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