Games PC ICEWIND DALE II User Manual

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Table of Contents

 

Welcome to Icewind Dale II ..........................................................

2

How To Use This Manual ................................................................

3

How To Install and Start Playing ....................................................

3

How To Get Help ..........................................................................

4

Starting Out ..........................................................................

5

Party Choice ..........................................................................

5

Character Generation ......................................................................

6

The Interface ..........................................................................

9

Muliplayer ........................................................................

25

Faerûn and the North ....................................................................

29

The Dungeons & Dragons Rules....................................................

38

Experience and Gaining Levels ................................................

44

Races and Sub-Races................................................................

47

Classes ........................................................................

50

Skills ........................................................................

63

Feats ........................................................................

65

Magic and the Spell System ..........................................................

73

Spells ........................................................................

75

Outfitting Yourself ......................................................................

132

Arming Yourself ......................................................................

133

Magic Items and Treasure ..........................................................

135

Tables ......................................................................

134

Table 1: Character Ability Scores ............................................

134

Table 2: Experience and Level Dependent Benefits Chart ......

135

Table 3: Base Save and Base Attack Bonuses ..........................

136

Table 4: Monk Unarmed Bonuses ..........................................

137

Table 5: Spell Progression ......................................................

138

Table 6: Simple Weapons........................................................

145

Table 7: Martial Weapons ......................................................

146

Table 8: Armor ......................................................................

147

Table 9: Two-Weapon Fighting Penalties ................................

147

Credits ......................................................................

148

Index ......................................................................

150

Interplay Contact Information......................................................

152

1

ICEWIND DALE II

Black Isle Studios is pleased to bring to you Icewind Dale™ II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Icewind Dale™. Using the Dungeons & Dragons® Third Edition rules, Icewind Dale II continues the classic dungeon crawling experience of the first game, with a horde of new monsters to slay, spells to unleash, and areas to explore in the windswept north of the FORGOTTEN REALMS®. A grave new threat has arisen in the North, a threat that seeks to seal off the Ten-Towns from the rest of Faerûn in a bitter power struggle. The town of Bremen has fallen, and a vicious horde of goblins, orcs, and bugbears have gathered beneath the mysterious banner of the Chimera and are marching on the port town of Targos. Fearing that they will be overrun, Targos has sent out a call for all able-bodied adventurers, soldiers, and mercenaries to sail north to stand with the town’s defenders against the encroaching horde. You and your companions have answered the call.

Icewind Dale II uses a highly modified version of the BioWare Infinity

Engine™, originally developed by BioWare Corp. for Baldur’s Gate™ and Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn™. Among the many features included in Icewind Dale II, you will now be able to choose new races like the Half-Orcs and sub-races like the Gold Dwarves. You may even play some of the Underdark races, including the Drow and the Duergar. For players who like to equip two scimitars and do a spinning dance of death through their enemies, Two Weapon Fighting has also been included.

Many of the mechanics described in this manual will be familiar to those who have played the Baldur’s Gate series and Icewind Dale. If you wish to refresh your knowledge of the interface, feel free to thumb through the manual and read what you wish. The notable differences you will find are the change from AD&D Second Edition rules to D&D Third Edition rules including new races, skills, feats, spells, and the world background, which describes the port city of Targos and its inhabitants.

Welcome to Icewind Dale II.

2

2

How To Use This Manual

This manual is intended as a reference guide for Icewind Dale II, not something that needs to be read from cover to cover. Refer to it when you need to, or if you are confused about a certain aspect of gameplay. Several tables and an index have been provided at the end of the book to allow you to get the information you need at a glance, and a quick reference card has been included in the game box.

This manual is divided into two parts. The first part gives you the information you need to create your party, use the new interface, and run multiplayer games in Icewind Dale II. It’s the nuts and bolts of the game, and it has everything you need to get up and running. The second part, “The North,” gives you information on the city of Targos, the world of the FORGOTTEN REALMS, and definitions of certain aspects of the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, which may be new to some players.

How To Install and Start Playing

To install Icewind Dale II, first insert the CD-ROM labeled Icewind Dale II Disc 1 into your CD-ROM drive and follow the on-screen instructions. If your Autorun is not enabled, click on the icon representing your CDROM Drive under ‘My Computer’ from your desktop. This will bring up a listing of the files on Icewind Dale II Disc 1. Find AUTORUN.EXE and double-click to launch the install application.

Press the ‘Install’ button to begin installation.

After installing the game, other options will be available on the launch menu:

Play. After you have everything set, click on the Play button to begin playing. After viewing the logo and introduction movies, select “New Game” to go directly into Party Choice and begin your adventure in Icewind Dale II.

View Readme. The readme file contains last minute information and changes that could not be printed in this manual. Please take the time to view the readme file if you are having any problems with this product.

Uninstall. When you’re ready, the Uninstall option will remove Icewind Dale II from your computer, except your saved games.

Exit will close the launch window.

Starting Icewind Dale II from the Desktop: After you have installed the game, if your Icewind Dale II CD is already in your CD-ROM Drive or the Autorun menu did not pop up after putting in the CD - go to your Start Menu, select Programs, and then select the Black Isle program group and finally the Icewind Dale II selection. At another time, you might also want to look at the other interesting programs and material that was installed along with Icewind Dale II under the Black Isle program group.

3

How To Get Help

Troubleshooting Documents Online!

Interplay Entertainment Corp. Technical Support now offers troubleshooting guides with complete installation and setup instructions as well as information that will help you overcome the most common difficulties. If you have access to the World Wide Web, you can find these at www.interplay.com/support/.

Here you will find troubleshooting information on as well as information on regular system maintenance and performance.

(For game-specific information and additional troubleshooting, visit our main page at www.interplay.com)

If you have questions about the program, our Technical Support Department can help. Our web-site contains up-to-date information on the most common difficulties with our products, and this information is the same as that used by our product support technicians. We keep the product support pages updated on a regular basis, so please check here first for no-wait solutions: www.interplay.com/support/

If you are unable to find the information you need on our web site, please feel free to contact Technical Support via e-mail, phone, fax, or letter. Please be sure to include the following information in your e-mail message, fax, or letter:

Title of Game

Operating system (Windows® 95,Windows® 98, Windows® ME, Windows® 2000, Windows® XP)

CPU type and speed in MHZ

Amount of RAM

CD-ROM

A copy of the Direct X Diagnostic Report

A description of the problem you’re having

If you need to talk to someone immediately, call us at (949) 553-6678 Monday through Friday between 8:00AM-5:45PM, Pacific Standard Time. Our automated wizard is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Please have the above information ready when you call. This will help us answer your question in the shortest possible time. When you call you will initially be connected with our automated wizard. For information pertaining to your specific title, press “1” on the main menu and listen carefully to all prompts. All titles are listed alphabetically. After you have selected your title, the most common difficulties will be listed. If the difficulty you are having is not listed or you need additional assistance, you may press “0” on your games main menu, and you will be transferred to a Technical Support representative. No hints or codes are available from this line.

Interplay Entertainment Corp. Support Fax: (949) 252-2820

Interplay Entertainment Corp. Technical Support

16815 Von Karman Avenue • Irvine, CA 92606

HOW TO REACH US ONLINE

INTERNET E-MAIL: support@interplay.com

WORLD WIDE WEB: www.interplay.com

FTP: ftp.interplay.com

4

4

Starting Out

You can play Icewind Dale II either solo (creating your own party) or multiplayer (adventuring with one or more of your friends, with each of you controlling one or more characters). The following directions regarding character creation and interface apply equally to both types of games, but the means of starting a singleplayer game and a multiplayer game differ.

Single Player Game: When you begin the game, you’ll be presented with the Main Menu screen. If you wish to start a single player game, make sure the Game Mode at the top of the menu is set to “Single Player” (it should be by default), then select “New Game,” and you’ll be taken to the Party Choice Screen.

