Just to collect some feedback regarding the type of encounters players like most: What's your favorite encounter in IA v4.2's improved spellhold?

(I will gradually create more polls about other parts of the game.)

I did like Cat o Nine Lives, but the Ancient Tome was my fave - the fact that the reward varied by how well you performed (ie. in terms of not resting) was an excellent idea, and had me replaying until I got the full set of items.

I vote for the Tome too, but the Guardian Spirits & Amber Golems are a close second.

The Cat'o'nine lives gets my vote, mostly because of its originality. It was totally unexpected. On top of that, you get a very useful item which is not overpowered either. However, the pause between cats worried me some at first because it's like the prelude in the game before announcing that you have been killed.

I'll second that, and as a nr. two I'll point to the vamp. tutor

I voted for the Cat too - I liked the way the Cat was getting stronger and stronger as she lost her lives... had me worried about how strong the last one would be

My favorites are the Cat 'O Nine Lives and the Tome. The cat had more originality... the tome was harder. Damn those spiders . I vote for the tome though - the cat (or rather killing it over and over again) gets somewhat boring after some time, imho.

Loved the cat of nine lives idea, was very cool but would have prefered if the final incarnation was tougher as in the end it was quite an easy fight especially as it gives out such an awesome item. The tome was great, but my favourite had to be the amber golems as they managed to slaughter my party the first time.

Thanks for the feedback, all!

Does everyone believe that Cat O'Nine Lives should be more powerful in the future versions of the mod? If yes, how? (defensively, offensively, or both?)

I reckon a bit more offensive power would probably be the best approach as it already takes quite some time to kill.

How many enemies are there in the Tome? I'm currently at the Ghost Spider and am having some trouble against it but don't want to waste too many spells on it if there are lots of fights left. I have beaten a Ghost Spider before to get Belm but this one seems more difficult, any good tactics/spells to beat it or just bash away?

The fun (and surpise) is maximum if you do not know the number of fights. Why do you want to be spoiled?



SPOILER!

I managed to beat the Spider, thanks for the help. However after that when I click on the Tome I just get the Kobold again, is that meant to happen? Do I have to fight through the tome battles several times? I even rested and could still get the fights and got no treasure.

It's mentioned in the mod's readme file. You shouldn't rest in between the Ancient Tome's battles if you want the full treasure. Reload the game to a saved game before clicking the tome for the first time. Then start again and do not rest this time. You need to win all of the battles without resting.

I didn't rest at all during battles, I only did that after I got the Kobold for the second time to see if I was meant to rest to get the treasure. I was just wondering if the battles are meant to repeat themselves?

Also now I have rested can I not reload to a save after I've done the Tome but before I rested or does it need to be before even touching the Tome?

No, they don't repeat unless you have either rested or have spent more than 2 hours (in-game time) to win the battles. Wasting 2 hours and resting have both the same effects: the battles will repeat one more time and you will get a small portion of the treasure.

Must be the 2 hour rule, the difference between my starting save and ending save is 2 hours so I must only have been over by a tiny bit, those golems took me ages to kill . Guess I'll try again and I hope the reward is worth it. Thanks for the fast replies.

Just a quick question, i'm looking to experience all the new improvements to spellhold and just wondered how long I have to hang back in athkatla for these to kick in, what sort of character level am I looking at? Is it a sliding scale of improvements with level or a simple past X level you get the tough version and before you get the normal version?

SPOILER!

Thanks, that sounds like what i'm after.

you will have hard time
I went to spellhold around 18 level, and it was fun but really really hard and


spoilers
SPOILER!



I voted for cat o nine lives, because of original concept and great name ... and because it is a CAT

Dont worry i'm expecting this to be monstorous, just want to check out as many of Sikrets improvements since 4.2. As for the spoiler I figured Sikret might have done something like that.

Plus I want to get in as much practice of improved encounters as possible, the idea of a further improved EDE really worries me.

I voted for the guardians and amber golems, because I like the idea of fighting really tough kobolds. And I found it to be the encounter to stretch my tactical muscle the most.

However, cat o' nine lives is a close runner up for the reasons previously mentioned.