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NobleNick · 11-20-2003, 10:58 AM

Olaf,

Trials of the Luremaster (TotL, TotLM) is a free, 72MB, official BIS add-on usable only by owners of HoW. After you install IWD, HoW and TotLM (in that order) IWD is completely patched (no other patches needed, in U.S.A. at least).

TotLM was added on to HoW by BIS, because reviewers (and gamers) were raking them over the coals for HoW having a relatively short additional adventuring area. More adventuring area, provided by TotLM, removed the only complaint against the excellent HoW expansion.

There are 2 ways to do all of IWD/HoW/TotLM:

1.) Play IWD completely. Then take your characters, which are auto-exported just before the last big fight in IWD begins, and begin HoW. From HoW, enter TotLM by accepting an offer from Stubbletoes, at the Inn in Lonelywood. Finishing TotLM returns you to Lonelywood (HoW); and finishing HoW is then the end of the entire game. Problems with this otion include: loss of gold and all containers (e.g., scroll cases, potion bags and jewel sacks) and their contents when characters are auto-exported from IWD.

2.) (My preference). Play IWD to very late game (see below). Travel to Kuldahar and accept invite to HoW. Play How to mid-late game (see below). Travel to Lonelywood and accept invite to begin TotLM. Play TotLM and return to Lonelywood. Finish HoW and return to Kuldahar. Finish IWD.

You probably already know that the best place to enter HoW from IWD is just before meeting _______ _______ _______ and getting transported to _________. (Blanks, so as not to spoil others who might read.)

Once in HoW, the best time to take Stubbletoes up on his offer (which begins TotLM) is just BEFORE taking up _______ on his offer of a boat ride to the ___ of ______ ___. Once you accept this boat ride, you never again get the chance to speak to Stubbletoes (in that game). (BTW, there are at least 2 very interesting things happening back in Lonelywood after you are offered the boat ride; so, even if you are not planning on doing TotLM, turn down the first invite, and return to town.)

HoW and TotLM will pack huge amounts of expo onto your characters. My Bard, in a party now (I guess) a bit less than halfway through TotLM (which means they are also over 2/3 of the way through HoW), is (IIRC) about level 17. Another character in the party is a DC Fighter(10)-->Thief(15).

Of course, if you want insane levels of expo, leveling AND challenge, just play on Heart of Fury (HoF) mode, which is available to all owners of HoW. I've been told that DC character levels of 30/30 are easily obtainable.

What's a party,
without a song?
Bards ROCK!
Party On!!

[ 11-20-2003, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: NobleNick ]

11-20-2003, 10:58 AM	#6
NobleNick Quintesson Join Date: February 5, 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Age: 65 Posts: 1,045	Olaf, Trials of the Luremaster (TotL, TotLM) is a free, 72MB, official BIS add-on usable only by owners of HoW. After you install IWD, HoW and TotLM (in that order) IWD is completely patched (no other patches needed, in U.S.A. at least). TotLM was added on to HoW by BIS, because reviewers (and gamers) were raking them over the coals for HoW having a relatively short additional adventuring area. More adventuring area, provided by TotLM, removed the only complaint against the excellent HoW expansion. There are 2 ways to do all of IWD/HoW/TotLM: 1.) Play IWD completely. Then take your characters, which are auto-exported just before the last big fight in IWD begins, and begin HoW. From HoW, enter TotLM by accepting an offer from Stubbletoes, at the Inn in Lonelywood. Finishing TotLM returns you to Lonelywood (HoW); and finishing HoW is then the end of the entire game. Problems with this otion include: loss of gold and all containers (e.g., scroll cases, potion bags and jewel sacks) and their contents when characters are auto-exported from IWD. 2.) (My preference). Play IWD to very late game (see below). Travel to Kuldahar and accept invite to HoW. Play How to mid-late game (see below). Travel to Lonelywood and accept invite to begin TotLM. Play TotLM and return to Lonelywood. Finish HoW and return to Kuldahar. Finish IWD. You probably already know that the best place to enter HoW from IWD is just before meeting _______ _______ _______ and getting transported to _________. (Blanks, so as not to spoil others who might read.) Once in HoW, the best time to take Stubbletoes up on his offer (which begins TotLM) is just BEFORE taking up _______ on his offer of a boat ride to the ___ of ______ ___. Once you accept this boat ride, you never again get the chance to speak to Stubbletoes (in that game). (BTW, there are at least 2 very interesting things happening back in Lonelywood after you are offered the boat ride; so, even if you are not planning on doing TotLM, turn down the first invite, and return to town.) HoW and TotLM will pack huge amounts of expo onto your characters. My Bard, in a party now (I guess) a bit less than halfway through TotLM (which means they are also over 2/3 of the way through HoW), is (IIRC) about level 17. Another character in the party is a DC Fighter(10)-->Thief(15). Of course, if you want insane levels of expo, leveling AND challenge, just play on Heart of Fury (HoF) mode, which is available to all owners of HoW. I've been told that DC character levels of 30/30 are easily obtainable. What's a party, without a song? Bards ROCK! Party On!! [ 11-20-2003, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: NobleNick ]