FAQ #2 for Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
|_ _| (_) | | | __ \ | | _
| | ___ _____ ___ _ __ __| | | | | | __ _| | ___(_)
| | / __/ _ \ \ /\ / / | '_ \ / _` | | | | |/ _` | |/ _ \
_| || (_| __/\ V V /| | | | | (_| | | |__| | (_| | | __/_
|_____\___\___| \_/\_/ |_|_| |_|\__,_| |_____/ \__,_|_|\___(_)
_ _ _ __ __ ___ _
| || |___ __ _ _ _| |_ ___ / _| \ \ / (_)_ _| |_ ___ _ _
| __ / -_) _` | '_| _| / _ \ _| \ \/\/ /| | ' \ _/ -_) '_|
|_||_\___\__,_|_| \__| \___/_| \_/\_/ |_|_||_\__\___|_|
by Michael Walsh
Ver 2.2
June 4, 2001
Questions? Additions?
E-mail me at: cumw7@pen.eiu.edu
Put "Heart of Winter" in the Subject Line
-------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
-------------------------------
i. Things You Should Know
ii. Thanks To... Section
iii. Walkthrough - Party Makeup
iv. Game Strategy and Tactics
-------------------------------
1. Lonelywood
2. The Barbarian Camp
3. Burial Isle
4. Gloomfrost
5. Sea of Moving Ice
-------------------------------
v. Why Play Heart of Fury
vi. Experience Point Charts
-------------------------------
x. Other Works
y. Previous Updates List
z. Legal Information
-------------------------------
==============================================================================
Things You Should Know
==============================================================================
For the people who are used to reading FAQ's, and especially for the people
who are familiar with the Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale games, this section is
most likely unnecessary. Briefly I will explain some of the more commonly
occurring things you are likely to encounter in this FAQ that you may not
understand.
Coordinates: Just like the Baldur's Gate games, in Icewind Dale you can find
------------ your exact coordinates on the map. I will use coordinates
frequently throughout the walkthrough. It is not necessary to
use them or to understand them, but they can be a great help in
assuring yourself that you are in the right location or going
the right direction.To do this in Icewind Dale, press X. In the
dialog screen will appear something like this:
x=#### y=#### AR####
What does it all mean? Well, first of all, the # sign
represents a number. The x and y are relatively unimportant,
but the numbers next to them give you your exact location on the
map. The AR#### is also important. Every map is an area. For
example, Lonelywood is one area. The first floor of the inn in
Lonelywood is another area. Essentially, anytime your computer
has to load up a new map, you have entered a new area. The AR
numbers also appear throughout this FAQ, to help the reader know
that they have (or should have!) moved to the next area.
Knowing that your coordinates are x=456 y=789 is irrelevant if
you don't know whether you are in AR9600 or AR9100.
EVIL: There are several possible actions detailed throughout this
walkthrough with this header. These events are NOT necessary to
do. Sometimes they are worth it, sometimes not. Repeat, you do
NOT have to do any of these acts, even if you have an
evil-aligned party.
PATCH INFO: As of Patch 1.41, there have been some changes made to the
gameplay. The most significant is that the Mage's Spell
Progression table has been fixed. This will affect MAges of
Level 21 and higher. I obtained this information from the
README file after downloading the Patch myself. Consult the
game manual to see the original chart. The updated spell chart
is as follows:
Mage Spell Progression Chart: Level 21 - 30 (Patch 1.41)
========================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 21 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 22 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 23 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 24 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 25 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 26 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 27 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 28 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 29 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 30 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
Thanks To...
==============================================================================
This walkthrough is only intended to cover the Expansion Pack, and will
almost certainly never cover the main game. For an excellent FAQ of the main
game, download Dan Simpson's "Icewind Dale" FAQ, also found at
http://www.gamefaqs.com
(free advertising, and thanks to Dan Simpson for his excellent FAQ's, which
have provided me, in part, with the inspiration to write my own.)
I never imagined that, after having written a 53k walkthrough of the
expansion pack from start to finish, it would grow to almost 200k in size!
That goes to show you how you can play it once, and miss half of the quests.
------------
Thanks to...
------------
Dan Simpson for the excellent layout of his FAQ's, which I borrowed some
ideas from. Imitation (but not Plagiarism) is supposedly the best form of
flattery... so consider yourself flattered.
WinterMute for pointing out the location of Ogien's Scale armor in the
Barbarian Camp.
Heng Lok for pointing out some errors through the FAQ, as well as providing
an alternate suggestion for Fighter-Cleric Weapon Grand Mastery.
Interplay/Black Isle Studios for one of the most efficient and exciting
ways to kill free time.
The Figlet Server at http://www.surfplaza.com/figlet/ for
providing their free online Text to ASCII converter.
------------
And now, on with the show...er, FAQ!
==============================================================================
Walkthrough - Party Makeup
==============================================================================
Below is the party that I used when I created this walkthrough. Also given is
the reason I chose each character.
Paladin Male Human Leader of the party; high CHR
Fighter Male Human Specialized in the halberd!
Fighter/Cleric Male Human Dual-Classed to Cleric at Lvl 9
Fighter/Druid Male Human Dual-Classed to Druid at Lvl 9
Fighter/Thief Male Halfling A thief with lots of HP!
Wizard - Mage Male Half-Elf Uses virtually every spell. Wow!
This class has virtually no problems in the beginning stages of the game, with
the exception of the lack of healing abilities. Each character is specialized
in a different weapon for maximum effectiveness. The Paladin uses Long
Swords, the Fighter uses halberds, the Cleric uses hammers, etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having finished the expansion pack for the first time, I will now attempt to
discover some of the smaller details, as well as to explore the possible
tactics of other classes (most notably the Bard). This is the party that I
will be using for my second time through, to further supplement this
walkthrough:
Fighter/Wizard Male Human Dual-Classed to Mage at Lvl 9
Fighter Male Halfling To use the Trusted Defender Helm
Fighter/Cleric Male Dwarf Multi-Classed Evil Cleric!!
Bard Male Human Has a number of new useful songs
Fit/Mag/Thi Female Elf Eventual powerhouse; see below.
I later decided to add a Dwarven Fighter to the mix. He is one BAD boy!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: It is highly recommended that you do not travel to Lonelywood (and the
expansion area) until you are adequately prepared. Having started the game
from the beginning, I did not enter the new areas until just after killing
Yxunomei. In any case, you can not enter the expansion pack area until your
characters are Level 9. (or the equivalent of Level 9 for Multi-Class and
Dual-Class characters) It is also not recommended that you attempt to play in
"Heart of Fury" mode until your party is around Level 13 or 14.
==============================================================================
Game Strategy and Tactics
==============================================================================
This section is a combination of strategy and tactics dealing with several
aspects. Below you will find ideas for character creation, spell selection,
and what the most ideal party makeup might be given the changes in the
expansion pack. If you have a strategy or idea not represented here, feel
free to send it to me at: cumw7@pen.eiu.edu Full credit will be given to
you within the body of the FAQ.
----------------------------------------------
| Contents of this Section |
----------------------------------------------
| 1. General Character Creation Strategies |
| 2. Racial Pro's and Con's |
| 3. Character Pro's and Con's: |
| a. The Triple-Class |
| b. The Mage-Cleric |
| c. The Bard |
| d. The Druid |
| e. The Ranger |
| 4. Miscellaneous |
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------
Character Creation Strategies
-----------------------------
Naturally, you will want to create at least a couple of characters with
which to play the game. They do tend to make it more interesting. Whatever
type of character you choose to create, they all have some common factors.
Below I have compiled some useful information that you can easily have at your
fingertips when creating a character. This information applies to "Icewind
Dale: Heart of Winter", and may not be fully applicable to other games.
Race: Maximum and Minimum Stats
--------------------------------
Looking to create the most effective thief? The strongest fighter? The
most cunning mage? Well, different classes excel in different areas. Below
is a chart showing what the minimum and maximum possible stats are when
creating a character. Note: A character can end up with a higher score in
one or more of these attributes due to magical items which may temporarily or
permanently raise a score. This chart only shows the minimum and maximum
possible while _creating_ a character. Also note that a STR of 18/00 is
stronger than a STR of 18.
