A little advice. (maybe spoilers)

[anarchistica]

In my opinion, a good part has 3 Warriors (at least 1 Tank), at least 1 Divine Caster, 1 Thief and at least 1 Arcane Caster.

Your party:

PC Fighter - Warrior
Minsc & Boo - Warrior
Anomen - 1/4 Warrior | 3/4 Divine Caster
Yoshimo - Thief
Jaheira - 1/2 Warrior (Tank) | 1/2 Divine Caster
Jan - 1 Thief | 1/2 Arcane Caster (due to his items i count him as a "full" Thief)

3 3/4 Warriors (including a Tank), 1 1/4 Divine Caster, 2 Thieves and 1/2 Arcane Caster. You should do just fine, but i would lose a Thief. I'd say drop Yoshimo for Aerie, Nalia or Haer'Dalis so you get another Arcane Caster who can dispel protections, cause some damage and such. Then, when you go to Spellhold you switch Yoshimo back in and swap him with Imoen on the island.

My current party:

PC Undead Hunter (Paladin) - Warrior
Mazzy - Warrior
Valygar - Warrior
Cernd - 1 Warrior | 1 Divine Caster*
Aerie - 1/2 Arcane Caster | 1/2 Divine Caster
Imoen - 1 Thief | 3/4 Arcane Caster

*Note that i have the "fixed" Shapeshifter kit installed which allows you to cast while Shapeshifted and shapeshift simply by equipping werewolf paws (no daily limit). This makes Cernd borderline overpowered, giving you a powerful Warrior with immunities (25 or 50% magic, non-magical weapons), a very low AC (-13-ish) as well as full Druid casting capabilities (Insects, Iron Skins, Nymph Summoning, Elemental Summoning). Oh, and did i mention Great Werewolves regenerate 1 hp/3 seconds? :devil:

I have 4 Warriors, 1 1/2 Divine Caster, 1 1/4 Arcane Caster and 1 Thief. Everyone can cast spells. It is going very smoothly.

[VonDondu]

Before I head off to get Imoen, is there any other NPC's in the area that I can pick up that would be better then what I have now in my party. If there are but I don't need them, then don't tell me about them now. If there is and it would be better to get them now, then just let me know the district and I'll try to find them on my own. If not I'm going to see Gaelan and give him my money.

The only personnel change I would consider making would be to replace Jaheira or Anomen with Aerie. But I don't think there's any combination that would be "best". It just depends on where your interests lie.

Jaheira's presence adds an interesting subplot to the game, and she and your character can have an interesting relationship. She is also one of the most powerful NPCs you can play in TOB. She and Aerie don't really like each other, but that's probably because they see each other as rivals.

I think that Aerie is an interesting character, plain and simple. But so are most of the NPCs. She is also one of the most powerful NPCs you can play in TOB.

I think that a lot of people misunderstand Anomen, but I don't fault them for their reaction to him. He's supposed to be funny when he says demeaning things about other people. He is based on a character that one of the original developers played in real life D&D games who was always getting his fellow party members into trouble with his big mouth. It was a way to make the game interesting and give everybody a good laugh. Judging by the reaction to Anomen most players have, the idea did not translate very well when they created Anomen in BG2. But he is a powerful character, and he might save your butt in some of the upcoming encounters.

For your next game, I suggest:

Main character (Cleric/Ranger)
Aerie
Haer'Dalis
Edwin
Jan
Minsc

...but there are so many good choices, you can't really go wrong.

[Dummy]

i would say keep them

[sonny]

Thanks very much everyone.

Just one more thing before I let you guys alone for a while.

In BG1, I never dual classed my character because I screwed up on the stats when I created him. If I decided at some point to dual class my present Human Fighter to say a Mage. At what level should I wait to do this so as not to loose a good tank?

I ask this because, 1. I've never done it before and 2. I remember someone, VonDondu I believe, saying a dual class character was pretty powerful in this game. Any thoughts?

[Dummy]

if you want to just play soa dual at level 9

if you want to play tob too you could also dual at 13

but its not that important,

you will gain your most HP during the first 10 Levels after that it will not change much

if you dual to a mage u will acually GAIN more tank powers since you can pretty much boost yourself with protective magic

[Rav]

At the very last, Level 13. Level 9 is a very popular option also. I am guessing you are about 11 now? I would not recommend Dual classing this late in your first run through. A single class fighter is actually rather powerful, and dual classing at this level means you probably wouldn't regain your fighter functionality for quite some time.

