@moopy I find it's easier to keep him alive than any other mage NPC barring Imoen. Best AC due to good dexterity and the +1 AC from his sword + typical mage buff spells. So, there's that.
I used to think Xan was bad when I first went through Baldur's Gate, then I realized that crowd control >>>>>>>>>>>> damage. Xan is my favorite wizard in the game, easily. He gives up Magic Missile (meh spell til you hit level 7 anyway), Fireball (replaced by wands), and Cloudkill (admittedly losing this kind of sucks but I always run two arcane casters anyway.)
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I used to think Xan was bad when I first went through Baldur's Gate, then I realized that crowd control >>>>>>>>>>>> damage. Xan is my favorite wizard in the game, easily. He gives up Magic Missile (meh spell til you hit level 7 anyway), Fireball (replaced by wands), and Cloudkill (admittedly losing this kind of sucks but I always run two arcane casters anyway.)
Xan is also my favorite wizard in the game, because as you said crowd control > damage
but also I find his character to be hilarious.
What I said about him was Xan quotes :P
"Our quest is in vain" and "We're all doomed"