Minimum and Maximum Stats by Race:
==================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Race/Skill | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Human | 3-18/00 | 3-18 | 3-18 | 3-18 | 3-18 | 3-18 |
| Dwarf | 9-18/00 | 3-17 | 12-19 | 3-18 | 3-18 | 2-16 |
| Elf | 9-18/00 | 7-19 | 6-17 | 8-18 | 3-18 | 8-18 |
| Half-Elf | 9-18/00 | 6-18 | 6-18 | 4-18 | 3-18 | 3-18 |
| Gnome | 6-18 | 3-18 | 8-18 | 7-19 | 10-17 | 3-18 |
| Halfling | 6-17 | 8-19 | 10-18 | 6-18 | 3-17 | 3-18 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Using this chart, you should be able to get a decent idea of which races
make the best fighters, mages, etc. For races with maximum possible scores of
19, be sure to try and get the maximum of 19. These super-exceptional scores
can make a big difference. Example: A mage with INT of 18 has an 85% chance
of successfully putting a spell in his spellbook. With an INT of 19, the
chance is increased to a whopping 95%!
Class: Minimum Stats
---------------------
Once you have chosen a race, you will need to make what is probably the
most important pre-game decision: what class will your character be? Below is
a table showing the minimum possible stat for each ability. In addition, if
you choose to create a mage, you can elect to make a Specialist Mage, who can
cast more spells per level. However, each Specialist area has a stat (in
addition to Intelligence) that must also be met. They are also listed below.
Finally, some of the Opposition Schools for Specialist Mages (the types of
spells that they can not cast) have changed some since Icewind Dale. Below I
will also include the Opposition Schools from Icewind Dale, and show how they
have changed in Heart of Winter.
Minimum Stats by Class:
=======================
---------------------------------------------------
| Class/Skill | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---------------------------------------------------
| Fighter | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cleric | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
| Thief | 3 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Mage | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Paladin | 12 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 17 |
| Ranger | 13 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 3 |
| Druid | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Bard | 3 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 15 |
---------------------------------------------------
For Specialist Mages, see the stats above for a regular mage, and in
addition, you will need the following:
Additional Stats for Specialist Mages:
======================================
---------------------------------------------------
| Class/Skill | STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---------------------------------------------------
| Abjurer | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 3 |
| Conjurer | 3 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Diviner | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 3 |
| Enchanter | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 16 |
| Illusionist | 3 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Invoker | 3 | 3 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Necromancer | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 3 |
| Transmuter | 3 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
---------------------------------------------------
Changes to Opposition Schools in Heart of Winter
================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| School | Opposition School(s) | With Heart of Winter |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
| Abjurer | Alteration | Alteration, Illusion |
| Conjurer | Divination | Invocation |
| Diviner | Conjuration/Summoning | Conjuration/Summoning |
| Enchanter | Invocation | Invocation |
| Illusionist | Necromancy | Necromancy, Abjuration |
| Invoker | Enchantment/Charm | Divination, |
| | Conjuration/Summoning | Conjuration/Summoning |
| Necromancer | Illusion | Illusion, Enchantment/Charm |
| Transmuter | Abjuration, Necromancy | Abjuration, Necromancy |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------
Racial Pro's and Con's
----------------------
The second choice that a player must make when creating a new character is
that character's race. Unlike gender, not all the races are the *same* in
this game. Each race has advantages and disadvantages that make it unique.
Often, these inherent advantages make that race particularly suited for one
class or another (class being the next, and probably most important character
choice). An 18 is the highest natural score that you can make for any one
particular attribute at the beginning of the game, with one exception. Some
races will allow a maximum of 19 in an attribute, which is super wonderful!
Here are the races that allow it, and with what stats:
-------------------------------------
| Dwarf | 19 in: Constitution |
| Elf | 19 in: Dexterity |
| Gnome | 19 in: Intelligence |
| Halfling | 19 in: Dexterity |
-------------------------------------
So, keeping this in mind, it appears that Gnomes would make the best Mages,
while Dwarves would make the best front-line fighters, with Elves and
Halflings making good thieves, fighters, or mages. But each race also has
disadvantages as well, such as:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Human | No maximum scores of 19, can't multi-class; dual-class only |
| Dwarf | Maximum of 17 for Dexterity and 16 for Charisma |
| Elf | Maximum of 17 for Constitution |
| Half-Elf | No maximum scores of 19 |
| Gnome | Maximum of 17 Wisdom |
| Halfling | Maximum of 17 Strength and 17 Wisdom |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These are some tips to keep in mind when creating a character. In
addition, there are some other random benefits to consider, like:
Halflings can use the Helm of Unfailing Endurance. Besides granting a
tremendous AC bonus, it makes the wearer immune to fatigue. Fatigue is a
downside of the wonderful spell, Haste. So therefore, a Halfling would make a
pretty good front-line Fighter. You can get around the maximum of 17 Strength
handicap if you are patient. Near the end of Heart of Winter are 3 Gauntlets
of Ogre Power, which set the wearer's Strength to 18/00.
Gnomes are dumb, dumb, dumb. At least, I think they are. But you can't
argue with an INT of 19.
Half-Elves have virtually the same disadvantages as humans, but have the
benefit of infravision and partial immunity to sleep and charm.
Dwarves with a Constitution of 19 will have a lot of hit points. Remember
that Fighters get a further bonus to Constitution: Every other class gets a
maximum bonus of 2 hp/level with a CON of 16, but a Fighter's bonus keeps
climbing to an astounding +7 hp/level at a CON of 24. (which is pretty much
impossible to achieve without cheating)
Several magical items, weapons, and armor give a +1 or even +2 benefit to
virtually any attribute. So give them to those races with a maximum score
under 18, and you won't even notice their weaknesses!
-------------------------------
Character Class Pro's and Con's
-------------------------------
The Triple Class Character
--------------------------
Now that the experience cap in Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter has been
raised to 8,000,000 points, there is a type of character which can really come
into power: The Triple Class Character. There are two different types of
Triple Class combinations in Icewind Dale: The Fighter/Mage/Cleric combo, and
the Fighter/Mage/Thief combo. To earn the maximum 8,000,000 experience points
that a character can gain could take a LONG time. But also added with the
expansion pack is the "Heart of Fury" option, which can greatly increase the
speed at which you earn experience. (Note: Don't even think of turning it on
until you have beaten, or nearly beaten the game) A Triple Class character
will never reach Level 30 in any one class. However, take a look at what they
can accomplish:
Fighter/Mage/Cleric Fighter/Mage/Thief
------------------- ------------------
Levels: 18 17 19 18 17 22
This may not mean much on the surface, but let's take a more in-depth look
at what these character levels mean:
NOTE: The Spell Progression table for Mages has been fixed in Patch 1.41.
See the Things You Should Know section at the beginning of this
document to learn what has been changed. This will affect all
mages Level 21 and higher.
Level 18 Fighter: A Fighter starts with 4 proficiency slots, and gains
----------------- an additional one every 3 levels. This means that at
Level 18, the fighter will have a total of 9
Proficiency points. This is enough to reach Grand
Mastery in one weapon, and almost reach it in
another. His THAC0 also goes down by 1 per level,
which not only makes it easier to hit with weapons,
but also aids TREMENDOUSLY when it comes to spells
which require touch.
Level 17 Mage: Unfortunately, a Level 17 Mage is unable to use the
-------------- Level 9 Spells. However, there are only a couple of
them, so you are not going to miss much. You come
with a large array of possible spells. Assuming
(once again) that the spell chart in the manual is
correct, you will have the following number of spells
at Level 17:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 16 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 17 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Having said that, there two spells in particular
that make any combination of a Fighter/Mage very
potent: Iron Body and Tenser's Transformation. Below
are the benefits and drawbacks to each of the
two spells.
Iron Body
---------
100% resistance to electricity.
50% resistance to fire.
25% resistance to crushing damage.
Strength raised to 25.
Can attack 2/round with iron fists (2d4)
And the spell lasts for 2 full turns! Now for the
downsides:
Movement rate reduced to 25% of normal.
Can't cast other spells during Iron Skin.
Tenser's Transformation
-----------------------
Double's the hit points of the caster.
Gives the THAC0 of a Fighter of the same level.
+4 bonus to AC.
+2 bonus to all saving throws.
So as you can see, those are tremendous benefits for
two little spells. An even more potent combination
is all of the above, plus equipping your character
with a set of Elven Chainmail (found in Severed Hand
Area). In case you don't know, Elven Chainmail,
while not possessing the best AC of an armor in the
game, DOES allow a Mage to still cast spells and
ALSO allows a Thief to use their thieving skills. As
you can see, this armor is VITAL to the
Fighter/Mage/Thief combination if you want to fully
employ all three classes.
Level 19 Cleric: A Level 19 Cleric is, simply put, awesome! Add to
---------------- that the fact that with the Triple Class characters,
it is only one of three talents. and you are a
virtual one-man party! A Cleric of this level will
easily be able to use every spell that is available
to them. Below is the Clerics spell table:
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| 18 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 19 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 20 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| NOTE: You must have a WIS of 17 to use Lvl 6 |
| spells and a WIS of 18 to use Lvl 7. |
-----------------------------------------------------
Level 22 Thief: In Icewind Dale, the Thief character class is not too
--------------- amazing on its own, but when paired with one or more
other classes, becomes much more formidable. Besides
having earned a LOT of thief skill points by Level 22
(30 at Level 1, and 20 each additional level for a
total of 450 points!) This amount of skill points is
enough to raise each of your skills to 112% easily -
and that is not counting your race's initial skill
level! Beyond that, having any combination of a
Thief/Mage means that you have a Mage who can attack
with spells AND arrows from the back row!
