Starting it again

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Ok I know there have abeen a couple similar threads about this recently, but I need rather specific advice. First of all, I have HoW and TotL, and I am thinking of installing Auril's Bane for the added replay value (considering that I have run through IWD once before).
Now my first question is whether or not I should install the 3E Psuedo Conversion Mod. I just finished IWD2, so I'm kinda 3E-ed out. On the other hand, if it allows for less racial restrictions in terms of avaliable classes, or if it changes the multiclass system to the dualclass system of 3E, I would want to install it. However I'm not sure if it does this, and frankly I prefer a lot of the other 2E rules that it apparently replaces.
My second question is whether or not my prospective party is feasible. I'm a fan of small parties, in particular a 4-person party, because it allows for faster leveling without the fear of getting overwhelmed later in the game by hordes of enemies unless you give every character some fighter levels. So my party is thus:

Dwarf Fighter
Gnome Fighter/Thief
Elf Cleric
Half-Elf Bard

I believe this party strikes the right balance between brute strength and spellcasting ability. My biggest concern is the Bard as my primary source of arcane power, but I hope that a small enough party will mean that he levels up quickly enough to offset his slow spell progression. Any advice would be appreciated very much.
Edit: No spoilers for HoW of TotL, please.

 

This is for your second question but I can:t imagine anything less than a 6 man party in this game unless you intend to use a lot of summoning. For me, so many times just having that extra character, who may not have had any real effect in the battle other than standing there to occupy an enemy, really helped out. I hate to say it, but in this game I often feel the results from having a large party often outweigh a smaller more powerful party. Then again, I:ve never tried a smaller party so what do i know (^=^)

 

I could see that party doing fine. Despite what uglijimus said, I believe that 4 characters do fine when they start gaining EXP. Spellcasting, while nice, is not as essential as in BG. A single Bard can handle it as long as you aren't too used to casting lots of spells all the time. Plus, his Bard song is better with HoW installed, which is always good when the spellbook is running low.

Are you sure about the Elven Cleric? While having a Cleric is good, having an Elf increases the cost to bring him back if he dies (Elves require Ressurection, rather than Raise Dead).

I'm afraid I cannot offer any real advice on the 3E conversion mod as I've never used it.

 

I would not use the 3e mod. It doesn't change the way multiclassing works, and by adjusting the amount of xp required to raise levels your characters quickly outpace the enemies encountered making the game way too easy. I tried the mod a short time ago and abandoned the game for the above reasons.
As far as your party is concerned I don't see a problem with them completing the game. It will be a challenge, however.

 

I recomend you to stay well away from the pseudo 3E mod, unless you really know what you are doing. It does not convert entire game to 3E, only small parts to more 3E like, examples it changes the stats bonuses (so a strength of 12 gives +1 to hit and damage, as opposed to 2E where it gives nothing). It changes some restrictions for alignments etc.

No classes in any way at all will be changed in any way, same multiclasses/dualclasses, and evn same races can only be the classes they can be in 2E. all those things and more are hardcoded into the engine and cannot be changed.

(Am I not feeling the hypocryte, considering im playing with the mod myself...)

Some of the modules are downright balance breaking. I know the two most discussed of them are naturally the 3E experience table, making all classes level up at same XP as in 3rd edition, probablly the worlds least thought out mod idea ever. so you become level 20 in less than 200 000XP, for the same amount in 2E you could get a level 8 ranger, or a level 10 thief. The other would be the 3E hitpoint system, it gives you a bit more hitpoints, rolling for hitdice + con modifier for every level and not just the 9 first like you do in 2E. but unless you play with "max hitpoints" enabled in options it wont change the game very drastically, you'll just get a couple of more hp in the end. Oh yeah and you get a fair bit more starting money, not breaking, but you wont have to loot dead goblins to buy starting equipment.

curentlly playing myself with all exept for the XP table part installed. Current opinion, it isnt "right" per say, but i really do like the 3E stat tables so even stats of 12 and 14 can be usefull. Ironically enough this seems to make the game much more difficult, since even an orc with strength of 15 gets an additional +2 hit and +2 dmg. Never had so much trouble with close combat in my life...


Oh yeah, your seccond question (almost forgot it there).

