If you want to read some in-depth game-related ADND rules, click the following link: http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/75251-baldurs-gate/faqs/8566 And I can write a zero-spoiler guide for new players for BG1 if you want. Probably won't take more than 2 days.
I suggest that you play BG1 first and get a taste of everything, and then turn to BG2. Early stage of BG1 is also very tough, I have to remind you, and there are also difficult fights in later stages. The good thing is that the Mages are not that powerful as in BG2 so you can simply throw a couple of offensive spells at them and then just "muscle" them.

This.

Don't really understand how BG1 can be easier than BG2. Go with ranged weapons and a tank to run around or go toe to toe, and you'll easily whipe most in BG1. Then liberal use of summoning and fireball wands for everything else. Some battles are more tricky than that, but that's the gist of it.

BG2 is a totally different kettle of fish. Think I'm still quite early in the game, and every battle feels like the last one in BG1. Bam, and suddenly one of your NPC's portraits are gone. The foe you're fighting may be completely immune to all your damages. And there are many of them in the fight. You open a door, and nasty unkillable chaps are ganging up on you. Play with a tomb.... party is wiped without denting their health.

It's incredibly difficult, and I think the only wayt to get through it is to die a lot, learn what spells they use, go back and rest and memorise counters and try again. In BG1 you can go into most encounters and survive without loads of prior knowledge, at least with some luck and good thinking. In BG2.. not so much. If none of your spells can hurt them, none of your spells protect you (either because you have memorised 'wrong' spells or don't have a high enough level to even use the 'right' ones), there is preciously little you can do.

As for advice, I can only reiterate again that it is best to play BG1 first. The start is tough and it's unwise to wander off and suddenly have loads of wolves and bears snapping their jaws after you, but once you get in a few levels it's manageable. You will learn a lot about how DnD works by playing it. And you really need that to prepare for BG2, because it's quite a bit tougher.
** That should read, "don't understand how BG1 can be HARDER than BG2.

(edit didn't work properly).

If you find Mage battles to be difficult in BG2, that's not unexpected, as this is the major difference between BG1 and BG2. In BG2 essentially every encounter involves one or two or even more spell-casters and it is really important to know how to defend from their attacks and how to breach their defenses. Can't put spoiler though, but can write a short guide if you guys want.

What you say is very true. Just remember you're not supposed to be able to beat every enemy in the early stages of BG2. Sometimes you just have to come back later, much later. Trouble is the non-linear times are a two-edged bastard sword (excuse my English!)... BG2 has two chapters where you are free to explore and go anywhere (one early, and one later), and so the world needs sufficient high-level encounters to keep the later stages challenging, otherwise there'd be no point. So yes, while there be liches that can make a quick and tasty snack of your party in early chapters, you become much tougher meat in later chapters, with experience on the side. I'm only just now in the late courses (first time playing), and when I went back to those tombs, we totally had them liches for lunch (LOL, yuck! Ok, done with that metaphor)

Last night I even managed to clear a huge area map in one session without a reload, and with some tough high-level magic fights to boot, so I can attest the difficulty curve absolutely gets better if you stick with it. Very satisfying, too. I think both BG games are more enjoyable at their high-end levels by design.

I've gotta agree with this. The start of each game is a bit of a drag (or a kick in the teeth if you don't know what to expect), but if you stick with it, it'll definitely be worth it; in BG2 especially, as you'll be so powerful at that point that even the gods of the setting are sitting up and taking notice of your party.

A non (or low) spoiler guide to BG2 fights involving mages would be pretty handy, for sure.

Despite some horror shows, I'm probably doing okay for a first timer. Some fights have been a nasty kick in the teeth though. Don't think I want to try anything in the Graveyard district until we're a lot stronger for example, as just the size of creatures I've seen there had me running for the door quickly enough ;)
True, and it is like BG1 in this regard I suppose. Though I think there are a lot more "unwinnable" fights early-ish in BG2 than BG1. You also *really* need to know what you are doing. In BG1 ranged weapons will get you far, but in BG2 you basically *have* to have a good grasp of what spells do what to defeat your foes - at least the magic users.