These are just some of the potential reasons why the Triple Class
characters are now a viable option, if one is willing to overlook their one
drawback: They go up in level three times slower than a normal character.
The Mage-Cleric
---------------
Mages excel at decimating the enemy forces with terrible magics. Clerics
prove to be valuable support companions, healing members of otherwise mortal
wounds - and resurrecting those who do die. Why not have the best of BOTH
worlds - A Mage-Cleric!
There exist three possible combinations of a Mage and a Cleric
In Heart of Winter. The first way is to Multi-Class a character. The last
two ways both involve Dual-Classing a character, but there IS are several
differences between beginning the game with a Cleric and Dual-Classing to a
Mage, and beginning the game as a Mage, and later Dual-Classing to a Cleric.
In my opinion, the most effective combination is that of a Mage-Cleric, that
is, a character who begins the game as a Mage, then becomes a Cleric later.
Reasons for this include:
1. The maximum levels for a Mage-Cleric are the most advantageous, at 23
for the Cleric, and 22 for the Mage. Taking the Cleric-Mage route
will only yield a Level 21 Cleric and a Level 22 Mage, while the
Multi-Class method will yield a Level 25 Cleric, but only a Level 20
Mage.
2. The Mage-Cleric combination will receive the same number of Mage
spells per level, (assuming INT scores are equal) but the Mage-Cleric
will receive extra upper-level spells due to the extra level of
experience.
3. Clerics gain levels faster than Mages do. Thus, it is more
advantageous to have the class that levels up be the second class,
because the second class must be one experience level higher than the
first class in order to once again gain access to both classes.
4. When Dual-Classing a character, the second class is initially VERY
weak. Having the Cleric as the second class allows you to give him
great armor and weapons to somewhat offset the weakness. Also
remember that Clerics can cast spells while wearing any armor, while
Mages can not.
5. Both the Mage-Cleric and the Cleric-Mage are restricted to Cleric
weapons, which is more advantageous than being restricted to Mage
weapons. This is not exactly an advantage for choosing a
Mage-Cleric, but rather shows that there is no advantage to choosing
the Cleric first.
What is probably the most important factor in choosing one of these
combinations over the other is the amount of spells each combination will have
access to. In all three character combinations, the Cleric will have access
to Level 7 spells, while all three Mage combinations will have access to Level
9 spells. Below are the Spell Progression charts for each of the three
combinations at their maximum levels:
================
The Mage-Cleric:
================
Mage Spell Progression
======================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level 22 Mage - 4,500,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 22 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cleric Spell Progression
========================
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level 23 Cleric - 3,375,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| 23 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 3 |
-----------------------------------------------------
================
The Cleric-Mage:
================
Cleric Spell Progression
========================
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level 21 Cleric - 2,925,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| 21 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
-----------------------------------------------------
Mage Spell Progression
======================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level 22 Mage - 4,500,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 22 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
================
The Multi-Class:
================
Cleric Spell Progression
========================
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level 25 Cleric - 3,825,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| 25 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
-----------------------------------------------------
Mage Spell Progression
======================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level 20 Mage - 3,750,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 22 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Bard
--------
The Bard. Not just another pretty face in Heart of Winter. This character
class has undergone some serious renovations since Icewind Dale. Most
notably, he had gained a total of SIX different bard songs that can all be
learned by Level 11, which only requires 220,000 experience points. All of
these songs have their uses, but in my opinion, one of them is far more useful
than the rest: "War Chant of Sith" The song will grant the following bonuses
to any party member within range:
1. +2 AC bonus.
2. +10% resistance to the following: Crushing, Slashing, Piercing, and
Missile attacks.
3. Regenerate 2 hit points each round. (every 6 seconds)
This is somewhat equivalent to a free Potion of Regeneration, an extra
Ring of Protection +2, and more - all for one song.
In addition to this, the Bard has another advantage: extended spell
abilities. In Icewind Dale, the maximum level for Bards was 18, allowing them
to cast spells between Levels 1 and 6. In Heart of Winter, they will be able
to cast Level 7 and 8 spells as well!! Below is the spell progression chart,
taken from the manual. It begins with Level 18, the last possible level for
Bards in Icewind Dale:
Bard Spells
===========
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| 18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 19 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 20 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 21 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 22 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - |
| 23 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - | - |
| 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 25 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 26 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - |
| 27 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | - |
| 27 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | - |
| 27 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 30 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Though it looks like an error, the number of spells |
| shown for Level 24 is correct. |
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Heart of Winter expansion pack makes the Bard a formidable spellcaster,
in addition to his already powerful skills. Let's compare how a Bard rates
against a mage (not a Specialist) in the area of number of spells per level:
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level 18 Bard - 1,760,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| 18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level 14 Mage - 1,760,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| 14 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
-----------------------------------------------------------
Not a lot of difference, is there? Let's look at one more example:
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level 30 Bard - 4,400,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
| 30 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level 21 Mage - 4,400,000 exp. |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| 21 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: The Spell Progression table for Mages has been fixed in Patch 1.41.
See the Things You Should Know section at the beginning of this
document to learn what has been changed. This will affect all
mages Level 21 and higher.
Again, there isn't a great deal of difference here between the Bard and the
Mage, with respect to spellcasting. However, the above Mage still has nine
levels in which he will gain more spells per level, while the Bard will remain
maxed out at 30. Also note that the Bard will never be able to cast Level 9
spells, while the Mage will eventually be able to cast 4 Level 9 spells
before having to rest. Despite these drawbacks, the Bard makes an excellent
backup Mage for ANY party. And don't forget some of the Bard's other
advantages:
1. Bards can gain a proficiency point in ANY type of weapon, although he
can't place more than one point in each slot.
2. Bards have the highest Lore score of any class. Even by Level 11, the
Bard's Lore score is incredibly high. The Lore score, in case you don't
know, is used to determine if the character can identify a magic item
without the aid of magic. You Bard, by Level 11, should be able to
Identify almost any magic item without casting Identify. Not needing to
cast Identify means more room for two other great Level 1 spells: Magic
Missile and Chromatic Orb!
3. Bards can pickpocket. This ability will increase with every level.
What this means is that, if you have a Thief in your party, you will not
put any points in Pickpocketing, allowing you to place the points
in other skills.
4. There is an item in the game called the Unstrung Harp. It can only be
used by Bards. What it does is casts Heal once per day. What this
means is, if you also have a higher level cleric in your party, you can
potentially bring two of your characters who are injured back up to full
hit points. VERY valuable item!
5. Finally, Bards will have several opportunities during the course of the
game to earn experience that can only be obtained with a Bard.
The Druid
---------
The Druid has always been, in my opinion, a very interesting character
class. Almost, but not quite a Fighter. Almost, but not quite a Cleric.
However, unlike the Ranger, who will be discussed later, the Druid is a
POWERFUL combination of Fighter and Druid - and that is without Dual- or
Multi-Classing him.
In previous Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale games, the Druid could not go beyond
Level 14. This is, presumably, because the game designers were not sure how
to properly implement the Druid's natural "super" abilities. What this would
result in is a character who is somewhat weaker than the other classes due to
the fact that he gains fewer levels of experience. Well, that has been
changed in the Heart of Winter expansion pack. Your Druid, should you choose
to accept him, will be able to achieve Level 30 just like the other
characters. In order to do this, the game designers pretty much changed a
normal Druid's abilities, and gave him new ones instead. Unlike some of the
other new abilities that the characters have received, these are pretty
useful. In my opinion, they are not as good as the Bardic songs, but are
better than any of the other new abilities.
The following is a list of the special abilities the Druid gains through
leveling up, until he reaches Level 15:
1. The Druid can now shapechange as early as Level 5. At every other level
of experience until Level 15, he will gain a new transformation.
2. The Druid receives immunity to poison at Level 9.
3. They can transform into Elementals beginning at Level 11.
4. At Level 15, the Druid achieves the Timeless Body. This makes him
immune to ALL types of fatigue.
The Druid's shapechanging ability is still not the most powerful ability in
the game. However, there is a new addition to shapechanging that proves to be
VERY useful. When a Druid changes form (from human to creature, or the
reverse) he is healed of some of his injuries. This essentially is equivalent
to 6 free curing spells. By changing into one of the 6 possible
transformations, you will change some of your stats. Below are the changes
you will undergo by morphing into a given form. Your character's level of
experience, armor and weapons, and AC are not taken into consideration when
changing form.
