Welcome back Meow!
As a matter of course, I have always played with Difficulty on "high" and spawn on "frequent". The only irritation I've ever had with it are the bats and the fish. Otherwise, it's a great way to rack up XP
legally without resorting to NPC carnage.
The most hilarious time I ever had with it was right outside the burnt-out house, when I was set upon by (if I can remember): 5 worgur mongrels, 3 worgur mastiffs, 4 mountain spiders, 6 Rattkin Blacklegs, and 3 swampflies (and a partridge in a pear tree!)
All at one time. I was laughing so hard, I had to pause the game. My solution was to turn my characters around, cast "Flaming F**t" (my pet name for "Circle of Fire") on them, and watch the monsters go to toast. Want to know what the simultaneous yelping of spiders, worgurs, rattkins, and swampflies sounds like? It was a hoot!
That's what makes the game so fun.
-Sazerac