Is HoF mode possible starting with 1st level characters?

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I figure this would be really, really difficult, but after handling the Prologue might get a lot easier, since you'll probably level up so much.

I don't think I would try this myself, since I have yet to complete the 1st Chapter, but I was just wondering what some others' experience was.

 

I don't think it's possible...others are welcome to offer happier experiences, but my L1 parties were consistently, and disastrously, disemboweled by the first goblin right after disembarking.

 

No ... I'm pretty Goddamn sure that you can't. If you've played through HoF, you'd know how many goblins there are at the beginning as well as how powerful they are. I'll admit you would end up getting A LOT of XP ... but not before you get shredded to bits!

If you want to try it, have a go and see what happens ... make sure you tell me how long you last!!!

 

Its possible allright but painful(and boring). I managed it before realising when they said you should start with level 15 characters they meant it. It was only possible because my characters were mainly spell casters (a druid, cleric, sorc and wizard). Thus i could just summon and remain behind the summons permanently since summons get HoF enhanced. However this was very time consumming and sometimes really hard. The warehouse battle was particularly annoying since the archers kept killing me before i could cast and they surrounded me and thus i couldnt block them off with summons. It was only through sanctuary and the book that summons an air elemental(found in the lords house) and getting most of the rest of my party to leave the warehouse but the one doing the summoning(and the one summoning to stay in a corner out of sight) that i managed to win.

In the end of the targos palisade seige i managed to reach around level 13-14(on ECL characters) with very little level squatting. But then i got bored of just summonning without being able to kill things in melee(due to the lack of magical weapons as i didnt have enough money to buy the powerful ones from targos) as well as my wizard being almost USELESS since i had no high level spell scrolls. So i just loaded back to when i was level 10 or so then exported the characters to normal mode(i didnt want to lose all my hard work in levelling but 13 is a bit high to kill normal goblins). And then i was forced to slog through tons and tons of goblins and other stupid monsters for NO exp.

In summary its possible(with the right party) but hard since the equipment you have isnt that useful and you cant afford to buy targos items(which are really good and you should stock up on items from normal mode before exporting so you can sell them). And wizards are really hard off in this since they have no spells. But possible since summons gain HoF enhancement and thus a level 1 summon is equivalent to a goblin and you'll verse lots of single goblins which give you around 1-2 levels each kill at the start!!! And with multiple summoners(summoning multiple monsters) to beat hordes of goblins its not IMPOSSIBLE just annoying.

[ November 22, 2005, 11:25: Message edited by: Goon66 ]

 

Some people have claimed in the past that it is possible, using a variety of ultra-cheesey tactics and very boring hit and run and hit and run and hit and run and reload maneouvres.

 

I did fine with lots of Summon Monster I. Summons get the same HoF HP boost that monsters do. Cast them ahead of you when you know there is an encounter so the monsters lock onto them instead of you.

Invisibility and Mirror Image are lifesavers.

And yes you do level up very fast at first.

 

Goon66 is right. You can start off in HoF by extensive use of summons but damn is it boring.

I started off with a solo sorcerer who picked all the summoning spells possible. Sorcerer is better since he does not have to sleep to get his levelup spells activated. He was level 10 in the docks alone
It was so boring I never left Targos.

I think Gothmog finished an HoF nly game. Search for his posts.

 

Well summoning a lot and charming goblins may work. What is the Will save of HoF goblins? Not that great I hope? A good caster with 20 ability and greater spell focus may be succesful?

Will you really try it?