I have heard alot about soloing and have some questions:

Why do it, surely the game is design to be played as a party.

If you solo through irenicuses dungeon, how does imoen get imprisioned, and why bother trying to save her?

HOw do you manage without a theif, traps, getting items from locked containers etc?

I know you level up quicker, but you can reach the expereince cap with a party of six anyway, so isn't the final fight really hard?

well, u meet imoen at the end of irenicus dongeon anyway, even if u sent her away. at least that is how i remember it.

The game is too easy for some here and to give it a new challenge they play solo. i dont do it much because there is no npc interaction. it takes large parts of the fun away.

"Why do it, surely the game is design to be played as a party."
Well after a few months of exeperience the battles are no more chalenging. Playing solo is just fun. You have to use all your exp. in the class/classes to survive and the things become really interesting. You become masterful in the class.

"If you solo through irenicuses dungeon, how does imoen get imprisioned, and why bother trying to save her?"
She is inside you. You roll the game and you'll understood.

"HOw do you manage without a theif, traps, getting items from locked containers etc?"
They can be unlocked with a hit or spell. Traps can be detected with spell. You'll have to protect you against their effect.

"I know you level up quicker, but you can reach the expereince cap with a party of six anyway, so isn't the final fight really hard? "
If you reach the final battle solo I don't think it will be hard for you.

1. Bg2 is openly designed (somewhat) to let you decide how you want to play.
Soloing is challenge for people who have been through the game alot and want to push characters to their limit. It can be more fun with just one character to concentrate on.

2. When soloing you ask Imoen to make her own way to the surface saying it will be easier for one person to escape on their own. Saying that indicates that the PC does cares about Imoen, thus when she is taken he/she will go after her.

3. Very few good items (i cant think of any right at this moment) need locks to be opened for them to be obtained (wait heres one; staff of the magi). If your a wizard use knock, fighters should be able to bash most locks (use potions if they cant), other classes can do the same as a fighter. Traps are a problem but there are few instant death traps so you can mostly take them like a man or pray for save vs ;) .

4. Not if you know what your doing. Soloing is some what tricky in the begining but you quickly become very powerful. With TOB installed you can easily get High Level Abilities in SoA - making you hella strong.

I have completed the game twice, and have rwched variuos stages with others games.
If i get bored i change npc's or decrease the group size. I would find the game much less apealling without npc interaction, as some said. THe quality iof the interaction is one of the features which makes it stand out from other games in the genre, IMO.

Soloing is not recommended for beginners. But after you played through SOA a couple of times and found out all about NPC interactions, races' and classes' advantages and disadvantages, know all quests by heart, you start looking for a new challenge: Soloing.
Your character may become pretty powerful rising through the levels quickly with all the exp for him alone. You must choose your equipment carefully, find out about the best suitable combinations of gear and weaponry. Tactics in battles are no longer choices of how quick or with how little casualties to win, but a question of sheer survival.
Well, concerning your other questions I suggest you try a solo game to find out by yourself. It is possible. Maybe start with a versatile and strong class for the beginning, otherwise it can be frustrating. Choose a paladin, ranger or fighter class character (to dual over later).
Enjoy!

According to what reference? Gorion raised one ward, not ~20...

Why would one look for Imoen? When she was taken, she had that nifty belt I wanted to put my hands on...

just wanna let you know the sites are out am kinda collecting all
BG2 sites and make it into one with all links and such
so if these URLS have change could you alter you sig so
they work again thank you