New to Icewind Dale II is the Party Choice Screen. Here you can select an adventuring party that has already been created, so that you can start adventuring immediately. From this screen you can also choose to modify a selected party, which you might want to do if you like one of the parties offered, but want to change a character or two. You can also choose to create a whole party from scratch. The choice is yours.

If you chose to create your own party, you will be presented with six empty character slots, each with a “Create Character” button. Each of these slots allows you to create a brand new character by clicking on the button. To create a brand new character, follow the steps listed in “Character Generation” on page 6.

Once you have created a character, the empty slot will be replaced with the character’s name. You can remove a character by clicking on the name of the character, then on the “Delete” button on the sub-menu that pops up. Doing so frees up the slot for another character.

If you wish to back out of this screen simply select “Exit.” Click “Done” when you have created all the characters for your party, and Icewind Dale II will begin. For more information on the Party Formation Screen, see page 22.

Multiplayer: For details on how to start a multiplayer game, refer to the Multiplayer section on page 25.

Party Choice

A new feature in Icewind Dale II is the ability for you to choose a party of adventurers that have already been put together for you. We have tried to create a number of interesting parties that offer different playing styles, but are also well balanced and should serve you well from your first quest to your last. These parties also start out fully equipped, so you will be ready to quash your first goblin right away.

If you decide to either alter the makeup of one of the pre-made parties or create your own party from scratch by choosing to create a new party, there are a few things you should remember:

1)Make sure that you include a cleric in your party for healing. Icewind Dale II can be very challenging if you do not include a cleric.

2)If you are making a party that includes a lot of the special Forgotten Realms character races (dark elves, gray dwarves, etc.) which develop slower than the “normal” races, please remember that your party could be underpowered at certain points in the game. Things will be fine if you include a couple characters of these races, however a party of six deep gnomes could make playing the game very challenging.

3)You can choose to make a party of as many as six characters or as few as one. However, we suggest that you make a party of at least four characters. The game is balanced for a character group of four to six characters.

5

Character Generation

If you’ve chosen to create some or all of your characters from scratch then you will want to read this section to help you with your decisions. Follow the steps below; at any point in the process you may press “Start Over,” and you will start with a new character generation screen. Note: If Start Over is selected any work on that character will be lost! If you find that you don’t like some of your choices and wish to change them simply press the “Back” button at the bottom of the screen.

Gender

Choose your character’s sex, male or female. Your gender choice has no effect on anything other than your portrait selection and your character’s model in the game. When you have chosen your gender, click on the ‘Next’ button in the bottom right of the screen. (You’ll need to select ‘Next’ after every choice you make below.) There are male and female portraits for all races in the game.

Portrait Selection

Choose your character’s portrait. If you want, you can import a customized picture of your character rather than use one of the ones provided. For information on how to customize your character’s portrait, sounds, biography, and behavior, see the Character Record section on page 20. For more details on using your own custom portraits, please view the README file.

Race

Choose your character’s race and/or sub-race, whether human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, gnome, halfling, or halforc. Depending on which race you choose, you may also get a menu with some of the new sub-races in Icewind Dale II. For example, if you choose “elf,” you will get a menu that allows you to choose between moon elf, drow (dark elf), and wild elf. The strengths and weaknesses of each race and sub-race will be described in the text box at the right side of the screen. Your race may affect certain dialogue choices in the game as well as your character’s favored class and your ability scores, so choose carefully. If you wish further details on each race, see “Races,” on page 47.

Class

Choose the class you want from the list. The text box on the right side of the screen contains descriptions of each class. The following classes have other choices to make once you have chosen them.

Clerics: After choosing the path of the cleric for your character, you will then need to choose which deity he or she will rely on for their faith driven powers. You will want to read a little bit about each of the deities to determine which is the right one for your character. Remember that the choice of deity does restrict the alignments that you can choose for your character, which may restrict the choice of classes your character can multiclass into for the future.

Paladins and Monks: Both paladins and monks must choose an Order to which they belong. The choice of an Order helps define the faith of the paladin or monk and determines what multiclassing paths they may take in the game.

Wizards: You may choose an area of specialty for your character from the menu of options that come up after deciding that he or she is going to be a Wizard. You may want to read each of them carefully before continuing.

If you wish further details on each class, see “Classes,” on page 50.

6

6

Alignment

Alignment defines how your character acts, whether in a lawful or chaotic manner, with good or evil intentions - depending on your choice of class, you may not be able to choose certain alignments (paladins must be lawful good, for example). Each alignment has a caption describing it in detail. Read over each carefully before choosing. The choice of alignment will affect dialogue choices and can limit the types of classes that your character will be able to multiclass to later in the game.

Ability Scores

Six ability scores define your character: Strength (Str), Dexterity (Dex), Constitution (Con), Intelligence (Int), Wisdom (Wis), and Charisma (Cha). They are listed on this screen with the values set at the minimums of your character’s race. You will have 16 points to allocate across the six ability scores. The text box at the right of the screen describes each ability.

Skills / Feats

At this point in the character creation process you will need to pick the skills and feats that your character begins the game with. Please refer to the Skills and Feats sections on page 63 if you need more information concerning how skills and feats should be chosen for your characters and how they affect gameplay.

Spells

If your character is a wizard, sorcerer, cleric, or druid, you can choose a selection of first level spells to start the game with. Consult the Spells Section on page 75 if you want more details on the spells you’re choosing. There is also an “Auto Pick” button you can use which will select Level 1 spells for you if you are an arcane spellcaster. The spells you get by pushing this button are a good, varied selection that should get you through most situations.

Favored Enemy

Rangers have a “favored enemy,” a type of humanoid or creature they have dedicated their lives to hunting. When attacking this creature they get a special bonus to damage. Rangers can pick from the following creatures: Bugbears, Driders, Giants, Goblins, Harpies, Hook Horrors, Lizardmen, Ogres, Orcs, Salamanders, Shapeshifters, Trolls, Umber Hulks, Undead, Wyverns and Yuan-Ti.

Rangers can choose one favored enemy to start, then they can pick a new one every five levels thereafter.

Appearance

Choose the colors that will appear on your character’s model (some races and sub-races, such as Drow, have only a limited palette you can choose from). The colors of your skin, hair and clothing can be changed on the inventory screen over the course of the game.

Biography

This button allows you to type in your character’s personal biography. You can choose to leave it blank. The biography can be accessed in the game from the “Customize” button in the Character Record screen.

Name

Last but not least, name your character. Either click on the box or start typing your name. When you’re done, press “ENTER” on your keyboard, or click “Next.”

7

Polishing Off Your Character

If you’re satisfied with the character, click the button marked ‘Finish’ at the bottom of the screen. If not, just click on “Back” and backtrack through your choices and make ones you’re happier with.

Import

This button allows you to import characters you have already created into a new multiplayer or singleplayer game.

Starting Gold

Every character starts with a nest egg, though the value varies according to the character’s class. However, if you have chosen a pre-made party from the Party Choice screen then they will have already spent their money on the equipment they begin the game with.

For characters that you create, the gold piece ranges include:

Class

Starting Gold

Barbarians

50gp-200gp

Bards

30gp-180gp

Clerics

30gp-180gp

Druids

30gp-180gp

Fighters

50gp-200gp

Monks

30gp-180gp

Paladins

50gp-200gp

Rangers

50gp-200gp

Rogues

20gp-120gp

Sorcerers

20gp-50gp

Wizards

20gp-50gp

8

8

THE INTERFACE

This section describes all the functions of the windows, buttons, and menus in the Icewind Dale II interface. While many of the features are self-evident when you play, you may want to look over this section for some of the finer points of the interface to make exploring Icewind Dale a little easier.

Mouse Buttons

The following section describes the actions you can perform with the mouse, with left-clicking or right-clicking. Note that most menus in the game (which have scrolling capabilities) support a mouse wheel. By placing the cursor over the menu and scrolling with the mouse wheel, the menu will scroll.

