I finally just finished my campaign throug IWD/HOW/ToTL. For quick bragging rights, it was my first time going through the whole thing, and I did it in under 40 hours of play with a solo human ranger and only 5 reloads (3 of which were in ToTL). I think the reason it went so quickly and easily was because (1) I didn't have a large party to manage; (2) my ranger stealthed his way through some of the tougher sections, avoiding a lot of fights; and (3) I entered HOW after the Severed Hand. It's this third reason that I'm posting this discussion.

Going it solo with a single-class ranger meant that I hit 9th level midway through Dragon's Eye, at which time I decided to finish the dungeon rather than go back to Kuldahar for HOW. After Dragon's Eye, I had the Heartstone Gem, and I felt compelled to bring it to Larrel rather than socking it away somewhere and entering HOW. After Severed Hand, I had some good gear and was 12th level, so I went with Hjolder to Lonelywood.

In HOW and ToTL, the levels go up very fast (480,000 xp/quest), and I hit 30th level before completing ToTL, which I did after my first return from Barbarian Camp. After ToTL, the game was very easy and took only 12 hours of play and two reloads. My question is this: at what point should you enter HOW and ToTL so as not to throw off the balance of the game? I didn't find any better armor/weapons than those found in HOW/ToTL.

[ 10-25-2004, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: jmsteven ]

Depends on party composition. With a ranger, there aren't many ranger-specific items that you'd really want. It's different if, for example, you have a paladin or a mage. That sword is a great help for paladins (their raison d'etre, if you will) and many great high level mage scrolls are found in lower Dorns.

I like to complete everything to do except P____ in lower Dorns. However, going to HoW after the Severed Hand, as you did, is a logical breakoff point. Good magical items and spells, and, especially with a small party, characters are going to be a high enough level to get by.

However, coming back from HoW/TotL with 18+ level characters is rather overkill for Dorns Deep. That's why I prefer to almost finish IWD first. I find a lot of the later fights in IWD (against giants, e.g.) to be rather easy as it is, and it would be no fun to go into them with pumped-up characters.

This answer helped me make the decision I have been wrestling with also. I am very interested in seeing what HOW is like but was afraid of ruining the rest of the IWD game. Now I will just wait a while longer before going.

I think I'm going to try it again from the beginning, maybe at a higher difficulty, and maybe with a solo Paladin (no hiding this time). I'll try Aerich's suggestion and run it through to Lower Dorn's Deep before entering HOW.

<font color = lightgreen>As Aerich said, it depends. Of course, Hjollder won't speak with you unless all party members are at level 9+; even with 6 characters everone should be there by the end of Severed Hand.

For mages at that level, Chromatic Orb is the only spell you need--at 13th level it stuns with no save and kills if save fails. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] </font>

Not all of my party was at 9 when I finished the Hand. I am part way through the Deep now and still not all my party is at 9.

<font color = lightgreen>In that case, as soon as everyone attains level 9 then HOW is open.

If you want to increase in level almost exponentially, then turn on HOF mode and use Animate Dead to have skeletons attack your enemies.</font>

I cannot understand, why authors of the game didn't it this way... after finishing six chapter in Eastheaven, you will appear in Kuldahar.
Thus, you must first travel to HoW and then, with 25+ lvl characters finish Eastheaven, which is totaly easy.

<font color = mediumspringgreen>jmsteven,

For play on Normal, I heartily agree with Aerich's preference of doing as much as possible up until placing a set of 6 items in a certain room. Do not take the action that placing these items allows. Instead, finish any side quests and then go to HoW.

As a power gamer, I do not agree with "it depends on your party make-up." HoW is tough enough as it is, regardless of party make-up. Unless you are a masochist, get every experience point and nifty item that you can before making that leap.

VEILED LATE GAME (not end game) SPOILER FOLLOWS:

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**IF** you take the right actions in LDD, there are about 400,000 XP to be had in side quests that require you to leave LDD after you have arrived there. Remember where you have been and who asked you for what. This should help a bit with your leveling.

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END SPOILER

</font>--------------------<font color = mediumspringgreen>
What's a party,
without a song?
Bards ROCK!
Party On!!
</font>

Thanks, maybe I'll try HOF.