How do the expansions work?

[Hayashi]

I have both HoW and TotLM. How do the expansions work? I gather that the end of IWD is the end of the game, and that you need to do the expansions first before proceeding to the endgame of the main IWD game. Correct?

If so, around what level should my party be before venturing into HoW and Trials? Don't want to start those expansions and get creamed because my party is not at a high enough level. The manual recommends at least level 11 (iirc) before trying out HoW. Is this OK? Or should it be higher/lower?

Thanks.

[JR Jansen]

Yes you have to do the expansions before completing IWD. Level 11 sounds about right for HoW. As for trials, do everything in HoW first except going to the very last area to fight the dragon.

JR

Damned i lost cousin Jan's techno gloves

[Sazerac]

Sorry to differ, but you can finish IWD before starting HoW. Once you go back to the main screen, start up a new game under "Expansion Only" and import your characters. Your party will find itself in Lonelywood, meeting with the old Barbarian shaman, and then start the expansion.

I don't know if this works with Trial of the Luremaster. But I'm not planning to play that one, so...



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[JR Jansen]

Of course, you are right Sazerac. But it makes more sense to me to do it as one game instead of loading your end party from IWD. You'll at least be able to use all the items from How. And for trials, that absolutely needs to be done before fighting the last boss from How. Otherwise you'll be transported back to Kuldahar without being able to ge back to loneleywood.

JR

Damned i lost cousin Jan's techno gloves

[Ronn_Bman]

Ok, I finished IWD months ago and unloaded the program, but I still have my saved games. I have just installed HoW and have ToLM ready to install. So should I load a save prior to finishing IWD? Then play through the others avoiding the final battle until I'm sure I've finished everything in ToLM?

I just don't want to miss anything. Seems like it would have been better if it just merged seamlessly like Throne of Bhaal

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An elevator smells different to a dwarf.

[Leafy]

yeah, avoid the final battle (make sure to unlock the door with those badges first!) and move on to HOW. Play HOW until after you meet the seer in the opening movie, then consider Luremaster? The only thing that bumms me out about this transition is that you HAVE to complete IWD to get the Sword of Aiohen which can be used in HoW for cool purposes. so they almost expect you to play IWD first, then import to HOW and LM. but by doing that, it resets your party statistics, and those are how i measure the coolness for each character! crap!

[Magness]

Minor spoiler
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Yes the restored Blade of Aihonen is a pretty good sword.
But ...
But...
BUT ...
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In HOW it can get even better!!! It can become the Singing Blade of Aihonen!!!
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It turns out that the dwarven smith up in the Gloomfrost was the original maker of this blade. After bugging him a little (assuming that you still have the 'restored' version of the sword), he will realize that you have it. He'll take it from you (without asking) and repair/upgrade it to its full potential!!

I discovered this totally by accident. What a find!!!

[Hayashi]

Originally posted by Sazerac: Sorry to differ, but you can finish IWD before starting HoW. Once you go back to the main screen, start up a new game under "Expansion Only" and import your characters. Your party will find itself in Lonelywood, meeting with the old Barbarian shaman, and then start the expansion.

If I finish my IWD game, then import into HoW, will I get to keep whatever cool stuff I found, or would it be like BG2:ToB where you get a bunch of generic high-powered weapons and armour?

[cattspell]

I finshed IWD long before I got HOW. I imported the party from IWD into the game it appears they have all the equipment and items they had before