I skipped the Temple District the first time I played trough Chp 1. But this time I'm having trouble with the Dwarf and his 5 buddies. I realize you can just give him 1000 gp and he'll go away but I'm stingy with my gold and figure that I would just have to fight him again later or keep upping the price to walk by.
I can usually get past about three of them before the mages/clerics start getting through with their spells and my characters just begin walking off or getting masaquered by Blade Barrier while just standing there in shock. I'm probably missing something very simple and just as obvious but what is it??????????

Do you have a druid? Try summoning
and insect plague, elementals and
conjure animals.

or

If you have a mage:

Try casting Web, stinking cloud, cloudkill
and using ranged weapons.

These guys like to cast fear and confusion
spells, so if you have a cleric try casting:

Resist Fear
Chaotic Commands

oh and true sight if they cast mislead
or invisibility.

My strategy was similar (I killed them on the second day after leaving the first dungeon). Jan cast fireball, me (from wand) two other (killing cloud would be also good - from wand) before they will see you!. , Jan: lower resistance, chaos or similar spell - Part of them start to attack you - move mages back. Jaheira and Viconia summon what they can. And with your tank finish their melee force. I had to kill two of them, third was taken by ranged weapon, fourth died I dont know when. Then I send summoned creatures for mage. He uses his spels and you can easily kill him.
Good Luck!

Cast Greater Malison, followed by Emotion. Proceed to do horrible things to their unconsicious bodies.

Thanks for the ideas sound like I need to rest for a night and change some of my spell stratgies. Don't have a druid in this group although the insect plague spell has worked with my other game group. Like I said previously something easy just hadn't thought of it.