You actually have a really solid group there. Since it covers all the bases, that allows you to just take an additional NPC for "fun." I would suggest a third warrior would be more use than a second cleric (Ajantis? Kivan?) Neera is the obvious EE choice for this party. Or you could go for the novelty of a bard and take Garrick? You have lots of options. I would play around with them until you find the right 'fit.' You have what we call a 'good problem' here.

Don't really see the need for Imoen and Coran, I always ditch her as I find her dialogue so annoying. That would leave you two spots. You could try Yeslick to have two stumpy god botherers up front and maybe wait until you get to the big city and take Quayle, it would certainly give your party a different feel

Branwen is a solid good cleric/fighter as is Coran also provides excellent ranged support (shortbow). It's really up to you as you could recruit some OP evil characters and keep them around by killing some nobody once in a while *ahem* Dorn / Baeloth

Originally posted by Centurion:

You actually have a really solid group there. Since it covers all the bases, that allows you to just take an additional NPC for "fun." I would suggest a third warrior would be more use than a second cleric (Ajantis? Kivan?) Neera is the obvious EE choice for this party. Or you could go for the novelty of a bard and take Garrick? You have lots of options. I would play around with them until you find the right 'fit.' You have what we call a 'good problem' here.

I've never really felt like Imoen was more or less obnoxious than the other companions, but I do see that opinion a lot, so it may just be me.

I forgot about Neera. I should do her story arc. I may do Coran, Neera, MC as F/C, Ajantis...then I'm not sure. I could keep Minsc and Dyna I guess. I did plan on using my MC spells for mostly buffing him as a sort of gish.

Garrick - I've never liked bards in the BG games. Songs are too limited in duration and use number, and outside that they're just kind of worse in every way than a fighter, thief, or mage.

Originally posted by pd28:

Don't really see the need for Imoen and Coran, I always ditch her as I find her dialogue so annoying. That would leave you two spots. You could try Yeslick to have two stumpy god botherers up front and maybe wait until you get to the big city and take Quayle, it would certainly give your party a different feel

That's a lot of cleric. Also not sure having two clones of the same character concept, one with definitively worse stats, is the best route?

Originally posted by Based Sensei:

Branwen is a solid good cleric/fighter as is Coran also provides excellent ranged support (shortbow). It's really up to you as you could recruit some OP evil characters and keep them around by killing some nobody once in a while *ahem* Dorn / Baeloth

Eh, just not my playstyle. I like being the 'good' person, and just randomly offing a peasant to maintain a bad reputation is a bit too metagamey I think.

Your first group was solid, MC as tank/damage dealer, minsc as damage dealer (melee or range), dynaheir as mage, Imoen as thief and Kivan (or Coran) for ranged attack.
That leaves one slot. You can rotate some companions (the EE for their quests, the others just to try), and then take someone for the final part. It doesn't really matter who. You don't like Garrick, but having free identify is not a bad thing, and you can use him as a magic user giving wands and scrolls; more effective than you think. The song is useful to counter fear from time to time. Anyway in this group I would take Quayle in the end for a little taste of extra magic in the finale acts. If you take Kivan immediately be carefoul, his quests has a time.

Your second group works, too, Ajantis as tank, MC and minsc as damage dealer, MC for healing, dynaheir and Neera as arcane user, Coran as thief and ranged attack. You don't get Coran t the beginning.

Both group lacks of stealth until you got decent values for rangers (and also in this case in the second group you don't want minsc to explore without armor). You need to leave some thief abiity not developped. Leave stealth and set traps behind and start from find traps and pick lock.

I would not take Branwen, she is a cleric, not a fighter/leric. A good character, that you don't really need being a cleric. For the same reason you don't really need Yeslick: it is exactly your MC, but weaker, you dn't really need him.

I don't use cleric buffs so much at low level, and anyway you want your MC to be in the center of acton, not to buff other companions.

Originally posted by Useless:

I've settled on a fighter cleric dwarf for my main. Good aligned.

I think I will take minsc and d. Gives me two front line and a mage. I think I'll also take the archer in the cloakwood. And imoen as my thief (I won't dual her).

Leaves me with an open spot. Branwen for a more general cleric?

I'm also not 100% sold on minsc and d, I've used both before and wouldn't mind different people to fill that role.

Atm: 1 front line presumed (fighter/cleric), 1 2h sword that can act as archer (ranger, normally Minsc is used that way), 1 mage (Dinaheir), 1 thief (Imoen), 1 figher/thief (Coran).

You are covered for the basics and there’s only one open spot in your party that you can’t access: enchantment wizard school (Dinaheir is an invoker).

That said, if you don’t simply play the game with 5 party members (which make you level up faster), you can pick a bard, another mage (specifically Xan that’s an enchanter) or one of the EE npcs for their quest lines (or all of them and kick off the party after the quests).

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

Originally posted by Useless:

I've settled on a fighter cleric dwarf for my main. Good aligned.

