Consider Improved Anvil (IA) as a strategy/tactical game like chess. Really study the changes (in readme's) that Sikret has implemented in the basic rules of the game: the many item nerfs, the power of spell immunity abjuration, other spell nerfs, etc. Spend a lot of time at that to judge how you will have to adjust your traditional tactics for IA. Realize the following:
* many/most of the arcane casters will use immunity abjuration and fire shield(s)
* your caster enemies typically have access to true seeing and will use it; expect the enemy casters to behave intelligently (more like an expert player), in general
* other casters will use buffs similarly to what an expert player does; and other foes may use potions
* many Sikret opponents will use HLAs and are hard to impossible for low levels to beat (you'll have to adjust your quest order)
* many monsters have high resistances to magic, physical, and/or elemental damage
* some monsters are immune to backstab, trap damage, stat drain, and/or vorpal hits - I'm not sure how wide spread these immunities are, but I haven't found backstab and trap damage to be very useful against the bosses
* golems are abundant and are typically extremely resistant to magic, physical damage, and elemental damage. They are usually killed by gradually beating them down in melee; however, be aware that they hit hard.

Spend a little time looking at the IA upgrade improvements. If you spend the time necessary to really understand how the rules of the game have changed, it will save you a LOT of reloads in the future. If I reload more than 3x for an encounter, I'm biting nails. I went through some nails on my first run through. I learned about the game through playing, and am finding it MUCH easier my second time through. However, I'm kicking myself for not just studying the readme's that Sikret had supplied and thinking about the changes impact on my tactics. If I had done so, even my first time though wouldn't have been so arduous. It reminds me of directions that come with the assembly-required toys for your children. Sometimes it saves time to read the directions.

rbeverjr, this thread is a great idea (maybe someone could pin it up?)

When I started playing IA I got frustrated by the improved battles and struggled with even the easier ones. Looking back I realise it was because I played the mod expecting to be able to beat it playing the way I played BG2 and other mods in the past. As I played more I realised I needed to be smarter and use better tactics, and I started to get better at the mod and enjoy it more too.

I think my best advice would be not to expect too much right away. Many of the improved battles can be accessed early on in the game - this does not mean that they can be beaten early on as well!

Also I agree with rbeverjr about the importance of reading the readme files - particularly the tactical content one. Knowing which battles are improved so you can avoid them for a bit is handy when starting out.

Ok...following the quest order of how I started the game, this should help avoid impossible trouble

1. Irenicus Dungeon, Circus, Gaelan Bale
-- Wellins bear
2. Temple District
-- stealing talos necklace
-- mekrath & doing his quest (carefully avoid the party and the rakshasha)
-- unseen eye (5 skeletons + haste + outside visible screen = against the eyes (imho even the weakest ones pack a punch))(btw. the mayors house is very unwise to enter)
-- getting the illithium & ring quest
3. Government District
-- getting illithium,valygarqest for planar sphere, wellin for umar hills map
4. Docks
-- Mae'var, valygars house
5. Graveyard
-- return wellins bear, paladins child, random undead, the guy in the grave
6. *Waukeens / Slums
-- Illithium, first half of slavers quest
7. Bridge
-- return planar stone thingy, neb, the red colored guy, tanner
8. Gate .. Umar Hills (no temple visit), Trademeet -> Druids
9. Uuh then ^^, it gets hard without IHaste, Ruby Ray, Prot f. lightning & magic energy
10. Then the rest^^

*I think around that time I was ambushed by the guys with the arabane sword, but once the cleric can cast greater command this gets a whole lot easier.