Left-Click

Left-clicking (“L-clicking”) the mouse is the equivalent of an “action” button. It can perform the following functions:

Selects a character or a portrait (if a character or group was selected before, this character or group is unselected and the new character is selected instead).

If the SHIFT key is held down while L-clicking on various characters on the field or on the portraits, multiple characters are selected.

If the CONTROL key is held down while L-clicking on unselected characters, the characters will be added to the current character selection.

Double-clicking on a portrait centers the view on that character.

Selects action - selects action for the character: guard, talk, attack (click on weapon), etc.

Casts spells and uses items once they have been selected.

On terrain, walks selected character(s) to targeted location (note: use R-click to move in formation mode).

L-click and drag on terrain - selects multiple characters (creates draggable selection box).

Picks up items with current selected character(s). If more than one character is selected, the left-most portrait (the “leader”) walks over to and picks up the item.

L-click and drag on a portrait-moves that portrait in the group order - inserts into space between characters you move portrait to.

On the clock pauses and unpauses the game.

Selects a customizable function to map in the main game interface from the customization menu. Rightclick on a button to access this menu.

Holding down the SHIFT key while L-clicking on spell icon from a good or neutral cleric’s repertoire causes a healing spell of the same level to be cast in its stead.

Holding down the SHIFT key while L-clicking on spell icon from an evil cleric’s repertoire causes an inflict spell of the same level to be cast in its stead.

Right-Click

Right-clicking (“R-clicking”) the mouse has a variety of functions, usually related to information, canceling actions, customization and formation control. Right-clicking performs the following functions:

• On a portrait brings up that character’s Inventory Screen.

 

• On an item or spell in the inventory or spell page brings up the appropriate Item or Spell

 

information screen.

 

• Cancels current actions - either attacks or spell casting.

 

• On a monster or non-player character (NPC) or after clicking on a selected character plays selection

 

sound for that character or monster.

 

• On terrain - selected character walks there in formation mode (R-click and hold, and drag, rotates

9

the formation if more than one character is selected).

On Quick Weapons, Quick Spells, Quick Items, and Group Formations slots allows for the configuration of the slot type. After R-clicking, the current options for that quick slot will appear. You can select one for the slot by L-clicking on it, or R-clicking to go deeper if applicable.

On any of the main game interface buttons, except the first three, brings up the customization menu.

Holding down the SHIFT key while R-clicking on game screen allows waypoints to be set for your characters to walk between. This makes navigating terrain much easier.

Mouse Movement

The main game area will scroll up, down, left or right if you move the mouse to the edge of the screen, either in windowed or full screen mode. This also occurs if you use the number pad arrow keys.

THE MAIN INTERFACE

Main Game Area

You’ll be seeing this screen the most while playing Icewind Dale II. The mouse clicks and other buttons do the following on this screen:

 

• L-click selects characters; also, a SHIFT and L-click or CTRL and L-click combination will select or

 

 

select/deselect multiple characters; also, a click and drag on the main game area causes a box to be

 

 

drawn and any character inside will be selected (this may be used with the Shift key to add the select-

 

 

ed characters, or Ctrl, to remove characters).

 

 

• L-click gives commands (see buttons, below) to the selected character(s).

 

 

• R-click cancels an action and also does formation rotation and movement when a group is selected.

 

 

(R-click and hold to rotate a formation.)

 

10

• Note that the cursor changes when moved over objects or characters or NPCs to indicate the default

10

action. The default action mode can be changed by L-clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Screen Resolution

The standard resolution that Icewind Dale II allows you to play in is 800 x 600. If you would rather play at a higher resolution, you can modify it in the Config program. The Config program can be reached via the shortcut in the Start Menu. Note that even though you may run the game at 1024 x 768, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 x 1536 resolution, Icewind Dale II officially supports only 800 x 600 resolution.

Drop Away Interface

Certain hot keys will allow you to drop away interface panels on the main screen. By default, pressing the Y key will make the character and action button panel on the main screen drop away, while pressing the H key will make the entire interface drop away. Pressing any of the keys a second time will bring up the panels again. Note that pausing the game while the interface is hidden will bring up all of the panels on the interface. Unpausing the game will hide the panels again if any were hidden before the pause.

Action Cursors

Action cursors pop up when you can perform certain actions. If a given cursor is selected it may be changed by clicking on a different action button, by hitting “ESC,” or by L-clicking an area where the cursor has no effect (e.g. a non-object or the interface border). Casting spells is cancelled by a R-click, or finished by a L- click on a creature or area (depending on the type of spell).

Select: You can select the character.

Move: You can walk on this point, if you can reach it (there may be a door or other obstacle in the way).

Blocked Location: You cannot walk to or target this point.

Travel: If you move here, you will leave the area.

Doors: Opens or closes the highlighted object.

Enter: Walk through the entry or hallway.

Stairs: Go up/down staircases.

Pick up Item: Pick up an item.

Attack: Attack a target creature you click on.

Unlock: Use skills to unlock a locked object.

Disable Device: You can try to remove this device from the highlighted area.

Pickpocket: Your rogue can attempt to steal from the selected character.

Spell: You are going to cast a spell at a selected target.

Info: You can left-click on this area to receive information text about it.

Rotate Formation: You can rotate the party’s formation.

Change Order: You can swap two characters’ positions.

Use Item: You can use the highlighted object (lever, switch, etc.)

11

Action and the Fog of War

Most actions cannot be performed in areas that you cannot see. Every character can see a certain distance away from them, and anything beyond that is called the “fog of war” (i.e., the area is ‘blacked-out’ or grayshaded). This means your characters cannot see around a building until they move to the corner, and that they cannot see through walls.

Bottom Menu Buttons

Unlike the other interface menu buttons, the bottom menu buttons are not static. They change dynamically depending on the currently selected character and if more than one character is selected. These buttons use the Function keys as default shortcut keys. The left-most button is always “F1,” the next is “F2” and so on regardless of which sub-menu is being displayed. The buttons on the bottom menu break down as follows:

Action Buttons (F1-F5 hotkey)

Customizing the Interface: All of the buttons on the main game interface, except for the first three (Guard and Weapon Combos) can be customized to your liking. By right-clicking on an icon, you bring up the customization menu. If you left-click on one of the buttons shown in this menu, it will place the selected icon on the main game interface. Subsequently, if you right-click again on one of the icons in the customization menu, you will bring up the specific icons for the abilities/spells under that icon. For example, if you right-click on the special abilities button, then right click on the feats button, you will see icons for all of your modal feats (feats that can be turned on and off). Left-clicking on one of these icons will map that icon in the main game inter-

face and replace the special abilities button.

 

 

 

To reset a specific button to its

 

To reset all of the interface buttons to their

 

 

 

default, left-click the

 

default settings, left-click

 

Clear button

 

Restore Default button

 

 

 

 

The left-most buttons do the following:

Guard/Protect (F1): Protects either an area or another character. If this mode is selected, the desired ground area is L-clicked, and then the cursor is dragged, a circle will appear; this represents the area that will be guarded. The character will move freely within this area but will not leave it. He will respond to attacks but will not leave the guarded area until moved some-

where else or if told to guard/protect another area. If a character is selected to be protected, the character will be followed and any creatures attacking the character will be attacked. If the Guard/Protect mode is chosen but the cursor is not L-clicked and dragged, the character will remain stationary and will not move, though he will respond to attacks.

Weapon Combo (F2,F3): These slots correspond to the weapon combo slots on the Inventory page. Load a weapon into these slots (R-click to choose that weapon) and it will appear in the relevant slots here.

Use Skills (F4): Pulls up the menu of skills available to the character.

Cast Spells (F5): Available to bards, clerics, druids, paladins, rangers, sorcerers, and wizards. It pulls up the memorized spell list of the caster, allowing you to cast a spell from this list.

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12

3 Character Buttons (F6-F8 hotkeys)

The three middle buttons, by default, break down according to class. You can customize by R-clicking one of the slots and selecting any Spell, Skill, Item, or Special Ability then L-click to make your choice.

