As I'm now entering the Severed Hand, it's a good time to ask a couple questions...

I lust after this item and its 50% slashing resistance. I seem to recall that it's a random drop from a Serrated Skeleton on level 3. Is it worth it to save at spot at the end of lvl 2, fight through lvl 3 until I find out if I get it, and reload if I don't (e.g. do other HoF players do this)?

Second question - I think I know the answer, but I'll ask to make certain. Does the 50% slashing resistance stack with slashing resistance gained by a druid shapeshift?

If so, I am planning to spend a large amount of time with the bone marrow belt on a druid tank shapeshifted to beetle or water elemental. I can also see huge potential benefits in some tough future fights, particularly the FG Caverns, the cavern area of LDD, and large chunks of TotL.

1) I take whatever the random drops give me. I do not bother with reloading to retrigger the random drop. No matter the difficulty level.

2) Yes.

If you want it that bad, and are willing to keep replaying until you get it, you may as well just lost the item you do find and replace it with the BMB with dalekeeper.

Being the random item nut that I am...

...call up your powers of invisibility (all 6) and several static charges from your Druid.

Here's how:
1. make most invisible except two (mage & druid)
2. pop into area and run back out
3. save
4. fire up static charges
5. go invisible (druid first then mage)
6. untrap area (east) with thief
7. go zap that Serrated freak (there is a sweet spot that gets him first)
8. odds are 1 in 4 to get the belt

Note: you may have to have a potion of invisibility or two handy if your mage (or bard) doesn't have enough slots. That is why a MC Gnome is important along with a bard -- perfect compliment.

This is my trick for most random items I want that are being carried by someone instead of inside a chest.

FYI: I put the belt on my Dwarf fighter. The druid is too busy as my offensive priest during battles.
My plan is to get the Dwarf looking like this [early Castle]:
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spoil city below (protection items)
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Winter King's Plate {AC 3}
Sundered Shield of Tiernon {AC Bonus 3}
Cloak of Scintillating Colors {AC Bonus 3}
Patriot Helm {AC Bonus 2}*
Bone Marrow Belt {AC Bonus 1}*
Gauntlets of Weapon Skill (throwing axe +2 = +3 to hit!)
Boots of the North
Clasp of Bron's Cloak
Ring of Free Action
Ring of Greater Resistance {AC Bonus 2}

...very Dwarf-like items in all ; )

15% Pierce
65% Slash
20% Crush
15% Missile
75% Cold / 25% Fire
Armor AC 3
AC Bonus 11
DEX AC Bonus 4**
Total AC -12
* random
** two (2) random potions required [killin' a CON point!]

This is just raw, without any help, now have a bard singing behind him and -- well you know.
"The Best Offense is a Good Defense."

<font color = lightgreen>It isn't random; you always find that belt.

Whether your shapeshifted druid wears it or a fighter with the great shield +3, the morningstar defender +4 or warhammer defender + 4 or long sword of action +4, and the studded leather of resistance + 3 will give invulnerability to slashing damage. Enemy swordfighters beware! :peatard:</font>

The belt should be random no matter what version of IWD you have going:
The items are:
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RANDOM ITEM - (any 1 of these)
Bone Talisman (5 charges of Vampiric Touch)
Bone Marrow Belt (+1 AC, -2 CHA, +50% slash, -15% crush)
Bone Kris of Black Ichor (+2 dagger, 20% chance poison)
Serrated Bone Blade (2hnd sword +3, 20% 1d10 cold dmg.)

Source: Dan Simpson IWD/HoW FAQ/Walkthrough.

Or...you could be just damn lucky ; )

Note that the random seed is based on TIME [I'm sure it's game time.] I've been able to enter a random area and keep getting the same item or two -- carefully timing my entry into the new area. When that happens...I just sleep and now I get a new set of random happenstances. Random generators have to have a seed and time is usually an easy one to use since it is readily available from either the game clock or your computer clock. Sneaky programmers, anyway.

[ 12-01-2005, 10:49 PM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]