<font color="lightblue">Don`t take out the sorcerer first: rather, his familiar. Breach and insect plague are rather helpful in this fight (if you have both-not sure quite what levels you get them at); but it is still possible without them...
Kill Pooky first: he`s easy.
Kill the Sorcerer, he should be badly injured now; because you just killed his familiar.
Now take out the others one by one; from the one closest to you working back. If you still have trouble, haste everyone; and run downstairs. One or two will follow; run outside: max of one will follow. Kill him.
Go back in; kill the one downstairs.
Go upstairs and kill anyone left.
Heal up between switching floors if you need to. </font>

I forsee two problems with this tactic.

1) The Non-Detection spell is only good for the first round of True Sight, then it is dispelled.

2) The Cloak of Non-Detection IS with the Mage in Mebble Pebblecrusher's party. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

"Hi! Could you lend me your cloak while I poison you all to death?"

I forsee two problems with this tactic.

1) The Non-Detection spell is only good for the first round of True Sight, then it is dispelled.

2) The Cloak of Non-Detection IS with the Mage in Mebble Pebblecrusher's party. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

"Hi! Could you lend me your cloak while I poison you all to death?"</font>[/QUOTE]ARGH! Stupid, foolish me...

Well, at least here's another tactic.. If you focus on Mencar and the mage and Pooky and kill enough people, the theif will say something about how he's not going to die because of Mencar's stupidity and leave.

I have always taken on Mencar right after I complete the circus quest in the Promenade (so my chars levels are pretty low also). When you walk in, be polite to Mencar at first, that way you can get through the initial dialogue without ticking him off and provoking a fight. Then I position my chars around the room. I placed Aerie and Jaheira by the familiar, myself (Kensai) and Minsc by the mage and Yoshimo in a corner. Have Aerie and Jaheira summon as many "friends" as possible and station them around the remaining members of Mencar's party. Make sure to cast haste on your party.

I start the fight by having Aerie cast lightning bolt at Pookie while Jaheira attacks him (he's usually gone in 1 round). My main char and Minsc haul off on the mage (he goes quickly once his familiar dies), while Yoshimo launches arrows at Risling (you want to kill him before he runs away).

Next round I let Minsc engage Mencar along with some summoned monsters while Jaheira and my main char attack the remaining members of the party. Aerie fires off magic missles at various people and Yoshimo continues to fire arrows. Once everyone else dies, I finish off Mencar (unless Minsc has already killed him).

haste and dire charm seemed to turn the tide for me ... [img]smile.gif[/img] I sustained a fair amount of damage but all my party members remained alive and I was able to prevail ..about time ...It took me several tries to defeat pebblecrusher and his gang but in the process I learned a little more about playing baldurs gate [img]smile.gif[/img]

No! Don't let him get away......
Kill him first and take his gear! Kill him first and take his gear! Kill him first and take his gear!

(I'm not bloodthirsty....I just don't like to leave survivors. NO SURVIVORS! AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!)

I would always cast wonder spells before battle, like chant, bless, haste, set a few snares with Yoshi, then throw in some fireballs and stinking clouds. Had a blast with it. Takes a few times, but it works.

I never understood the logic of setting snares in front of people who are going to turn hostile. It's like, oh, move your foot, hun... thaaaat's it. Ok. ::clears throat:: "I'm not going to take your insults any longer, cur!"
And even though they saw you set the traps, they walk right into them like fools.

<font color="lightblue">Inactive golems a purist can do it to, because they`re programed, and not too smart...
But I agree with you, especially in terms of the dragons who are the general victims of this... if they fail a save vs feeblemind, maybe... </font>