[Lord Brass]

I suppose it does go to show how different styles of play affect NPC choice. Stealth is not a prime concern of mine, as there are items that can boost it off the bottom rung for Imoen, even if you get her at level two and place no more additional points in that skill. As pritchke states, rangers seem to shoot up in stealth skill for doing nothing at all, and most people play with Minsc in the party as their primary tank (even if their character is a fighter). Backstab is a small price to pay.

Grungi, in answer to your questions, level 8 is too late to dual to a mage I'm afraid. Imoen would never get her thief skills back before the game had finished. That would mean having another thief along in the party. However, you may not need another mage is Imoen did dual over. Advancement rates for mages is a fair bit slower then thieves, so it would take awhile anyway. Also, wisdom is only of primary concern to religious types in the main; that means druids and paladins as well as clerics. Mages only get a benefit from higher Wis, the same as other classes.