I know I haven't finished my first time through the game (but surely I must be getting close). But, as many of you know, it is hard to not think about other party ideas. To avoid the standard flood of everyone's favourite parties (I can read about these in other threads), I outline below the criteria that my new party must meet:

- want to do a different stronghold quest (i.e. not the Fighter one)
- want different HLAs for PC (i.e. not the thief ones)
- want to romance Viconia (gender and race restrictions therefore apply - plus it means there will already be a cleric in the party)
- cannot go without a thief (this game would be too annoying without a thief on board)
- would like to try some different NPCs (i.e. not Minsc and Nalia whom I had pretty much all the way through current game)
- would like to aim for less than 6 NPCS in party (once all the NPC specific quests are done with)

What advice do you have for a party to meet these strict rules?

PC - F/M (take the mage stronghold) - make him neutral so you can have good and evil friends (but no paladins as that's too much for my little brain to handle on a role-playing basis)

Viccy - Cleric/romance

Yoshi/Imoen - Imoen can handle the thief chores with the right hardware and is a good mage as well

Valygar - Maybe not A-1 tank material, but he'll do as scout, archer and secondary tank

Korgan - Tank

You are left with a Human or HalfElf PC. Your choice depends on DC or MC.

Evil Party:
Viconia
Korgan
Edwin
Jan
Human Beserker[8]/Druid[x] would do well with this party. Minimum requirements would be Str 15, Wis 17, Cha 17.

Do you mind having another PC (not your main one) as a theif? You could create a multiplayer game, make your main dude a mage (I've never played fully as a mage, I prefer going theif, so I'm not sure how it'll go), and then move the save file over to the single-player save file. Then you have yourself, a theif, and you can play normally.

For the rest of your party, you need:

Viconia (obivously): Cleric
Korgan: Beastly little machine that never stops

Thats for a 4-P party, not strong in the front, i guess, unless you really get Viccy some nice stuff.

If you want one more, I'd also go with Valygar, 'cause he's not too bad up front, and this team seems to be lacking power so far.

Hmm, Beserker / Druid sounds interesting. Which stronghold does a dual classed character do? Does he have a choice? Obviously I would want to do the Druid stronghold, whatever that is.

Saber - the multiplayer option would solve the very annoying problem with the lack of thieves but seeing as you guys all keep raving about the wonderful NPC interactions all the time, I think I'd better maximise my experience of that area of the game. Which means either having a dual/multi classed thief, or taking Jan / Yoshimo / Imoen.

Don't do the Druid Stronghold... it's probably the worst one in the game.

The Bard, Ranger, and Paladin Strongholds are the most fun. Pick from those classes.

A dual classed character can do either stronghold, but if you start one, that's the one you're stuck with, IIRC.

Take Jan in your party, he's very funny, and lots of fun. If you really want to have Viconia, your PC must be human, half-elf, halfling, or (if you have the baldurdash fixpack) half-orc to romance her. NO ELVES!

- want to do a different stronghold quest (i.e. not the Fighter one)

Well, a Mage stronghold is good, and the Bard stronghold is the most detailed.

- want different HLAs for PC (i.e. not the thief ones)

Fighter/Mage or a Sorcerer then. A bard (a Blade kit) is a good one.

- want to romance Viconia (gender and race restrictions therefore apply - plus it means there will already be a cleric in the party)

Half-elf or human. Half-Orc would be great, but they can be only clerics(you have Vic), thief and Fighter (you don't want these)

- cannot go without a thief (this game would be too annoying without a thief on board)

Well, you haven't tried Jan yet, though he IS kinda annoying

- would like to try some different NPCs (i.e. not Minsc and Nalia whom I had pretty much all the way through current game)

-PC
-Viconia
-Jaheira (they will be bickering = fun)
-Jan
-Korgan

- would like to aim for less than 6 NPCS in party (once all the NPC specific quests are done with)

- it is less than 6.

Due to a bug in the game, the Beserker/Druid can get both strongholds. Get the Druid stronghold first and then go to the De'Arnise keep after your Beserker has reactivated.

The best and most detailed stronghold is the Bards.
Thief is good too, specially if you get the expanded thief stronghold mod.
Ranger and Mage come after that, purely for the items.
Paladin and Druid are boring if anything.
The worst stronghold award however goes to Clerics. The crappiest piece of thrash in game and it only gets slightly redeemed for Evil players.

HB, get a Blade!!! Seriously, they're great fun! Of course, you have to play them right, to their full potential, but trust me, you will have heaps of fun with a Blade.

Bah! I should have added another rule:

No Blades.

Maybe a Wild Mage ? ;)

Male Half-Elf Fighter/Mage/Thief, plus

Korgan
Viconia
Edwin

wait until ToB to recruit Sarevok as well

Well, for an unusual experience, you can take:

A Half-Elf Beastmaster
Mazzy
Cernd
Jan
Viconia

Strange days, indeed.

Hmm, so many options. I'll never get the time to play them all. I thought by setting such restrictions, that would leave me less choice, but you guys have still come up with loads of ideas.

PC half elf monk
Viconia
Korgan
Jan