Stats for Shapechange Creatures
===============================
--------------------------------------------------------------
| Stats/Form | Boring Beetle | Polar Bear | Winter Wolf |
--------------------------------------------------------------
| Strength | 18/51 | 18/00 | 18 |
| Dexterity | 7 | 10 | 13 |
| Constitution | 16 | 19 | 16 |
| Armor Class | -3 | 4 | 2 |
| Atk/round | 2.5 | 5 | 3.5 |
--------------------------------------------------------------
The stats for the Elemental shapechanges are as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Stats/Form | Fire Elemental | Earth Elemental | Water Elemental |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Strength | 19 | 23 | 18 |
| Dexterity | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| Constitution | 8 | 19 | 18 |
| Armor Class | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| Atk/round | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since the Druid's experience table has been extended to Level 30, naturally
his spell progression table has been likewise lengthened. The Druid casts
Priest Spells. One benefit of this is that he can cast spells while wearing,
oh, say Full Plate Mail +1. This makes him a valuable commodity to the party
- a front line warrior who can also cast spells. The Priest can not cast
every spell that a Cleric can, but he CAN cast spells that a Cleric can not.
In this game, Clerics and Priests can only learn spells up through Level 7,
but have the ability to be able to cast an obscene amount of them at later
levels. Below I have reproduced the Priest spell chart from Level 15 on, as
provided in the Heart of Winter game manual:
Druid Spells
============
-----------------------------------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| 15 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 17 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 18 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 19 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 20 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| 21 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 22 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| 23 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 3 |
| 24 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 3 |
| 25 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| 26 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| 27 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
| 28 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| 29 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| 30 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
-----------------------------------------------------
| Druids need a WIS of 17 to cast Level 6 spells. |
| Druids need a WIS of 18 to cast Level 7 spells. |
-----------------------------------------------------
Finally, there is one final point I wish to address. In case you aren't
aware of it, dual-classing (only available to humans) from one class to
another is a very effective way of creating very powerful characters. The
Druid is no exception. Not surprisingly, the Fighter is the best class to
dual a Druid with. Why? Well, for starters, you will be able to gain Weapon
Mastery with a Fighter. Then when you switch over to Druid and regain access
to both of your classes, you will have Grand Mastery for a Druid, making him a
powerful offensive character. Secondly, if you are both a Druid and a
Fighter, your Druid will be able to use a Fighter's armor as well as that of a
Druid - which means you can wear the heavy metal. This also makes turns the
Druid into a front-line Fighter. There are a few things to consider before
trying this:
1. You must start with a Fighter, then Dual-Class to a Druid.
2. Remember that your starting class must have a 17 in the prime score of
the Druid. Their score is Charisma.
3. Druids are always True Neutral. You do not want to prepare to
Dual-Class to a Druid, only to find out that you can't because of your
alignment.
4. Druids are one of the most restrictive character class, with regards to
minimum required stats. To become a Druid, you must have a minimum of
12 in WIS and 15 in CHA.
5. It is also possible to Multi-Class a Fighter/Druid.
Having said that, here are a few final tips to keep in mind when creating
your Fighter, and Dual-Classing him over to a Druid. They are:
1. When: When to Dual-Class is an important question. As a general rule,
I will Dual-Class at Level 9. At Level 9, a character has
received his maximum hit dice; after this level, the character
will only gain a few hit points per level.
2. How: How will you develop your Fighter while waiting to Dual-Class.
For starters, it is of utmost importance to choose a DRUID weapon
and put your skill points into it. There are a number of weapons
that Druids can not use, and if you put ANY skill points into
them, they will be lost upon gaining access to both classes. My
personal recommendations are the Spear and the Scimitar (Long
Sword Proficiency). Scimitar is my favorite because you can equip
a shield as well.
3. Why: A Level 9 Fighter Dual-Classed to a Druid would have (not
including CON bonuses) 18 more hit points than a Level 9 Druid.
The Druid will have an increased selection of weapons. Only
250,000 exp. is needed for a Fighter to reach Level 9; this will
not affect the Druid's ability to reach Level 30. Finally, having
a Fighter/Druid whose Druid class is at Level 15 is immune to
fatigue, including that induced by the Haste spell. For those of
you who like the Haste spell, imagine - a Fighter that is not
tired afterwards!
The Ranger
----------
The Ranger is a pretty cool idea for a character class. Having said that,
I hope to show why it is just that - a good IDEA. In actual game terms, the
Ranger is really not a great choice. In Heart of Winter, many of the
character classes received some improvements and changes, including the
Ranger. However, these additions are still not that great. What follows
below is my take on Rangers, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
Advantages Disadvantages
---------- -------------
1. Can cast spells and wear armor. 1. Spells aren't all that great.
2. Has the new Tracking ability. 2. Tracking ability not too useful.
3. Can forego a shield for an extra 3. Has to forego a shield for an
attack per round. extra attack.
4. Receives spells 3 levels earlier 4. Progresses slower through the
in Heart of Winter. spell chart. (more below)
5. Longer spell progression lets 5. Must be Level 29 to cast Level 6
Rangers learn Level 6 spells. spells.
6. Can not put more than 2 skill
points in a weapon skill.
7. Has a slower experience table
than some classes.
I will not go into detail on all of the above pro's and con's, but I wish
to address a few. These are: Tracking Ability, Spell Progression, Extra
Attacks, and Dual-Classing.
Tracking Ability: The tracking ability is a new ability of the Ranger
----------------- in Heart of Winter. It will allow you to discern the
types of creatures in whatever area you are in, as
well as a general idea of where they are. While the
ability can only be used once per day, it has a good
chance of success. The drawback to this ability is
that once you have played the game once, you will
probably already know what creatures are in what
area. Also, the game sometimes gives you hints on
what creatures you might encounter. For example, if
you start finding a number of Flaming Oil items,
chances are real good that there are Trolls nearby.
Spell Progression: The Ranger is what I consider a novelty spellcaster.
------------------ Basically, this means that the spells are not vital
to defining the usefulness of the character.
Obviously, Clerics and Mages would be useless without
spells, but Rangers don't really need them. If you
are using a Ranger as your chief healing character,
you are in for trouble. In Heart of Winter, your
Ranger can learn spells starting at Level 6 instead
of Level 9. However, the Ranger actually gets fewer
spells per level. Notice the following:
----------------------------------- -----------------------------
| Level 14 Ranger | | With Heart of Winter |
----------------------------------- -----------------------------
| Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | Level | 1 | 2 | 3 |
----------------------------------- -----------------------------
| 14 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
----------------------------------- -----------------------------
Now, it IS true that Rangers will be able to gain higher levels spells in
Heart of Winter, but to cast Level 6 spells, the Ranger has to be at Level 29.
The most notable Level 6 spell (not mage spells) that I can recall is Heal.
With this spell, you can instantly cure all the damage one character has
received. Near the end of the game, you can have several characters with hit
points near or over 100. So Heal is very useful. But why wait for a Ranger
to reach Level 29 when you can get Heal for your Cleric at Level 11?
Extra Attack: In Baldur's Gate 2, I think that Rangers are one of
------------- the best character classes. This is because they
start with the ability to dual-wield two weapons at
once. Why this awesome ability is NOT in Icewind
Dale is beyond me. Instead, what they have given the
Ranger is the opportunity for more attacks per round
if his other hand is empty. The most significant
consequence of this is that a Ranger can not use a
shield if he wants the bonus. Near the end of both
Icewind Dale and Heart of Winter are shields that can
give a character a +4 bonus to their armor class. I
find this to be much more valuable than one extra
attack per round. Furthermore, there are several
weapons that give a character an extra attack per
round. Still, I consider this a Ranger's greatest
advantage.
Dual-Classing: One of the possible ways to boost a character who may
-------------- be lacking (most notably Rangers and Thieves) is to
either Dual- or Multi-Class them. There is an
excellent class to Dual or Multi a Ranger with: a
Cleric. This way, the Ranger's rather feeble
spellcasting skills are boosted by the Cleric's.
This was a fairly popular strategy before the
expansion pack. However, one of the Ranger's other
stunning disadvantages comes to light here: Can not
put more than 2 skill points in a weapon skill. This
does not hinder the Cleric, even though they can only
put one point in a weapon also, but I think there
is a better combination: The Fighter-Cleric. There
are two good reasons for dualing a Fighter to a
Cleric instead of from a Ranger. The first is the
experience table. Remember that, when dual-classing,
you have to surpass the level of your old class
before you can use both of them. If you wanted to
switch from a Ranger to a Cleric at Level 9, you
would need to earn 300,000 exp. A Level 9 Fighter
only needs 250,000. (Level 9 is an ideal level at
which to change over to the second class, because you
will get the maximum hit points for the first class.
