Any suggestions as how to defeat the "tough dwarf" adventuring party as outlined in the walkthru? My party is fairly low level as one might expect at this point, and I can't seem to find a combination of spells, etc that work. There's a small winged creature, Pooky, that casts some kind of confusion spell (tweeting birds) that renders most of the party unable to continue combat.

Any help?

Thanks.

Use some area effect stuff or just return later. The party is optional.

Get your mage to cast emotion in the center of the room; it'll knock them all unconscious. You can buy an Emotion scroll from the scroll guy on the third tier of Waukeen's Promenade (he's just above the inn where Mencar's gang is).

Clue: if you're at low level, try using the spell Emotion to make them helpless. (with credit to Armisael!!)

Otherwise try buffing your party up as much as possible, use hit and run tactics, or try casting chaos to put them in the same situation. OR use an AOE spell like Cloudkill to soften them up (you should have at least 1 wand) and try to use cannon fodder like summonings etc. For low level parties they are very tough but not unbeatable.

If all else fails you may need to pay a visit to the adventurers mart and try and strengthen up a bit before you face them.

Aaahhh!!! Armisael you're too quick for me...

Took a few tries, but I tried silencing the mage and pooky, held one of the ruffians, and dealt one then had two meleeing the casters and two meleeing the dwarf and his non-held friend. Unfortunately I sold the great sword that the dwarf had, not realizing its possible usefulness.

In case you haven't done it yet then try this approach:

1) The party will automatically talk to you if you come near, say - "No need to get nagry, I'm leaving")

2) Get everybody to stand a few feet away from the entrance and cast a couple of nymphs there too.

3) The three other monsters can be casted randomly around where the enemy party stands.

4) Get a fighter to stand near the dwarf, pause, and start casting domination and charm person/mammal.

5) Just before the spell finishes, talk to him and he will get evil and attack, if your timing is right, what should happen is that he will be charmed a few seconds after he attacks.

6) Get everybody to run near the steps whilst the dwarf takes care of the wizard, with any luck he'll kill the wizard or die. The other party members should take care of the two ruffians (don't worry, there're easy!)

7) The dwarf should take a hell of a lot of damage from the wizard and if he survives just surround him and beat him up. There, job done.

Elementals are also useful as most of the party have none magical weapons. Summon a Greater Elemental and they can't hurt it with weapons at all, as there best weapon is +1. Have it attack the mage first.

I summoned 3 monsters, and had them block the door, then I had the Minscter and my Kensai right behind them. Summoned 2 Nymph's, one on each side of us, they love to cast "Hold Person", right of the jump and it usually works. Then I had Aerie and Jaheira "Aid" Minsc and I, then "Bless and Chant" the whole lot of us, while Viconia cast "Defensive Harmony", on the whole group. Aerie "Hasted" us all for good measure. Then I had Jaheira cast "Entangle", Aerie, "Web", Stinking Cloud and Cloudkill". This was my third attempt at this and it was beautiful, we took almost no damage by the time it was over. The first two tries were, shall we say, "Not pretty!"