Search: Characters will continue to look for traps and secret doors while it is active. If an action other than movement is selected for that character, this mode ends.

Thieving: This includes pick pockets, open locks, and disable device, depending on the target chosen. The monk can also use this button, but only to disable device.

Hide/Move Silently: Characters can choose this mode, and if successful they become almost invisible.

Quick Spells: These are configured by R-clicking on the Quick Spell slot - this brings up a list of all currently memorized spells. Once configured, the spell is ready for use at the push of the appropriate button or by L-clicking on that slot.

Bard Song: This is usable by bards - the bard character will begin playing a song, which continues until any action other than movement is selected. Depending on the song you select, there are different effects both on your party and your enemies.

3 Item Buttons (F9-11)

Use Item: If L-clicked, allows you to use any item with usable properties that you are wearing or wielding.

Quick Item (x3): You may ready any item in the personal inventory for quick use by R-click- ing on any of these three slots and selecting from all items held personally to configure that slot (much as per Use Item). This is analogous to the usage of quick spells. If an item is used up, dropped, or traded it must be removed from the quick item slot(s). If using an item causes a

spell to be cast which must be used on a character or monster or terrain, the cursor will change accordingly and you must L-click on the target to use the item. R-clicking will cancel use.

Weapons with magical powers can have their magic powers configured in the quick items slots, but not the quick weapons slots (only weapons with physical attacks go into the quick weapon slots).

You may also customize the Quick Item slots to use any Spell, Skill, or Special Ability.

Special Abilities Button (F12)

Some classes and races have special abilities. Clicking on this button brings up a character’s special abilities. For more details on Special Abilities, see “Special Abilities,” page 56.

13

Group Menu Buttons

When more than one character is selected, you get a new set of buttons along the bottom of the screen:

Guard/Protect and Attack are analogous to the buttons for a single selected character.

Stop: Stops all current party actions.

Quick Formation buttons:

Formations form in the same order as left to right on the character portraits bar (left character is #1 in formation, and down the list). If less than six characters are selected, they will form up to the number of characters selected, filling in the first, second, third, etc. formation slots until done. Formation movement is accomplished by R-clicking and holding (for rotation of the formation), or L-clicking, both only when a group is selected.

Quick formations work analogously to quick spells, quick weapons, or quick items. They allow for real-time tactical combat: pull your wizard into the middle of your party, or advance your fighters to the front quickly by using the formations. The quick formation slots are configured via a R-click which brings up all available formations; L-click selects one as the formation for that quick formation slot. L-click subsequently on that button selects the current party formation. Movement into formations is then achieved by L-clicking the terrain in the game, or by R-clicking and holding, to rotate the formation.

Character Buttons

On the right side of the menu are the following buttons:

Character Portraits: The character portraits select that character if L-clicked upon; if R-clicked, they bring up the inventory page for that character.

Character Health Status: The bar below the character portrait shows how much of your character’s current health remains. When the bar is empty, your character dies.

Character Portrait Status: Character portraits display status icons (if your character is Charmed, Held, etc.) as well as the level up icon if one of your characters has enough experience to advance to the next level.

Character Portrait Order: To change the order of characters in your party, drag and drop their character portraits to exchange them in the party order. For example, to switch the order of “Char1” and “Char2” left-click on Char1, hold down the mouse button, then move the cursor over Char2. Release the mouse button and Char1 and Char2 will switch places.

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Interface Menu Buttons

The buttons located in the circle towards the lower right side of the screen give you direct access to the various interface screens in the game. The buttons are as follows:

Character Record

Map

Spell List

Journal

Inventory

Options

Party Formation/Character Arbitration

Each of these buttons takes you directly to the interface screen for the character selected. If the entire party is selected, the appropriate screen for the party leader will come up.

Globe

This picture represents the passage of time in the game. L-clicking on this button has the same effect as pressing the space bar - it will pause and unpause the game.

Select All: Selects or unselects all six characters.

AI on/off: Turns a character’s (or group of character’s) AI on or off. Characters with AI turned off will not react to their environment unless manually controlled and will not move or otherwise do anything unless dictated by their unmodifiable section of script (the portion that players are unable to change, representing the personality of that character).

Rest: When you select the Rest button on the world screen, your entire party will rest until everyone is at full health. When you select the Rest button on any other screen, you will be presented with three options: normal Rest (8 hours), Rest Until Healed (rest until everyone is at full health), and Cancel. When you select Rest or Rest Until Healed and confirm, time will pass

in the game, and your characters will heal and regain their spells. Keep in mind that resting is normally allowed only in inns, outdoor areas (provided all the monsters in the vicinity or on the map have been slain), or with permission from a local resident.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: It is possible that you will be attacked while resting in certain areas if a group of wandering monsters chances upon your party.

Tool Tips

“Tool Tips” are the small information windows that pop up whenever you leave your mouse cursor over any object in the game for a period of time (including buttons, characters, items, signs, and so on). The time it takes the tool tip to pop up is set in the options; to bring up the Tool Tips instantly, press the “Tab” button.

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Dialogue Window

You’ll be speaking to a number of people in Icewind Dale II over the course of the game. To initiate dialogue, simply select the person you want to speak to. You cannot speak to anyone with a red circle (the red circle means they’re hostile and don’t want to talk to you).

Dialogue occurs with the selected character only; changing the character having the dialogue is not possible until dialogue is exited and restarted with a new character selected. If multiple characters are selected, the leftmost selected character (in the portraits near the bottom of the screen) is the one who initiates the dialogue.

When you speak to someone, you will be presented with a list of numbered options for what to say in red. You can either L-click on what you want to say from the list, or hit the number of the response you want to choose. When more text scrolls up in the window than can be read at once, or when dialogue is paused to give you a chance to read the text, you can L-click “Continue” at the bottom of the dialogue window to view more text. The text that has been already read can be reviewed with the scroll arrows on the right (up or down).

ADVENTURER’S TIP: Keep in mind that your options can vary depending on your character’s statistics (Intelligence, Charisma), their class, race, and skills. If you’re not having much luck with an NPC with one character, try speaking to him with another with a different race, a higher Intelligence or Charisma abilities, or different skills.

During dialogue the character who is talking has his portrait highlighted and will flash in the main game area. The NPC being spoken to will also flash.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: Keep in mind that there are points in the game where even a character who is hidden or invisible will still be seen and spoken to in order to allow the advancement of the plot.

Stores, Inns, Taverns, and Temples

All the stores in Icewind Dale II use a similar interface for the buying and selling of goods, information, and services. When you speak to the owner of a store, a panel will replace the bottom portion of the screen with buttons for the various services offered. These services include:

Rent Rooms: Inns usually have four different types of rooms that the player can use to rest at night, ranging from peasant rooms to nobleman’s lodgings. The more expensive the room, the more you’ll heal while you rest.

Buying and Selling: This screen is separated into a Buy window and a Sell window. Items the store offers are shown in the Buy window. Items from the character’s inventory are shown in the Sell window. To buy an item, L-click on it in the Buy window. The item icon will become highlighted, but will not be purchased until you L-click “Buy” at the bottom of the window. You

may select multiple items and the total for all selected items will be shown next to the “Buy” button. The Sell window works the same way, although the shopkeeper may not want to buy the items in your inventory (unwanted items are gray-shaded). Items unusable by the character are shaded red.

The number of each item the proprietor has in stock of each item is listed in parentheses after each item (unlimited items have no number beside them), and if you wish, you may buy multiple versions of each item. To buy multiple versions of an item, double-click on the item in the store, which will bring up a menu that allows you to select how many of that item you would like to buy. Enter the number, and if you have enough gold, they’re yours.

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ADVENTURER’S TIP: Prices in stores can vary according to the Charisma of the buying or selling character as well as the “Mercantile Background” feat, and it can also vary based on how many items of a particular type the store already carries. (If Deirdre in the Targos Trade Depot already has fifty goblin battle axes, and you bring her another, then chances are, you won’t get top dollar for it.)

