Right now my fighers started to get HLAs and I need some help to properly equip them. I have lots of hard modes installed(tactics, battles etc) and like playing in insane. I realized that I manage to hold my casters(me, cleric dualled into mage and dear sissy Immy) well and healthy(with LOADS of protection spells) but my fighters get chopped (and permanently dead so load) pretty quickly so I think I NEED help with them.

Now could you please tell me best HLA choices for them? AND in what order? I already chose Deathblow and greater for all of them as first HLAs as it helpes TREMENDOUSLY against improved MindFlayers and Ritualguys. Was I wrong? WHAT next?

1-MP created Kensai:One hard-beating guy, main offense force. He daulwields Improved CelestialFury+5 and Sanchuddoku+4, has GRAND mastery in katanas(FİXED so it is powerful). He has 9/2 attacks per round so if I improvedhaste him(via spell or Ring of Gaxx) he easily has 9attacks per round which makes Whirlwind attack meaningless. He needs some defense though as if I am not careful he gets pretty badly bruised. Do you suggest 'Hardiness?' or that Cry thing that makes the foes flee? Or get CriticalStrike and Smite for MASSIVE punishment? (if he already has 9attacks and then critical strikes, does nearly 500 neat damage in one round) He has GOOD regeneration(Shanchudoku, ring of gax and perseveration+2, plus HASTED he heals PRETTY QUICKLY AND has a huge 190+ HP yes I did some powergaming but don't blame me) and one short sword to mirrorimage him(it helps TREMENDOUSLY, by the time mirror image is gone, nearly all foes are already dead. Usually.)What do you suggest?

2-Jaheira, BIG tank, with lots of spells, and best armors, she achieves lowest AC (-14 or more) plus WONDERFUL defense against spells and elementals(Harper Pin!!!) add her Ironskins, summonings, healing, she is BEST cannon fodder ever and VERY hard to kill. She can use a boost in OFFENSE though to increase her attack per round. SO I think GreaterWW is best for her(Druidic HLAs or Hardiness is pointless?) and a few Critical Strike to hit heavy armored foes? OR should I consider druidic HLAs as well? I do not know.

3-Good old Minsc,(and Boo too!) dualwields FlailofAges and CromFaeyr, he is too easily killed sometimes(no ironskins, mirrorimages, regeneration or massive HP like the former two) so you suggest Hardiness? WW? Or that Warcry?(I feel it suits him but) Can MagicResistance be useful? How about Tracking? (NOPE) WW helps him more than Kensai so what? OH this is a hard decision.

4-Lawful and noble Keldorn, being a Paladin his Deva is TEMPTING how many times should I get it? He has BEST AC next to Jaheira but his combatskills can use some boost. His main usage is dispelling HEAVY protections of enemy mages though and he is VERY GOOD at it, so summoning may also do him good as a support fighter or am I wrong? That improved HolyAvenger(when I DO get İT) will be VERY tempting IMHO too!

As you see I am rather confused with so many choices and opportunities and can use some help. Thanks all in advance!

I think the one requisite Whirlwind Attack, and taking GWW is the way to go. IMHO, nothing beats GWW.

With Keldorn, take one or two Summon Devas. :) Since you get so many, I like taking one Resist Magic (except not Keldorn) and one Toughness for each also.

Devas rock!

If you have ToB instaled but are still in the SoA portion, when you fight Irenicus on that big tree, did you know that Jon is helpless against a Fallen Deva? His attacks have NO effect on the Fallen Deva I sic on. It was so unfair, the moment I cast Fallen Deva, I simply moved my entire party away from him, and then let the Fallen Deva do her job.

I assume that he'll have problems if you use the Paladin's Deva as well :)

Well as I said if I constantly imp.haste my kensai (easy with project-image+scroll, or spell, or ring of KANgaxx) then GreaterWW will only add 1attack/round which I believe will have little effect. BUT if he criticalstrikes while imp.hasted it will be like both wwing and c.striking and thus will do some impressive damage. Hardiness is VERY important for him as he tends to fight rather bare-bodied. He will have some GretaerWWs ofcourse but I co not want ending up with 15+GWWs like my friends nasty chopper Korgan.

SOO Devas rock against Irenicus but I am not sure if they will fare against IMPROVED Irenicus in the elven Life of Tree as well as he constantly ShatterMagic(dispels all protections and lowers MR) if he notices his spells can not do anything at all.. And in Hell Improved Irenicus, (COOL BATTLE! If you get my meaning) ONLY superior Planetars(and lots of it) stand a chance(abeit slim) as they can cast Insect Plague on Always Improved Invisible Irenicus. (He has also SI:ABJURATION and DIVINATION so it is HARD to dispel anything of his) once they eat Jon's stoneskins it is my sole hope that my Fighters will be able to kick his a** just in time, (HE TELEPORTS AND HEALS LIKE CRAZY IF YOU MANAGE TO DO EVEN 1 DAMAGE TO HIM!!!)and if not he will be formidable indeed! (as he should be, the Exile, the Shattered one, the one who should not be named, or like I call him, JonBon. :D )

OH you can not have both a Planetar and a Deva right, so I guess Keldorn will have at most...2 or 3 I believe it will suffice. He has some need to boost his combat-skills though if he ever wants to be as crazy as my kensai.

Devas have some very nice support spells, iirc, and another heal spell is always welcome. Deathblow is nice against the lesser bosses, but don't forget that the more powerful ones are immune to criticals. Smite is another handy HLA to have around.

I'd say each fighter needs at least three doses of Hardiness, maybe more on insane -- less for Jahiera (though at least one!), more for your Kensai. Warcry sucks. Have your high-speed missile guy (is this Minsc?) take the power attack/critical strike/smite series once, because it's very convenient to be able to knock back a tough opponent with missile fire. Similarly, only one guy -- preferably that missile shooter -- needs to take the deathblow abilities. Critical strike is nice when it works, but most of the big bosses (the Five!) are immune to it.

GWW is the staple. A couple of those, then one hardiness, then repeat. But don't short the hardiness.

Also, when Minsc or whomever starts a whirlwind, you can switch him out of dual-wield into either a two-handed weapon or a shield (or one one-handed weapon, if you have that skill, to up the crit chances). Though FoA+the CF strength bonus is nice at least until the slow effect kicks in.

Thanks, I forgot that tougher bosses are immune to critical hits and this leaves GWW only good choice against them! You really saved me!