I am having trouble with a couple of encounters in the moathouse. Should I wait until I reach level 3 ? Two encounters in particular I find difficult. I am aware of a non-violent solution to one, but that is not the same as “Clearing the Moathouse.†Where should gain experience ? I have completed a few of the quests in town. Mostly, I have been sleeping outside, catching diseases, and ridding the countryside of wandering monsters. Dig
IMO - I would suggest the party level to be level 3 if this is one of your first times through the game. I would also suggest you go back in to Hommlet and complete more quests to get more experience.
If you take the non-violent solution, there is a Co8 mod that takes that into account later in the game. I've always slaughtered them though...so I can't really comment on the mod. As far as level 2 vs. level 3, level 3 would obviously help -- and this being your first time through, you'll probably appreciate doing all the Hommlet quests which would help you get there. That said, the encounter in question can certainly be handled by a level 2 party (although not always on the first try -- it takes a little luck not to get anyone killed). I usually do that encounter at level 2 and did it a couple days ago with a new CE game I started featuring a five character party -- a human bard and four dwarves (fighter, barbarian, rogue, and cleric). [First time I've played the CE alignment ... and the odd party mix is a throwback to a 1st Ed. AD&D PBEM game I was playing in years ago that never really got going -- it was supposed to be a death match tournament and I was playing a 1st Ed. bard that had recruited a bunch of dwarves to be bodyguards ... anyway, after you play the game a number of times, I find you try to come up with something a little different...] And the other encounter you're running into is a bit harder, I highly recommend getting to level 3 for that one.
