HoF Suicide?

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Recently (as in the other night) I picked up the first cleric I built in IWD2 (lvl 14) and decided to start HoF thinking "It can't be That Hard, can it?" I had a huge ego boost with my cleric because she can definitely do some good destruction ( she destroyed the rest of the part [while messing around]).

The first set of goblins in the Palisade completely jumped all over me and after a bit of screaming on my side I managed to kill 'em.
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Seeing how the game gets harder and harder, Is it just completely absurd to try and solo with a cleric?

I would really hate to gt to chapter 2, get horribly frustraighted due to constant death and quit IWD2 again ><

 

It's surely doable with a cleric, HoF mode has even been soloed with a monk.

You just have to change your tactics, direct damage spells aren't that effective any more and melee combat has to be avoided.

Use summoning spells, you should be able to summon 5 greater boneguards now which totally own the chapter1 enemies who should have trouble to overcome their damage resistance.
You can also summon many powerful boring beetles and other monsters for support.

Disabling spells like "greater command" or "symbol of hopelessness" also become far more useful, but in the earlier chapters just watching or supporting your summons with ranged weapons is sufficicient.

Hit-run-hide tactics can also help, any character can sneak in IWD2 even without skillpoints.

Your game will be easier if you multiclass your cleric depending on your stats (if you introduce her you will get advice), but a pure cleric should still be doable with some skill.

 

Oh man, I didn't even think of disabling spells!

I absolutely love love love greater boneguards but somethings against me and I usually get zombies (still effective but so so slow)

As of right now I'm though the first part of Chapter one and I can't believe how fast I leveled! I ended up taking a class of fighter for the AB and extra feet for lvl 18 but I feel so wrong inside ruining the purity of a cleric >.<

What exactly do you mean by Introduce her?

 

Name, race, classes, levels, alignment, stats, feats, skills, special equipment, ...

 

Did you solo that cleric through the regular game? Because you should be above level 14 if you did...

 

Luthien: CE Drow (17)Cleric/(1)Fighter
18 10 14 12 23 14
Feats: Combat Casting, Dash, Scion of Storms (Talos), Strongback (I <3 loot [I know its not useful XD]), & Subvocal casting
Skills: Concentration (26) Spellcraft (17).
Spells: ... I change my spells by the area

and No I didn't solo though the regular game, Rastor. I partied with my buddy and we took 3 each for a party of 6.

 

The easiest way getting your character through the game is by taking sorcerer or specialist wizard levels from now on.
The level2 spells mirror image alone makes a huge difference, invisibility, improved invisibility, emotion hope, mass haste, ....

But this will change your character, you won't feel like playing a cleric any more, you get an XP penalty and will be forced to raise int or cha at the level ups and/or find an item which increases this stat. I think you'll have more fun without.


If you don't want to go the mage route I recommend taking 20 cleric levels first, so you'll get more of the important level 8 spells. A fighter1/cleric 20 will already get the maximum number of base attacks allowed.


On the long run at least 24 cleric and 4 fighter levels are imho the best choice if you don't want an arcane caster, about the remaining 2 levels I'm not sure.
2 extra cleric levels will grant higher casting level, 2 fighter levels an extra feat, 2 barbarian levels will grant higher speed if you don't wear heavier than medium armor and 2 rogue levels can grant evasion.

Getting higher spellcraft is useless for your character, I recommend spending the skills points elsewhere, sneaking skills can be more useful. When you level up to fighter 4 after cleric 20 don't raise concentration, when levelling up your cleric to 24 afterwards you'll only need 1 skill point for raising it.


As for feats:
"Improved critical" is nice, the damage reduction from the elemental feats isn't bad either, "spirit of flame" even grants higher damage with cleric spells like "flame strike" or "fire storm".
The usefullness of (greater) spell focusses depends on which spells you use. "greater command" benefits from GSF:enchantment, "tremor" from GSF:transmutation, "flame strike" from GSF evocation for example.
Taking weapon specialisation in your favourite ranged weapon isn't bad either, this way you can help your summons finishing your enemies faster. The problem is that your favourite weapon type can change depending on what you find during the game.

 

A lvl of arcane would force me to take off my armor and strip wouldn't it? What I currently have gives me 40% failure to arcane (Plate of Pit Fiend).

Last night when I level'd again I thought about more lvl 8 spells because they give me such warm fuzzies so as of now its 19 Cleric/1 Fighter. 24/4 does sound pretty awesome, if not 26/4.

The higher spell craft was due to regular mode always wanting to know what was being cast to counteract.

As for feats:
Spirit of flame I keep looking at and pondering over but I really only have the 2 named spells.
Same with GSF. The only problem is I put way to many questions and doubt into my head that by changing my spells so much one might become less useful and I should have taken the other. Right now it's a toss up between Necromancy (Destruction, Wail of the Banshee) and Evocation (Chain lighting, Static Domain, Shocking grasp [I have a ton but <3 death magic]).
As for weapon focus, once I get into a weapon I pretty much force myself to stay there. Been using an axe since day one and currently have a Balance that I love oh so much.
Though I did consider looking into 'Heart of X' for a brief moment...

Is it something more I should be looking into?

