Heart of Fury, Exp and Levels

[SmS]

I'm planning to start my 1st Heart of Fury playthrough and I have some questions.

1. How much Exp can you gain per char in a party of 6 doing all everything?

My main goal is to finish the game at max levels to experience them at full power.

2. Is there enough exp to reach max level with any single class char (mages being the highest cap)?

3. What about multi-class chars? What levels will they reach at the end of the game, if not max?

It seems to me that the natural progression is to import your chars from the normal playthrough into the HoF mode (to follow the recommended min level 13) including all the items and spells you've acquired. Will this make me too OP?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

If you start at level 1 with a team of six, you get around 4,000,000 XP per character before the final bits of the base game (Fallen Temple stairs up and beyond). And since Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster expansions are integrated into the base game, you can gain more XP if you do them.

You are free to start a HoF mode playthrough with imported high-level characters. If starting at level 13, the beginning will be much easier, but that's it.

And, no, you won't easily reach the level cap with all characters, if starting at level 1 or a low level. --> https://icewinddale.fandom.com/wiki/Experience

[Hannibal Lahr]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

If you start at level 1 with a team of six, you get around 4,000,000 XP per character before the final bits of the base game (Fallen Temple stairs up and beyond). And since Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster expansions are integrated into the base game, you can gain more XP if you do them.

You are free to start a HoF mode playthrough with imported high-level characters. If starting at level 13, the beginning will be much easier, but that's it.

And, no, you won't easily reach the level cap with all characters, if starting at level 1 or a low level. --> https://icewinddale.fandom.com/wiki/Experience

So is the intention to play through the game normally and then import an endgame party into Heart of Fury mode? I played through Icewind and Baldurs Gate 1 + 2 a ton when they originally came out but haven't tried this or Legacy of Bhaal modes.

[Godsarm]

I've only played Insane but I think the XP bonus is the same as HoF. My Fighter and Bard both get to L30/max. My Paladin & Archer(s) end up at L28, My Mage L25 and my Cleric/Thief I think 21/24 or something like that.

[philos3]

@Hannibal Lahr
It certainly seems like that was the designers intent (play through, and then use that party for HOF). I believe IIRC that the game will auto export your characters during the autosave that happens as you go to fight the final boss.

Bear in mind that when exporting a character, any containers or quest items are dropped from your characters' backpacks. This includes everything "contained" in them. Bag of Holding, Ammo Belt, Scroll case, Potion case, Gem bag. Poof, gone.

In game, all those items will be there of course for your fight but the export version of the character in the character files will be missing that stuff.

I would suggest doing an export of each character just before you enter. Pick what items you most want or expensive ones you plan to sell (high price gems and potions will stack BTW) in HOF and fill your backpack with them ditching the containers. Export the character, then pick up the container, reload and go into the fight. It is a little bit of trouble but better than starting HOF and discovering my Bag of Holding carrying all my cool gear has vanished in the wind.

@Godsarm
I think the IWD Wiki confirms that the XP for HOF is the same as the Insane setting.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by Godsarm:

I've only played Insane but I think the XP bonus is the same as HoF.

No, it is much higher in HoF. Which is why I have linked the Wiki.
--> https://icewinddale.fandom.com/wiki/Experience#Scaling

Originally posted by Hannibal Lahr:

So is the intention to play through the game normally and then import an endgame party into Heart of Fury mode?

Yes.

It's not mandatory, though, since you can start Heart of Winter on the game's main screen with any characters, new ones as well as previously exported ones. As such it can be played with level 1 characters, who will level up very quickly. On the contrary, if you start the base game instead, you need to fulfill Hjollder's requirements (originally level 9 or so, currently a minimum of 250,000 XP per character) before you would be accepted and taken to Lonelywood.