Questions and tips for a run

Helmino

Heya all! Back on the forum with some questions , i don't remember much from the past and so i want to ask you some things.
1) Hof run from level 1 is possible with a party of 4 or 6?
2) If you do all the game stuff at wich level you end up with the party?
3) Hof have special loot?
4) Indecided between an assassin or a shadowdancer, there are a lot of backstab immune enemy (eventually sneak attack)? Or my thief will be viable in combat till end?
5) Sneak attack can be applied with ranged weapon? It is limited to 1 at round?
6) Tymora song can compare with skald song in term of damage?
7) Wich weapon specialization you would suggest for a party melee oriented?
8) How much search trap/lock picking/ hide you suggest to put on my thief?
9) How can bard stun enemy every round? Did i miss something?

Thanks all in advance and sorry for my bad english

RAM021

@Helmino‌

1 - yes, yes
2 - really depends upon the difficult you play at, whether you include the expansions or not and party size
3 - not explicitly
4 - yes & yes
5 - not sure; not exactly
6 - no
7 - specialize/master different weapons for each melee; most weapons have good/great options
8 - ~95% +/- ~10%
9 - they cannot, yes

Helmino

RAM021 said:

@Helmino‌

1 - yes, yes
2 - really depends upon the difficult you play at, whether you include the expansions or not and party size
3 - not explicitly
4 - yes & yes
5 - not sure; not exactly
6 - no
7 - specialize/master different weapons for each melee; most weapons have good/great options
8 - ~95% +/- ~10%
9 - they cannot, yes

Thank you for your tips, regarding question 2 a party of 6 at insane or hof i mean. regarding thief instead if there are a lot of backstab immune enemy how they can be good in combat later?

RAM021

2 - ~20 million XP total for the party
4 - there are plenty of trash undead, but there are plenty of other backstab targets not to mention a thief need not merely backstab in order to be good in combat

Helmino

RAM021 said:

2 - ~20 million XP total for the party
4 - there are plenty of trash undead, but there are plenty of other backstab targets not to mention a thief need not merely backstab in order to be good in combat

Thank you any suggestion between assassin/shadwdancer and vanilla bard/skald?
Anyway i Heard that insane difficult become easy the more you advance for the experience gain, while instead the HoF remain difficult for the mob bonuses, is that true?

RAM021

If you like micromanagement, Assassin for the massive multiplier; if you prefer to use AI or play fast & loose then Shadowdancer for the easy hides.

If you are a melee heavy party (~4+ melee types) then Skald for the damage bonus, otherwise True for the song versatility.

I would not say Insane becomes easy, but the extra XP does get you to higher levels faster which could make it easier... HoF is very much the same: its mob bonuses are consistent and result in massive HP gains, but the additional XP again results in faster leveling.

Helmino

RAM021 said:

If you like micromanagement, Assassin for the massive multiplier; if you prefer to use AI or play fast & loose then Shadowdancer for the easy hides.

If you are a melee heavy party (~4+ melee types) then Skald for the damage bonus, otherwise True for the song versatility.

I would not say Insane becomes easy, but the extra XP does get you to higher levels faster which could make it easier... HoF is very much the same: its mob bonuses are consistent and result in massive HP gains, but the additional XP again results in faster leveling.

So for a good difficulty what you suggest? difficult?

RAM021

If you are up for a serious challenge play HoF mode, otherwise start off in Hard and adjust as necessary. The really nice thing is that you are not locked into a single difficult throughout allowing you to tailor the encounters to your abilities and patience ;-)

Helmino

Thank you