Powergaming a solo run... no reloads!!! Options

[Klorox]

Over on the bioware website, some posters put together "challenges." The latest one I'm getting into is a no reloads, solo run through BG1 (and hopefully BG2 as well, if you can make it!).

Anyway, I've been trying to think of a really powerful character, who will also be effective when I reach BG2.

I've come to realize that Berserkers and Barbarians are extremely useful in this challenge. Their Rages will save your ass from so many things, like most of the spell casting assassins you meet early on, as well as Sirens and the like. Having a lot of HP means that you don't have to worry so much about traps in this game (there are no "save or die" traps I know of in BG1).

I thnk a single classed Berserker or Barbarian is kind of boring though, and I don't like their chances in BG2.

This leaves me with the dual class option, which eliminates the Barbarian and leaves me only with Human Berserkers.

Optimally, I'd love to get my Berserker to level 7 (for the extra 1/2 ApR), which mean I could dual class to either a Thief or a Druid and activate my Berserker class before hitting the TotSC XP cap.

I also have the option of completing the game with a single classed human Berserker, and dual classing in BGII (probably at level 13, the optimal dual classing level for a Berserker IMHO). I could switch to a Mage or a Cleric at that point, although a Mage is probably more powerful (and allows for the level-up cheese of getting XP for just memorizing scrolls). BTW, I will not erase and rescribe scrolls... that's just too cheesey, even for a "challenge".

What I'm looking for are some ideas I may have missed, and some suggestions all over (races, classes, anything!). Would I be better off with just a FMT? A Gnome F/Ill (better saving throws)? Any and all suggestions are welcome.