Note that if your first class is a Thief, and you are
dual-classing to something else, switch at Level 10
instead)
The second reason is that Fighters can put more than
two skill points in a weapon skill. So what you do
is this: Decide which weapon you will want your
Cleric to excel with. When you start the game as a
Fighter, put every skill point you can in that
weapon. By Level 9, you should have either 4 or 5
points in that weapon. Strive to put the full five
points in. Now, when you dual-class over to a
Cleric, you will receive some starting skill points
(two, I think). If you did not reach the maximum of
5 in the weapon of choice BEFORE the class change, DO
NOT put any points in the weapon until AFTER you gain
access to both classes; these points will be lost. By
doing this, you will have a Cleric with Grand Mastery
in a weapon!! (my weapon of choice is the Hammer,
mainly because of Conlan's Hammer)
NOTE: It was previously stated in this section that the Cleric gets a
maximum of 2 skill points in any given weapon. This is not true.
The Cleric is only allowed ONE point per weapon. It was also
stated that, upon dual-classing to a second character, you could
continue to place points into a weapon, and they would merge
together once you gained access to both classes. This is also NOT
TRUE. When you switch over to the second class, DO NOT put ANY
points in any weapon specialization that had ANY points before the
switch. These points will be lost! (contributed by Heng Lok)
EXTRA: Heng Lok has a different idea on which weapon merits Grand
Mastery status for your Cleric:
"In HoW you can buy the Three White Doves, a mace weapon which has a
good chance of disrupting Undead and Outer Planar creatures. Put Grand
Mastery in Maces and combine it with Haste, and you will mow through
undead like crazy."
Remember that this is just my opinion on Rangers. By no means would I
discourage anyone from taking a Ranger if they want to. But hopefully this
section will have shown you the pro's and con's of the Ranger. Better to know
beforehand than when you reach Level 15 and realize you won't get exactly what
you wanted.
-------------
Miscellaneous
-------------
Spell Memorization: Some Thoughts
----------------------------------
There is not much strategy involved when you only have one mage in your
party. Just find every scroll that you can and memorize them! But...what if
you have more than one mage? Well, one suggestion is to put some thought into
each mage before you actually start the game. Since some spells, particularly
the more powerful ones, have a limit to how many appear in the game, you
should decide before you get them which mage will learn them. Below are some
tips, some common sense, others more useful, on doing this.
1. Remember that you need an INT of 18 to learn Level 9 Spells.
2. Consider having an "Offensive Mage" or a "Support Mage" or perhaps a
"Defensive Mage". By doing this, you are more likely to remember
which of your 2 or 3 mages has that Acid Storm spell. Some spells,
like Magic Missile, Haste, Chromatic Orb, and Fireball should be
learned by all mages that can learn them.
3. You could also divide spells by the type of attack. For instance, you
could have an "Ice Offense Mage" or a "Fire Offense Mage", while
giving both of them similar defense and support spells. Since Icewind
Dale is a very element-based game, you can use your Fire Mage through
the ice sections while using the other one for support. This option,
and the one preceding it, offer variety and coordination of
party members.
Transferring Spells from Scroll to Spellbook
-------------------------------------------
It is very likely that any mage you create will have an INT score of 17 or
18. As mentioned elsewhere, with an Intelligence of 18, you have an 85%
chance of successful writing the spell in your spellbook, IF you are able to
cast spells of that level. However, if you try and transfer a Level 5 spell
into your book, but you can only cast spells Level 1-4, you will incur a
penalty (I forget how much, but I believe it is either 10% or 20% less per
level of difference). This can drastically reduce your chances of success.
HOWEVER...
If you have an Intelligence of 19, you have a 95% chance of successfully
learning a spell. That one INT point can mean the difference between success
and a lot of reloading. There are two fairly easy ways of getting an INT
score of 19 (or higher) that I will discuss now:
1. Use a Potion of Genius: This potion, and similar potions, will raise
your character's INT score temporarily. This one will increase your
INT +4. The drawback is that the effects wear off, and you have to
get more potions.
2. Use a Magic Item: Some Items (and Armor, Weapons, etc.) will increase
you INT score for as long as the item is increased. So, equip the
item when you are about to transfer spells to your spellbook, and
remove it (if you wish) when you are done. The usual item bonus is
only +1 to INT, but you can re-use it! In particular, I recall the
Large Sword "Turodahal" which gives the wielder +1 INT.
Easy Experience Anyone? (cheat)
===============================
Earning enough experience points to advance to the next level can be one of
the more tedious parts of the game, especially as the levels get higher. One
solution to this is to play the game in "Heart of Fury" mode. (see the "Why
Play Heart of Fury" section of this FAQ near the end of the document for more
information regarding this new difficulty mode) However, the "Heart of Fury"
mode can be extremely challenging, even with Level 30 characters. There is
another solution to this, but it is considered cheating...by some.
In the game are two types of experience: Quest Experience and Fighting
Experience. (once again, see the section on Experience near the end of this
FAQ for more information regarding the two types of experience) When you
receive a Quest, you normally receive the experience reward for it when you
complete the task and return to talk with the person who gave you the quest.
If you would like to..."cheat" a little, save the game right before you talk
to a person to receive your Quest Experience. Then, exit the game, and enter
the Game Configuration program. (you must exit completely from the game)
Select "Heart of Fury" difficulty mode. Next, start up Heart of Winter, and
load your save game. Now, talk to the person to receive your experience
reward. The amount will be doubled; "Heart of Fury" mode doubles all
experience gained from completing Quests. This will come in especially useful
for two quests in particular, which normally yield over 600,000 experience
each. Think of it - over 1,000,000 experience points using this method!
Good Equipment at the Beginning (cheat)
=======================================
Good equipment is hard to find at the beginning of the game. And what you
CAN find is almost impossible to afford. To perform this "cheat" you need to
know how to import and export characters into your party.
First, begin your game. Go to the Records screen and export each of your
characters. Now, select the Modify Characters option. You should see a
screen with your characters on it. Click on one of the Modify Character
buttons under a character's portrait. Then choose to delete him. Next,
choose to Create a Character in the void that your old character left. Choose
to Import a character. Look at the list of characters you can import. Notice
how some of them have a + next to them? These are sample characters that
the game programmers included. They are very well equipped. Import one (or
more) of them into your party. Return to the game. Now look at the new
character's inventory. See anything you like? Sure you do! Take any of the
items that are of interest to you, and more them to another character's
inventory. Now you can once again return to the Modify a Character screen and
delete the new character, and re-import your old character. You can also
repeat the process, gaining even MORE free items.
There are other uses for this procedure of importing and exporting
characters in the middle of the game, but I will not detail them in this
document. After all, I do not want to turn this into a "cheat" document!
==============================================================================
WALKTHROUGH
==============================================================================
In order to get to Lonelywood, you must have first gotten to Kuldahar in
the original game. Just east of the center of town is a house that was
previously locked. If you go inside, you will find a barbarian named Hjollder
there. It seems that your coming has been foretold to him for a while now.
It appears that there is another town in trouble. He requests your aid in the
north. The town of Lonelywood is in the path of a major barbarian invasion,
which is being led by the great barbarian leader Wylfdene, who has recently
returned from the dead. Prepare yourselves, and when you are ready, accept
his request and journey with him to another of the Ten Towns - Lonelywood.
==============================================================================
1. Lonelywood
==============================================================================
---------------------------------
The Well (x 1772 y 2210 AR 9100)
---------------------------------
You have just arrived in the town of Lonelywood. Upon your arrival, you
will encounter a girl named Hailee Dunn. She says that her brother is trapped
in the well, and would like for you to go and tell her dad. Her dad is
located in the Cooper's House. (x 2784 y 436)
EVIL: If you want, try to kill Hailee Dunn. May party of Level 14
characters couldn't even touch her! Also, be forewarned that
attacking townspeople will make you the enemy of everyone in town.
Also, if certain people are killed, you may or may not be
prevented from completing the game.
-------------------------------------------
Shrine of Waukeen (x 2302 y 1883 AR 9103)
-------------------------------------------
NE of the well is the local house of healing. It is run by Quinn
Silverfinger, a halfling missionary. He sure runs an opulent place! He also
sells some truly magnificent items. In addition to the traditional healing
services, you can also enter behind the curtain on the north door. It leads
to his room. There is a hidden door at (x 791 y 192) which you can find if
your Thief is searching for traps. There is a chest behind the door which
contains:
1,500gp
3 Diamonds
2 Emeralds
Sling +5: Quinn's Fancy Sling (+3 damage)
EVIL: If you want, you can try and kill Quinn. This will yield:
100gp
Sling +1
Force Bullets
Morning Star +4: Defender
---------------------------------------------------------
The Whistling Gallows Inn (x 2260 y 1187 AR 9101, 9102)
---------------------------------------------------------
Floor 1: (AR 9101)
-------------------
There is a lot to do here. The dwarf at the table can tell you some
information about the impending barbarian attack. The woman wandering around
in the bar is Ambere Dunn, Hailee's mother. Talk to her about her daughter
and the barbarians. You might get the impression that she frequents this
place often...
