Seems to me that you are trying to play the perfect BG2 game. I don't think the game can be played that way, but I do think you can get close.
I suggest you try a swashbuckler.
From the BG1 storyline, you have yourself, Minsc, Jaheira, and Imoen from the start of the game. Don't take Aerie, use Vic as your cleric instead. When you first meet Vic, both Jah and Minsc want her to join the party, but Aerie doesn't. So leave Aerie in the circus tent when that adventure is over.
So now your party consists of:
Yourself (swashbuckler)
Minsc
Jaheira
Viconia
This leaves you plenty of room to add people for quests, and these 4 are pretty tough without additional help. And you'll get Imoen back later for your mage spot. You can use Nalia until then (I don't suggest Edwin because you have Minsc).
The added bonus is your swashbuckler. This rogue kit gets +1 to hit and damage every 5 levels, and -1AC every 5 levels. I had a dual wielding swashbuckler with -12AC at the end of SoA. That's the equivalent of magic full plate and a good shield.
And in ToB, he can use any thing. I played around with a lot of the weapons. He did well with Carsomyr even though he had 0 proficieny with it. The +5 from Carsomyr, and the kit damage and hit bonus more than made up the difference. Be creative with Use Any Item. Save up the unused mage scrolls, heck, summon a familiar
. And don't forget the ToB traps. They are sweet!
And to further my reasoning, I imagined my BG1 rogue (later a BG2 swashbuckler) as a Captain Blood - Errol Flynn type of character. That makes a great hero for a story, does it not? Since I played a rogue, I'd avoid the goody-goody types (Keldorn, Anomen), or only have them in the party for a short while. And being one of the good guys (Neutral Good), I'd also avoid those that were truely evil, like Korgan and Edwin.
I could go on, but I'd become even more incoherent.
So I'll leave it at this.
Flynn, the hero
Minsc, goofy sidekick (something every hero needs)
Jaheira, old friend
Imoen, annoying tag-along kid sister
Viconia, the one your mother warned you about (fitting romance for a rogue-ish character)
------, people you have met in your travels who journey with you for a while, then part ways
Makes sense? Hope so.
The Toe