For a Gnome Cleric/Illusionist you're best going with 17 starting Con for shorty saves (18 with tome). Likewise, you don't need the full 19 Int, 18 is adequate to start if you need the points. For a Half-Elf C/M then 15 Con is fine to start.
Str is pretty irrelevant to C/Ms and only really affects your ability to wield melee weapons and use armor. You're best off sat at the back casting your huge range of spell rather than meleeing though.
Unfortunately, Cha and Str are going to end up dump stats unless you make some truly great rolls.
Being the OP, I'd like to shift the focus back to me.
Multi is not an option for me. I don't like the slower leveling. Frankly, I'd prefer to play a pure class, but I can't find one that would be interesting enough for me by itself. Also, being that I'm playing with a canon party though the series, pretty much anything I pick is going to be redundant. Imoen will have magic and thieving covered, Minsc is a good tank, Jah is my cleric and backup tank. This party is good enough on it's own. Even more so for BG1 when Kivan can have archery covered and Dyn is extra magic.
Edit: I know you were thinking caster-types, but if you're interested in considering a less conventional pure-class playthrough...
Half-Orc Kensai is pretty ridiculous. Splatters enemies with incredible efficiency. Sure it doesn't have the tankiness of Kensai/Mage duals, but at level 39 (ToB) XP cap, it gets +13 to hit and damage... with every attack - and that's not even counting a possible natural STR of 23 (21 if you're a goody-goody).
You said you had two melee "tanks" - this guy isn't a "tank" - he's a killing machine.
I like mixing fighter levels via dual classing or even ranger with cleric but I'd say if you're going to mix two casting classes like mage/cleric it really seems best to multi-class rather than dual because if you dual, one class or the other is stopped dead in its tracks for advancement. Multi means you keep getting levels and spells in both and that's what really makes multi-classing a mage/cleric really worth while.
Being the OP, I'd like to shift the focus back to me.
Multi is not an option for me. I don't like the slower leveling. Frankly, I'd prefer to play a pure class, but I can't find one that would be interesting enough for me by itself. Also, being that I'm playing with a canon party though the series, pretty much anything I pick is going to be redundant. Imoen will have magic and thieving covered, Minsc is a good tank, Jah is my cleric and backup tank. This party is good enough on it's own. Even more so for BG1 when Kivan can have archery covered and Dyn is extra magic.
If multi is out then you'll need to start looking at class kits. Of the canon party, which are the ones you enjoy the most? If you like Minsc and Jah lean towards one of the Paladin or Cleric kits. If you like Imoen and Dyn look at a Bard. Or a swashbuckler for a fighter/thief sort of mix.
Sometimes the problem with this game is there are too many interesting choices. I almost never take a character up to the Cloakwood Mines because I come on here and see someone trying something else that seems fun and I reroll a new toon. Variety is the spice of life indeed.
Kensai are a little too glass cannon for me. I am thinking along those lines though, specifically a Cavalier. though this probably belongs in another thread.
Hell gives +3 str by itself, if you do the right stuff. +2 for taking the evil path in Wrath, and an extra +1 for releasing your wrath on Sarevok. An evil (as in player intent) fighter with 18 starting str can reach a passive 24 str with all possible bonuses (though you have to use the deck before dualing).
Comments
Str is pretty irrelevant to C/Ms and only really affects your ability to wield melee weapons and use armor. You're best off sat at the back casting your huge range of spell rather than meleeing though.
Unfortunately, Cha and Str are going to end up dump stats unless you make some truly great rolls.
Multi is not an option for me. I don't like the slower leveling. Frankly, I'd prefer to play a pure class, but I can't find one that would be interesting enough for me by itself. Also, being that I'm playing with a canon party though the series, pretty much anything I pick is going to be redundant. Imoen will have magic and thieving covered, Minsc is a good tank, Jah is my cleric and backup tank. This party is good enough on it's own. Even more so for BG1 when Kivan can have archery covered and Dyn is extra magic.
Half-Orc Kensai is pretty ridiculous. Splatters enemies with incredible efficiency. Sure it doesn't have the tankiness of Kensai/Mage duals, but at level 39 (ToB) XP cap, it gets +13 to hit and damage... with every attack - and that's not even counting a possible natural STR of 23 (21 if you're a goody-goody).
You said you had two melee "tanks" - this guy isn't a "tank" - he's a killing machine.
Sometimes the problem with this game is there are too many interesting choices. I almost never take a character up to the Cloakwood Mines because I come on here and see someone trying something else that seems fun and I reroll a new toon. Variety is the spice of life indeed.
Play it hardcore: Races and Stats
http://playithardcore.com/pihwiki/index.php?title=Baldur's_Gate:_Dual_and_Multiclassing
Makes sense to me
@wampa cleric/illusionist don't get Horrid Wilting. That's pretty big for me