Drinks and Rumors: Bartenders and innkeepers are good for buying drinks and catching up on the local gossip. Items offered at a bar vary from expensive liquors to cheap ales. Upon ordering a drink, the proprietor may share rumors he has heard lately. Be careful, however, as your characters can become intoxicated if they drink too much - and the bartender won’t hesi-

tate to cut you off.

Purchase Healing: Temples usually offer healing services for a price. A menu will appear showing the services offered and the price. Select the service you wish to receive and select the character who needs the healing.

Identify: Shops and Temples can usually identify more items than your characters. If you cannot select the item from the list, then the proprietor cannot identify the item.

Containers

Certain items and containers can be picked up or opened; these are identified with a blue highlight when you move the cursor over them. L-click will allow you to open a container, and a new panel will appear at the bottom of the screen. The left side of the panel shows the items that are on the ground or in the container and the right side is a small portion of the selected character’s inventory. Clicking on items on the left side of the panel moves the items from the ground or container into the character’s inventory. If the character’s inventory is full, the item will not be transferred.

This process can be reversed. Items can be moved from a character’s inventory into a container or onto the ground by L-clicking on them in the right side of this panel.

Note that items added to a character’s inventory will automatically stack with others of the same kind when possible. Furthermore, some items your party can carry can actually act as portable containers. For more information on these items, see “Gem Bags, Potion Bags, and Scroll Cases,” on page 20.

The container interface can be closed by clicking on the square in the upper right of the container interface of by L-clicking anywhere on the game map.

Maps

Area Map

L-clicking the map button brings up the map the selected character(s) are on. Areas that have been visited are lit up, areas that haven’t are dark. The character(s) current position(s) are shown on the map by green circles.

World Map

 

Clicking on the World button on the Area Map brings up the World Map. An icon above the appropriate map

 

shows your characters’ current location. Usually only the areas visited thus far on the world map will be

 

shown. Note that you cannot travel between areas unless you either know about them or you have traveled to

 

the edge of the current area and brought up the world map with the “Travel” icon. To move to another area,

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highlight the area and click on it.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: Your World Map will occasionally be updated through dialogue and events in Icewind Dale II, allowing you to access more areas.

Journal

The journal is a diary of your adventures. It’ll automatically make notes of important people, plot points, quests and the completion of quests so you can refer to them later. If you’re ever having trouble on a quest, refer to your journal. The journal entry for the quest may contain helpful information on where to go next or who to talk to.

The contents of the game journal can be downloaded to a text file by hitting CTRL-S to download the current chapter or CTRL-A to download the entire journal while on the journal screen. This text file will appear in the \mpsave directory where Icewind Dale II was installed, in the folder of the last saved or last loaded save game.

Inventory Screen

(1)

Armor Class

(7)

Party Gold

(2)

Hit Points (current/maximum)

(8)

Ammunition

(3)

Model

(9)

Character Colors

(4)

Weapon Combo Slots

(10)

Ground Slots

(5)

Quick Item Slots

(11)

Personal Inventory

(6)

Character Name

(12)

Encumbrance

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The inventory page can be accessed by L-clicking the Inventory button on the bottom right of the screen or by R-clicking a Character Portrait. Items in your inventory may be shown with a red, blue, or yellow tint. (Ed. Note: Most are not shaded at all.) Red items are not usable by the characters holding the item. Blue-tinted items are magical but have not yet been identified. Items with a yellow tint are capable of being used by a character with the Use Magic Device skill (although there is a chance of failure when used, so beware). Items with a blue outline are magical items that have been identified.

The middle of the screen is taken up by the “Model” representation of the character. Along the bottom of the screen is the character’s personal inventory and encumbrance. Items can be dragged and dropped to be equipped on the Model, or dragged and dropped onto other characters’ portraits to give the item to another character.

Stackable items can be unstacked by double L-clicking on the item. Unstacked items can be stacked by dragging and dropping them on top of each other.

Items placed in the “Ground” slots will be dropped at the character’s feet and can be picked up from the main game interface.

The party pool of gold is shown on this page as well.

Encumbrance

Each character can carry only a certain amount of weight, determined by their Strength. Exceeding this weight causes the character to move slower or stop completely depending on how overloaded they are.

Equipped Items

There are 20 distinct areas in the equipped items section: helm, armor, bracers, cloak, amulet, L ring, R ring, gauntlets, boots, up to 4 weapon combinations and the quiver (of up to 3 sets of ammunition).

To dual-wield, place a weapon in the shield slot.

Weapon Combo Slots

You have four weapon combination slots available for your use. Each combo slot contains a primary hand button and a secondary hand button. These slots can contain a single weapon, a weapon and a shield, two weapons to use simultaneously or a ranged weapon. When you are in your inventory you can select one of these weapon combos by left-clicking the button to the left of the selected combo. You can also select them from the main game interface by right-clicking on the weapon combo buttons.

Only one bow or crossbow may be equipped at a time. Both bolts and arrows may be in the quiver but only those usable by the current equipped weapon appear as quick attack choices on the main interface screen.

Quick Item Slots

These slots represent miscellaneous items that are kept at the ready (potions, for example). These items can be accessed easily during combat (similar to “Quick Weapons” above). Healing potions are great candidates for these slots.

Personal Inventory

This is your “backpack.” You can carry only 24 different items or stacks of items, regardless of your encumbrance.

Items Information Page

If an item is R-clicked upon, the view changes to the Items Information page. This page contains the item’s icon and description. Characters with a high “Knowledge (Arcana)” skill can automatically identify certain magical items. If the item is currently unidentified, there will be a button to allow you to try to magically identify it with a scroll or a spell. Potions may be drunk from this page. If the item is a scroll, wizards will have the opportunity

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to try to “Write Magic” and add the scroll spell to their spell list. Certain magical items may even have special “Abilities” that can be accessed from this page - including the ability to configure the item’s magical powers.

Character Color

Clicking on the colored boxes will allow you to pick from a palette of colors for your character to use for skin, hair and clothing colors. You can change these at any time.

Rest

L-click on this button to rest your characters. Some areas are better suited for resting than others, so select your campsite carefully. Resting is normally allowed only in inns, outdoor areas (provided all the monsters in the vicinity or on the map have been slain), or with permission from a local resident.

Gem Bags, Potion Bags, and Scroll Cases

There are several inventory items that can “store” other items of a similar type. Gem bags, for example, can hold a number of gems inside without cluttering up your inventory, while potion bags and scroll cases can do the same for potions and scrolls, respectively.

To use these bags and cases, simply right-click on the item. Now press the button “Open Container” to move to the next screen. From this screen you can move your gems, potions, or scrolls from the right hand column to the left hand column. This will move these items into you gem bag or scroll case. You can also drag a gem or scroll to the appropriate container and release the L-Mouse button over top of it to deposit it in the bag/case.

Character Record

The character record page shows all the vital statistics and abilities of the selected character.

The Character Record is divided between four sections; General, Weapons and Armor, Skills and Feats and Miscellaneous. To access these pages use the buttons at the upper right of the screen.

Level Up

This button is dimmed until the character gains enough experience points to gain a level. When the player clicks the “Level Up” button, a level up screen will be shown. All changes to the character sheet are highlighted. At this time you will be able to distribute any skill points or feats your character may have gained. A new feat slot requires a new feat to be chosen.

Information

This page is an in-game help system that will give you detailed information about ability scores, classes, races, skills, and feats.

Customize

This page allows you to change a character’s appearance, voice, biography, or scripts (the computer code that controls behaviors/reactions to situations).

Custom Biography: You can customize your character’s biography with the Customize button. Simply click on the text and edit it.

Export

This allows you to save the character’s file to your computer for use in other games of Icewind Dale II. The character’s current status will be saved, including hit points, experience points, level, class, inventory, etc.

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Games PC ICEWIND DALE II User Manual

Spell List

This screen is where you choose what spells you will have memorized and view the spells that you know.

