Going to try a run through IA5, Could use some starting pointers Options

[The Bigg]

So... I've decided to take the plunge and try a run through IA 5. Since I'm not the greatest tactician (for example, both topical fights of Ascension are over my level), I'd like to ask first-hand if I'm in for a pointless reload game or not.

I'm going for a party as follows:
- PC Vagrant
- Valygar
- Anomen
- Cernd
- Nalia
- Edwin (Minsc while waiting to be able to recruit Edwin)

Questions:
- Is the party good enough (with three weak people), or am I in for hopeless defeat, keeping in mind I'm not a strong tactician?
- I've seen a guy who was going to use Nalia as the main thief. How is that possible? Does that depend on making use of large amounts of Knock spells and avoiding/saving vs. the trap effects, or is there something else?
- If I edit Edwin to be a Sorceror, will this cause problems?
- Ditto for using the patch from Ease of Use to allow him in a good party.


Technicalities: my WeiDU.log is basically a by-the-book IA install (with the exception of WSM, which I cannot imagine being incompatible with anything as far as BG2 is concerned):

CODE

// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]

// Baldurdash 1.12 non-WeiDU goes here.

~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Infinite Weapon, Potion and Ring/Amulet Stacking
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #3 // True Grand Mastery (extra half-attack, etc.) (Baldurdash)
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #4 // Shut Up "You Must Gather Your Party Before Venturing Forth"
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #6 // Wear Magical Armor AND Magic Rings (etc.)
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #9 // Un-Nerfed THAC0 Table, Saving Throws, Grand-Mastery, and Arcane, Divine Spell Progression (Blucher)
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #10 // XP Cap Remover
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #14 // Multiple Strongholds (Baldurdash)
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #15 // Bonus Merchants (Baldurdash)
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #17 // No Drow Avatars On Party In Underdark
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #18 // Imoen ToB Dialogue Fix
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #20 // Female Edwina
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #21 // Romance: Bug Fixes (required for later components).
~SETUP-EASE.TP2~ #0 #25 // Happy: NPCs won't fight with each other or leave the group.
~SETUP-IMPROVEDANVIL.TP2~ #0 #0 // Improved Anvil for SOA & TOB

Tp2 and pre-game suggestions:
- Can you upload (for example in the first post of the Bug Reports Thread) a .zip containing all hot-fixes? Currently, having to hunt them down via the Progress Report Thread looks somewhat cumbersome.
- REQUIRE_FILE ~data\25dialog.bif~ isn't user-friendly for those who have multiple installations and are using older WeiDUs. REQUIRE_PREDICATE (FILE_EXISTS_IN_GAME ~mel01.cre~) has the same effect, but also works if you install IA on a multiple-installs environment.
- (minor) using AT_EXIT ~notepad "ImprovedAnvil\Improved Anvil_readme.txt"~ doesn't work on Mac, Linux, or with newer WeiDUs. AT_EXIT ~view ./"ImprovedAnvil\Improved Anvil_readme.txt"~ is fine in all of these situations. Moreover, it might be worth it to open the other document files as well.

I doubt I'll be able to report anything more useful than "that was too hard for me PLZ nerf them", but I'll try to say useful things at least

[The Bigg]

(good) Vagrants only have a Larloch's and no Vampiric Touch. I was peculiarly unlucky with their save throws in all three tries, so I assumed they had 1 or somesuch (and Larloch's didn't manage to stop her casting, for some reason - Clerics tend to resist some spell interruption).
Also, looking at the post-multiple-strongholds code (cefaldor.dlg, state ), a custom (E.G. Player2...6) Druid can challenge Faldorn, but neither Cernd nor Jaheira can challenge her. I'll forward this to JC as well.

If you want to recreate the separating of Dalok, I had a summoned Dire Wolf (from the Nymph) rush in (though he died an instant after, so that must be inconsequential), then positioned myself in such a way that only Dalok and the Druid could see me (never activating the other fighter); the druid started casting Summon Animals, I retreated, Dalok followed me, but neither the Druid not the other Fighter did.
In one of my tries, I managed to Hold Person the Druid (after I was already reduced to bad health by Dalok and Bears); in another, I silenced everybody in both parties but the druid
Wasn´t Silence 9Ft. Radius party-friendly? Or is it changed by IA?

Also, after Windspear level 1 Nalia whined and I had to go to the Keep. the Killer spider concentrated his attacks on the Vagrant (who was immune to poison), rather than spreading his attacks to the other party members. The Whisperer Spider is spanking me around (even without the Greater Yuan-Ti coming to the aid), but I haven't tried buffing up yet. My Vagrand is level 9 and everybody else has similar levels; the best weapons I have are Blackblood on the Vagrant and the Cleric Staff on Nalia, everybody has at least a +2 weapon. Should I consider re-starting or I can manage with those levels?

This post has been edited by The Bigg: Apr 8 2008, 12:09 PM