IWD:HoW:TOTL - best order to play??

[Nutman]

Gidday, I finally managed to get HoW today and are downloading TOTL (and are currently just starting CH3 in IWD).

What is the best order to play IWD/HoW/TOTL ?? From reading posts it seems to me its best to start HoW after reaching LV9, is best to do HoW before the final area of IWD, but is also best to finish TOTL before finishing HoW. Make sense??

Without any major spoilers, does completing HoW and TOTL before finishing IWD make you too powerful for the final IWD area, ie, can it unbalance the game??

Any help appreciated

cheers
Nutman

[Dundee Slaytern]

I play in order of convenience.

Naturally, we start with IWD. When you mark Lower Dorn on your map, it is convenient to exit from the entrance of Lower Dorn back to Kuldahar.

In Lonelywood(HoW), how shall I put this without spoiling? I wait until I get a certain black item, use it one time to enter an area, talk a bit, then go back to Lonelywood to talk to the Halfling to transport me to the TotL.

Finish TotL, go back to Lonelywood, finish HoW, go back to Lower Dorn, finish IWD.

[ZFR]

Dont delay with starting ToTL btw. There is a certain point in HoW after which you cant start ToTL.

[NobleNick]

Nutman,

Dundee is right: there are many ways you can do this; however, the preferred path by many (including myself) is:

1.) Play IWD through to just before entering the chamber of RBP. (Make lots of saves to different game names, once you hit LDD area.) This gives your party the most expo possible before HoW.
2.) Return to Kuldahar and start HoW.
3.) Play HoW through to just before taking up a certain person's offer (no where near Lonelywood) to take a boat ride. Decline the boat ride (you can take it later) and return to Lonelywood to (important) poke around a bit. This gives your party the most expo possible before beginning TotLM.
4.) Then do TotLM.
5.) Return from TotLM and finish HoW.
6.) Return from HoW and finish IWD.

I can't answer the balance question, since I have not fought the climatic IWD battle after HoW and TotLM. However, that last battle is very tough; so I don't think toughening up your party first is going to make the last IWD battle less fun. (It might make it less frustrating, though!)

There is a way to have your cake and eat it, too: After completing Step 1.), do Step 1.A) ---> play your party through to the end of IWD, as if HoW did not exist. After experiencing the climactic battle, simply reload from your most appropriate Step 1.) "LDD save" and continue with Step 2. I did this and found it fun, plus it will be nice to see how my toughened party performs in comparison.

Hope this helps.

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

[Nutman]

Gidday,

thanks heaps for all the replies, all very helpful!!

cheers
Nutman