Differences from the original?

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I have the original version (from GOG). What has been changed/improved in the EE?

I would almost want to give them money even if nothing had changed, just to reward them for making a party-based RPG with heavy emphasis on tactics, spellcasting, and character building. As far as I know, that's not something which has been available the past few years.

 

I think they put it into their EE engine, which means it contains all the options from ToB, effectively making the game considerably easier than it was, much like it did with BG1.

Whether that's worth all the improvements brought by the EE engine is arguable, but it does make many things easier for us humble modders.

 

It's not all of the options of ToB. But includes most. Differences in Shapeshifting, etc... More magic items are added. More kits including Dwarven Defender, Dragon Disciple, Shadow Dancer, Priests of Tyr and Tempus. A better GUI. Some other stuff...

Several mods are already released that improve it even more. A Frost Journey is a Kit Mod that I like. Also like "some" of the options from Scales of Balance, mainly the kit/class sections.

 

Yeah, it's not all the TOB options. IWD:EE does not have HLAs for example.

It does however have all the BG2 kits plus the new kits added in BG:EE.

It also has true dual-wielding. IWD originally had "fake" dual-wielding where if you didn't have a shield equipped you got an extra attack per round. IWD:EE has true dual-wielding like BG2. True dual-wielding really breaks the game in my opinion because there are several very powerful weapons that add an extra attack per round (like Belm and Kudane do in BG2). There are two longswords of action in IWD. Dual-wielding those really breaks the game because they both give an extra attack per round, 15% resistance to slashing damage (which stacks), and to top it off they are +4 enchanted which means they are high enough enchantment to hit anything.

Also, IWD:EE has new spells that were not originally in IWD, such as Improved Haste, Protection of Magic Weapons, Timestop, etc.

 

Y'all have already covered most of it. One more thing to add is that IWDEE also includes (most of) the Unfinished Business and Item Upgrade mods.

 

One thing I have noticed - since IWD has so many one-handed weapons that offer a defense bonus (often with the Defender name on them), it seems to me that IWD is the best game for lovers of dual-weilding. You can effectively get all the perks of dual wielding (extra attacks and effects) without sacrificing the perks of carrying a shield (extra defense). There are of course exceptions, as several shields offer a +3 or better bonus, but this certainly mitigates that.

So while not a "difference" per se, it certainly is a serendipitous alignment.

 

Yeah, there are three really sensitive points of balance.

The introduction of BG2 spells gives mages advantages they didn't have in IWD. Think stuff like sequencers, anti-magic, protections, etc. To help counter this, the (few) IWD mages have had their AI updated to counter those spells if they're used by the party. If you use conventional IWD spells, the opponents will simply use the same tactics they did in IWD--so you're not going to see Malavon firing contingencies, but he will use, say, Warding Whip if you start throwing out Mantles.

IWD was very stingy with scrolls--in most cases, only one scroll was available for a spell in the entire game. Sorcerers gain a big advantage over mages in a scroll-strapped environment such as this. There's not really a lot we can do here to mitigate this.

And yes, the dual-wielding. I agree, for the most part, though IWD does have some awesome shields that you'll have to put aside for it. Like sorcerers, there's not really a lot we can do here.

 

You're looking at it the wrong way—it's the shield that's lacking. A standard sword & board build generally uses shield as a weapon, but that's not really possible in IE games. So, while TWF works just fine, all a shield does is provide a little extra security, and that's pretty inconsequential unless you're going all out on AC (D&D is a game of extremes).

That kind of got me thinking though. I'll have to check if there's a way to implement shield bashing in IE. That would be pretty awesome...

 

With things like the rings that give bonus attacks and weapons that give 1 or more bonus attacks I have found that for at least warrior type characters dual wielding was not needed to get 5 attacks per round. IN my old IWD game my ranger used a shield late game because he had 5 attacks while using the shield so its benefits were better than using the old dual wield option.

This reminds me though I am going to miss being able to get the extra attack with 2 handed swords like I could with old IWD rangers.

 

Yeah, dual-wielding (especially with longs swords) feels like the most powerful option in IWD:EE, followed by weapon+shield.

Two-handed swords/halberds/axes are a little underwhelming; In BG2 they were imo the most powerful melee option, but in IWD:EE the two-handers I found could barely keep up with the one-handed swords/axes in terms of enchantment level and perks, plus you miss out on the bonuses from a shield or off-hand weapon.

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I would enjoy a mod that does make enemy mages use contingencies and protection spells etc intelligently. I just did the mage battle in Lonelywood (the ones that come to assassinate the inkeeper), and it was much too easy, especially in contrast to all those tough Wailing Virgins and Ice Golem Sentries my party had to deal with prior to that.

In other words, something like SCS for IWD:EE would be great...

PS: According to the SCS author, it won't be ported anytime soon...

 

The most important feature is multiplayer support. Me and a friend have tried beating IWD many times but have been forced to give up due to bugs. No such issues sofar with EE...

If you're playing singleplayer, I haven't found a reason to switch. With all the tweaks and mods available, EE provides little new, except for multiplayer.

 

Yeah you pretty much got it covered guys,

The best is of course the Quick Loot function, and the Zoom in/out

A few things MISSING from the original: The guard function, and the character arbitration.

 

What about the expansion? Heart of Winter? Is that included in the EE version?

 

Yes, it is - along with trials of the luremaster.

 

Trials of the Luremaster? Looks like I'm in for more than I thought
Thanks xosmi.

 

No problem
One word of advice : Totlm is tough. i would advice you to clear the entirety of HoW just before going to sherincal's island before tackling it so you'll have the most powerful party you can.
Some mobs you'll encounter there are harpies (fear effect) wyverns (poison) spectral guards (come in huge numbers and are arguably the toughest mobs to take care of) werejackals (like werewolves but..jackals.. ) and even some glabrezu.

 

Ouch. That's some serious stuff. Thanks for the heads up.