Calling to all who...

[Roboghost]

ZFR:

Go for the random Flaming Long Sword +2 on DE5 -- too many damn trolls still down the road to be bothered with {this sword is good for the undead in the Hand as well since the Confusion sword doesn't do squat to confuse most of them - take advantage of that little bit of extra fire damage and it also enables you to keep track of which tank is which.}

"Cheat"-time:
1. Pop in to level 5 and save (after the "little" girl spews "her" speech.)
2. Take a thief and go invisible (potion or spell.)
3. Untrap / unlock your way to chest against back wall (RIGHT) in first keyhole and peak in the chest to see if it is there. Odds are 1 in 7 [yuck.]
4. If you get it, restore save and...happy BOSS hunting : )

Of ALL the random items (especially in HoF) - this one is probably the most important IMHO. But; I do like watching a troll explode to bits after getting zinged with the Confusion sword and then take a hard hit after!

[ 05-16-2006, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]

[Aerich]

I disagree about the importance of the random flaming long sword. You can get the same sword from the adventurer on DE lvl 4, so missing the random one isn't a big deal.

My favourite random item is the Repeating Heavy Crossbow. It isn't critical to the party's survival, but it's hugely destructive in the hands of a crossbow specialist.

If you're running a druid, maybe the most important HoF item is the Bone Marrow Belt. With the right shapechange it gives immunity to slashing weapons, providing a perfect tank against many dangerous enemies.

[ 05-17-2006, 02:34 AM: Message edited by: Aerich ]

[Roboghost]

If you roll play good - and don't want to off the prisoners in DE4 - then getting the Flaming sword on DE5 is still it. I roll play the crossbow to my Gnome fighter -- he looks funny with a heavy crossbow, so I pick the random Repeating Light Crossbow [this thing doesn't do the damage as those uber heavy crossbows, but is fast and furious none the less.]

Calculations:
Throwing Axe +2 can do 59-77 damage per round with *****
{see number 3 below} [17 * 3.5 to 22 * 3.5]

Repeating Light Crossbow does 31-63 damage per round with ***
{see number 4 below} [7 * 4.5 to 14 * 4.5]

1. 100% hit (a lucky round)
2. rounding down
3. having 18/00 STR & wearing Gauntlets of Weapon Expertise
4. normal bolts

These being my final goals with my little Gnome Fighter's range abilities!

Oh, that Marrow Belt is nice for sure [I pick it as my random], but I use it on my Gnome fighter -- who can wear a combo of items to be 100% resistant to slashing [see cheat below] instead of my druid when need be. My druid stays busy with spells most of the time or sling (14-17 damage per attack with my final fighter/druid's sling and normal ammo.) I rarely use shapechange expect when I want to {hint} moon a Burning Skeleton or other such strategic uses of the shapechange...


**item spoilers**
.
.
.
.
.
*100% slashing in order and without Bard [need when you hit castle]
Clasp of Bron's Cloak $
Bone Marrow Belt *
Morning Star +4: Defender *
Studded Leather of Resistance +3 *
(there may be one in the castle that is not random)
Sundered Shield of Tiernon (repaired)
5 + 50 + 20 + 15 + 10 = 100

$ = buy
* = random

It pays to have BOTH tanks skilled with the mace as their blunt ; )

[ 05-18-2006, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: Roboghost ]

[ZFR]

As for random items, I'm afraid it is "take-what-is-offered-no-reload-for-changing-random-items" game for me. So thanks for the advice, but no reloading. And while I didn't kill adventurers on level 4 for the flaming sword, it isn't really terribly important since anyway I got a hammer with 25% acid damage and dagger with 50% fire damage, so I'm fine against trolls.

And as for most important random item somehow for me it was always the armor that allows you to cast spells. Really liked it.

[Dundee Slaytern]

As far I am concerned, Trolls are not an issue on HoF. Certainly not to the extent whereby the Long Sword of Flame is important. There are simply soooo many ways to finish off a Troll, that unless you intentionally crippled yourself, you WILL have a method to get rid of them.

[ZFR]

Beat Yuxomenei without any major problems on my first try. Didn't use any special tactics.

Simply reteat all to upper room, cast all entangle and web, buff, move one with ring of action to trigger dialogue, go back to rest of party... cast all area effect spells an their mothers. The only one which was fairly important was insect plague to prevent spellcasting, but even without it you could do. I cast all I had, it was an overkill really. Then it was just a matter of picking up stragglers with ranged weapons. When Yux made it she had no support and was on Hurt. Took her down with spells and Axe+2 returning (didnt use magic ammo) while distracting her with summons, ocasionally making a few hits with mellee and retreating fast to heal (she could still take down my tanks fairly quickly if left in melle for more than a round).

Onwards to Dragon's Eye Severed Hand!

EDIT: oops sorry I meant Severed Hand [img]graemlins/blush.gif[/img] .

[ 05-29-2006, 06:02 PM: Message edited by: ZFR ]

[Aerich]

Umm, you just beat Dragon's Eye. It's onward to the Severed Hand.

The difficulty in that fight varies depending on how quick Yuxonomei gets through the obstacles. Sometimes you luck out and she gets stuck behind her Webbed cohorts, where you can focus fire on her and kill her before she even gets near enough to melee. If you can hit her with a Slow, it's even better.

[ZFR]

After a long pause I finally managed to continue again and played for a few days. Finished Severed Hand with no major incident, except the fact that I didn't get the casting armor from Kaylessa.

On to Dorn's Deep now. Just finishing the mycynoid area.

Currently my kill/XP percentage is somewhere like:

Cleric/Ranger: 23%
Fighter->Druid dual (currently level 13 Fighter): 22%
Dwarf Fighter/Cleric: 21%
F/M/T: 19%
Fighter/Druid multi: 11%
Bard: 2%

[Aerich]

Did you not find any elven chain at all? There's at least one other place to acquire it besides from Kaylessa.

[ZFR]

Nope, not a single one. I'm not even sure where that other place is.