Wow. Just wow. Questions from a new player, The game is beating the crap out of me, but I'm starting to like i Options

[ksshan]

What a week it has been. Bumped into a friend whom I have not contacted for a decade. We were gaming buddies, and those were the days of counter-strike, diablo 2, and BG2 (has it really been 10 years? Kinda scary thinking about it. Seems like yesterday). Anyway, this dude is still playing BG2 with IA5, and he could'nt stop raving about it, so I decided to fire up my old BG2 discs (very scratched, but surprisingly still playable).

Well, I started off thinking, how hard could it be? After all, I did play tactics. All those guys complaining about difficulty must be 12-16 yr olds who have never played contra or ninja gaiden etc etc. Buncha wimps. So imagine my pleasant surprise when the suna seni encounter, ordinarily a walk over, decimated my entire party. Thats when I started browsing SP and BWL forums for more info, and boy have I learned alot, but still, I fear, not enough.

Well, armed with my meager new knowledge, I'm starting a new game that will hopefully make the game easier, and this time I'm sticking like glue to the suggested quest order. My usual play style is melee heavy, which seems to fit well with the play style of IA5 from what I've read, so thats cool.

So, what party would you guys recommand for the easiest time for a first time IA player? It doesnt have to be bioware NPCs since the dialogue has gotten old years ago. And since weapons have been revamped, and many weapons made inaccessible early game (I'm gonna miss celestial fury), who should use what weapons?

Thanks a million for whatever help you guys can give. This is the hardest game I've played since Godhand, though its a action game

[Kerkes]

If I may just say 1 thing about this, since I believe this is "somehow" strangely linked to my use of dwarves - I personally do not consider +5 saves to be "cheese". It is straight from AD&D. Overpowered? Maybe. Cheese? No.
One thing which beats saving throws is "Apsolute immunity to certain ill effect". Like for example immunity to confusion - Lirarcor, Equlizer etc.
Take Valygar NPC as an example.
End game - Immune to: Fear, Charm, Confusion by equipment (+ some extra resistances)
Immune to Imprisonment in a blink (lasts longer then Enrage. And heals you!!!)
Heal - as - hit weapon
Beats +5 save vs spell, death and wand by long and far....

So. If you want a real challenge in IA -don't play Vagrant with 18 WIS. Don't take Valygar. Don't take any ranger in your party. Don't make your protagonist a good-aligned warrior.
If you're a really awsome player, don't give any arcane spellcaster 18 WIS.
If you are a starter, I'd recommend:

Vagrant protag
Berserker for 1 handed wpns (dwarf )
kensai or Barbarian for 2-handed wpns
some cleric, whatever. Thief-cleric dual if you can't live without a thief. I can, and I like Helm kit.
sorcerer with 18 WIS
Conjujer or Necromancer but I don't like Necro so I'd take Conjujer. Or Nalia. Any mage with customisable spelbook is actually. You might miss an important spell if you take 2 sorcerers.

[antizyclon]

Take Valygar NPC as an example.
End game - Immune to: Fear, Charm, Confusion by equipment (+ some extra resistances)
Immune to Imprisonment in a blink (lasts longer then Enrage. And heals you!!!)
Heal - as - hit weapon

In IA he has some new feature, as i know he didn't get that, what i am missing???