Thank you though, for all the help! ^.^

 

Spells like "slay living" or "destruction" create an one-attack weapon with a low DC to save against, GSF necromancy or the wisdom modifier don't affect it, enemies will always save 95 percent of the time. But GSF necromancy helps with "wail of the banshee".

The later HoF monsters will have a BAB of 52, so that even an AC of 54 will be hit as easily as an AC of 0 with the first attack.
You won't be able to get your cleric's AC that high, so later in the game special bonusses will be more more important for your armor than the AC granted.

Axe is a good weapon type to specialise in, there are many good throwing axes and you even get the strength bonus to damage. "Champion's strength" is great to increase the damage even further.
Don't worry too much about the other feats, the difference in usefulness isn't that great.

 

Now you're starting to scare me =x

Recently I changed most of my spells to buffs including my favorite of Holy Power. If Necromancy isn't to great should I go with Evocation or something else all together?

 

Take GSF evocation! Evocation spells aren't the most effective spells in HOF, but there aren't too many other great feats.
Improved critical is a must have feat. SoF can be good if you use any fire spells. I usually take AoR for the cold resistance (usually on wizards that have more feats) but that's probably because of the lack of better feats.
The feats that gives better saves and discipline are good fillers.
Rapid shot is a good way to get an extra attack with throwing weapons.
Most other feats are next to useless for your build.

 

Roger that!
Evocation after Improved Crit?

 

You still have at least 6 feats to take.
I'd take improved critical first, followed by weapon focus: axe. When you reach fighter 4 take axe specialisation.

When you meet enemies with over 300 HP it doesn't matter matter much if you do 30 or 60 damage with spells like chain lightning.
But if you manage to make your enemies sleep with "greater command"(enchantment) or inconscious with "tremor"(transmutation) or not does matter a lot on the other other hand.
But each spell focus has its little benefit. You can't go wrong with either of them.

Another advice:
In Targos you can pickpocket "Young Ned's Knucky" from the man standing in the SE in the weapon shop which is by far the most useful amulet in the game (grants +2 luck).
It's definitely worth taking 1 point in pickpocketing at your next level up if you are still in chapter1 then and don't have a point in pickpocket already.
With the DUHM spell and potions of master thievery you should be able to get your pickpocketing skill high enough for this.
Getting this item by killing didn't work for me since Oswald got hostile, ending the game with his his death.

 

I have as much as it will let me get in Axe, That was one of the first things I did in the other party because I was so addicted to 'em. 'S also why I bought the balance.

Where's the 6th? o.o

I'm still in chapter one but If I get that, would it be better wearing that or House of Despana Insignia? Can cast Blur, Acid Arrow and Resilient sphere.

 

You need at least 4 fighter levels for being able to specialise in a weapon.
You'll get feats for reaching character level 21, 24, 27, 30 and bonus feats for reaching fighter level 2,4 and maybe 6, that's 6-7 feats.

The knucky is far better than the insignia, which don't offer any passive bonus at all. I'd only wear such items for using the special abilities, most time I'd keep them in the backpack or bag of holding.

 

Are you sure about the feats?

When I first took the lvl of Fighter I got an extra feat and when going to 2, I only had 1 so I changed my mind and took a lvl of Cleric for more lvl 8 spells.

Ill be sure and try to steal that, or drag in a former rouge for me.

 

I'm quite sure about the feats.
It's supposed to be this way, it was so in my games and I never heard of anyone not getting those feats.

 

Maybe some Deity is mad at me =x

 

Charm Jemiliah before you attempt to steal his Knucky...then you can continue to fish through his pockets until you find what you're looking for without him becoming hostile even if you have a failed pickpocket attempt. He will become hostile after the charm spell wears off, as NPCs do, but it will not cause other NPCs in Targos to become hostile - Jemiliah will attack you every time you enter the store but everyone around ignores his violence.

I agree with kmonster that it is the most useful amulet in the game...definitely worth pursuing.

 

Ok, while I know this is a little old. I started HoF and while it's fun...and the treasure(when you find a HoF item) RULES!! It's a pain in the ass and the groups just blow! Gate....GOOD spell!! Gate it off screen and if you get lucky the group will hoard attack this thing and you can just arrow them to death. That massive DR and HP is a GODSEND!

Another good combo I found is as mentioned before is Symbol:Hopelessness. But I tend to do Malison(Lvl...4 Wiz Spell, either that or 5), then Symbol:Hopelessness, then have the Cleric do Recitation and the wizard cast Emotionespair(who cares if your party takes the -2 to Saves and AB....I've noticed that you hit almost all the damn time anyways), then to finalize it you have the Cleric cast Prayer and the wizard cast Wail of Banshee. Ideally Symbol:Hopelessness with stun them with the help of Malison, they won't eat at your tanks(that die REAL fast in HoF) then with Recitation and Prayer along with Malison is a -5 to all saves(-2 from Malison, -2 from Recitation and -1 from Prayer) and then if they failed the Emotion: Despair save that is another -2 making it -7. And if you have a good Wizard with Great Nerco fous your Wail DC will be in the high 20s(I think I got mine at 30) and it should wipe out a GOOD amount of them.

Sure it takes a bit of time to set up....but it sure as hell saves healing and frustation. Also Mass Dominate is good too!