i am looking for advice to improve my party for more powerful parts of the game. I am currently in Chapter II and have completed many of the major sidequests already....I just had the opportunity to add edwin to my party and have been wond=ering if that might be a good idea. Party currently consists of:
Myself: 11th lvl Fighter, Minsc 10th lvl Ranger, Jahirra lvl 12 druid/9 fighter, Valygar 10th lvl, Aerie cleric 9/ mage 11, and Nalia 4 thief/12 mage. I am thinking of scrapping Valyagar for Keldorn and Arie for Edwin. Any advice appreciated.

Looks to me your party is generally "good aligned", but as long as you keep your rep no more than 18 it should be fine with Edwin (he is evil). Evil character will generally leave the party when your rep reaches 19 and 20.

Might contain SPOILER:
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As for the party composition, currently in my opinion you have too many tanks, I suggest you keep Aerie since you don't have another cleric (I don't consider druids as clerics). Keep Aerie, I suggest dump Valygar (assuming your PC can use katanas) and add Edwin. As for Keldorn, he won't add much to your party unless he gets the Holy Avenger, then you can consider getting rid of Minsc and switch to Keldorn.

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Valgyar or Keldorn? Depends on your style of play. Val can sneak around and backstab. He is also a good archer, his family katana poisons opponents and he can wield one of the nicer weapons in the game, but he is NOT a tank. If you want a no holds barred but kicking holy avanger wielding tank, Keldorn is your man.

Aerie or Edwin?
Spoiler.
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Edwin and Minsc know each other from BGI -> BGII (as do all of the BGI NPCs: Viconia, Minsc, Jaheira and Edwin) and they have leftover... issues from BGI.

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- Cayle

I think one of my greatest concerns is having too many multi-classed characters, which restricts the max level they can achieve. For example Jahirra and Aerie. You mentioned that I should keep arie because I have no other cleric. What about this swap: dump Arie for Viconia and dump Valyagar for Edwin. Will edwin cause minsc to jump ship? I like minsc because I have used him since BG1 but think I can do without him. Right now I am in the middle of the Planar Sphere so I can't dump Valygar at this time. Soon as I am out of the sphere I am going to go try to finish off Frikkag--already faced him once, killed his wizard apprentice--but did not fight him. If I can get the Avenger I might dump Minc for Keldors..Argh...So, so many decisssions to make. I feel my party is a little stale at this point. i botched the romance with arie so really don't see much point in keeping her in the party. I suspect that Viconia will be at least as useful as Jahirra. Well, just rambling....

Well, I think Jaheria can be more beneficial than Viconia in a party, primary due to the druid spells (Fire Elemental and varies insect related spells). In addition, Jaheria is a fighter/druid hence she can wear plate or full plate (unlike normal druids) and she can fight melee. The only way I see for Viconia to fight better than Jaheria legitly is by equiping her with Crom Faeyr, however, under normal circumstances you won't be able to make Crom Faeyr until later part of the game.

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As for Minsc (and Boo) and Edwin, there is a potential (a random chance) for these two to leave your party and "fight to the death", the same goes for Keldorn and Viconia.

In addition, if it is multi-class limitation that you worry about and IF you do not mind removing the exp cap, then installing the exp cap remover might be able to solve part of your concern.

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Long live H22A1!!!!!

Edwin and Minsc fight to the death? That would be an interesting fight to watch though I imagine edwin could easily protect himself against Minsc's weapons.

I'd definently keep Edwin
he's an awesome opponet

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LEAVE MINSC NEVER!!!!!! =) Boo would have a fit

Minsc had 2nd most kills in my party. Second only to my level 21 monk.

yeah, like accord said. removing the exp cap. would solve the multiclass limit problem.

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I think that any fighter in a party can be good. So who cares if an NPC has the most the most killing, an other could.