I think I will take minsc and d. Gives me two front line and a mage. I think I'll also take the archer in the cloakwood. And imoen as my thief (I won't dual her).

Leaves me with an open spot. Branwen for a more general cleric?

I'm also not 100% sold on minsc and d, I've used both before and wouldn't mind different people to fill that role.

Atm: 1 front line presumed (fighter/cleric), 1 2h sword that can act as archer (ranger, normally Minsc is used that way), 1 mage (Dinaheir), 1 thief (Imoen), 1 figher/thief (Coran).

You are covered for the basics and there’s only one open spot in your party that you can’t access: enchantment wizard school (Dinaheir is an invoker).

That said, if you don’t simply play the game with 5 party members (which make you level up faster), you can pick a bard, another mage (specifically Xan that’s an enchanter) or one of the EE npcs for their quest lines (or all of them and kick off the party after the quests).

I think I liked the last line suggestion the most. I'll try primarily running 4-5 people and then swapping in the EE story lines as I'm able.

I always have fun with GOOD MAIN, Kivan, Coran, Ajantis, Quayle, Rotate Spot (Usually Yeslick, Xan, Branwen or Faldorn). I find it kind of limiting when you have to take the dual companions like Khalid/Jaheira and Minsc/Dynaheir... even though you can make Khalid a great archer and Jaheira is pretty versatile. I also found it fun to use tomes and make Branwen a Cleric/Thief, Xzar a necromancer/cleric, or even Dynaheir a Invoker/cleric.

Originally posted by Useless:

Originally posted by Centurion:

You actually have a really solid group there. Since it covers all the bases, that allows you to just take an additional NPC for "fun." I would suggest a third warrior would be more use than a second cleric (Ajantis? Kivan?) Neera is the obvious EE choice for this party. Or you could go for the novelty of a bard and take Garrick? You have lots of options. I would play around with them until you find the right 'fit.' You have what we call a 'good problem' here.

I've never really felt like Imoen was more or less obnoxious than the other companions, but I do see that opinion a lot, so it may just be me.

I forgot about Neera. I should do her story arc. I may do Coran, Neera, MC as F/C, Ajantis...then I'm not sure. I could keep Minsc and Dyna I guess. I did plan on using my MC spells for mostly buffing him as a sort of gish.

Garrick - I've never liked bards in the BG games. Songs are too limited in duration and use number, and outside that they're just kind of worse in every way than a fighter, thief, or mage.

Imoen becomes annoying as fufufufuuuu as soon as you drop reputation. she's the airhead cheerleader type...yay yay yay!....or sulks...nothing inbetween

Originally posted by itsu:

Imoen becomes annoying as fufufufuuuu as soon as you drop reputation. she's the airhead cheerleader type...yay yay yay!....or sulks...nothing inbetween

She’s the only good companion that doesn’t abandon you even at rep 1, with the exception of BG2 (love partner)RomanceActive at 2, that also doesn’t leave the party no matter the reputation vs alignment conflict.

Originally posted by Kamuizin:

Originally posted by itsu:

Imoen becomes annoying as fufufufuuuu as soon as you drop reputation. she's the airhead cheerleader type...yay yay yay!....or sulks...nothing inbetween

She’s the only good companion that doesn’t abandon you even at rep 1, with the exception of BG2 (love partner)RomanceActive at 2, that also doesn’t leave the party no matter the reputation vs alignment conflict.

Well she calls you a "mutton-mungering riff raff" when you go under 10 rep. Whaaa...????, Despite her whining "..but we've been friends for years..." guilt trip when you dump her, it's for the best. Unless you like hearing her insult you throughout the game.

Originally posted by Akita Coffee:

I always have fun with GOOD MAIN, Kivan, Coran, Ajantis, Quayle, Rotate Spot (Usually Yeslick, Xan, Branwen or Faldorn). I find it kind of limiting when you have to take the dual companions like Khalid/Jaheira and Minsc/Dynaheir... even though you can make Khalid a great archer and Jaheira is pretty versatile. I also found it fun to use tomes and make Branwen a Cleric/Thief, Xzar a necromancer/cleric, or even Dynaheir a Invoker/cleric.

You don't have to take the dual characters. Let the undesirable one die and you're just fine the rest of the game. Poof! Problem resolved.

As for me, I usually go heavy ranged on the back end and utilize a tanky type up front who carries potion bag for various buffs as he rabbits all the bosses to sponge the numerous bullets, arrows and bolts as a moving pincushion. Solves many problems with ease. A good thief with hide in shadows can also get you to a limited visibility range to drop fireball bombs to soften up tough fights too.

As such, choose the characters you want and learn how to manipulate the story AI for pair bonded characters and you can overcome anything. All the characters are great, some more so than others, but that's the fun of an RPG.

Funniest thing I ever did was using Alora with a potion of speed, and strength, about 5 invisibility potions, and backstabbing the DemonKnight to death.