They will do fine. i have played with much worse parties than that and done it. if you are not a big fan of the allmighty powerword reload, you might consider changing that cleric to some other race, halfling for example ? still gives you that nice big 19 dexterity AND a +1 with slings to boost ! And a bard can handle all and any spellcasting you will need in iwd1, considering you will find spellscrolls so slow, even the bard should be able to get highlevel spellslots that he have not found spells for yet

 

True, but then again, hopefully my cleric will be the one bringing my party back from the dead, not NPC priests. And seeing as humans get NO bonuses in IWD aside from being able to be any class (and dualclass) and these bonusus are useless to a straight cleric, I think the elf will outway the extra cost if I let it get killed.

 

About AB: It will create a few unfair surprises where you'll have to die and reload and use the gained preknowledge.
But it will make the game far easier, you gain spells and equipment which are too powerful for my taste. You can keep the challenge high if you don't use everything you find.
HoW changes some of the random items you find and some monster AI, your game will be different even without AB.

I don't recommend using the 3E Mod. Only if you want to remove racial or alignment restrictions it might be worth installing the corresponding component.

Your party is more than strong enough to beat the game. If your gnome F/T is good aligned he can use the "helm of the trusted defender" and be a second tank.

I don't see a problem with your bard, he'll get more than enough spells for supporting your party. He's also the perfect diplomat.

If your cleric dies it might get a bit expensive since she's an elf, but you can always use "powerword reload" instead of visiting a temple. Halflings get far better bonusss than elves btw.
A human ranger2/cleric would be stronger, but your party is good enough as it is now.

Don't play at another difficulty than normal, else you'll get too many XP and the game will become too easy, especially if your cleric can just turn the hard enemies. The faster levelling because of the 4 person party will probably already be enough to change some challenges into a piece of cake. A ranger/cleric multiclass will avoid this and also give the opportunity to cast a few of the new druid spells.

 

To me it's not clear that halfling is a better race for the cleric. The fact that the halfling can't have 18 wisdom means that you lose one 4th level spell. Dwarf is better than halfling IMHO. I'd rather have the extra 4th level spell than the extra AC from dexterity. But there is no clear cut best race for a cleric.

 

The most important cleric task is surviving to be able to heal the others and halflings get a +5 bonus in the important saving throws, far more important than a single bonus spell which isn't available at low and unimportant at high levels.
I never wrote that halflings make better clerics than dwarves, only that halfling make better clerics than elves.
With the "cat's grace" spell dwarves get the upper hand over halflings, but without the spell the AC bonus is more important than a single bonus spell.

 

Is there a lot of new equipment and spells in AB? and if so, are they unique and different with cool histories/unusual abilities, or does AB just add in a bunch of +3, +4, etc. weapons? Also, if its true that they make the game too easy, is it possible to selectivley install AB so as to get the additional quest/NPC's but not the equipment?

Concerning the bard: how many bonus dialouge/quest options does the bard give? This is one of the main reasons I opted for a bard as opposed to a stright mage. I know in IWD2 there are a considerable amount of bonus dialouge/quest options, but its been a while since I played IWD, so I only remember the prolouge stuff.

 

There are a lot of new equipment and spells in AB, they are unique and different with cool histories/unusual abilities.

With AB you can buy an armor which makes you immune to normal weapons.
Since more than 95 percent of the enemies (including iron golems and some bosses) use normal weapons they just can't hurt you, challenges are turned into a walk into the park.

The other extra equipment you'll find won't be that overpowering, but will still make the game easier. But it's nice that you can find elvin chain for your bard now, in the original game there are only 2 random elvin chains in the severed hand, so your bard's armor slot stays empty if you are unlucky.
The new spells will also make the game a little easier, but they are rather fun than overpowering.

Other changes I experienced were that slings don't seem to grant a strength bonus any more and with high charisma I got more for reselling than I paid for buying.


The problem is that HoW is considered too easy by most players and the Auril's Bane bonusses will make it even easier.


There are a few extra dialogue options for the bard class, but not really gamebreaking ones, the best one is that you can convince someone to become an artist because of his drawing skill. He'll leave his gear behind instead of fighting you.
Since you'll have some int and at least 15 cha you'll also get all stat based dialogue options with your bard.