I had this idea. Yoshimo might be a great dual class fighter. It would mean you would have to rely on Nalia/Jan for thief skills until Yoshimo gets his skills back. He definitely has the stats for it and as a thief he is already maxed out in skills (or close enough by the next level) and not useful in the long run. But I have read something about him betraying the party at some point. Is he a good long term party member?

In a word, .... no. Judas, I mena Yoshimo has to go and he has to go sooner rather than later. Why wait for a betrayal? Trade him for Jan ASAP.

- Spoilers, mostly minor.
I've heard of a little loophole with Yoshimo's death. Unfortunately it involves leaving him behind in chapter three before you go to Spellhold. If you can't help but like the Kara-Tur rogue, don't do any sidequests - just go for the main plot. Leave him at the Copper Coronet after you clear the crypts of vampires, then go off to Spellhold. Run through there, then the Sahauguin City, then the Underdark. Go to the Coronet. When you walk in, Yoshimo will drop dead (!). So instead, walk into the Coronet, pause and talk to Yoshimo. You'll walk over and start a conversation - take him back into your party. Then, he'll drop dead. Resurrect him, and voila, good as new.

Wow, I knew there was a way around it. Can't wait to have Yoshi as a kick-butt fighter/bounty hunter.

Yeah but that does mean that you have to go to spellhold ealry and that spellhold becomes easyer
that not the way to do it right/?

No, it's exactly the same.

Aren't you like gettin way killed in the mind flayer dungeon????

Yeah, but that happens anyway.

Why would I have to avoid the sidequests in chapter 2-3? Does something trigger whether he is going to betray or die?

No real need except to make the part of the game in which you actually have Yoshimo seem longer.