Has anyone helped Coran in his quest? He always gets killed before I can help and then its seems impossible to kill them.

yup. The key is to cast charm/dominate on him ASAP and removing him from the fight. He'll be saved that way.

Truth be told, I've never really helped him. I always just Ctrl+Q him into my party... same with other BG I NPC's I had previously.

I have tried all the Ctrl+ stuff but it does not work on my computer. So I can't get any spoilers I think that's what you call them. All my fights have been with what the BG11 has given me. But I do have two clerics and a mage (Edwin)so I have magic but sometimes that's no good.