[fable]

Nine is good. It means you get back your former profession's skill set very early in the game. In fact, since you want to become a mage, if you just let all your party go before reading the scrolls you've picked up in Chateau Irenicus, you should make that final level. Then you can add your party back in.

[Crenshinibon]

What Fable said is true, it does give you a significant experience boost doing it his way, however, note that if you are currently romancing an NPC, the romance WILL BE TERMINATED upon the member leaving your group.

However, I suggest that you try dual classing later on, maybe after you've beaten the game a few times.

If you just *have* to dual class (into a mage), for your first time I'd suggest dualing at level 8 (125000 exp.). This way, you'd regain your fighter abilities in 135000 exp. (mage level 9). Also, this way (although unlikely as you have six members) when you'd reach the cap, you would have every mage level you could take, even if you started as one.

[fable]

Crenshinibon's point about romances is very true. I would also add that if you let Jaheira go before starting up a romance and take her back later, you won't be able to romance her. But this is only important to you if 1) you intended to romance her in the first place, 2) you plan on bringing Jaheira back into your party, or 3) you prefer to romance her one of the other three available party NPC romances in the native game (Aerie, Viconia, Anomen). Up to you.

[sonny]

What Fable said is true, it does give you a significant experience boost doing it his way, however, note that if you are currently romancing an NPC, the romance WILL BE TERMINATED upon the member leaving your group.

However, I suggest that you try dual classing later on, maybe after you've beaten the game a few times.

If you just *have* to dual class (into a mage), for your first time I'd suggest dualing at level 8 (125000 exp.). This way, you'd regain your fighter abilities in 135000 exp. (mage level 9). Also, this way (although unlikely as you have six members) when you'd reach the cap, you would have every mage level you could take, even if you started as one.

Sorry, I should have stated that my Fighter is level 10. While I don't think a romance has started yet, I do plan on having one with Jaheira and she has been talking real nice to me and I to her.

Only mentioned Mage and not Thief was because I have Jan now and will get Imoen later. Also only considered dual classing if it would make the party better (and I'll admit, curiosity also played a part )

Anyway, I guess I'll just play through this time with my pure Fighter.

Thanks everyone

[fable]

Sorry, I should have stated that my Fighter is level 10. While I don't think a romance has started yet, I do plan on having one with Jaheira and she has been talking real nice to me and I to her.

Just FYI, after 9th level, I would have suggested 13th. You get 1/2 of an extra attack as a fighter at that level, so it makes a good point to change classes.

[Crenshinibon]

Again, in my opinion, the next best level is ten because that would make you (again, assuming that you'd get lots and lots of experience) a level 10 fighter/30 mage. You'd regain your fighter abilities at 375000 experience points.

Now, because you have fighter levels mixed in, I assume that you won't be a spell flinger. You'd probably be a buffer, a good amount of buffs going to yourself. Also, note that once you dual class, before you have your abilities back, you'll be pretty weak, so make sure that you'll be able to handle things with the five other members.

Fable's idea of kicking everyone out works well too, although, if you do want to take that course, I suggest that you keep the NPC that you want to romance with you. Do not kick her out and let her gain some experience as well.

EDIT: My suggestion is better for more spell slots, however, as I strongly doubt that you will reach the experience cap, Fable's suggestion is also to be considered.

Level 13 is at 1250000 experience, so you'd have to wait a while before you can dual. This will leave you with 6750000 exp. for mage levels, which means that if you max out the cap, you'll have 28 mage levels. You would also regain your abilities at 1500000 exp.

[Dummy]

well there IS a way to outsmart the game and i thinkmost of us know it

you kick the people out of the party then read the scrolls, and when they reached you and ask if you REALLY want them too leave, you say "NAH stay with me"

[CFM]

well there IS a way to outsmart the game and i thinkmost of us know it

you kick the people out of the party then read the scrolls, and when they reached you and ask if you REALLY want them too leave, you say "NAH stay with me"

(assuming the "dismissed" conversation is the point in which the character's romance variable is turned off)

Never thought or heard of that one before. That's a great idea Dummy!

While I don't think a romance has started yet, I do plan on having one with Jaheira and she has been talking real nice to me and I to her.

What? Jaheira nice???

Sounds like the romance has started. As previously warned: don't dismiss her completely out of your group.