(1)

Class Spell Type

(4)

Spell Slots Available

(2)

Domain Spells

(5)

Known Spells

(3)

Spell Level

 

 

The spells your spell casters know are shown on the right. To memorize a spell, L-click on it. The spell appears on the left in the “memorized” area, unusable until the character has a chance to rest. (See the Rest button on page 15). Spells can only be cast when they are memorized.

The memorized spells are shown on the left. Every time the spell caster sleeps he will memorize the spells in this area, allowing them to be cast. If the memorized spell area is full and you want to memorize a different spell, L-click on the spell, and it will vanish.

Bards and Sorcerers are special types of spell casters who are not required to memorize spells. Like other spell casters they are only able to cast a certain number of spells each day, but unlike the other spell casters they do not need to prepare which ones they will be before hand.

Class Spell Type: This lists the spells available to your selected class. The classes that can cast spells are bards, clerics, druids, paladins, rangers, sorcerers and wizards. If you have more than one casting class then more spell buttons become available.

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Domain Spells: Your cleric also gains spells based upon their choice of deity. Some of these overlap with the main cleric spells so be certain that you choose your domain spells first.

Spell Level: Use these buttons to select the spell level that you wish to memorize spells from. Make certain to check back here after you level up and see if another spell level has become available to your caster.

Spell Slots Available: Upon character creation and at certain levels, your character will receive more available spell slots. Use these to memorize additional spells.

Known Spells: This is a comprehensive list of the spells your character knows under their currently selected spell class. Right-click on any of the icons to see a detailed description of the spell and its effects.

Party Formation Screen

This screen allows you to change your party configuration (it is also called the Character Arbitration screen in multiplayer, see page 26 for details of how this screen works in multiplayer). On this screen you can delete characters, import new characters, or in multiplayer games, change the permissions for each character. Each created character is identified by name. By clicking on the name (or on the empty box) a sub-menu pops up that will allow you to either delete (if there is a character already in the slot) or create a new character (if the slot is empty). If you delete a character, they are gone and lost forever.

Importing a new character is done by selecting ‘Create Character’ and going through the character generation screen. If you choose to import a character into Icewind Dale II, the character will start at the level they were exported at.

Options Screen

Save, Load, and Quit

These buttons allow you to save games to your hard disk, discard your current game and load a previously saved game, and quit to the main menu.

Graphics

Brightness/Contrast: Adjusts the brightness and contrast of the display.

Color Depth: Toggles your display between 16, 24, or 32 bit color. The other graphic options on this page should be used only if Icewind Dale II is not displaying correctly on your system. Please refer to the Readme file for the latest information on how to correct any display errors.

Static Animations: This option toggles the background animations in the game. Turning them off can improve performance.

Translucency: This option toggles translucency on and off. Certain ghosts and shadows are translucent, but they will be made solid when this toggle is on. Spell effects will not be translucent, but this should improve performance on slower machines.

Transparent Shadows: This option enables transparent shadows beneath the characters. Disable this option to increase game performance.

Sound

This menu allows you to adjust the volumes of various sounds in the game independently.

Select Sounds: Toggle some specific sound effects on/off and set the frequency which your characters verbally respond to your orders.

Environmental Audio: This option uses the Creative® Environmental Audio™ technology to increase the

 

realism of your audio environment. You must have a sound card with EAX™ technology to enable this

 

22 option. (e.g. Sound Blaster Live.)

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Gameplay

Tool Tip: Delay adjusts how quickly the Windows Tool-Tip pop-up help appears. The left of the slider is the briefest period of time.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: You can always make the tool tip appear instantly by hitting the “Tab” key.

Mouse Scroll Speed: Adjusts how quickly the screen scrolls across the game world when the mouse is at the edge of the screen.

Keyboard Scroll Speed: Adjusts how quickly the screen scrolls across the game world when the number pad arrow keys are used.

Difficulty: Adjusts the game’s difficulty. Sliding to the left makes the game easier to play.

Dither Always: Allows your characters to dither through obstacles that would normally obscure them.

Group Darkvision: Enables darkvision if any character in the selected group has the darkvision ability.

Weather: Disable this to remove all weather effects. This may improve performance on some lower end machines.

Max HP/Level: This toggles the random roll for hit points for level increases on and off. If this is on, then the character always receives maximum hit points when leveling up. If this is off, then extra hit points are determined randomly when the character levels up.

Gore: This toggles on/off the blood and ‘excessive’ damage and death animations in the game.

Feedback: Modifies the frequency that markers and locators appear in the game, and turns on and off the various messages that come up during the game. Note that you can ask the game to display the ‘to-hit’ rolls in your Feedback settings (for explanation of the ‘to hit’ roll, see Combat on page 39).

Auto-pause: Allows you to set various conditions under which the game will automatically pause.

Screen Resolution

Icewind Dale II allows you to play at 800 x 600 resolution, but if you would rather play at a higher resolution, you can modify it in the Config program. The Config program can be reached via the shortcut in the Start Menu. Note that even though you may run the game at 1024 x 768, 1280 x 960, 1600 x 1200, or 2048 x 1536 resolution, Icewind Dale II only officially supports 800 x 600 resolution.

Heart of Fury

If you’re finding Icewind Dale II too easy, or if you just want to play the game again at a much higher difficulty level, Heart of Fury Mode is a special option available in the Config screen that allows you to greatly enhance the strength of creatures in the game (and give you more experience points as well as cool new items not available in the normal game). Heart of Fury mode can only be turned on via the Config utility, which can be run via the ‘Icewind Dale II Configuration’ shortcut in your Start Menu, or via the Autorun program.

Miscellaneous Functions and Hot-Keys

You can key many of the actions in Icewind Dale II to hot keys (see the reference card and options screen). Quick Save: You can quickly save your game by hitting the ‘q’ key. Your Quick Save is always saved in the same slot, which is labeled as such.

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Quick Load: In single-player games only, hitting L allows you to quick-load your last save game file.

Support for Increasing the Path-Searching AI: If you are dissatisfied with the path searching in Icewind Dale II, there is a box for path search nodes in the Config utility. To increase or decrease the AI, vary the number of nodes (beyond 32,000). The range can vary from 4,000 to 40,000. Increasing the number above 32,000 will increase the number of nodes in path searching at the expense of responsiveness to movement commands (i.e., your characters will react slightly slower because they are “thinking” a little bit longer about how to get where you want them to go).

See Party’s Health: There is a default hot-key command that allows you to display each character’s current health/max health by pressing the ‘.’ key. The current health/max health appears on the character portraits in-game.

Alt: The hot key (ALT) is an adventurer’s best friend. It illuminates all doors as well as any items on the ground. When the ALT key is held down, all doors, containers, and ground items will be highlighted in red, green, and blue, respectively. This key will not illuminate secret doors, triggers, or traps, however.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: The ALT key is arguably the most useful key in the game aside from the “attack” button. Don’t hesitate to use it, even when you think you can see everything in the area - you might be surprised by where some containers are.

Miscellaneous Information

Fatigue: A character can operate at peak efficiency for 24 hours game time (2 hours real time). For every 4 hours beyond 24, however, the characters will receive a cumulative -1 to all of their rolls until they rest.

Intoxication: Drinking affects your statistics. The average character can down about 5 drinks before becoming intoxicated - although this amount may vary depending upon the character’s Constitution. Intoxicated characters gain a bonus to Morale, but a penalty to almost everything else, including attacks, damage, and attack speed. The greater the level of intoxication, the greater the bonus/penalty. The effects of intoxication diminish over time, so if the morale boost isn’t worth it, sleep it off.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: Please do not drink while playing Icewind Dale II. The monsters will take advantage of your intoxicated state and leave you tied up naked on your friend’s front porch. Trust me on this.

Darkvision: Some characters and monsters have darkvision. Darkvision allows a character to see better in the dark.

