Since this crew won't go into HoF, I doubt that I'll get damage reduction or Great Rage. I'll still take a few barb levels, for Rage, movement, and even better HP.
Sorceress just went up a level, and took Stoneskin for her first 4th lvl spell. Tough choices between it and Emotion: Hope, Confusion, and M's Force Missiles. But Stoneskin is a great spell to put on the tanks - it probably doubles their durability on core difficulty. I now have the ability to put either Stoneskin or Mirror Image on every single party member. Not a bad deal.
I've noticed that I use Chromatic Orb much more than I did in IWD 1. Maybe I just have more of them available.