EVIL: Killing Ambere Dunn gives you nothing...except a reputation loss!
Seated near the entrance to the Inn is a dwarf named Roald Tunnelfist, who
will relate his tale of having been part of an expeditionary force to the
barbarian camp. He tells of having encountered Wylfdene and barely escaping
to tell the tale. He can point you in the direction of the barbarian camp.
EVIL: If you want to pound the dwarf to dust, you will receive:
16gp
Chainmail +2
Battle Axe +2: Defender
Seated at the bar (x 739 y 417) is the Norm of Lonelywood, a sloshingly
drunk elf named Murdaugh. Not only is he a drunken, unemployed elf, but he
is also...*surprise* a bard! Ask about his rather articulate vocabulary and he
will reveal himself as a bard from Auckney. You then can offer either 1, 5,
or 10gp for him to tell his tale. Whichever option you choose, you get the
same story. He tells you of his forbidden love and of his impossible quest:
(not to find the Holy Grail) ...to find the Glacier Rose
EVIL: You can dispatch the Bard Murdaugh, if you wish. Be careful
though - the innkeeper is a a practiced wizard. Killing Murdaugh
will get you:
Long Sword of Action +2 (adds +1 to dexterity)
The bartender, Kieran Nye, is your one stop for nearly anything you could
want. Talk to him in order to get information and to rest. In addition, once
you discover his secret, return and talk to him about it. He will tell you
that he is a fugitive wizard from the Hosttower of the Arcane. In return for
your secrecy, he will offer to sell you magical items and spells! (In another
FAQ I give a listing of all the items in the expansion pack's shops, and their
prices. Refer to that list for the shop items available. That file should
also be located at: http://www.gamefaqs.com)
EXTRA: You can pickpocket Kieran, if you wish. Doing so yields: Ring
of Greater Action (+2 AC, +25% crushing resistance, +3 save vs.
spells)
EVIL: Kieran is a practiced mage. If you want to be evil and kill him,
you will receive:
56gp
1 Potion of Extra Healing
Mage Dagger +4 (AC +1, +1 Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 spell)
In a room in the back of the inn is a chest (x 285 y 598). Inside is:
Robe of the Neutral Archmagi (AC 5, magic resistance +5%)
Also in this room, behind the mirror at (x 361 y 592) is a hidden door that
leads to a hidden study. On the shelf, at (x 449 y 481) is:
Seven Eyes (scroll - mage)
After discovering this, mention the room the Kieran Nye to gain access to
his magical wares. Otherwise, go on upstairs.
Floor 2: (AR 9102)
-------------------
There is not a lot to do upstairs. However, if you would like to help
yourself to some free items, there is a chest in the first room on the left
(x 1089 y 563) which contains:
Rogue Stone
Translocution Arrows
Further on down the hall, in the last room on the right, is a cabinet
(x 341 y 556) which contains:
Potion - Oil of Speed
That is just about all there is to do at the inn for the moment.
----------------------------------------
Bowyer's Cabin (x 2975 y 2273 AR 9104)
----------------------------------------
Emmerich Hawk is the local Ranger. He will update your map for you so you
can travel to the barbarian camp. He can also sell you some weapons.
EVIL: If you want to strike it rich by means of assassination, take out
the local ranger. Killing Emmerich yields:
3 Potions of Extra Healing
100 gp
Finest Long Sword
Shadowed Cloak (+15% to Hide in Shadows)
Confusion Arrows +3
Bracers of Archery (+2 THAC0 - missile weapons only)
Arrows of Piercing
Inferno Arrows +2
Long Bow +4: Hammer (+1 AC, 4 attacks per round)
-----------------------------------
The Cooper (x 2784 y 436 AR 9105)
-----------------------------------
The Cooper in Lonelywood is Tybald Dunn. Where has that last name been
seen before, hmmm? This is the father of the girl at the well, and the
husband of the drunk woman at the inn. Mention his daughter, and he will ask
you to send her home. This family sure has problems. In addition to these
problems, business is going very poorly for Tybald. He must rely on Baldemar
for all of his business contacts. Perhaps we should keep an ear open for some
ideas. Some of the richer people in town might have some ideas. Perhaps
Quinn the Priest can help.
Before you leave, there is a cabinet at (x 759 y 259) that contains:
Boots of the North (+50% cold resistance)
EVIL: Killing Tybald Dunn isn't even worth the effort. You get: 5gp
Return to the Shrine of Waukeen
-------------------------------
After talking to the Cooper, return here and talk to Quinn. He will shed
light on some trade opportunities to the south. With this information, you
should return to the Cooper and see what he thinks.
The Cooper
----------
Return to the Cooper's house and inform him of what you learned from Quinn
Silverfinger. He will be very grateful for the information, and you will
receive 20,000 exp. Now what can be done about his wife and daughter? Let's
try to get his daughter to go home.
Return to The Whistling Gallows Inn
-----------------------------------
Once you return to the Inn, begin a conversation with Ambere Dunn, the
drunk woman. Mention her husband and she will strike up a conversation about
how she hates it in the north. With the earlier advice you gave to her
husband, the family may be moving south soon. Convince her to return to her
husband's house for a cool 15,000 exp. Two down, one to go. Let's return to
the well and talk to Hailee.
Return to the Well
------------------
When you return and attempt to send Hailee back to her father's house, she
refuses to go. If you have previously talked with her mother and father about
Hailee, you will reveal that her story is a lie and will receive 15,000 exp.
When she tells you that she has a secret, you can offer to pay her (1gp) for
it. Upon learning the secret you will gain another 15,000 exp.
EXTRA: If you have a Bard, ask Hailee about secrets. She will be
stubborn and refuse to share hers, but you can make up a
children's story for her. This will get you an additional 15,000
exp. But to do this, you have to talk to Hailee with your Bard.
Once you have done the above, you should tell her that life at home will be
different from now on. You will convince her to return home, and will receive
another 15,000 exp to boot!
---------------------------------------------
The Cartwright (x 1550 y 719 AR 9106, 9107)
---------------------------------------------
Floor 1: (AR 9106)
-------------------
Finally, the home of the rather infamous Baldemar Thurlow. You can talk to
his wife, who is downstairs, but the man you want to see is upstairs. But
while you are downstairs, you should search the cabinet at (x 520 y 211) for:
4 Elixers of Health
And now, upstairs!
EVIL: Killing Baldemar's wife will net you: 54gp
Floor 2: (AR 9107)
-------------------
You will find Baldemar in his study (x 775 y 452). Boy, he sure is
suspicious! He will give you more information about the one-eyed man who came
to see him a short time ago. You should also be sure to check the cabinet
farther back at (x 396 y 274) to find a note that will prove to be
enlightening. There is nothing more to do at the moment. We will return,
though.
EVIL: Killing Baldemar Thurlow will get you: 47gp
---------------------------------------
Brothers Cabin (x 326 y 392 AR: 9108)
---------------------------------------
This is the home of Lonelywood's premier scholars. Their conversation
proves to be mildly entertaining, but they are of no other use, at least for
now.
EVIL: Killing Doogal will get you:
1400 exp.
53gp
Charged Battle Axe +2
Studded Leather Armor +1
---------------------------------------
The Boathouse (x 1088 y 1592 AR 9109)
---------------------------------------
Thom Farold is the town boatmaker. He isn't really very useful at the
moment, but there is a chest at: (x 483 y 186) with:
Pearl
Light Crossbow
Bolt +2 (x20)
and another chest at (x 400 y 274) with:
Bottle of wine
He has a helper, Young Ned, who can be found just outside and a bit to the
west of the house entrance. He will become useful later when you have a need
to travel on the seas.
EVIL: Killing Thom Farold, the boatmaker, will get you: 100gp
It is uncertain whether it is possible to kill Young Ned.
---------------------------------------
Purvis' Shack (x 3358 y 1331 AR 9110)
---------------------------------------
Purvis isn't terribly helpful, or personable. After all, he does bury dead
people for a living. He will be of more use later.
EXTRA: If you aren't in to grave robbing, you could just pickpocket
Purvis instead. Doing this yields a Ring of Free Action. (these
rings are wonderful; get as many as possible!) Interestingly
enough, after you return from the Barbarian Camp, you can
pickpocket him AGAIN for more items!
