4E allows m/c'ing, but with 4E being a completely different animal from previous editions, its just really hard to explain to someone who only knows m/c'ing from 2.x & 3.x.

So, Yxonomei went down fast. I caught her in a Web spell and just hacked her to bits*. She never even got a chance to swing at me. Of course, knowing what was behind that last door was a huge boon, as I buffed before entering. Still, it was satisfying to see that bit** fall hard and fast.

*Actually, my Hasted mage had that speedy bow you get earlier in the level and peppered her with +2 arrows while my tank hacked away at her.

Enjoyed reading your adventures Jarmo and Coelocanth...I plan on giving IWD another go myself here soon, and reading your stories is great encouragment to do so. Continued luck in the drifts to you both. :-)

I'm about to do the same as KOC said only with IWD2

Just entering Dorn's Deep. Party is well equipped, with AC in the -10 range for both of them (got some excellent Elven Chain for my caster in the Severed Hand - gotta love casting in armor!)

Re Oil of Speed (or Haste): yeah, that single addition to your buffs can easily turn the tide of many a tough battle. I've used it in a number of battles that were really giving me fits at first try, and breezed through them after .getting my speed on'.

Manual p.44 With your low thac0 you definitely hit with 95 percent of the 1.5 attacks per round you get.
If the mace +4 you found is the morning star +4: defender consider yourself lucky, it's the best melee weapon for a solo fighter/cleric in the game.

Will be starting AC1 soon with a Fighter, Mage, Cleric and Thief class soon(Original D&D party from the books)

Oh thanks, that explains it then. Didn't expect that from IWD, even with NWN doing the same.

And yeah, that's the morning star. Blessed helm of Lathander, Black wolf talisman, Bathed-in-blood armor, Gauntlets of weapon skill, Mystery of the Dead shield and Boots of speed. Can't imagine there'll be much improvement left.

I had an awesome cloack giving +1 to AC and saves, but can't wear it with the armor. Also 2 empty ring slots and an empty belt slot. So there's still a chance of doing slightly better.

Just hit Wyrm's Tooth this morning. The lich in the previous area wasn't so bad (I remembered exactly how to deal with him), but in relation to the comments about haste/oil of speed: the bronze guardians at the doorway to get to Wyrm's Tooth actually waxed my party. Went back hasted and they never got a hit on me. That's one effective spell.

Ha, form me the lich was one of those fun zomg, this character is so powerful it broke the game moments. :D
Being nearly 30th level then, start turning and all the undead guardians just died. The lich merely panicked and spent his remaining time running away..

The bronze guardians were a whole another story, had to fight and escape many times before I was through there. And the fire giants... uugghhh.

I'm trying IWD1 with a party of 3, It's my first ever playthrough of this game, but I'm finding it too hard.
I've gone Fighter, Mage, & Multi Class Fighter\Cleric.(Nella from the IWDNPC mod)
I could only get less than 5000gp by Kuldahar, & a bag of holding cost about 3600gp
I waisted money on a raise dead scroll. (better just to save often & reload)
By the time I'd finished the Vale of Shadows & the Black Wolf Temple,
I had enough to buy the Giving Star Mace 2D4 +3 THAC0 +3 (I'm broke again)
All Conlan's stuff in this game is just too dammed expensive.
You should be able to just kill him & take it all.
The Mage is at level 7 & can cast 2 level 3 spells & 1 level 4.
But to this stage I haven't been able to find or buy a level 4 spell & haste being the only level 3 spell.
So a Multi Class Fighter\Mage would have been a better choice since you can't use the faster leveling up of a dedicated Mage.
Oh well, off to find this Heartstone, & try out the new mace.

There's no need to buy any weapon from Conlan, chances are high that you'll find weapons at least as good in later chapters (although the giving star does make a difference in melee now and can be useful for a very long time depending on the random weapons you'll find).

If you have money to spend when you get back from the temple of the forgotten good I recommend buying the clasp of Bron's cloak or the robe of enfusing from Orrick, they can be quite useful for quite some time and Orrick's shop inventory changes when you start chapter 2 and chapter 4. You can sell useless scrolls and wands like cure xxx wounds and the wand of armory to him if you haven't done so already, he pays the best prices.

Do make sure to pick up Conlan's Hammer later on when you can access the chest in his room.

I started again with a Mage\Thief (Teri from IWDNPC)
When I got to Dragons Eye there were a lot of traps that can kill (confusion & poison)
and a few chests that couldn't be forced open. (probably had good stuff in them)
Yes I got the hammer last time, I'll take anything that is free.
Although I had no proficency with a hammer.
I'm getting through much quicker the second time, & Teri giving a bit of extra conversation is good.