Effects of Wearing Armor

Maximum Dex Bonus: This number is the maximum Dexterity bonus to AC that this type of armor allows. Heavier armor limits your mobility, reducing your ability to dodge blows. Shields do not affect your maximum Dexterity bonus.

Armor Check Penalty: Anything heavier than leather hurts your ability to use some of your skills. The armor check penalty number is the penalty you apply to certain skill checks. If you’re wearing any armor heavier than leather, you can’t sneak as well as you would if you weren’t wearing such heavy armor. This penalty applies to Hide, Move Silently and Pick Pockets checks. If you are wearing armor and using a shield, both armor check penalties apply.

Nonproficient with Armor Worn: If you wear armor with which you are not proficient, you suffer the armor’s armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill rolls that involve moving.

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Arcane Spell Failure: Armor interferes with the gestures that you need to make to cast an arcane spell. Arcane spellcasters face the possibility of arcane spell failure if they’re wearing armor, so wizards and sorcerers usually don’t wear armor. Bards have a hard choice because they’re more likely to get into combat than wizards and they cast fewer spells, so getting some armor makes more sense for them than it does for a wizard.

Casting an Arcane Spell in Armor: When you cast an arcane spell while wearing armor, you often must make an arcane spell failure roll. The number in the Arcane Spell Failure column in Table 8: Armor on page 147 is the chance that the spell fails and is ruined. If you are wearing armor and using a shield, add the two numbers together to get a single arcane spell failure chance.

MULTIPLAYER

The Icewind Dale II multiplayer game is identical to the single player game - at least in terms of game content. The main differences between the single and multiplayer games relate to who is playing in the game - in the single player game, you create all six characters. In a multiplayer game, between one and six players may adventure together, cooperatively controlling the characters.

A few definitions are in order. The leader is the player who controls such things as who can join, what kinds of characters can be brought into the game, and what abilities the players who are in the game actually have (in terms of game play - see Permissions, below). The leader can control one or more characters in the game, and has the ability to assign characters to the other players. The server is the computer (usually, but not necessarily, the leader’s) which coordinates the various game-states of the client machines of each player. A player is one of the people who controls one or more characters in the game. A character is an alter ego, analogous to the characters of the single player game, which is controlled by one player in a multiplayer session.

Starting Out

To start a multiplayer game (also known as a session), first you’ll need to select a multiplayer game mode. To do this, you’ll need to change the Game Mode on the main menu screen from “Single Player” to a multiplayer status. This can be done by clicking on the Game Mode button on the Main Menu, which will bring up a Protocol Screen that lists the type of multiplayer connections available to you.

Protocol

There are several buttons you can select from the protocol screen.

Single Player: This resets the game mode to single player.

IPX: When you choose this option, you’ll be shown a list of IPX sessions once you select “Join Game” in the Main Menu (see “Joining a Game,” detailed later on).

TCP/IP: When you choose this option and return to the Main Menu to join a game (see “Joining a Game,” detailed later on), a connection screen will come up in which you can enter the host address you wish to connect to. Once you do this, you will be connected to this session if it’s available. On local area networks, TCP/IP has an auto-detect feature to automatically set up games.

Properties: When you have selected the type of connection you want, then click “Done” at the bottom of the screen, which will return you to the Main Menu. From there, you can either choose to host a game or join a game already in progress.

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Joining A Game

Once you have selected the type of multiplayer connection you want, you’ll need to return to the Main Menu. From there, you have the option to create a brand new multiplayer session by clicking on the “New Game” button, or to join a game another player is hosting by clicking on the “Join Game” button. Whether creating the session or joining it, the next screen that appears is the Character Arbitration Screen, below.

Creating A Game

If you choose to create a game which other players can join, you will see a pop-up window appear, on which are spaces to fill in the session name, the player name, the password (optional), and buttons to create a new game or pre-generate a character. If you choose to create a new game, you must fill out the fields for the session name and the player name.

The “pre-generate character” button allows you to quickly set up a generic character for import before the multiplayer session begins, for players that want to jump right into the action. Pre-generating a character will take you to the Character Generation Screen and allow you to quickly make a character (see Character Generation, discussed earlier).

After you have created your game, you will proceed to the Character Arbitration screen.

When characters join your session (at any point in the steps outlined below, or for that matter in the actual game) the leader is notified. The leader has the ability to stop listening to requests to join (this is set in the Player Permissions window, described on the next page).

Continuing A Game

If you are the host and you wish to continue a multiplayer game that you have save games for, simply select the type of multiplayer connection you want, then return to the Main Menu and select “Load Game.” Players not hosting a game can simply join this game once it’s loaded.

Character Arbitration Screen

The character arbitration screen is where players are assigned control of character slots and create the characters they will play in the game. From this screen, the leader also controls Permissions and other options for the game.

The player running the server is initially assigned as the leader of the party. As the leader, he or she has the ability to assign character slots to the players in the session. This is achieved by L-clicking on the player name slots, after which a panel will pop up with the names of all players currently in the session. Control of a slot may be assigned to any player.

On the Character Arbitration screen, characters may be loaded into a slot in by the player who controls that slot. This is done by clicking on the Create Character button.

The Characters in Multiplayer Sessions

The characters in multiplayer may be created from scratch or may be imported into the game using the

 

“Import” button. The character is created on the exact same screens as in the single player game (see page

 

6), subject to the restrictions set out by the leader of the session in the Player Permissions submenu off this

 

page, described on the next page).

 

Once a character is created, it can be deleted by clicking on the player name, which brings up a window

 

allowing the player to delete the character (the active character must be deleted before a new character can

 

26 be created).

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When the player is satisfied with the character he has imported or created, he clicks on the Icewind Dale II icon to the left of the character slot to “lock” the character and prevent changes. If a player wishes to change a character, that character must be “unlocked” by clicking on the Icewind Dale II icon before the character is editable. The “lock” button is the equivalent of telling the other players, “I’m ready to adventure now, let’s go.” All characters must have locked their characters in order for the game to begin. When all characters are locked, the host clicks on “Done,” and the game begins.

You cannot import characters from Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter, or Trials of the Luremaster to Icewind Dale II and vice-versa. Please don’t hate us. Save the hate for the monsters.

Player Permissions

Although both the leader and the other players in the session can view permissions on the Permissions screen, only players who have leadership privileges are able to modify them. The leader can assign these permissions to any players he chooses.

The permissions represent what players are able to do in the game. The permissions include: modifying characters, spending party gold/purchase items, initiating an area transition, initiating dialogue, viewing other character’s records, the ability to pause the game and modifying permissions/remove players from the game (leadership permission).

There is a “boot” button is to the left of each character slot. Pressing it will remove (“boot”) a player out of the party.

Import Options

On the Permissions page the leader is able to set the options for importing by clicking on the “Import Options” button. This brings up a window with three settings: Stats only, Stats and XP (i.e. experience points and levels), or Stats, XP, and Items. By choosing one of these settings the leader limits the types of characters that can be brought into the multiplayer session from the single player game or other multiplayer sessions.

At the top of this screen is also a toggle for “Restrict Stores.” Turn this toggle on if you want to allow a character to enter a store only if the other party members are present and there are no hostile creatures nearby.

Listen to Join Requests

Also on the Player Permissions page is a button, “Listen to Join Requests,” which allows the leader to listen to requests to join the session or to turn off requests if there are enough players in the game. For example, the leader might only want to have one or two people in the game, so having people requesting to join could get annoying.

Starting the Multiplayer Game

When all players have L-clicked on the Icewind Dale II icons to the left of their characters’ slots, the “Done” button will become active on the leader’s computer. The game launches when the leader clicks “Done.”

Changing Options and Permissions

Both the Character Arbitration screen and the Player Permissions screen are available with the Party Formation button in the multiplayer game. They work exactly as detailed above.

Playing A Multiplayer Game

Chatting

Players can chat between themselves. There is a chat window - to enter a comment, L-click on the entry area

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and type a comment. To address the comment to a specific person (and only that person) type that player’s name followed by a colon (“:”) then the comment - only that player will see your comment.

