When to start HoW? (warning: spoilers!)

[Shotgun]

I'm just about finished Icewind Dale (am in the crystal tower), and have a question. Is it better to start the HoW expansion now or earlier? I read a couple of posts where they said to start HoW after you insert the badges and meet one of the bosses. Did I wait to long? I can leave the tower (I'm dealing with Pomab right now) and return to Kuldahar. Is that even possible at this point?

Thanks!

[Dundee Slaytern]

You are at the point of no return.

If you had wanted to complete both IWD and HoW within one gamespan, you would have needed to start HoW before you go up the staircase (in front of the six badges).

You cannot exit Easthaven where you are now. As it is, you can only complete IWD first, let the game auto-export your party when you win, and import them when you start a standalone HoW game. You will however, lose most of your gold, items are a bit iffy.

[Shotgun]

Crap! Really? I have several saves, so maybe I'll try to go back and do it again. Darn, I didn't realize that. Is it worth it to play the expansions? I still have IWD2, so am willing to start that.

[ZFR]

The expansion is very much worth it.
IMO, if you have a save right before going up the staircase, load that and go to HoW.
And do you have ToTL?

[Shotgun]

I'm at work (bad girl!), so can't check my saves right now, but I know I have one either just before taking out the idol or just after (hopefully the latter!). If the expansion's worth it, I'll figure it out, even if that means going back a litter further. I made sure to do a lot of saves in that last bit since it was pretty tough. I do have ToTL. I've heard that's hard, yes?

[NobleNick]

Shotgun,

Even if you have to take out the idol again (or go back even further) it is, IMHO, definitely worth it: you get to keep all your goodies and gold. Just before climbing the staircase behind the idol is the PERFECT time to go back to Kuldahar and start HoW.

If you have the save, but have some patience, too; just continue your current game to the final battle and conquer IWD. (You don't lose much expo or game time from the very final chapter.) Then go back to your save, advance to where you would climb the staircase (if you are not already advanced to that point); and then take your party on to HoW. This way, you will get to fight the interesting final IWD battle twice. (And you will definitely want a second try at it, with a stronger party...)

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

[Gage Beefenhunter]

I'm at the final battle also. I know I saved a game at the bottom of the stairs. I'll try that HoW install. Should I go to ID2 first or HoW? Talk to me about this Behlifet character. I've gone at him a couple of different ways and I really don't feel like I have any effect on him. I can't see how I can take care of him 4 HP at a time. I got all this way without any Spoilers or help. I find it hard to understand why I'm so out of sync against this baddie.

[Micah Foehammer]

Installing TolM is definitely worth it. It gives you some additional areas to explore AND updates the HoW patch. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Dundee Slaytern]

Behlifet requires +4, YES, +4 enchanted weapons and is immuned to Lower Resistance.

This effectively means that unless you have been saving your Arrows of Piercing, consider your party archer(s) useless in ranged combat.

Have a Cleric cast Find Traps and stay in the middle of the room, or assign a Thief to Detect Traps in the middle of the room. Whomever contributes less to combat. The traps will dispel your protections, are infinite and not disarmable.

Buff up your tanks with Fire Resistance. Either through spells like Protection from Fire or Potions of Fire Resistance. Since this is the final battle, drink every single beneficial potion you can. Potion of Heroism for HP and THAC0, Potion of Power, Potion of Invulnerability, etc... ...

Oh and depending on your difficulty level, you will also need to handle 2 Iron Golems, and 2 Balors if you are on Hard-HoF Difficulty.

The Iron Golems require +3 enchanted weapons in order to be hit. One nice tactic is to have someone have Haste and lead them on a merry-go-round around any tank that has +3 weapons. Switch roles as bait or attacker when necessary.

The same applies to the Balors, only this time, your archer(s) can help, as they only require +2 enchanted weapons to hit. Bait them and run around the room while your archers whittle down the Balor's HP.

I highly recommend that you get rid of the Iron Golems and Balors first, as it will then allow you to fully concentrate on Behlifet. A sole tank with rock bottom AC (-20 and below) can distract Behlifet.

[Gage Beefenhunter]

Thanks for the Arrows of Piercing tip. That will help. I don't have the Balors,but I did know enough to go right after the Iron Golems. I had a runner deal with Behlifet,but the missle thing against him was hurting me. All the fire protection in the realm still limits the area to deal with when he lets loose. That was what was killing me(literally). Thanks again. I think I had all the other stuff covered. I'll recharge my Helm of Patience and have another round.