Call Me S-l-o-w on the Uptake. A Number of Questions on HoW

[Albromor]

Well I went and bought HoW because my local Walmart had it on sell for $20.00. I had an earlier post a few weeks ago concerning this add-on, but as my post title indicates "I am s-l-o-w on the uptake." Anyway, I have several questions that I would appreciate advice on:

1. When should I install HoW? I am currently on the 5th level of Chapter 2
in the Dragon's Eye.

2. If I install HoW will I run into what BG1 players ran into when they installed TotSC? Whereby you always had to start with TotSC disk even if you were in a regular BG chapter.

3. Let's say I up the difficulty level in HoW. Will this carry over into the regular play of IWD? For example, I raise it to the HoF mode. Will the HoF mode carry over into IWD play?

4. When would you recommend playing HoW? What level? After what chapter?

5. Where does Luremaster come into play? What is the best sequence? Can I take my party first to Luremaster and then return to IWD to complete it or is Luremaster a stand alone product within the IWD universe.

Thanks ahead of time!

[Leafy]

As for the HoW, i'd say go ahead and install it now. As for HoF, the difficulty should take affect as soon as you check the box and load a game. Some changes such as extra enemies may not take effect until you load a new level you haven't been to yet.

as for the luremaster, it's in lonlywood. I guess you can go from IWD, to HoW, to ToLM back to How back to IWD. but i think it's better to just finish IWD then import into the HoW and play ToLM sometime before you complete HoW.

[Lord of Alcohol]

As Leafy said, install it now. You get nothing but advantages, scrollcases, gembags, etc. Plus a better interface. They recomend you be at least 10th level before HoW, but I'd go a bit further, I went at 12th

[Alaric]

I would install HoW right away. You get access to new spells, equipment and abilities. Just remember to also install the official HoW patch 1.41.

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All the world is a stage and we are all actors playing our parts.

[Killing Spree]

Personally when I got HOW I just threw away my current game. Though I was just a little bit behind you. I believe I'd just gotten through the temple of the forgotten god (But OH that was such a long time ago). HOWEVER at this point, install Heart Of Winter, and make sure you go on a shopping spree next time you're in Kuldahar. Ehem... Just play through Icewind Dale, it's all to your advantage with the higher expieriance caps and new weapons. I think it's best to play through like such and then move on to Heart Of Winter. (exporting character files) As for Luremaster. Geez... Try making it through Icewind Dale AND Heart Of Winter first, then you can worry about that. I've heard from my brother that Luremaster is impossibly hard, but then again, he is the child who just discovered today that the hide in shadows mode stops when you stand right next to a torch...

[Khanar]

Luremaster is impossibly hard? Not really.

[Killing Spree]

Like I said, Khanar, he's the child who just discovered hide in shadows wears off when you step next to a torch. I myself have yet to play either expansion pack.