Dialogue With NPCs

When another player initiates dialogue with an NPC in a multiplayer game, the window will resize to fit the text that comes up. When the other player finishes dialogue, the dialogue window will resize to what it was before, unless you were typing a chat message in, in which case it will stay in medium or large mode (in which the chat line is present).

In multiplayer games, all players must see all dialogue. This is to ensure that all players don’t miss any critical portions of the game. Also, this prevents disturbing occurrences, such as player 1 killing the merchant while player 2 is bartering. During dialogue mode all players are paused.

Saving and Loading

The leader can save games at any time, just like in the single player game. In order to load a game, the leader must exit and reload the game.

Additional Multiplayer Information

When you are playing multiplayer, keep in mind the following:

1.Asynchronous: Icewind Dale II is an asynchronous game. If you’re playing with somebody whose system is close by, you may see different things happen on each system. Keep in mind that while things happen somewhat differently graphically, the result of the actions is always the same.

2.Explorable Area: When playing a multiplayer game, you’re limited to exploring one area at a time - characters in the game can only spread out within the same above ground area. While they can enter structures and underground areas individually, they cannot travel to other above ground areas until all characters are at the edge of the area and are ready to move on.

3.Loading Time: The loading time for any level is slightly longer while playing multiplayer. This is because the interiors for each level must be loaded along with the exteriors for each area. (The single player game does not need to do this, so loading is faster.) Also, the multiplayer game is forced to wait for the system that loads the area the slowest.

4.Party Gold: Just as in the single player game, all gold is shared between the members of the party.

5.Shared Experience: As in the single player game, all characters in the party get an equal amount of experience points.

6.The Leader is in Charge: The leader has control over everything that the player can do in the game, including kicking them out and reassigning their characters to other players. Make sure the leader is playing the kind of multiplayer game you want to play. If you want a hacked game, join that kind of game or start it up; if you want a clean game without interference from hacked or edited characters or players who don’t want to play as a team, then you need to find those players.

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FAERUN AND THE NORTH

The World

Icewind Dale II takes place within the D&D FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign world. More specifically, it takes pace in the northern wastes of Faerûn (Fay-ROON), a continent of the larger world of Abeir-Toril (Ah-BEER Tor-RILL), more commonly called Toril. The name is archaic, meaning “cradle of life,” and is rarely used in everyday speech.

Abeir-Toril is an Earth-sized planet dominated by a large continent in its northern hemisphere as well as a number of other large land masses scattered about its surface. This northern continent is called Faerûn in the west, Kara-Tur in the east, and Zakhara in the south. It is the primary purpose of this tome to deal with the northern portion of this huge landmass, in particular the region of Faerûn bordering the Spine of the World mountains.

ADVENTURER’S TIP: For more information about the Forgotten Realms, visit Wizards of the Coast’s website at http://www.wizards.com/ForgottenRealms. There you’ll find tales from Elminster, songs from Mintiper, and lore to keep you warm during the long nights of a northern winter.

For Forgotten Realms aficionados, Icewind Dale II is actually a step back in time for the Forgotten Realms - the game itself takes place in Eleint, 1312 DR, Year of the Cold Soul. (This is sixteen years prior to Drizzt’s arrival on the surface, as chronicled in the Icewind Dale Trilogy of books by R.A. Salvatore.) Your characters will be literally making history as they adventure through the game, and their actions may be felt in the decades and centuries ahead...

Game Units

A game day (representing 24 hours in the game, dawn to dusk to dawn again) is just over 2 hours long in real time, again about a ten-fold reduction in time in the game. Each time the party rests eight hours passes (the equivalent of about 45 minutes of running game time).

HISTORY OF ICEWIND DALE

While it is not necessary to play Icewind Dale, Heart of Winter, or Trials of the Luremaster to enjoy Icewind Dale II, certain story elements and situations may take on a new light for those that have played the previous games. A brief summary of the previous game and the two expansions is provided below:

Icewind Dale

The seeds of the conflict in Icewind Dale II began a generation ago in Icewind Dale, where a small band of adventurers, trapped within the windswept Kuldahar Pass were forced to confront a growing evil within the Spine of the World mountains. The adventurers began their journey in the small town of Easthaven, a fishing village and one of the Ten-Towns. From Easthaven, they traveled to the great tree valley of Kuldahar, where a mighty oak, towering hundreds of feet high, shelters the small town beneath its boughs with life-giving warmth. There, they learned that Kuldahar and the great tree itself were being threatened by an unknown evil deep within the mountains. The brave band of adventurers tracked the adversary from the crypts of the Vale of Shadows through numerous ruins of the North, including the decaying elven fortress of the Severed Hand and the lava-filled caverns of Dragon’s Eye, finally coming face-to-face with their enemy - and ending his threat to Icewind Dale with a torrent of spells and cold steel.

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Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter

No sooner were the Ten-Towns saved from an ancient evil than a new threat emerged from the North, bringing with it a barbarian army that threatened to overwhelm the Dales. The brave party of companions, fresh from their victory in the Spine of the World, traveled to the small logging community of Lonelywood, directly in the path of the barbarian army. Attempting to stop the coming invasion, the party traveled to the barbarian camp as diplomats, attempting to negotiate peace between the Ten-Towns and the northern tribes - only to discover that their mission was a failure before it had even begun. The leader of the army, a great warrior named Wylfdene, had returned from the dead to reclaim the North for his people - and destroy the TenTowns at any cost. From these uncertain beginnings, the party began a perilous quest throughout the North to search for clues to the terrible force behind the barbarian horde - and a way to stop it before the Ten-Towns were destroyed.

Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster

A halfling wanderer by the name of Hobart Stubbletoes appears in the town of Lonelywood - and brings with him a fantastic tale of lost treasure and untold riches, all for the taking for any band of adventurers brave enough to follow him to an ancient castle far to the south. After agreeing to the treasure hunt, the band of adventurers find themselves trapped in an ancient fortress - and at the mercy of an evil challenge by a vengeful spirit, a challenge that has led many other bands of adventurers to their graves.

ICEWIND DALE II

A generation after the events of Icewind Dale finds a new band of unlikely heroes in the port town of Luskan - and down on their luck. Not long after their arrival in Luskan, however, the party hears of work to be found in one of the Ten-Towns - the port city of Targos, which is being threatened by a goblin army that has poured down from the North. This goblinoid army has overwhelmed Bremen and is making its way southwards, destroying everything in their path. The Lord of Targos, Ulbrec Dinnsmore, has sent out a call for soldiers and mercenaries from Luskan and Neverwinter to help defend the town. While the prospect of riches is slight, the promise of adventure is not, and the band soon decides to set sail on the last ship for Targos, a vessel by the name of the Wicked Wench.

When the game begins, your band has just sailed into the Targos Docks and stand on the decks of the Wicked Wench, speaking to the captain, Hedron Kerdos.

Targos

During your voyage on the Wicked Wench, the captain, Hedron Kerdos, has been able to fill you in on some of the background of Targos - to “let ye know what yer in fer,” as he phrased it. He didn’t seem to think you’d be staying long after he sailed into port and you saw the town.

According to Hedron, Targos is one of the “Ten-Towns” of Icewind Dale. Situated on the southernmost shore of Maer Dualdon, Targos is a modest fishing settlement on its way to becoming a prominent community in the Dale. While the “town” is far from rivaling the burgeoning metropolises that can be found along the Sword Coast to the south of the Spine of the World Mountains, its location has given the town a distinct advantage over its sister towns. High cliff walls form a protective cove that shelter the town’s fishing vessels from the savage winter storms that plague the region. Additionally, the deep waters of the natural harbor allow for the construction of larger ships, which, in turn, have made Targos a leading contender in the race for dominance of the fishing industry. Already, the town’s considerable fleet lands more knucklehead trout than the collective catches of all the other fishing villages combined.

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