HoF too easy?

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Thanks for the tips! I appreciate the suggestions and the additional info.

I don't think I've really got any mods going on besides an updated item exclusion file (to allow use of any armor with any magical protection) and the high-level-spell-writeability mod. The only unusual thing I can think of is that I'm running with TotLM installed but I'm using the patched HoW IDMain.exe file; there was some strange bug I ran into with the TotLM executable where all battle sound effects were replaced by the "crunching beetle" sound. Couldn't resolve the bug but someone here suggested switching out the IDMain.exe and it worked.

I did try the Chromatic Orb thing -- she survived 7 of them between my two spellcasters with no effect. I also discovered that I still have the web spell, so maybe I'll try that if it scribes OK. The last battle seemed almost possible, if I can score a hit on Yxonumei with a weapon. Confusion spells put most of the bodyguards against each other (which is helpful, but I hate to lose out on the XP when they kill each other).

I'll check with the Throwing Axe +2, as well -- the paladin has some skill with axes, so if it works it would be great!

[ January 30, 2007, 04:48: Message edited by: Otis ]

 

If Yxonomei has about 50 magic resistance and perfect save vs. spells only 1 of 40 chromatic orbs (average) will stun her. 7 attemps without success doesn't prove she's immune, you might still be successful if you try it again.
She's definitely vulnerable to the "web" spell.

You don't need a "high-level-spell-writeability mod". With HoW installed you can scribe all mage scrolls. Your diviner won't be able to scribe level 9 spells anyway, since both of them are from the opposing conjuration spells.

Don't bother too much about XP, at "insane" difficulty each party member should be able to gather more than 5,000,000 XP, and HoF mode grants even more XP for killing monsters (x4+2000 instead of x2) which should be more than enough to take each of your party members to the level cap. And if you are in dire need of XP you can gain it easily from the respawning skeletons in the SE VoS tomb.

You can buy +3 weapons in Kuldahar, but I'd rather start HoW than waste money for this.

 

Waa, I will play HoF too, just wait, I will be at home for one week after this Friday...I may just be able to finish HoF! (feeling over-confident for some reason) That is, if I have time from playing BG2. (I missed it so much!)

Otis, diviner is a bad kit, he can not cast ANY lvl 9 spells which is a waste for a single classed mage at HoF difficulty as he has the potential to have lots of free 9th lvl slots. Change his kit to something else via Dale Keeper, if you like.

 

But the diviner fits perfectly to the "Six Hopeless Clowns" philosphy.

 

Hey, hey -- victory!

Turns out the Throwing Axe +2 could hurt her after all. Nice tip! Not sure why it works, though... is this a bug?

Got lucky at the start with a confusion spell working vs. two of the yuan-ti mages. Taking down the last one was not such a problem -- with the whole party working on it, the stoneskin didn't hold out long enough for it to get protection from normal missiles cast.

Confusion also kept all of the bodyguards busy. Once Yxonumei came out swinging, the paladin just kept throwing that axe while the rest of the party dealt with the henchmen. Web spell turned out to be useful, there -- those bow-wielding yuan-ti elites did some damage before a hail of fireballs and arrows did them in.

In the meantime, the paladin had lured Yxonumei into a monkey-chased-the-weasel game around the torture racks in the room to the north. I had enabled auto-pause-at-end-of-turn, so it was possible to manage the two battles simultaneously. Once the henchmen were all dead, another character took over the decoy role and about two dozen trips around the table (and one lance of disruption) later, she finally fell.

Still feels like a bit of an exploit, but, then again, putting a +3 weapon requirement at that point doesn't really seem like proper game balance, either.

[ January 30, 2007, 04:49: Message edited by: Otis ]

 

Yxonumei should only require +2 weapons. One of my main tactics for taking her down every time i have played the game has been to collect up those +2 arrows in combination with the messenger of Seth on the way down.

 

IIRC, it is AB's 'Harder Yxunomei' component that makes her imune up to +2 weapons. In an unmodded game, Yxunomei can be hit with +2 arrows and weapons.

Good job on defeating her, BTW! You are my new idol...a least till I defeat her in HoF too!