[Feagil of the shadow]

Right I first tried to complete IWD without HoW with:
2 Human Fighters
1 Human Ranger
1 Human Cleric
1 Halfling Thief
1 Elven Mage

And they were working pretty well right up until about chapter 6. COnstantly resting, not enough healing, not enough spells...

I want to start again, but don't know what to have in my party.

I'm thinking a Dwarven Fighter, with max constitution, strength and dexterity, a Paladin, and a Gnome Thief, later to be dualled to an Illusionist (around level 7-10). I would like a ranger/cleric, but should I dual, multi-class or what? I am going to have a pure class mage or conjurer as well, but I think may eventually need two clerics, maybe a dualled one and a multi classed one?
SO in my party for definate:

Dawrven Fighter
Human Paladin
Gnome Thief (dualled to Illusionist later)

Any hints would be well accepted. Thanks...