My current party is:
Fletcher (Elven Archer)
Korgan
Mazzy
Montaron
Keldorn
Valygar
If we didn't use weapons to hit things over the head, we would be in DEEP trouble. But even we like using Clones: Before we take out Kangaxx, we're going to go buy Vhailor's Helm. Best dang Summon in the game! Simulacrum is not really as cheesy as it sounds--Sure, you can get your spells back with the old Spell Trap trick, but the spell was intended to give you a Summon that can fight alongside you--not instead of you. Project Image is on a whole other exponential level of cheese.

Even with the Improved Beholders installed, my 1 Planetar pasted the ambush over the bridge, with all of those Beholders and Gauths.

Minor ToB HLA Spoiler
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Fun things to do with your Planetar. Cast Globe of Blades, then burn things to Hell with Firestorm. Fight the enemy at the edge of the Firestorm( you will need to micromanage your Planetar here) so that they rip and burn as they try to do battle with your Planetar.

Throw in a few Earthquakes now and then, and maybe some Insect Plagues.

If you restore those levels, has he spells memorized or are they consumed just like when you restore after a vampire bites you and level drains you?


BTW: Almost cheesy tactic.
You are ambushed and overhelmed. Cast Mislead. Now they start fighting your mislead and he will die soon unless ... you cast invisibility upon him. Now they can't see anything and you can placidly cast your spells to take them down. Used this with my Blade at the Drizzt encounter to kill his companions and face him one-on-one.