questions before starting HoW

[ZFR]

I recently finished Icewind Dale without the how expansion... now im planning to start it with Heart of winter but WITHOUT ToTL. Before I do so I have some questions... if you know please answer all or some of it...

1)
What kind of expansion is How? In baldurs gate 1 the expansion was a coouple of new areas which you can visit anytime during your travels and which you can freely anytime leave back to your normal game and revisit as often as you want. While the ending remained basically same. In Baldurs Gate 2 the expansion was new areas which you could visit only after completing the original and after which you could no longer access the original areas. What about How? I thought it would be like baldurs gate 1... simply new areas to be access through that house in Kuldahar.. with the ending remaining same... but i heard How offers a new ending. also in manual it is written that if you start "Expansion only" you cant go back to original areas...
So how is it? When should i start the expansion areas? after the original ending or during my original adventures? Please explain...

2)
For my ranger i chose trolls for racial enemies in original IWD... now i want a different one... I thought giants, salamanders or umber hulks... but i want monsters which appear frequently in HoW... and not undead... what do you suggest

3)
Do any of the original areas and their quests change after installing HoW? other than new wares in the merchants in kuldahar as the manual says..

4)
What kind of containers are there in How? is there a bag of holding? can these containers be found in original maps..

5)
does heart of fury mode increase the xp which one gets for completing quests or does it affect only the xp for killing monsters?

Thank you all very much.

[Lord Brass]

1. HoW/TotL is similar to BG:ToB. Once you go to HoW you cannot leave and go back; however, you go to TotL via HoW which you can't leave until you've completed. That is, you can't get back to Lonelywood until you've finished TotL. There are new areas, mostly underground/indoors, but it is good. HoW sorts out all sorts of issues, and patches the game far better. Also, it introduces little touches like screen res, and the Tab (or is it Alt) key for finding dropped items or for finding doors. Brilliant stuff.

2. You import your characters directly, so unless you edit your ranger with Dalekeeper, you'll maintain the racial enemy you've previously chosen.

3. IWD stays the same, except for the entry point at Kuldahar, and a toughter end fight.

4. There are scroll cases, gem bags and potion boxes. The uses for which are self-explanatory. There is a bag of holding though. (IIRC you buy it at TotL, but don't quote me.)

5. It increases both. In fact, you can turn up/down the setting anytime you like, so keep it on normal, and turn it up when you get the XP. It's just one thing you can do, and I'm not saying I advocate it.

Hope that helps.

[ 12-24-2002, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: Lord Brass ]

[Cadaukor]

1) You can start HoW when you are still in original IWD. If you do so, when you complete HoW you get back to Kuldahar.

2) There are quite many trolls in HoW too, so don't use DaleKeeper.

3) Some random items change (worse). Specialist mage opposition schools also change (affects only new characters)

4) You can buy scroll case, gem and potion bag in Easthaven. But I think that merchants in Kuldahar have also some.

[Peytin of Rothmire]

1) Both Lord Brass and Cadaukor are right. You are free to go to HOW(the town of Lonelywood) at almost anytime in IWD through the town of Kulduhar. But I think once you are there, you must finish it before returning. I'm not positive as I've never tried to go back until I finished HOW. If you choose an expansion only game you will go directly to Lonelywood with no chance of returning to HOW. Ideally, you would place the badges near the end of HOW but don't go up the staircase. Instead, return to Kulduhar and enter the formally locked door to travel to Lonelywood and begin HOW. If you have a saved game near this point in IWD, boot it up and choose this option. This will maximize your exp before beginning HOW and will allow you to return after finishing HOW to finish the final few IWD battles. If you have HOW, you should d/l ToLM as it is well worth the hours of d/l time. It works the same as HOW in that once you go you must finish it before being returned to HOW. You can begin ToTL by speaking to the character in the inn that offers the adventure quest. Begin this just before leaving for the Isle of Ice. The above description is the way to play all three as one complete game. Much like BG1, the final IWD battle occurs at the end of the expansions.
2) Follow Cadaukor's advice and stick with trolls.
3) The druid and bards classes are better balanced, making them more interesting characters to play throughout IWD also. The areas remain intact. I think there has been some debate on previous posts regarding creatures "calling" to their fellow enemies for assistance. I don't know if this is the case.
4) The bag of holding, if I recall correctly, is a spoil of battle that occurs about 3/4 of the way through HOW. Not so great at that point in the game unless you venture on to ToLM.
5) Personally, I can't comment on HOF as I'm still building a decent party to tackle the game in that fashion. Currently, I'm playing two diff parties, leveling characters as they go to get them fit. There are many previous posts in which HOF is discussed however.

Frankly, If you've gone through the BG series and enjoyed them as I did, you should continue through HOW and ToLM. While, the IWD series is not as large in scope as BG, I have found it to be more versatile in terms of replay, largely due to it being a shorter game overall and as such, you can play through with the same characters in a shorter span and level up.

[ZFR]

There is one thing though.... Im starting a completely new game from scratch... and not continuing my previous game.......

im still not clear about the ending..... does HoW offer a different ending? i.e what is going to be my final battle, is it the same one with the demon in easthaven or is it a different one introduced in HoW?

as for my ranger racial enemy, id like to try something new other than trolls (im starting completely new game, so there is no question of using dalekeeper)... are there giants in How? if so i will take them....

thanks all for answering

[the new JR Jansen]

You get an end battle for HOW but after that you'll be returned to regular IWD and have to go through it to the end battle with the demon.

You do have some giants in HOW but only a few. I would stick with trolls as was mentioned above.