Best Worst Honor Mode Run Complete!
I can't tell you how happy I am to have finished Honor Mode at last! Spoilers from here on out, you've been warned.
This is my third go - first two times were years ago, and I died once at the Creche to Quartermaster Jeera and her friends, and once to Ethel down in the cave. I wasn't even sure if I'd try again, but after Patch 8 came out, back in I went.
I lost Lae'zel early on when I mistakenly thought if I opened the portal in the Creche she wouldn't aggro if I did the fight before going in. That was incorrect. Also the closest I came to a party wipe, there was one character alive by the time Bae and W'Wargaz got through with me. I'm telling you, keeping invisibility potions on everyone at all times was a lifesaver.
Of course I forgot to use Elixir of Vigilance on a couple of characters at Last Light Inn, so Marcus got to Isobel, and the lights went out. Jaheira yelled at me to keep fighting, then did her patented "Throw a big bunch of ice on the ground then run right onto it and go Prone" trick. It was pretty gutting seeing her immediately trashed by all the shadow-cursed Harpers and Tieflings, knowing I had also just lost Minsc down the road (*sad squeaking*).
Then there was Mizora down in the Mindflayer Colony, when I jokingly hovered the mouse over the "flush" option, then my finger twitched and away she went. Karlach gave me an earful on that one, harsh but fair.
The final annoyance (besides the sad squeaking) was saving everyone in the Moonrise dungeon, but having Rolan sullen and angry at me in Sorcerous Sundries (I know I saved his brother and sister but they weren't there, not sure how how it happened unless Wulbren threw them over the side of the boat, wouldn't put it past him). I went nonlethal and knocked him out in the Lorroakan fight but Dame Aylin, all moonglowey and all just swished over to where he was lying, and whoops! Rolan was toast. Literally.
It actually got better after that, I respecced everyone a few times to fine-tune things, made it through the rest of the game. Somehow, even though Karlach volunteered to go Mindflayer, when I talked to Orpheus he said "it's you or me, kid" so I went squid instead. I had already decided I wanted to see Gale snarking at the Netherbrain and making the big sacrifice, but oh well, tentacle face it is. I guess there's some way of doing things so that nobody becomes a Mindflayer, at that point I was just ready to finish everything up. Karlach started overheating but I convinced her I would go to Avernus with her, so at least I didn't have to watch that particular moment again.
I made sure to go right to Withers at the Afterparty, so no after-victory hell brain eating this time! (I replayed it after I confirmed the Foehammer achievement, and sure enough I talked to everyone but Shadowheart wanted a hug, and I suddenly felt a mite peckish. And the dice said time to eat. Withers put a quick end to that hunger.
So what do I do now? Well, I only just re-installed the game after Patch 8 came out, so after getting the "shining honor" dice I've gone straight back in to do a heavily modded run at Tactician so I can see fun new stuff in the mods, and have the story work out the way *I* want it to.
There was a lot to think about in this run (BG3 is an interesting attempt at an actual role playing experience in a video game medium), and I'm happy that Larian made this mode, but for me I think one Honor Mode run is sufficient. Thanks to all the Redditors on this sub who posted hints and tips, and responded to my various questions this past month. You helped me become a foehammer.
And for anyone still trying, keep going, you can do it!