Thanks for your opinions... I can't understand why some people don't like Valygar! I have him dual-wielding the Celestial Fury and his own Katana, plus he's got that kick-ass family armour of his that more than makes up for the fact that he can't wear splint/plate. He's fantastic for backstabbing, and his stats are overall *VERY* solid. He's my best character, a great scouter as well, as his 'hide in shadows' is very good.
Maybe not the most loveable character though, that'd be Minsc and Boo
Yes, Aerie is becoming *extremely* useful as she approaches higher levels. She's level 13 right now, and damn talented. I have Throne of Bhaal installed, so I think she'll be awesome by that stage of the game

Irritating personality though... what a whiner.
Tanith.