When I run e.g. Icewind Dale 2 in a window, as soon as I click outside the window so that IWD2 loses focus, it halts in some kind of paused mode, and doesn't continue until I click on it again.

Is there a way to keep the game running even if it loses focus? Is this game specific, or does it apply to all Windows games/programs?

I tried to google for this but didn't find an answer easily.

(Why? Because I am in the IWD2 Battle Square battles now, and there are times I want to wait longer times between battles in order for my fighter's health to replenenish (he has regenerating health). I'd rather do something else with the PC in the meantime, while waiting.)

The single worst place in all IE games.

I wait till I get the club that kills demons instantly (I believe on level three of the Battle Squares...?) after which for all subsequent levels I just reload till I get a demon, which happens fairly often.

About your problem, it's definitely game specific. Sorry, not sure how to help you.

Yeah you can't force a game to run in the background if it's hard-coded to "pause on loss of focus". You can only do the opposite (force-suspend a game that keeps on running in the background when you don't want it). I haven't played IWD2, but are there no console commands that can manipulate time? Kind of like an equivalent to Elder Scrolls "set timescale to..." or "set gamehour to..." cheat codes?

Thanks, I guess it can't be done then. I think you obtain it after completing rank 6 of Battle Squares, at least according to some walkthrough. I actually obtained another "distruption" weapon later in the game, The Hammer of Lucerne or somesuch. It is only a +1 weapon but I was able to kill e.g. one fire golem or what was it with a single blow, but it doesn't always do that.

I have now completed ranks 1-4, still to complete 5-10. Not sure if it can be done, the ranks are increasingly difficult. I'm near the end of Chapter 4 in the game, but came back to Battle Squares to try if I can finish it completely before entering chapter 5 (after which, I believe, you can't come back to Battle Squares anymore).

So far my best working tactic for Battle Squares seems to have been to give my best fighter a Spear +3, and reload until one of those bigger enemies (giants, that very big cockroach-looking monster or such) appears, and then I open the upper door and go outside the Battle Squares room. That big enemy can't follow through the small door, so I keep hitting it from a distance with the spear until it dies.

However when I earlier tried Rank 6, I hardly ever seemed to get such big enemies which can't follow me outside the room, and also more and more enemies seem to do that odd move that after I have hit them a few times, they teleport out of the Battle Squares room, right to the room where the rest of my party members are? And if my other party members kill the enemy, it seems I don't obtain a square as a victory?

So not sure if it is really doable to finish the Battle Squares, but the good news it that it is optional anyway. If it starts looking impossible, I'll just proceed to chapter 5.

You apparently don't have to do the 10 ranks in order, so did you possibly select rank 6 before finishing ranks 1-5?

No. I've always done them in order. Remember the tanks jusf before getting the anti demon being tough.

Now I finally finished ranks 5 and 6, and yeah you get the distruption club +3 after finishing rank 6 (at least in this difficulty level I am playing the game; it is the hardest difficulty you can select within the game, not the "Heart of Fury" extra super difficult mode though).

Still ranks 7-10 to go, let's see how much this club helps with it...

Good luck! Equip to strongest mellee fighter, and go for those demon instakills.

So... you managed to beat it?

Jaaa!

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/what_game_s_are_you_playing_right_now/post9314

Moving on on chapter 5 now, in that Ti Juan temple or whatever it is. Unfortunately I have a Paladin so I can't use those robes to disguise, at least the whole team. I was under impression I could still leave my Paladin behind and disguise rest of the team, but for some reason the enemies seem hostile even without my Paladin.

Dunno, maybe I just kill them all, but there is supposed to be some extra quests if you manage to disguise.