While I just finish BG1 soon, so I am planning my IA party. Since I am new in IA I would like any comments about my planned party:
gnome fighter/illusionist PC
Keldorn
Valygar
Anomen
Cernd (auramaster)
Nalia

I considered to get Haer'Dalis also, but he is similar to my PC (caster tank/damage dealer), so I skipped him. Also I am unsure about Nalia, but I think I need a thif at least for traps and locks. And I also need a high lvl arcane caster.

This group should be adequate. I consider Nalia's basic thieving skills (unlock and disarm) to be marginal. You'll have to use items/potions to supplement (or spells). Sikret may enhance her thieving skills in the next version. As far as I'm concerned, Nalia's magic skills are also marginal until you get the IA upgraded ring. But that may be because I've spoiled myself with the power of sorcerers and appreciate the capabilities of the wild mage.

That looks to be a very strong party, the F/I especially will be an awesome prospect. Personally I'd take haer-dalis and give cernd a miss. While auramaster is a powerful kit especially in early game I found him considerably less useful in late game. Haer-dalis on the other hand is enormously throughout IA, giving you a character who can stay in combat for long periods using PfMW and spell immunity, another ruby ray caster or a character to give your other tanks some extra punch using improved bard song as required. Also time traps can be extremely useful in a few of the tough battles.

This should be a very strong party.

Playing as a F/M gives you access to the expanded mage stronghold and the potential to get an AMAZING wizard robe, Memory of the Apprenti. Plus you get to have a familiar in your game, of course. Many say F/M is the strongest class in Improved Anvil. That wasn't exactly my experience, but the are certainly useful, and highly versatile. Add Nalia to the mix, and you have a power house pair of arcane casters. Nalia way rules in IA.

Anomen is a good melee guy, and a VERY powerful priest in IA thanks to his stats being made "legal" for a dual class fighter / cleric. I've not played the Auramaster yet, but hear it's incredibly powerful, and you'll be happy to have a second healer, trust me.

Valygar and Keldorn make an excellent front line team. Valygar gets some great item upgrades that take him to new heights. I recommend giving Keldorn the best armor and shield you can find, so you can maximize his AC.

It's a good IA party. Have fun!

Yes Clown, I had Haer'Dalis in my party when I started to plan it. Just I had to leave out 1 ppl, since I wanted to try this auramester kit. Plus I like if every spell (including high lvl druidic ones) available in my party. So I had to decide which NPC should I skip. Since Haer'Dalis is same kind of character like my PC (tank/damage dealer with arcane magic), so I think I leave out him.
But you wrote exactly my fear about druids: very useful at early game, useless at 2nd part of the game... mostly cause of their very slow level up above 14.

Also I would be happy with suggestion regarding weaponselection. It is not problem for all but fighters, because 5* in one weapon prof. use up many levels, so I can't GM out 2 weapons probably only just end of the game. So I should chose the best weapon for Anomen. With other melees and with 2* max. it won't be problem to get 2-3 weapon on max. and use the current best one.
And in case if I use multiclass GM mod, then I have to chose weapon early for my PC also. But I think I will skip multi GM now. Maybe IA hardiness will change my will btw.

PC: dual wield axes, flails prolly
Keldorn: two-handed swords, any weapon (bastard swords or maces)+shield in case of when need AC and don't have good 2hander (maybe halberds till he gets Carsomyr), xbows
Valygar: katanas, long swords, long bows
Cernd: clubs, staffs, slings (spears, scimitars)
Nalia: short swords, staffs, short bows
Anomen: sling, ???+shield at early game, dual wield later

I can chose between maces, flails and warhammers for Anomen. Remaing best one is choosen by PC beside axes, 3rd option is chosen by Keldorn maybe.

Thanks for tips in advance.

@Clown

Auramasters can also cast Ruby Ray spells (and even more number of Ruby Rays than a Bard may cast per day).

@Shadan

Don't forget proficiency to Flails for your ranger (Valygar or not).

Looks like a cool party! F/I's are so awesome with the great saves and everything, and of course Nalia can be your horrid wilting caster so you don't really miss anything.

shaden, be sure to let us know how the Auramaster works out! I think I will pick up Cernd in my 2nd IA run (which will be awhile since I haven't started the 1st yet) and would be very interested to see how other players use them.

If you have downloaded Auramaster v7 before July 30, it's recommended to download and install it again. See this post.

Auramasters work fine actually. I had Cernd with me on my first run through IA 4.2 and he was somewhat useful till the end. Although he would have been more useful if there wasn't that annoying Spell Shield bug 99% of the time. Still he was frequently busy: healing party members, Implosion-stun certain enemies, summon cannon fodder , casting Protection from Acid/Fire/whatever, Chaotic Commands, etc..
If druids were capable of casting Greater Restoration he would have been more useful than a pure cleric for sure. Still a good NPC to use.

@Sikret

I know auramaster can cast ruby ray as well I was just trying to emphasise the multipurpose usefullness aspect of the bard. To be honest by late game my auramaster was almost exclusively casting ruby ray, that and summons and protection spells.

With out greater restoration I just feel a pure class druid doesn't quite cut it late game even with the auramasters enhanced spell selection and improved casting time. As for the bard comparison with the new armour and the excess of scrolls the bard becomes your best source of ruby ray, the +2 casting speed and permanent aura cleansing allowing him to tear down mages defences in double quick time.

Anyhow I'm not saying don't take the auramaster, its was an interesting kit to play with especially as I'd never used Cernd before, was justing suggesting an alternative.

Hi!

My party is

Half-elven Fighter/Mage/Cleric with flail and hammer
Haer'Dalis with short sword later hammer or scimitar or axe
Keldorn with long sword + shield later dual long sword or longsword+bastard sword
Anomen with mace?
Jaheira with club and sling but i dont know what give her in later game, (any advise)
and Nalia

My general tactics is to send to the front my two tank: <CHARNAME> + Haer'Dalis
with mirror image and stoneskin and Haer's skulltrap sometimes useful Keldorn with his dispel and true sight is my debuffer in danger(sucks if dispel my protections but sometimes necessery) and my fighter (another question: Can he use the Thruth or the Judgement Day?)
Anomen and Jaheira my healers and buffers and Anomen is a brilliant fighter with Righteous Magic and another buffs, Jaheira is my third tank to swith in danger and my cannon fodder summoner Nalia not as stupid thief then the people said it. If necesserry she knock the doors and the locks and the mirror images, good saves of keldorn or the elemental/magic resistants protect me from violent traps.

I killed two group bandits, the Beastmaster, the Slavers and Tor'Gal, I skip Theshal because his Bone Fiends catch me in twelve different tries, I have the cleric-(the beholders so easy) and the fighter stronghold (the new Yuan-ti mages so scary and Torgal with his brilliant gem golem is cool, i shake when he summon a horde of mountain bears, and his regeneration rating is also cruel).

Have you got any advise where have i chance with a 9-12. level party without 6. level spells(improved haste )?

Sikret thank you! Your mod is very difficult and very challenging.
(For my first anvil game i use normal difficulty and Victor's Djinni merchant not for the items only the shop but they are so seducing)

P.S.: sorry my grammatical faults but my native language is hungarian and i am tired after work.