Another Cleric spell to try which is of little importance in BG2 but is Power-game stuff in BG1 is Animate Dead. Calls @6 Skeletons that hang around for quite a while and have one particularly interesting immunity to exploit.
The default recommendation for a first-run PC has long been considered Fighter-Mage, which will continue to be a Rock-Star choice in BG2 when HLAs are activated. Choose Elf for bonus to Archery and Long Sword but Half-Elf allows you to put less than 8pts into Charisma. Min-maxed Charisma allows holding out for 12+ Wisdom that helps make Wish viable in BG2.
Another version of Fighter-Mage which many consider to be top-of-the line is Gnome Fighter/Illusionist. You get the benefit of 'shorty-saves' and Specialization benefits [loses Necromancy school]. If you get a kick out of seeing Yoda sized character dominating the "baddies", then that is a very solid choice.
You will be glad with any Fighter toon to have at least 18-51 Strngth[+2+3] and 18-76[+2+4] is not all that hard to roll, even without automatic roller.
Fighter-Mage-Thief is perhaps my favorite choice as it leads to Fighter-Thief HLAs in BG2 and I personally like having a pick-pocket, trap-setting, self-buffing hero. But it makes for very slow leveling in early game with frustrating squishiness. This is not hard to overcome with a little game knowledge that allows you to score some sweet easy XP before the meeting with Jaheira/Khalid so a good choice for later playthroughs.
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The default recommendation for a first-run PC has long been considered Fighter-Mage, which will continue to be a Rock-Star choice in BG2 when HLAs are activated. Choose Elf for bonus to Archery and Long Sword but Half-Elf allows you to put less than 8pts into Charisma. Min-maxed Charisma allows holding out for 12+ Wisdom that helps make Wish viable in BG2.
Another version of Fighter-Mage which many consider to be top-of-the line is Gnome Fighter/Illusionist. You get the benefit of 'shorty-saves' and Specialization benefits [loses Necromancy school]. If you get a kick out of seeing Yoda sized character dominating the "baddies", then that is a very solid choice.
You will be glad with any Fighter toon to have at least 18-51 Strngth[+2+3] and 18-76[+2+4] is not all that hard to roll, even without automatic roller.
Fighter-Mage-Thief is perhaps my favorite choice as it leads to Fighter-Thief HLAs in BG2 and I personally like having a pick-pocket, trap-setting, self-buffing hero. But it makes for very slow leveling in early game with frustrating squishiness. This is not hard to overcome with a little game knowledge that allows you to score some sweet easy XP before the meeting with Jaheira/Khalid so a good choice for later playthroughs.