I´ve just started a solo game with a Bard with How+TotL+Winters Bane installed and I´m wondering if it´s just plain crazy to try this?
I´ve already finished IWD+HoW with a party so I know what to expect in those, but how about TotL and WB? Are they more difficult and are the new items and spells gonna help my crazy Bard. Are there any weapons/items/spells you defenatly recommend?

BTW I´m NOT gonna play on Heart of Fury mode. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
I tried it yesterday and was gonna clear out the bugs at the tavern in Easthaven with my lv. 1 Bard equipped with only a short bow. It took about 100-150 arrows before I manages to kill just ONE of them. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Not that many of them hitted their target. :D

[ 04-27-2003, 08:00 AM: Message edited by: Stratos ]

Anything can be done - just be prepared for a lot of frustating encounters. One item you'll definately need is an elven chainmail - the is one (random drop) in a chest at the third lvl of the 'cleric' tower in the Severed Hand (keep doing the lvl until you get it)

<font color = lightgreen>Use your quarterstaff against those Fire Beetles in the tavern basement. The staff has a reach of 2 and the bugs won't attack you in return; this will earn you a free 2140 xp per beetle. [img]graemlins/awesomework.gif[/img] Just attack, then watch a movie--you should be finished killing a beetle after only an hour. [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>

No, I am trying a solo game now as well although with a Fighter/Cleric/Mage and I am actually finding the game easier in many battles. Due to the higher levels I am at, as well as spells that I would not normally use with a several members in the party. Lightning is a good example. I admit a bard may pose much more of a challenge than my Fighter/Cleric/Mage but give it a go.

LOL: The hardest battle is the Bettles at the begining they took forever with a staff.

I am also going to do HoW and TotLM after doing the main game because I am a little worried that certain areas may be to much so at least I would be able to say I completed the main game.

[ 04-28-2003, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Thanx!
You DO level up quickly, especially with a Bard. I played awhile on HoF mode in the very beginning did the quest involving that drunk fisherman, the one with Jhonyn and Aihonen´s sword and killed the beetles and by the time I´ve finished those I was already on lv 6. :D
Realising that I couldn´t possibly finish the game on HoF mode I switched to normal difficulty setting (core AD&D rules.)
I have some concern with my intelligence (with "my" I mean the Bard I play, not the real me), I only have 16 and that will only allow me to scribe 11 spells/level into my spell book. Does anyone remember if there´s some items that permantently raises INT? With all the new spells with TotL and WB and since you can´t erase spells like in BG2 the limit of spells to just 11 might cause some problems. I know there are less than 11 spells on any spell-level that you absolutely need, but since I play solo I wan´t all options open in case I have to change my spell setup to meet a specific threat or problem.

There are two types of potions to allow you increase your int one adds +3or + 4 int and the other increases int to 25 (use inside inn because strength is reduced to 3 until it wears off) the 25 int is the rare potion so use it when you have collected a bunch of scrolls to learn. Since you never unlearn spells don't worry about a permanent int increase.

[ 04-28-2003, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Hmm..But if I temporarly increase my INT and then scribe more spells in my spellbook than the accepted 11 ( with 16 INT) doesn´t that crash the game. I tried that once in BG2 and it crashed and I had to restart it (it exited to Windows and showed some kind of error message.)

I could be wrong, but IWD does NOT enforce the limitation on number of spells known based on int but it DOES enforce the % chance of learning a spell. Using the 25 int potions are a great way to bypass that.

IWD will not crash due to learning more spells than you would normally be allowed.

Thanks for clearing that out. I still have the BG2 crash fresh in mind.