HoW:TotL from scratch (solo, HoF, magic school restrictions)

Yigor

I started a new run only in HoW, going directly to the TotL.

Gnome, true neutral, Cleric/Illusionist, STR= DEX=18, CON=15, INT=19, WIS=17, CHA=3.

Starting level: 9/10, wizard spells are restricted to the Illusion/Phantasm school + Find Familiar, Identify and Knock.

My previous runs were on Insane difficulty:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/83050/how-totl-only-from-scratch-solo-moderate-stats-insane-diff

Yigor

Current status: clearing the Watchknights Crypt, level 11/11. 👈

Hermetics

Does hof make find familiar a beast? Might be pretty interesting if it becomes a combat viable pet if it gets those hof bonuses. Solo hof sounds like such tedium not gonna lie. Like you're immortal just off of being a mage but sitting there afking swinging your sword on masses of mobs with 300hp each sounds ugh. and low level so you don't have access to those really good aoe spells yet. Did you deliberately avoid visiting the barbarian village to keep your exp low for the challenge?

Yigor

Hermetics wrote: »

Does hof make find familiar a beast?

My familiar is a rabbit. LoL 🐇😸 Useless in fights, but it can disable some traps. 😜

Yigor

Hermetics wrote: »

Solo hof sounds like such tedium not gonna lie. Like you're immortal just off of being a mage but sitting there afking swinging your sword on masses of mobs with 300hp each sounds ugh. and low level so you don't have access to those really good aoe spells yet. Did you deliberately avoid visiting the barbarian village to keep your exp low for the challenge?

Actually, I played a lot solo HoF, starting at level 1 in Easthaven. This run in TotL is kinda extreme even for "normal HoF". Yeah, I avoided the barbarian village for an additional surviving challenge. 😉

Yigor

@Hermetics Contrary to the Legacy of Bhaal in BG, summoned monsters are quite tough in HoF. My cleric/illusionist uses, in particular, Shadow Monsters and Demi-Shadow Monsters (illusion/phantasm arcane spells of levels 4 et 5 repectively).

Aerich

I’m happy to comment on this thread for Cl/Ill comparison purposes. My 30/30 character finished the crypt in one awake period, but it was not easy. I very much abused Aerial Servant, Mislead, IH and Holy Power (to get Thaco up so I could hit Skeleton Warriors with Three White Doves), DUHM, and Righteous Magic. Yours won’t have many castings in comparison, and will have to take it pretty slow to clear all the chambers. So many chambers…

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

I’m happy to comment on this thread for Cl/Ill comparison purposes. My 30/30 character finished the crypt in one awake period, but it was not easy. I very much abused Aerial Servant, Mislead, IH and Holy Power (to get Thaco up so I could hit Skeleton Warriors with Three White Doves), DUHM, and Righteous Magic. Yours won’t have many castings in comparison, and will have to take it pretty slow to clear all the chambers. So many chambers…

I've just finished the crypt and opened Castle Gates, current level: 16/14. I also used a lot Aerial Servants and an Ice Elemental (summoned by a ring). Shadow and Demi-Shadow monsters are really weak. A Greater Mummy was probably the strongest enemy. Fortunately, that Greater Mummy is not smart. I guess that with a well-written AI, it could be a real danger. 😎

N.B. I've come directly to TotL without buying any scrolls in Lonelywood (+ self-imposed magic school restrictions). So, my Cl/Ill lacks attacking arcane spells. However, I've found a scroll of Disintegrate and exceptionally used it. It's my only arcane spell of level 6 anyway, working well vs harpies and wyverns, for example. No arcane scrolls/spells of level 7 so far. 😼

Yigor

LoL with equipped Chautog's Thinker, my Cl/Ill has CHA = 1 !! 🤣

Aerich

So with Disintegrate, Aerial Servants, weak summons, and probably no TWD, the crypt must have taken a significant amount of resting? How did you deal with multiple Skeleton Warriors?

What ice elemental from a ring?

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

What ice elemental from a ring?

Oops, sorry, from Bracers of Icelandic Pearl (and Water Elemental), U can buy them in the Hobart's shop. 😉

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

So with Disintegrate, Aerial Servants, weak summons, and probably no TWD, the crypt must have taken a significant amount of resting? How did you deal with multiple Skeleton Warriors?

