[Cerek the Barbaric]

Welcome to the Forum, Kurt.

I agree that it's best to start the game with a straight fighter class (fighter/ranger/paladin). They have the most hit points and best combat abilities early in the game.

Mages are the most powerful at high levels, but you really need to learn the spells, how they work, and when to use them. BGII has multiple NPC's that cover every class, so you can play around with the different classes to see what you like.

Also, check out this Forum on a regular basis. I'm playing through BGII for the first time myself. Any question or problem you run into can be answered here.

And be sure to Post over in the General Discussion Forum - where members can talk about anything that's on their mind.