Believe it or not, I have been through the game 3 times now (I Hate TOB, but I promise, I'll finish it one day, but I mean it's battle, battle, battle,) but I always use Nalia before I get Imoen back . Everybody always talks about how bad a thief she is, but really, she finds traps well, and I just have her keep Knock loaded. You can get the gloves of pickpocketing from the guy at the Copper Coronet, and you're set. Plus, when she gets Gesen's bow, she can really help.The one thing I can't figure out is, why doesn't she have Magic Missle, and why doesn't the Copper Coronet have it, either? Probably a plot by that fiend, Lehtinen.
Oh well, you always get attacked on the way to her estate by the group, and one of them always has MM. Coincidence? I think not!