Advice for a first-time HoF run?

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So the party I'm bringing into HoF from my normal run is:

• Oglaf Thunderstone, CE duergar Fighter 4/Barbarian+ - Currently a level or so before he gets greater rage. His Weapon Specs for Maximized Attacks went into greatswords and maces, but I'm starting to wish I got him halberds instead. He's your basic "take lots of damage, dish lots back out" kinda guy.
• Dylan Scarholt, CG aasimar Battleguard of Tempus - So far my only problem is he's the only one in the party who got hit by blasphemy in the finale, otherwise he's been a great secondary tank, a passable healer and occasionally helps with crowd control.
• Terrence Ashcroft, NE tiefling Rogue 1/Diviner+ - The skill monkey (for locks/traps) as well as our main crowd control/debuffer. I got him spell focus in enchantment, transmutation and evocation (but I feel like that third one was kinda wasted).
• Qurion Whisperwind, LE drow Sorcerer - The diplomat and artillery, evocation and necromancy for his spell focus. His damage output was great in Normal, but his having to rely more on Symbol: Hopelessness and Finger of Death in HoF is slightly alarming.

I built the party based on a number of different powergaming/optimization FAQs and then brought in my personal preferences. So far HoF hasn't been too hard (I'm just in the prologue though), but can anyone give me any advice or warning on possible bits that might be undoable if I screw(ed) anything up with my party's build?

 

Other than not having a HoF-worthy tank, your party seems mighty fine. A cleric, a mage and a rogue wannabe is all you need, really. OK, technically you don't need a rogue, but I'd consider some spots somewhat cumbersome without one.

You'll soon find out that you need to replace that Barbarian of yours with summons when anything beyond trivial mobs need to be tanked. His 300+ hit points is what, half a dozen hits until dead by an average HOF monster?

 

Hmm. Any recommendations for an HoF-worthy tank with minimal to no alterations to the current party lineup? I was considering restarting to get me a MC'd paladin for holy avenger shenanigans, or perhaps go with a completely evil party -- in which case I'm set on going with a Baneite cleric for the WIS bonus, but I dunno whether to bother getting him some additional proficiencies or to go straight for spell focusing in the control-y stuff. How different is the game if your cleric's got spontaneous inflicts instead of cures?

 

There's more than one way to skin a cat, but a HOF worthy tank is almost invariably a Deep Gnome of some sort, unless you want to live with short duration, once a day buffs keeping your front liners up and kicking. Also, you pretty much need a level 12+ Druid for that.

You're aiming for at least upper 60s in AC, preferably 72+. Better than stellar Will saves*, Spell Resistance, Evasion and at least decent hit points (in that exact order of importance) are a great help as well.

* = Alternatively, you could consider 24/7 coverage with Mind Blank, Chaotic Commands, Magic Circle Against Evil and Death Ward as a substitute for the real thing.

 

Fighter4/barbarian x is ok for HoF mode, you have a few hitpoints and gain damage reduction as you level up as barbarian. Rage will grant 3 extra hitpoints per level when he's close to death.When combat gets rough he can stand in the second row behind summons with a long range melee weapon (you can use halberds or spears even when you aren't specialized) or even further in the back with a throwing weapon or sling.
The battleguard can tank quite well with the heal spell and you can have your diviner or sorcerer tank with mirror image, fire shield and other buffs if you want, but just having the cleric cast "animate dead" and using ranged weapons is easier. Spells like "improved invisibilty" and "stoneskin" will let your party last longer.

Your party will do fine, no need to worry. Don't forget to get the book which summons air elementals from Ulbrec's house and to pickpocket the "lucky knucky" from the guy in the weapon shop.

 

72+ AC characters are very useful in HoF mode, but not vital. Proper buffing will empower your other characters well enough to face the onslaught. Consider adding another cleric, since cleric buffs are the most useful and essential spells in HoF.

 

Sounds like a plan. Will that Deep Gnome druid involve a monk dip for the AC, or will a pure druid be able to get that fine? That alternative sounds pretty good for me too, since I've been considering having my cleric start buffing more often; a lot of his lower-level control and status-effect-curing spells just tend to sit there unused.

Thanks for reminding me, I keep forgetting that you can actually use the halberd reach over someone. I didn't know about that elemental book either; as for the Knucky, am I better off sticking it on someone to improve saves, or did I make the right choice by sticking it on the dwarf since he's already got Improved Crit?

Will the additional cleric (and possible the aforementioned deep tank too) be able to catch up with the XP fast enough to be useful, or will I have to resort to other means (i.e. restarting, or console cheats) to bring 'em up to par?

 

Good question. A 2nd high level cleric would be preferable, as i'm not certain how a newly added cleric would hold up in combat in HoF. But rest assured that its spells will be of great use; spell levels 2-5 contain the best buffs, and you can get a new character up to level 9 in no time. Some buffs will be limited in duration, but that just means you need to time the castings more effectively. Consider using autopause:spell cast

 

DG Druid tank is pretty doable but not optimal. I wouldn't try the high WIS route with a DG though due to extreme multiclassing exp penalties since you'd also "want" to have a level in Dreadmaster and/or Rogue (for the headband). Pure DG Druid gets to 65+ AC anyway.

Luck doesn't improve saves (tested myself). You're better off giving the luck items to your top dps dudes.

Since you'll bring the average party level down by zounds, you'll get them to level 10+ in no time flat. But during the first couple of areas, yes, they'll be mostly in the way.

 

I see no reason why you should add cheesy alien mule characters to your party to take away the last bit of challenge from HoF mode. Any of your characters could solo HoF mode if desired.

Any 2-handed weapon has long range. Consider the +2 luck from the knucky as +2 to hit, +2 to damage and 2 improved criticals feats.
The defensive benefit of luck is that it reduces the damage rolls your character has to make when hit by a spell, so with 5 luck a fireball will always do only 10 damage to him instead of 10-60 for example, it doesn't affect saves.

 

Being able to =/= recommended. Unless you're a masochist.

It's actually slightly better than that, since any luck bonus also takes away the possibility to roll a natural 1, ie. Critical Miss, so you can actually achieve 100% chance to hit with it.

 

Tested?

My frontliners were DG Monks so it's not something I ever even looked at. Unbreakable SR + improved evasion...