enjoyed Icewind Dale, however linear the game play the first two or three times through. I bought HoW, played it once, and now I'm playing BGII for about the fifth time or so.

HoW is GREAT if you've never played Icewind Dale, since it helps out the original game so much. Unfortunately, I don't want to play that AGAIN, so I got little benefit from the other.

BGII, on the other hand, is the best game I've ever played (in my opinion). There is so much more to do besides death, death, death. Still plenty of death, though, so don't despair!

My complaint was not the subquest, more so the that the subquests were maxing out my characters so i spent the last half of the game I was just killing monsters to remove obsticals, instead of being able to advance them. But it seems that the idea here is that HOW does not add enough to IWD game to warrent spending the money on it, and that was my main question, so thank you all.

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The Windrunner, Ranger of the Wolf Clan

Hey it adds a more monsters. It's gotta be good then.

[This message has been edited by Khanar (edited 04-11-2001).]

Well I have to say this:
HOW gives new life to IWD in a good way, have yet to come to the new regions but I like the better graphic solutions, the new 3:ed sneak attack for thieves, the gem and scroll cases, new items, more spells. It makes IWD worth as a whole to play over again actually. Worth it?
Yes I think so, the new 30 level cap is good, though i never hit rock bottomon the first go.. highest level was my lvl 15 thief..

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WOLF WINS EVERY FIGHT BUT ONE, AND IN THAT ONE, HE DIES

Yeah its worth it, but don't pay the full price, wait for it to come down in price, it isn't worth £20.

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Holy Avenger of the OHF and part time Pinguindiebjäger

HATS for sale baby!
Sponsored by Yorick
Your ad here? Call 112 -221 -123

I do not regret buying it...
Plus, HoW is needed to get the new download they are giving us, and it will be exciting, because they are taking player requests on making magical items, and such...it will be like each person that contributes can claim part of the game as his own design. It certainly is fun to play, regardless of how it ranks beside BG/BGII/ToB.

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Larry, Sell-Sword to the OHF

The store where I bought IWD and HOW gave a $10 discount if I bought both at the same time. I would definitely suggest getting both, although together it's a $60+ purchase.

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Most Subtle Official Straightman of the Laughing Hyenas -- Grammarian Brigade.

The content is a little "light"...but all of the other updates to the game make it worth the money. I personally loved the fact that they went through and addedd 800x600 support. I had to play through the entire game again just to look at how beautiful everything was in higher res.

Glycerine