EVIL: Don't like the gravedigger's mannerisms? Kill him and you will
get:
87gp
Potion of Extra Healing
Short Sword of Backstabbing
Boots of Stealth (+35% to Stealth)
Cloak of Non-Detection
--------------------------------------------
Merchant Warehouse (x 2141 y 2696 AR 9100)
--------------------------------------------
Rawleigh Gallaway is upset that trade has been disrupted. When asked about
barbarians, he can show you the location of their camp on your map. That's
about all for now. He also has two assistants roaming nearby named Karrl and
Jemeliah.
EVIL: If you want, you can kill the merchants. From Karrl you will get:
Leather Armor
Short Sword
2gp
Jemeliah will net you:
Leather Armor
Dagger
Finally, their boss, Rawleigh Gallaway, will drop:
Chainmail Armor
Potion of Healing
Short Sword +2
Well, now that you have explored the town, it is time to pay these barbarians
a visit.
----------------------------------
| Did You Remember To... |
----------------------------------
| * Pickpocket Kiernan and |
| Purvis? |
| * Talk to Murdaugh in the Inn? |
| * Find the Boots of the North |
| in the Cooper's House? |
| * Find Kiernan's secret |
| chamber? |
----------------------------------
==============================================================================
2. The Barbarian Camp
==============================================================================
Leave the town from the east, and you will come across the outskirts of the
barbarian camp. You will be confronted by a company of barbarians led by
Angaar. A cut scene begins. You will eventually find yourself in front of
the newly-risen barbarian chief, the infamous Wylfdene!
When you first greet Wylfdene, you can either tell him you come on behalf
of the Ten-Towns, or you can ask him what he meant about Jerrod's spirit.
Choose the second option for 84,000 exp. (you won't get another opportunity to
choose this option, so take it now!) You can then attempt to forge a peace
treaty on behalf of Lonelywood, but it will fail. However, you will receive
84,000 exp for the effort.
NOTE: During the conversation with Wylfdene, you will receive an
additional 84,000 exp. if you choose the "I know of no assassin"
option instead of "I am no assassin." (contributed by Heng Lok)
Wylfdene thinks you are another assassin sent to kill him. Hjollder will
come to your defense, but is banished to Burial Isle. You are to be taken
outside the camp and executed. If your lead character has a high enough INT
score, you can ask Angaar why you are to die, and ask what will happen to
Hjollder to receive 42,000 exp. If you can convince Angaar to let you go, you
will receive another 42,000 exp.
Don't stop there! Ask him about Wylfdene and receive ANOTHER 42,000 exp!
If your lead character does NOT have a sufficient INT score, you will have
to fight a small group of barbarian warriors. Under no circumstance should
you allow Angaar (who will not fight) to be hit with any of the party's
attacks. If you do, and Angaar dies, your game is more or less over. So
don't let Angaar die!
NOTE: I find it... amusing that Angaar has a brother named Raag. Now,
either I am so sleep-deprived that I am seeing things, or the name
Angaar looks a whole lot like Anger, while Raag looks like Rage.
Very creative!
You are done here for the time being. You should return to Lonelywood.
Return to Lonelywood
--------------------
Go and meet Purvis (x 3538 y 1705), who is outside working. Apparently,
someone has died since you left. Ask him about it.
EXTRA: Oddly, you can pickpocket Purvis again after returning from the
Barbarian Camp. This time you will receive:
Ring of Free Action
Oil of Speed
You will need to pickpocket 2 separate times to get both. Where did
Purvis get the extra items anyway? Perhaps from Digby, the deceased brother?
Who knows. Take them and move on.
Emmerich Hawk
-------------
He can fill you in on more information regarding the recent death.
At any time after the death of the first brother, you may encounter a
Greater Werewolf out on the streets of Lonelywood at night. You can either
kill it, or you can ran away and spare it. Either way is acceptable, but it
is better to run than to kill it. After all, some men can turn into
werewolves, right? Later, you will be able to identify who the werewolf is,
and you will receive a greater experience reward for not killing the wolf. If
you do encounter it on the streets, it is best to just duck into a building
and wait it out. The inn is preferable because you can rest until dawn.
Confront Baldemar Thurlow
-------------------------
Return to the Cartwright's house. You should go up to Baldemar's study and
confront him with the information Wylfdene told you regarding the attempted
assassination of the chief. He will reveal his role in the plan, but say that
there are higher powers at work. For getting him to confess and to come clean
with the other council members nets you a whopping 420,000 exp!
Young Ned
---------
Hjollder may have been banished to Burial Isle, but he left a lot of
unanswered questions. Remember the boatmaker? He will be able to get you to
the Isle. Talk to his assistant, Young Ned (x 499 y 1818) and he will
reluctantly offer to sail you to the Isle. When you are ready, and adequately
equipped, you should travel to the Isle in search of Hjollder.
==============================================================================
3. Burial Isle
==============================================================================
Young Ned: (AR 9300)
---------------------
He will wait here (x 2833 y 2445) to take you back to Lonelywood.
NOTE: It is possible to kill Young Ned once you are on Burial Isle. Why
you would want to however, is a mystery.
================================
There are a series of caves on
Burial Isle that all lead to the
same general area. What I have
done is labeled each of the
caves with a letter A through D.
The walkthrough for that section
begins at Cave Entrance A.
================================
------------
Burial Caves
------------
There are two ways of rescuing Hjollder, the exiled shaman. One way is to
traverse through the Burial Caves. The other one is to hop directly to his
island. You still need to explore the caves for an item, but you can gain the
280,000 exp. bonus for locating Hjollder, in case you need an experience
boost. For full details, look under the section "Rescue Hjollder" below
(after the Caves Walkthrough).
--------------------------------
Cave Entrance A (x 3022 y 1916)
--------------------------------
NOTE: The underground walkthrough assumes you entered through Cave Entrance A.
The entrance to this cave is located more or less due north of where you
land on the island. Immediately upon entering the cave, you will be greeted
by an entourage of Barrow Wights and Wailing Virgins. The latter are
especially difficult, and can paralyze and damage your party severely.
Vexing Thoughts (x 3066 y 1151 AR 9400)
-----------------------------------------
Head north from the entrance, and you will encounter a creature that
appears to be a floating set of armor. That's essentially what it is. If you
talk with it, it reveals its name as Vexing Thoughts. Its true name was once
known to its master, but the master forgot it, and Vexing Thoughts disposed of
him. At this point, you have four choices.
1.) Just leave. You don't *have* to do anything here.
2.) Ask it how you can gain control over it. It will ask you to go and
kill an innocent. Upon doing this, it then wants you to dedicate the
kill to its dark master. I suppose this is a good option for an evil-
aligned party. But my Paladin wouldn't stomach it.
3.) The third option is to tell it that you will control it.
4.) The final (and best) choice is to discover its true name.
In response to 3, the spirit armor puts itself in your inventory.
Identifying it reveals it to be a Plate Mail of AC 1, giving the wearer 100%
cold resistance, and promises other benefits upon donning the armor. If you
do equip it, the armor will kill the wearer. But that's not all. It will
also reveal its true form - it's a Chilmandren - and attack the party! He's
really tough, but not impossible to kill. My party took him down after
inflicting 125 points of damage, so his limit is around there.
EXTRA: Have your weakest attacker who can wear the armor equip it. No
sense losing your most powerful fighter!
If you would like to gain mastery over it without destroying it, thus
bending its will to serve you, you must discover its true name. However, its
previous master, as you may recall, met an untimely end. If only you could
speak with the dead. If only there was some way to _Contact Other Plane_ and
discover the answer in the beyond. If that hint wasn't obvious enough, you
must need to either *update* or *review* your supply of _magic_ ... If you
discover its true name, not only do you get the armor, which is a WONDERFUL
piece of equipment for this climate, but you can also call on the Chilmandren
_ONE TIME_ to help you out. Save this for a REALLY tough battle...like at the
end of the game. You should also be aware that once you summon the
Chilmandren to battle, the Vexed Armor will be destroyed. This will leave its
wearer without armor!! Be ready!
EVIL: You can also select to kill an innocent person in order to gain
the Vexed Armor. After you kill an innocent, come back and
you will gain the Vexed Armor, but if you try to summon the
Chilmandren...watch out!
Whatever you decide, once you are done, it's time to move on.
Treasure Cove #1 (x 2550 y 765)
--------------------------------
Just north of where you meet Vexing Thoughts is a treasure cove. Careful,
it's trapped! In the jar at (x 2582 y 824) you will find:
Broken Armor
Elixir of Health
Protection from Cold (scroll)
In the center, at (x 2550 y 765) is:
525gp
Svian's Club (+5 THAC0)
And finally, in the jar at (x 2458 y 790) is:
12 Horn Coral Gems
153gp
If you need to exit the cave, see below. Otherwise, head west from here.
