[Cerek the Barbaric]

Minsc (A+) One of the best tanks in the game and definitely the best dialogue. Be sure to take full advantage of his "two-weapon fighting style". I gave him Crom Fraeyr in one hand and cheated in a 2nd Hammer of T-bolts for his off-hand. He did some serious "Butt-Kicking for Goooodnessss" after that.

Jaheira (A) Good healer (not great, but good enough). Some very handy druidic spells as the party advances. Call Lightning and Insect Swarm have turned the tide in several battles. Romance option with some good side quests, but terribly bugged. Also provides decent back-up as a fighter.

Imoen (B) It's very tempting to automatically return Imoen to your party after Spellhold. After all, that's all you've been concerned with up to this point. But I found that Nalia is actually a better mage by the time you get Imoen. Neither of them have outstanding Thief abilities, so it comes down to personal preference here.

Nalia (B) Offers a chance to gain a Fighter Stronghold, but she doesn't have to join the party for that to happen. Advances well as a mage but her thief skills are pitiful. There is a patch available to make her a Romance Option, which would make her much more interesting. She held her own in battles with her spellcasting ability and did very well after getting the Staff of the Magi.

Aerie (B+) Great selection of spells, but slow level advancement due to being multi-classed. Not great in battle, but very handy to have all those extra mage and clerical spells available. Also offers Romance option with implications that carry over into ToB. I would REALLY like her if she ever got her wings back.

Korgan (A+) Best pure tank in the game. Grandmastery in axe and lots of hit points. Can stand toe-to-toe with most monsters when properly equipped. Only drawback is the Chaotic Evil alignment. Don't let your cleric cast Holy Smite around him. He would be a huge asset to any Neutral or Evil party.

Keldorn (A) He is as good as Korgan is bad. Good character development and storyline. Adheres well to Lawful Good alignment. The Holy Avenger certainly adds to his prowess, but Minsc still deals out more pure damage with his dual-hammers. The Protection From Evil that Keldorn offers comes in very handy, along with the Dispel Magics and minor healing abilities. Good enough to hold his own in almost any party.

Valygar (B) I love rangers and Valygar is a good one. The Stalker abilities are nice, but I never had much luck when I tried to Backstab with him. He needs better weapons and should definitely exploit the two-weapon method also. Not as good as Minsc for pure "in your face" damage, but works well as an advance scout for the party. An essential component for the Mage Stronghold. Also have to at least "interact" with him for the Ranger Stronghold.

Yoshimo (A) Yeah, I know he won't stay around unless you cheat...but he is worth cheating to get. His thief abilities are the best in the game and his traps will make short-work of some very tough enemies. I would definitely consider "cheating" him back into my party.

Jan Jansenn (C) A decent character, but a poor replacement for the thief skills of Yoshimo. Spellcasting is decent, but Nalia, Imoen, and Aerie better. Gadgetry weapons are an interesting touch, but not as good as most of the more fundamental items. Still, he is your only Thief option after Yoshimo.

Anomen (B) Good fighter and a better cleric. After he passes the test of knighthood, he becomes even better. A very important addition to your party when facing undead. His attitude and dialogue are nerve-wracking (to say the least), but you can always turn your speakers off.

Viconia (C+) Haven't played her myself, but most people consider her the best cleric in the game. If you aren't concerned with the evil alignment, she could make a great addition to the party. Plenty of healing spells to go around and decent fighting capabilities too (from what I understand).

Edwin (C+) Everybody seems to think he is the best mage in the game, but I personally despise him. I've never played him and I've never missed him. I don't have much use for Enchantment spells and I found his spell selection in BGI to be far too limited for my tastes, so I haven't given him any more chances in BGII. Nalia, Imoen, and Aerie were more than adequate to meet my spellcasting needs. However, I will be playing him in my next party, so I may return and amend my evaluation of him.

Mazzy (C) Very good with a bow, but not that great in melee. Makes for an entertaining alternative to the pure tanks and has some good skill to back it up, but still much weaker than Minsc, Korgan, and Keldorn. However, there are plenty of items available that could offset her weaknesses.

Haer'Dalis (C) Same as Mazzy. Makes for an excellent back-up character and has some nifty fighting abilities. With his bard skills, he isn't great at any one thing, but he is pretty good at many things (and there are several items available to boost his skills). Decent back-up character, but not a front-line fighter by any means.

Cernd (D) I simply see no reason to add Cernd to the party, other than out of curiosity. Far too many restrictions on a class that is already severely limited. Wouldn't recommend him for anything after finishing Trademeet.