Enemy AC in HOF

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Any idea whats the highest AC enemies can reach in HOF?

 

HOF mode doesn't really boost monster's AC at all, maybe apart from the extra DEX that they get.

Highest I've seen is the Guardian's AC 35, normal mobs rarely (if ever) pass AC 30.

 

CON not STR

That's why you shouldn't improve the strength of your fighters on level ups, always choose constitution for your frontliners. Enemies GET hit fine, you need protection from THEIR hits, as they hit hard. More hit points in large battles also increases the chance your clerics can get to you and heal. When you're surrounded by many enemies, killing them quicker doesn't help much, since it just frees up an opening for another enemy to reach you and hit you.
Take power attack and set to 5, so you hit a bit harder.

 

With maxHP/lvl on the few extra HP from a higher con won't do that much difference.
A lvl 30 fighter-type char with 25 con (18 starting con and every lvl-up on it, the last odd point should probably be used for something else) will have 510HP (570 for barbarian.) A fighter with maximized str (18 con) will have 420 (480) HP.
The first attack each round don't benefit from the extra attack-bonus from a higher strength score, but the other attacks that round might need it to hit, especially with Power attack on. Also the extra damage on each attack is quite nice.

I guess they are quite even. The extra con might be prefered if you often get surrounded and rely on other to do the damage (spellcasters), while I would prefer the extra damage from the tank to quickly kill the enemies.

 

Grand Finale

***GrayDwarf CEvil Fighter4/BarbarianX 18-18-20*-3-14-1
This character can have 1000+ hitpoints at level 40 with the proper item. 432 (Brb) + 40 (Ftr) + 400 (CON) + 160 (Bloody Wroth Bastard Sword) + 24 (2xkilling dragon) + 100 (Tactics4IWD2 HoF bonus) = 1156 HP, and it can be bumped up by 25% (=1445 HP) if you also equip the Hellfire longsword, a mod item. Of course this requires you install the level 40 patcher.

I just completed the end battle in HoF mode, and I must say that switching Power Attack off when facing Isair and Madae did help. They are the only enemies that are actually hard to hit with Power Attack on. This is strange though, as I'd expect them to have huge damage reduction, not high AC. I believe that HoF Isair and Madae have much higher AC than the dragon.

The normal mode end battle was rather unfulfilling, but the HoF battle was amazing. My tactic was to kill off the minions before going for the twins, not sure if it was the wisest course of action.
I used loads of Executioners Eyes for the battle, 8 or so. I had 1 cleric with 6 resurrections memorized, and the other with 2. Near the end my first cleric died, and the other had used its castings. I was inclined to reload, but the I remembered Sephica's Prayer harp - my wizard has a bard level and could use it. The Slayers and Slayer Knights were killers, and they had killed 3 of my 6 characters quickly, and then my summons kept them busy.

I recently installed the newest version of Tactics4IWD2, halfway into chapter 6. It gave my characters 100 extra hitpoints each, and an extra 20 AC, which made my AC mean something in the battle, though not much. I believe I'd have had a much harder time without this installed.

I think my high constitution + Power Attack it a sound strategy. It enhanced my gameplay, since I wanted to see what it would be like to rely heavily on spellcasting. IWD2 may be a hack 'n slash, but HoF can't be done without lots of spellcasting anyway. Definitely a more tactical game than BG2. The only point where Power Attack was a hindrance was the battle I just did.

It was great fun, now I'm goind to install Weimer's Icewind Gate 2, and beat the crap out of Irenicus with the same party.