(Slight spoiler here)

Being recommended to pick up Keldorn and going underneath the Temple district early on to recruit him and meeting THAT group of mages was not a pleasant experience, and two of us died.

(end slight spoiler)

Encouraging that we'll get much more powerful if we keep at it though. Hard to believe we'll ever be able to beat liches around with a hand on our back, but I'll keep trying and see how it pans out. I simply gave up on anything left in the city though, and headed off to other areas marked on the map. Hopefully when we get back we are strong enough to clean up in the city as well.

Oh damn, did you resurrect? (Or you could have reloaded and gone around them?). Keldorn is a great asset though, his 2x Dispel is invaluable. This was probably a wise move and I really wish I did it that way. I found majority of the areas and quests outside the city to be more low-level friendly. (De'Arnise Hold for example). I had a far tougher time doing stuff inside the city first, thanks to never quite being sure if we were getting in over our heads. There was even a possible dead end dungeon, that if you enter too early without +3 weapons as I did, you cannot escape. (Fortunately there are spells that create +3 weapons).

So best advice, make sure you keep saved games from a few days back. :)

Yes, the De`Arnise Hold is especially good for low-level parties, and so are the Umar Hills quest and Trademeet. I would not advise going for the Windspear Hills quest until the party has gained a few levels though.
In Athkatla, the Slaver Trade quest starting at the back of the Copper Coronet is also a good opportunity at the beginning to gain some experience and gold.

i think i may have bitten off more than i can chew, ill check where my last save is

I found them much more comfortable as well. Haven't been to Umar Hills yet, but have been playing for a long time in the Windspear Hills now. Been quite a hoot to say the least, and I'm glad we picked up that +3 Bow in Trademeet, because it was the only thing that could kill some incredibly tough golems. Just as we were about to face the final boss(es) (DigDog or whatever), I got a message that the Thieves' Guild was lost :(((

The only way to save it, I think, is to go back to a save a day back, but that means redoing the entire dungeon, which I'm not at all keen on considering the trouble we had, and surviving that trap business, with the party spread out (on the first try too, woot). This dungeon has been very tough at times, and I hope we're close to the end now, but it's a real blow to lose the guild. Though I don't really know what benefits there may be aside from presumably money if the robbing goes well.

In hindsight I should have gone back to Athkatla after Trademeet, but I didn't know I had to be there in person to hand out any cuts. Maybe I'll just have to check out guild stuff in a future playthrough, as I don't exactly want to redo all those fights.

Must agree with szablew though, wouldn't recommend doing Windspear without a fair few levels. There are plenty of tough fights in there, and I reckon the sections I haven't played yet is no cakewalk either.

Minsc is still licking his burnt Boo, so offers a piece of advice: "Fire Elementals".

Yeah, just wait until you meed Digdog's boss. :)

:faint:

It was as I feared based on some loot drop.

It's fine, though. You can come back later. He'll wait patiently for his own destruction like a chump.

Also, a tip for Iron and Adamantite golems: almost all of the ones you'll find are stuck inside a room with a small doorway. If you position yourself just right, you can hit them with two-handed swords, staves, and halberds (+3 or better, of course) but still be sefely outside their melee range. Magic spears have a shorter range, though, and won't work (which is definitely a bug, as nonmagical spears have the same range as other 2h weapons).

Tried the fight once as we were so buffed up from what I thought would be the main fight, but naturally he made relatively short work of us. Did get him to "Injured" though.

Actually tried that with the golems in the Windspear dungeon and at De'Arnise's castle, but with the Flail of Ages, which didn't work at all. Looked like they just whistled at us, and Minsc took 40-ish damage. Absurd. The +3 arrowless bow worked, but it took a long time on the Adamantite golem. 1 damage a hit, and he had a lot of HP. Will try the two-hander approach later, when we find a +3 two-handed sword. If we happen to face these chumps where they can go toe-to-toe with us, we are toast. They simply hit way too hard for any of us to survive more than a few rounds.