So awesome.

[FlashSoul]

You might get bored if you just keep grinding turtles >.>. It's faster to level up while exploring the dungeons and fighting better enemies. Even if you die and start again from the last savepoint.
I don't mean to tell you how to play; it's just a friendly advice .

Dead on Max-Iron means all things done lost since last save hours or even days ago. And then always having to do them again.
Reason of excessive grinding when possible is to always have above average character levels when exploring new areas.
This is necessary to have a better chance when I will get trapped for instance in rooms with multiple monster coming out of opening walls, like this room with skeletons early on in Grimrock 1.
So the point here is not fast leveling against better enemies, but to minimize risks through having mostly weaker enemies to fight as it would be on a 'normal' play-through. For Max-Iron this is the 'faster' variant in the long run, then just always stupidly charging ahead in the next 'brick-wall battle'....

Even with your above average party I'm sure you're gonna end up dead a whole lot when falling in traps. You may think your way is faster in the long run, but after the same length of time (8 hours) played on my end, I had higher levels (humans 5, rest 4) and was already on my third crystal (which I used too soon again but I decided not to let the game run while I was at work so I had to save). My settings are the same as yours except I stuck with the default party. I explore, find every secret I can, die plenty while mastering the level, then I go for a real run, do my best to survive everything and save when I have to.

[Mychaelh]

I can't imagine why you'd want to do that on your first play-through though when you could be out discovering the island!

See it this way, you can 'wolf down' a gala dinner or slowly eat it with relish.

As I said, when I get bored with this I can start new with normal difficult any time and 'just' play 'fast' through it.
For just 'discovering the island' I could also just watch a play-through on youtube.

I see not much difference between this, second option whould be more cushy. There is no thrill (for me), when you always can easly erase mistakes by just loading a save from the moment before you did it.
My first CRPGs where Ultima V, Wizardry IV, Bards Tale, Bloodwych, Champions of Krynn and Dungeon Master of course. If seen it all, been there done that.

[Mychaelh]

Even with your above average party I'm sure you're gonna end up dead a whole lot when falling in traps. You may think your way is faster in the long run, but after the same length of time (8 hours) played on my end, I had higher levels (humans 5, rest 4) and was already on my third crystal (which I used too soon again but I decided not to let the game run while I was at work so I had to save). My settings are the same as yours except I stuck with the default party. I explore, find every secret I can, die plenty while mastering the level, then I go for a real run, do my best to survive everything and save when I have to.

Yes I know I will die because of traps. The part between first and second crystal will be the most easy - that's crystal clear. So I invest much time now with turtle hunting to build a small exp buffer. My Alchemist also has produced around 30 herbs If all chars die before 2nd crystal all this will be lost and I have to decide if I do it again or quit this style and start normal.
Got through the first dungeon now and it was very exiting. If I could have always loaded a save without much drawback, it would have been just nice.

There is no right or wrong way to play games as long you have fun with it.

I like it to make it as hard as possible and the try to get as far as possible, while trying to role-play 'realistic' (avoiding Death as long as I can).

[Chimera005ao]

There is no right or wrong way to play games as long you have fun with it.

While true, I find it surprising you seem to choose grinding over progress.

Seems to me that you'd have a party that is technically overpowered for the part you are in, thus taking away much of the challenge you sought.
The way I go through rpgs usually leaves my party at lower levels than most people are normally at, I suppose. Some enemies I am running into on normal are one-shotting party members on occasion. And I know I've missed plenty of secrets, but I don't mind, it helps with the role-play experience anyways, I feel.

[Dr.Disaster]

As long as you did not select "Single-Use Crystals" is should be possible with a lot of patience.

Hehe, of course I did it. I go Werdna-Style with this!

Well then, keep your Mordor Charge Card close
Werdna had a pentagram waiting for him on each floor but LoG2 does not grant this favors

[Luj1]

I've just been in the character creation menu, feeling like a kid on Christmas with all these really cool options. I mean, I had clocked in about 100 or so hours of Grimrock-1 fiddling with different builds and different party compositions.

So far just seeing how much more diverse it is, and the really cool difficulty settings you can apply. I'm psyched. Quite possibly best game of 2014 for me. I'll let you know once I've actually played through. It's probably gona be like 30 minutes before I settle on a party. lol.

Loved the character creation too


I thought it was gonna be a talent tree format for skills but this is good too (reminds me of how skills are done in Baldurs Gate )

[Mychaelh]

...keep your Mordor Charge Card close

I never would even leave the house without it.