So with Circle of Eight Modpack: New Content Edition installed, what should be the ideal major areas progression or sequence? Like should it be Hommlet and its nearby areas, then completely finish the Temple, then Verbobonc? Thanks. Edit: I have played TOEE before with Co8 installed, but for some reason, I never got to finish the game, and I've mostly forgotten much about it. But I do remember there being Verbobonc and having fun with it (the arena most especially). Some spoilers are fine, I guess.
You can check out the opening Welkwynd Bog quest by talking to Brother Smyth and then to Captain Renton for a 1st level adventure. It's a good fit if you have a larger party or just don't want to do fetch quests in town.
Yes, all the stuff around Hommlet occurs first, which takes your party to about 4th or 5th level. Then you move on to Nulb, and the Temple, where things are much more open-ended. You can engage mini-quests in Nulb and forays into the Temple in different a order as you choose. Once that segment ends, which is the end of the original game, you should be about 10th level. From there, you move on to Vebobonc, which is all new content, and that takes you to 20th level, usually.
Level 20 for Verbobonc is likely on the high end. As a party of 2, we did everything and ended around level 18.
For a different approach for a full party: I recommend restricting your maximum level for various parts of the game. I used to try to level-camp at 10 maximum until Verbonc because (imho) this is the intended challenge. And even so, it certainly is not too challenging at this level. Increase to 12-ish once at Verbonc stuff, and just xp-camp until the gods fight. Otherwise the fights are just too easy and no work/enjoyment. Seriously. Once at the gods fight, you can just spend the saved xp and fight this however you like. You'll have over 20 levels. No need to use cheesy tactics as you can try all sorts of epic stuff; it will be quite challenging even at epic levels, but that is the intent of this battle. Or if you side with Wakefield or avoid through choices, this battle doesn't even happen. And also recommended is to avoid item crafting and just use what you find and buy. Crafting also trivializes the game at any level - even at lower level - and you can find enough stuff, including holy weapons that will suffice. Scrolls are an exception and a bunch of healing scrolls, etc. can help the starting fluidity and reduce too much reliance on resting. Level 10, 12 have lots of things to do...so you are not hurting for abilities. Also, it is quite fun to use a single PC and fill the party with Npcs. 2 PCs means that if one dies, the game doesn't end- which is the tricky part of a single PC. The Npcs can be molded into interesting characters. And finally, get rid the idea of using of the silly OP Swords Scather and Fragarach. Sell or toss them. TLDR: This structure doesn't make the game too hard, but it does keep it interesting. TOEE is rather more battles focus and less story. But obviously if this doesn't appeal to you, it is just a suggestion.
I appreciate the replies. And so basically, it could go like this: Hommlet (and other areas), Nulb, Temple, then Verbobonc, then "gods fight"? While I never got to finish the game before for some reason, but got very close to it (I remember a golden skull I was carrying around which I remember to be an endgame object). However, I can't remember the "gods fight" part.... seems very familiar though. This is part of the original game, yes? And I assume I'll be going back to the Temple for the "gods fight"? XP-camp is a new term for me. What does it mean?
The "Gods fight" is part of the new content and occurs in the arena. Who you fight depends, either 4 Balors, 4 Iux Avatars, or 4 StCuthbert Avatars. XP-camp is when you do NOT level up(which requires xp overflow enabled) and instead let it accrue. This gains you more xp from an encounter as the program uses your actual level for xp determination.
