Anyone still playing HoF in mode?

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I can not really force myself to play HoF mode. There are a number of reasons.

-First, if I start with a party at HoF, it is too difficult, which is nice as I like it hard, BUT it does not make much sense to me, being a true AD&D fan. I finished the Orc Caves barely, had some fun but could not continue for some reason or another. I guess it is not my type of playing. It is too damn hard at first, and a moment later you level up a lot and it gets easier. Makes no sense to me!

-Importing exported characters from a last save game. Now, this works wonders in IWD2, I really really enjoyed the HoF mode there, for it was still very difficult from the start for my advanced party. It is not like that in IWD, my advanced parties have excellent ACs, THAC0s, items, spell selections etc that the goblins/orcs stand NO chance against me. Advanced, supposed to be tough HoF orcs can not hit my tanks without a roll of 19 or higher, and when I summon an elemental, or two, the game is finished:Orcs can not hit and damage the elemental as they only have normal, unenhanced battle-axes! Game quickly becomes boring and pointless, whereas in IWD2's HoF those damn goblins managed to give me a hard time thanks to their super BABs.

Another reason is that IWD2's HoF had the cooler and better versions of ALL magical items found in normal game and it was really worth playing to get those cool beyond words items. Sadly IWD does not have something like that (AFAIK), so a wholly equipped advanced party will not enjoy the game in HoF, as they will find the very same items/weapons/armors they already own. Sucks big time.

Do you think IWD's HoF just not enhanced enough for advanced, high lvl parties who have finished the game? Or is it due to 2E rules? That HoF is not suitable for 2E rules.

Further, I now really enjoy playing with Auril's Bane installed on Insane Difficulty, though I edited a file in game files to overcome %200 dmg bonus done to my party, as well as the ridiculous %200 XP bonus rule! Extra dmg and experience make no sense and are more trouble than blessing, and that double XP actually made my game a lot easier once!

HOWEVER, playing on insane diff. has better suprises:more enemies, hardest spawns possible, enemies actually have a luck bonus or such as they hit more frequently, and they behave more intelligently and cast better spells.

Can anyone confirm the exact modifiers to creatures in HoF and Insane settings? I am really curious, so, for example, will Isaracht be a real scary challenge or still a wimpy pushover in HoF?

Also, thanks to AB mod I can no longer import my advanced parties, the screen just freezes when a game starts with them in it. Must be due to orisons or cantrips or some such. Or is 3E pack's bonus spells component to blame? Anyone having the same problem?

What do you think, please share your ideas with me.

 

Never tried a full party or starting with high level characters, but it was fun enough for me to play 3 HoF solos including expansions starting from scratch. (no mods installed)

I couldn't make myself finishing an IWD2 HoF game on the other hand, the last I aborted after my solo druid reached level 30 and won the highest levels of the battle squares. The HoF mode in IWD2 seems to be easier for me, summons like boneguards are too powerful and imaging a mirror imaged invincible sorc who just walks around killing enemies nearly on the spot with the overpowered WotB doesn't sound appealing to me. What do you need overpowered equipment for if you are already overpowered ?

I'd rather say the 2e rules are better for HoF mode, since 2e casters don't become that overpowered.

I think your invincible elementals are a mess-up from Auril's Bane, in my game I didn't experience this (I didn't use this spell often however, but if elementals were immune to normal weapons in a unmodded game someone else would have found out this earlier.)
I'd rather say Auril's Bane was pointless, with an armor which made immune even to Iron Golem or Behilfet's attacks, and if you can have 9 attacks per round with a weapon with 30 percent chance to insta-kill even the end boss you can imagine how challenging the final battle will be.

I didn't experience more intelligent behaviour or better enemy hits on insane difficulty, the few extra monsters don't really increase the challenge.

HoF monsters get hitpoints *3 +80, attack twice as often and do double damage, how big the bonusses to AC, thac0 and saving throws are I don't know, but it should be easy to try it out if you're really interested.

 

Silverstar: Try play a normal game to level 10 or so (if you want a challenge try easy mode!) then import them into HOF, that way you get some halfdecent starting equipment, and a better starting level base. You avoid the level 20 crazies, and dont have to start from level 1 and spend 4 hours to kill orcs.

I don't bother with HOF in any of the games myself.

 

@kmonster

Heh, I love IWD2'S HoF on the other hand as I am a total mage fan.

I agree that some items in AB is rather unbalanced, like that armor which grants immunity to most melee damage in game, but the solution is easy:I will not buy them. I like other enhancments offered by the mod though.

Aren't elementals immune to normal weapons in the unmodded game as well? Then the first few chapters should be a walk in the park in HoF if you have that spell.

Well, for example, I played the fight vs Terikan at core and insane settings. Insane setting was more difficult as there were some Greater Mummies which casted high lvl spells such as Symbols and Searing orbs and all...could be coincidence?

@Raptor

Like the idea, but as long as I have AB installed I can not export my characters, the game freezes upon doing so..bummer.

I also can not use DK, thanks to AB again. Any solution/idea will be welcomed, though I know best advice will be uninstalling the mod. I do not understand, why the designers did not make a more likeable, user-friendly mod?

 

I find it too difficult already! If I didn't start out with a cleric, I would have got my ass kicked by the undead.

 

@Cúchulainn

So you start with a lvl 1 party? Can a newly created cleric be of any help against the toughened up undead around?

 

In that area with all the different cave entrances? I can turn a good lot of them, but never destroy them.

 

I enjoyed HOF mode a lot but more for the crazy long campaigns you have to do to beat every battle. It was a lot of fun killing those fire giants near the end of the game becasue they just...kept on...coming ahhhhh. it was nuts. Dont worry too much about the elementals they will become fodder in not to much longer. Believe me when they made that mode they made it so you need summons to live if you want to beat everything to a bloody pulp.

 

^But the first few chapters would be rather boring still since no enemy can hurt your elemantals until late in the game where the enemies get magical weapons. This is not fun. In IWD2 even prologue is rather difficult if you are not prepared.