What level should my characters ideally be before I go venturing into the Nashkel mines?

Where do I encounter the earliest wizard NPC?

GO whenever you want. Ideally, I'd say level 2.

You'll find Xzar alongside a small man in the area where Gorion died. He's in the south-east

Before you enter the Nashkel Mines, you're almost bound to encounter a woman known as Neira. She is very similar to the boss of the Mines, so you can use her as a good indicator of the Mines' difficulty.

Level 2 might be a bit low. Wait until 3 or 4, you will have a much nicer go of it. Unless of course you like lots of healing and resting.

Good idea. I tend to 'overkill' my games by wandering around the boring, open maps all around the Sword Coast before actually advancing with the plot. As a result, I'm always a very high level when I do the Nashkel Mines and the Bandit Camp. Makes it easier [img]smile.gif[/img]

Me too [img]smile.gif[/img]

I am usually at level 3, 4 or 5 (depending on class and multi class etc.) when I enter the mines. Better safe than sorry [img]smile.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/greenbounce.gif[/img]
Insane

I think I did it at around 2-3rd level and found it quite tough (the end fight that is), but I was quite inexperienced in game playing back then as well.....probably still am!!

The first time I did it I was also around a level 2 and the end fight was quite tough. The second time however I did most of the other things first, including play with the sirines and flesh golems and was around a level 5. If you wait that long though I think that it is to easy and takes some of the fun out of it.