When is a good time to start HoW and TotLM?

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As many of you guys know, this is my first time through the game (and I've actually stuck with a party and am in the Elven Ruins now!).

I know I dictate when HoW starts (the Barbarian guy told me to return around when my party was at least at level 10), but what's a good time to really go there? I don't want to enter HoW and TotL at the earliest time possible, do I? I also don't want to go there too late.

Please give me some suggestions on when to go with the Barbarian guy (even if it's just a Chapter number). I don't want to miss out!

Thanks!

 

Do it ethier after you finish the Severed Hand, or when you finish Dorn's Deep.

 

You know, Klorox, there is also the option to play through the whole game all the way to the end.
In the end your characters will be exported, and you can start a new game "expansion only" and import your characters to HOW. That worked best for me

In my opinion you can't go there too late.
Otherwise the end in the "original" game is way too easy IMO. And you can easily wait until the end by going to Lonelywood (HOW) and especially Trials of the Luremaster, it is pretty tough, even for a high level party

 

I tried when I finished the game. I think we were around level 10 or so and we got our butts handed to us. I'd say level 12 is better.

 

Latest chance to start HoW:

When you have opened the stairs up by placing the 6 badges in Lower Dorn's Deep in chapter6.
Once you have gone up the stairs you can't go back any more.

Latest chance to start ToTL:

When you leave for the sea of moving ice you can't go back any more.

I would start the expansions as late as possible.

My recommendation:
1) Finish Icewind Dale.
2) Start HoW with your exported characters
3) Just before leaving for the sea of moving ice go back to Lonelywood and start TotL.

 

The problem with importing is that bags and their contents are not carried forward. So you necessarily have to leave behind a lot of stuff.
That sucks, specially if u r a packrat like me

So go there just before you go to meet Polquin. There is not much of the game left for it to be a walkover.

 

I'm not going to import/export... feels too much like cheating.

Thanks for the input everybody. I'll make sure I leave as late as possible to optimize my chances in these expansions.

 

Hey Klorox, it's not cheating to export your chrs in the end, and continuing the expansion, still my advice
Just make sure to empty your containers for all valuable stuff ...

Well it's your choice... I'm sure you will make it work... And please let us know your progress in the game

 

I've never actually run through HoW or TotL only played through Icewind Dale. I'm currently playing with a party of 4 (a bard, druid, f/m/t and f/m/c), with the intention of exporting the final characters to BGII.

I've just managed to squeak my way through the Severed Hand and was about to move to Dorn's Deep; from reading the thread am I right in assuming I should leave the expansions till the end ?

 

Last time i checked that did not work

[ October 04, 2005, 17:44: Message edited by: raptor ]

 

Uhmm Dark Strider, as well as i know there is NO way to import IWD characters in BG2

 

Actually the expansion was designed with importing your characters in mind, so it definitely isn't cheating
Explanations follow (beware of spoilers):

At the very end of the "normal" game, if you've done the nymph quest properly in the prologue, you'll be given a sword that you can then take into HoW and upgrade later on. So I definitely think this is the way to do things.

As for ToTL, I believe the best time to do it is just before going to the Sea of Moving Ice. However, this one really depends on your personal preference. You can do it earlier if you want to get the nifty items, it won't matter at all.

 

Bugger I was under the impression you could import both IWD and BGI characters to BGII.
Oh well it's still fun just taking the four charcaters through without a tank.