too many spellcasters?

So I'm working on playing through Baldur's Gate II / Throne of Bhaal
for the third time. The first time I just took whoever I came across as
an NPC at the time. The second time, I played with my own characters
(via 'create multiplayer') and gave up because it just got too easy
(Kensai, Monk, Inquisitor, Sorcerer, Archer, Skald).

This time, I'm trying to play through with the following objectives:
- The ultimate 'good' party.
- Romance Ariel successfully.
- Complete every side quest possible, barring acceptance of evil
tasks/characters into the party (e.g. no Korgan).

I've done most of the Chapter 2 quests at this point, and my party
consists of the following:
- Me (Cavalier)
- Minsc
- Anomen (quest completed)
- Valygar (just completed Planar Sphere)
- Jan
- Ariel

I'm conflicted on what to do next, before I proceed to Chapter III. My
original intent was to drop Valygar and pick up Yoshi again to pursue
that plot to its logical conclusion, then replace Yoshi with Imoen. But
then I'm warrior-lite, and have 4 spellcasters. I think the logical
move here is to drop Jan, but I love this guy so much...hilarious
banter, and I figure he might unlock some stories in the Underdark. I'm
skipping Keldorn since I am a paladin, and he was in my party the first
go-through.

I'm guessing I should drop Jan instead, though, since he will fit into
my 4th run-through (an evil party), and Imoen's thief/mage skills are
the most logical replacement.

If I don't drop Jan, I would have a Cavalier, Minsc, Anomen,
Yoshi/Imoen, Jan,and Ariel. I could carry Jan & Imoen through Underdark
and then dismiss Jan upon return for Mazzy. 4 spellcasters seems like
alot though. And to make things even worse, if I pickup Mazzy, I'm
still without Valygar -- and I heard they develop a great commraderie
if you have them in your party for an extended period. Am I missing
anything here?

Although I don't want to do it, I suspect I should enter Brynnlaw with
a Cavalier, Minsc, Anomen, Mazzy, Yoshi, and Ariel.

PS Here's what I assume my 'ultimate evil' party will eventually
become:
- Me (LE Kensai i'm guessing, maybe Monk)
- Korgan
- Viconia
- Edwin
- Jan
- Yoshi, to eventually become Sarevok

I might create a second evil character, a Half-Orc Barbarian, to
compensate for the minimal number of evil NPCs.

burnsdavidj.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com wrote:

> So I'm working on playing through Baldur's Gate II / Throne of Bhaal
> for the third time. The first time I just took whoever I came across
> as an NPC at the time. The second time, I played with my own
> characters (via 'create multiplayer') and gave up because it just got
> too easy (Kensai, Monk, Inquisitor, Sorcerer, Archer, Skald).
>
> This time, I'm trying to play through with the following objectives:
> - The ultimate 'good' party.
> - Romance Ariel successfully.
> - Complete every side quest possible, barring acceptance of evil
> tasks/characters into the party (e.g. no Korgan).
>
> I've done most of the Chapter 2 quests at this point, and my party
> consists of the following:
> - Me (Cavalier)
> - Minsc
> - Anomen (quest completed)
> - Valygar (just completed Planar Sphere)
> - Jan
> - Ariel
>
> I'm conflicted on what to do next, before I proceed to Chapter III. My
> original intent was to drop Valygar and pick up Yoshi again to pursue
> that plot to its logical conclusion, then replace Yoshi with Imoen.
> But then I'm warrior-lite, and have 4 spellcasters. I think the
> logical move here is to drop Jan, but I love this guy so
> much...hilarious banter, and I figure he might unlock some stories in
> the Underdark. I'm skipping Keldorn since I am a paladin, and he was
> in my party the first go-through.
>
> I'm guessing I should drop Jan instead, though, since he will fit into
> my 4th run-through (an evil party), and Imoen's thief/mage skills are
> the most logical replacement.
>
> If I don't drop Jan, I would have a Cavalier, Minsc, Anomen,
> Yoshi/Imoen, Jan,and Ariel. I could carry Jan & Imoen through
> Underdark and then dismiss Jan upon return for Mazzy. 4 spellcasters
> seems like alot though. And to make things even worse, if I pickup
> Mazzy, I'm still without Valygar -- and I heard they develop a great
> commraderie if you have them in your party for an extended period. Am
> I missing anything here?
>
> Although I don't want to do it, I suspect I should enter Brynnlaw with
> a Cavalier, Minsc, Anomen, Mazzy, Yoshi, and Ariel.
>
> PS Here's what I assume my 'ultimate evil' party will eventually
> become:
> - Me (LE Kensai i'm guessing, maybe Monk)
> - Korgan
> - Viconia
> - Edwin
> - Jan
> - Yoshi, to eventually become Sarevok
>
> I might create a second evil character, a Half-Orc Barbarian, to
> compensate for the minimal number of evil NPCs.

FWIW, in BG2 (I've played ToB very little) you can easily get by with
only two tanks. Let everyone else use ranged weapons and/or spells
while they engage hand to hand with the enemy. With strength enhancing
eqpt and use of haste, slow or improved haste, missile weapons become
very deadly from your magic users. Just keep moving your more
vulnerable characters around if the enemy starts to go after them
instead of you or Minsc.

IMO, the party you have can fight well. You have two magic users and
five cleric casters (Aerie is mage/cleric). For fun and if you have
the time, you could also save the game at some point before you make
the switch and then you could play either 'good' party line-up <g>

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