Exit to Cave Entrance D
-----------------------
If you need to exit the cave, there is an exit due east of Treasure Cove #1
at (x 3640 y 733). It will lead you to Cave Entrance D above ground.
Exit to Cave Entrance C
-----------------------
If you need to exit the cave, take the stairs to the left of Treasure Cove
#1, at (x 2370 y 660). It will lead you to Cave Entrance C above ground.
Treasure Cove #2
-----------------
West of Treasure Cove #1 (and the Exit to Cave Entrance C) is another
treasure cove (x 1720 y 760). This one is also trapped. In the jar at
(x 1680 y 840) is:
Winter Wolf Pelt
Cloak of Displacement (+4 AC versus Missile Weapons)
In the jar at (x 1865 y 760) you will find:
4 Water Opals
Arrows +2
Chain Mail +1
Battle Axe +1
And finally, in the center, at (x 1720 y 760) you will get:
318gp
Short Sword +4: Blood Iron (Each hit heals 3hp)
Time to move on. Head down the stairs and go west if you need to exit the
cave for some reason. Otherwise, return to Cave Entrance A. (where we came
in)
Exit to Cave Entrance B
-----------------------
If you need to exit the cave, take the stairs down from Treasure Cove #2
and head west to (x 2370 y 660). It will lead you to Cave Entrance B above
ground.
Return to Cave Entrance A
-------------------------
Once you have returned to the cave entrance, head west and take the first
stairway down. From here, fight your way west. You will be attacked several
times by Drowned Corpses, Barrow Wights, and Wailing Virgins. Just before the
stone bridge is a third treasure cove, located at (x 1600 y 1940). Good thing
heroes like treasure!
Treasure Cove #3
----------------
To the best of my recollection, this is the only treasure cove in this
level that is not trapped. But don't take my word for it - check first! In
the jar at (x 1530 y 1996) is:
High Quality Bastard Sword
309gp
And in the jar at (x 1735 y 1955) you will obtain:
Jade Ring
High Quality Battle Axe
Small Shield +1
Now cross the bridge to the west. Unbelievably, you will find... well, just
just say I hope you aren't sick of treasure!!
Treasure Cove #4
----------------
Just on the other side of the stone bridge is the fourth treasure cove
(x 1240 y 1950). This one is trapped. At (x 1183 y 1918) is:
Fire Darts +2
Battle Axe +3: Fatigue (20% chance target is slowed)
You will find the following at (x 1230 y 1950):
740gp
Battle Axe +5: Young Blood (5% chance per hit user goes berserk)
And (x 1270 y 2020) will treat you to:
2 Heal (scroll - priest)
Yeti Pelt
Inferno Arrows +2
From this treasure cove, head west and up the stairs. Now things get
interesting!
Mebdinga and Wylfdene's Tomb
----------------------------
You have stumbled upon another clue to the mysterious Wylfdene - his empty
casket. The guardian, Mebdinga, is the guardian of the casket. And she is
not pleased to see your party at all! She issues you a familiar ultimatum -
leave or die. You should choose the hero's option of C) Start a fight. But
be warned - Mebdinga is not alone, as there are four other Wailing Virgins
with her. Also, Mebdinga can quickly kill most or all of your party, so Haste
your warriors and take her out first!
EXTRA: Why fight fair? Tell Mebdinga that you will leave. That way,
you can initiate the battle, if you want. Doing so will not
cause a reputation loss. I guess it isn't dishonorable to
pick a fight with the undead.
After you deal with the guardians, search the casket at (x 440 y 1795). In
it you will find:
735gp
Wylfdene's Tribal Insignia
Time to press on. Rest up, then head west to the edge of the screen, and
follow the path to the north.
Treasure Cove #5
----------------
Located at (x 175 y 1310) is what every hero wants - more treasure!!! This
final treasure cove in the underground is, not surprisingly, trapped. The jar
at (x 274 y 1362) contains:
Blade Barrier (scroll - priest)
Holy Smite (scroll - priest)
5 Moonbar Gems
169gp
The table at (x 220 y 1360) has:
325gp
Ready to finish this area up?
Exit to Exile Island
--------------------
From the fifth treasure cove, take the first stairway heading north
(x 500 y 1300). This will lead you to a new exit (x 300 y 560) and to
the reason you came to this island in the first place!
Rescue Hjollder
---------------
Once you surface, you will receive 280,000 exp. for locating Hjollder. You
tell him what you have learned about Wylfdene, but he requires more proof in
order to confront the king. Show him the Tribal Insignia that you found below
ground. You will receive 420,000 for doing this.
Hjollder is unable to discern the true nature of the spirit within
Wylfdede, but he knows of one who can. He directs the party in the direction
of the Gloomfrost Seer. He will mark the location of Gloomfrost on your map.
Backtrack through the cave and take some time to visit some of the other sites
on Burial Isle (detailed below). When you are ready, return to Lonelywood.
EXTRA: As mentioned earlier, you can take a shortcut directly to
Hjollder's Island to gain a quick 280,000 exp. before you even
enter the caves. This is very useful since your characters are
most likely still fairly weak. To get there, head to the bridge
that leads to the Abandoned Lighthouse at (x 290 y 900). Just
before the bridge you will notice an island that you can not
reach just to the north. Have your Mage cast Dimension Door
(make SURE he can cast it twice!) Place the Spell Cursor on the
island, and you are there. You will get the 280,000 exp. for
locating him, but you must still search the caves for Wylfdene's
Tribal Insignia.
------------------------------
Tower (x 565 y 2326 AR 9301)
------------------------------
This tower is home to one Edion Caradoc, a necromancer of great power. He
was put under a curse by his enemies, and can not be healed short of divine
intervention. So he sits here, waiting to die. He will, however, offer to
sell you magical items and scrolls. And, of course, he will buy them off of
you as well. (see my supplementary list of game items for shop inventory)
EXTRA: If you talk to him with a mage, you will have the additional
conversation option of suggesting that he perform the ritual which
would allow him to become a lich, and thus cheat his
curse...somewhat. This suggestion won't have any effect on his
dismal outlook regarding his future, but it is noteworthy.
EVIL: You can attempt to kill the necromancer, if you wish. However, he
will only give you: 585gp
NOTE: One of the weapons that Edion sells is a Large Sword named
Cynicism. It is +4 to hit, but that is not what makes it worth
mentioning. Fans of Baldur's Gate 2 might remember Lilacor the
talking two-handed sword. Well, Cynicism is Icewind Dale's
talking sword. Unfortunately (maybe) you won't *hear* the sword
speak, like in BG2, but it will send up random text messages
above your character's head. Here is some of what it will ramble
at random:
"I'm tired. Sleepy sword."
"Hey halfwit, why don't you do us both a favor and put me back where you
found me"
"We're going to die. Why don't you just put me down and go take up the
plow."
"Could you please put me back in my sheath? I'm scared. Oooh! So scared!"
"Why did I have to be in Icewind Dale? Why? I could be with a soldier in
Evermeet right now..."
"Why must you insist on carrying me exposed to the world?"
"Oh, for Solomar's sake, you don't even know how to hold a sword properly."
"Would you mind throwing me into a nearby lake? I'd rather keep the fish
company."
"This scenery is depressing. Too bad I'll have to look at it for a long
time when you *die*."
"I have a special purpose: To be dropped and left alone while you go off
and die."
"If we get into a fight, be sure to put the pointy end into the enemy.
That get 'em every time!"
"If my mother only saw me now...but if she saw you, she'd probably cry
herself into oblivion."
----------------------------------------
Cave Entrance B (x 1556 y 1746 AR 9300)
----------------------------------------
This is another possible entrance to the underground area, and is located
E of Edion Caradoc's Tower, and W of Young Neb. This cave will place you at
(x 1500 y 980) in the underground. For the complete underground walkthrough,
see entry under Cave Entrance A.
---------------------------------
Polar Bear Spirit (x 2780 y 850)
---------------------------------
East of Cave Entrance C, (located near the center of the map) your party
will be accosted by a Polar Bear Spirit. It thinks you are upsetting the
balance on the island and demands that you leave. Of course, you aren't going
to do that, are you? Prepare to fight - this bear has some friends!
EXTRA: If you want a slight tactical advantage, agree to leave when
talking to the Polar Bear Spirit. Then attack it to gain the
first strike.
--------------------------------
Cave Entrance C (x 1953 y 1079)
--------------------------------
This is a third possible entrance to the underground area, and is located
in front of a ruined wall near the center of the map. This cave will
place you at (x 23 |