I dealt with them as usual, killing 1-3 (in the beginning, I was able to summon only 1 Aerial Servant) and retreating in order to rest. So, I rested a lot, probably few dozens of times. 😜

Yigor

I've just killed the first Beholder (58,000 XP). An (almost) honest fight, finished in 1-to-1 melee (Beholder annihilated few dozens of my summons). ⚔️

Aerich

I have cleared the second level. Maladurek casts dispel and other goodies too often to be anything less than annoying for a caster solo. I cheesed spectral guards and beholders alike with Mislead. That won’t help you since you lack that spell. You are almost forced to play it more “fairly”.

Oh, and my favourite anti-beholder weapon is Flail of Mae.

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

I have cleared the second level. Maladurek casts dispel and other goodies too often to be anything less than annoying for a caster solo. I cheesed spectral guards and beholders alike with Mislead. That won’t help you since you lack that spell. You are almost forced to play it more “fairly”.

Oh, and my favourite anti-beholder weapon is Flail of Mae.

Good, I've just cleared it too after a long and annoying fight with Maluradek and his constant dispels. 🤪

Rakshasas didn't follow me (that encounter seems to be optional) and my Cl/Ill of level 17/15 descended to Castle Dungeon 1. 👈

N.B. Neither Flail of Mae nor TWD in my possession. Normally, my Cl/Ill uses a morning star Defender+4. 😎

Aerich

Did you take the Defender morning star from the paladin? I ended up killing him conventionally because I didn’t care about the loss of rep, but mostly I don’t do that. I do use it, but there’s just so many good morning stars and flails in TotL.

I’ve thought about offhand if it for the AC and resistance, but I do use Mislead + IH a lot with FoM and TWD, and so the fast flail is typically better for that strategy. If I was playing more straight up and less tricky, I’d offhand the Defender and put on some slash-resistant armor and use Armor of Faith against the spectral guards.

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

Did you take the Defender morning star from the paladin? I ended up killing him conventionally because I didn’t care about the loss of rep, but mostly I don’t do that. I do use it, but there’s just so many good morning stars and flails in TotL.

Yeah, my Cl/Ill killed that pally "to remove his pain" and got that Defender. I use it with shield+3 to get AC=-13 before buffing. 😎

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

I’ve thought about offhand if it for the AC and resistance, but I do use Mislead + IH a lot with FoM and TWD, and so the fast flail is typically better for that strategy. If I was playing more straight up and less tricky, I’d offhand the Defender and put on some slash-resistant armor and use Armor of Faith against the spectral guards.

Okay, good strategy 👍, but my Cl/Ill just can't match those spectral guards in melee. 😼

Aerich

Mine can’t either, which is why I go for tricks and spells. If buffed fully I can last a few rounds against one of them until images/skins/Lathander shields run out, but I prefer not to take risks which is why I tend to use Mislead instead or in addition. Dealing with multiples is also why I considered (too late) a strategy based on DR. One could get up over 50% DR, cast Regeneration, then go melee multiples so long as Armor of Faith lasted.

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

Mine can’t either, which is why I go for tricks and spells. If buffed fully I can last a few rounds against one of them until images/skins/Lathander shields run out, but I prefer not to take risks which is why I tend to use Mislead instead or in addition. Dealing with multiples is also why I considered (too late) a strategy based on DR. One could get up over 50% DR, cast Regeneration, then go melee multiples so long as Armor of Faith lasted.

LoL Take it easy. Cl/Ill is not supposed to be a melee fighter anyway. 😉

Today I made a little break with HoF TotL and played a bit the beginning of ToB on LoB, trying to find the best melee fighter. For example, a fighter dual-wielding 2 Belm (scimitar of speed+2) + Improved Haste has APR =10 ! 😎

Aerich

It’s pretty hard to use items to maximize DR and damage, it’s typically one or the other.

PS. “Best” is too vague. It can be damage, survivability, ease of play, or whatever. In IWD, the best damage dealer is probably a F/M/T with a storm giant strength potion dual-wielding LS of Action +4 under IH and Mislead. That’s 10 bpr (backstabs per round)

Yigor

Aerich wrote: »

In IWD, the best damage dealer is probably a F/M/T with a storm giant strength potion dual-wielding LS of Action +4 under IH and Mislead. That’s 10 bpr (backstabs per round)

Great idea, bro! 👍 I really like those legendary 10 bpr !! 😸 I will test it in BP2 and ToB. 😎

Aerich

At least in IWD, enemies will turn to face a misled attacker unless they have a higher priority. So a distractor summons tends to be necessary for the tactic to work.