Thanks for all your ideas and replies, It's always interesting to hear other peoples opinions on characters and party make-ups.
One question raised regularly here was the DO I NEED A CLERIC?!?!? one, and i must say that i know a few online gamers who absolutely detest clerics and druids in all their forms!! One in particular (I'll call him bob, just in case he reads this, or someone here knows him) set about trying to kill all the NPC clerics from the start of SOA!!! In my opinion, the game can be completed without this sub-class in your party if you can acquire the necessary undead killing weapons (Mace of Disruption +2 etc), and you have at lest one GOOD spellcaster in your party (recommend Edwin, coz he is the only single Mage class npc). Bob has assured me that he completed the game with the following party:
Minsc
Mazzy
Edwin
Nalia (Imoen later)
Yoshimo (dualled to fighter, later replaced by Valygar)
Although even he will admit that killing Jaihera straight off in Irenicus Dungeon was a bit of a mistake
, and not taking aerie early on meant a serious struggle with the earlier undead quests and having to take on the harder NPC quests too early. HOWEVER, bob has just started TOB with this saved party, and is (apparently) gettin his ar5e kicked up and down
I advised him to try adding Viconia, he said he'll think about it.