{Imported with the Vi allied start}
Day 1
Said goodbye to Vi and did a quick scout of the crash site for items before going on a bug hunt

the Bard is our main Fighter as usual but the Ninja is struggling until we get upstairs and have to move her to the back row with the Bishop... she still does a reliable few points of damage every round at range and every now and then massive over kills with the Stunrod

a full party of Dragons can all spit acid to speed up some of the fights but so far nothing of major challenge encountered

The party [all female]
Jaz
Tenebrae Traveler
Dracon Bard

Sword & Dagger with Bow, Pickpocket
STR: 60
INT: 50
PIE: 30
VIT: 65
DEX: 55
SPD: 45
SEN: 55

Bitts
Threnn Taui
Dracon Gadgeteer

Omnigun, Locks
STR: 55
INT: 55
PIE: 30
VIT: 60
DEX: 63
SPD: 42
SEN: 55

Blaze
Stein Candus
Dracon Mage
Energy Blast,
Level: 3 will dual to Samurai For 2 Swords and a Bow
STR: 55
INT: 70
PIE: 40
VIT: 60
DEX: 55
SPD: 50
SEN: 30

Medic
Giselle Taui
Dracon Priest
Heal & Stamina
Level: 2 Dual to Lord for 2 wands & crossbow [party tank]

STR: 55
INT: 45
PIE: 70
VIT: 60
DEX: 50
SPD: 50
SEN: 30

Shadow
Mina Eve
Dracon Ninja

Level: 8 Dual to Bishop polearm [stunrod then mindblast] & throwing... Pumping stealth & crits
[Alchemist & Mage spells 1st]

STR: 55
INT: 50
PIE: 33
VIT: 60
DEX: 55
SPD: 55
SEN: 52

Allie
Tessa Dramath
Dracon Bishop

Mace & slings
[Psionics & Divine spells 1st]... Pumping artifacts for amulet of life

STR: 55
INT: 51
PIE: 51
VIT: 60
DEX: 52
SPD: 40
SEN: 51

So, since you have characters who can use breath attacks, do you have any insight on to how the damage from the breath attacks is calculated?

(I could also ask this question about Wizardry 7, along with the question as to whether breath attacks are any good in that game.)

The spell Dracon Breath grants the same option which as far as I know acts like the spell "Acid Splash" for damage but cast like the Bard "Chromatic Lyre" or "Piercing Pipes" i.e, hits everything inside the cone and draws from Stamina...

it is worth noting the Breath is not classed as a spell for rooms\ effects that normally block casting so is always an option as long as your character has the minimum Stamina needed to do

It is also worth noting that because the Game doesn't see it as a spell or skill there is no benefit gained from a training point of view so I don't recommend spamming it and limit my use to a single time per battle... even then by Arnika I normally don't touch it again

Day 2
Aletheides - Arnika

I got crabs, highway men, vines, wasp and Modai but they where speard out so nothing too bad... Miles helped me save Vi and we are about to rob the bank vaults before leaving town
[current level 6-7]

Interestingly, I've been thinking of using a few Dracons in the party I'm thinking about:
* The Valkyrie may be a Dracon (assuming I don't do the Priest start for earlier Power Strike). The choice here is Dwarf for damage resistance (not that important because Valkyries have plenty of HP) or Dracon for the breath attack.
* If I go with an Alchemist, I may go with Dracon as that's the best way to get Power Strike on one. (Perhaps an unusual setup, but it can work; IIRC Power Strike and Power Cast are both learned at level 11 or so this way.)
* If I go with a temporary Fighter (to be replaced with a Gadgeteer later), I'd make her a Dracon, as acid breath can be useful early, ahd the Fighter's natural Stamina regen means I can use it more frequently. (The issue of fewer skill bonuses isn't so important on a character I plan to replace, especially if that character is in a class that doesn't need that many skills.)

Day 3
Arnika - Umpani {and back}

We sell all the bank loot and backtrack our steps to the Umpani base where we drop Myles {another job you say?} for Sparkle... then swap her for Saxx

Now we just need the Monastery loot before heading west
[current level 7-8]

I bet that by now you aren't using breath attacks anymore because you will want to develop your skills. You can start seeing level 10 Higardi Brigand on the Arnika Road, and they move very quickly, and are pretty tough. However, they give decent experience, gold, and a guaranteed item drop(great for Bards).
Are the RPCs helping much? I never really use them, as they steal experience and skill ups from other party members, but if you're playing on Normal or Expert, then maybe. I hope your Priest has learned Magic Screen to deal with enemy plants. Element Shield would be a good idea too, in case you get the dreaded Geomancers.
The Monastery loot(Cierdan's Tomb) isn't that great. Nobody in my MDP could equip Demonsbane, and Demonsting wasn't as good as the Gadgeteer's Tripleshot Crossbow. I set a portal near Burz so I could portal in, grab the loot, sell it all to Burz, and portal out.

they help a little but I take Vi along for story reasons ... she is in fact the point really ;)

I normally take the robot but decided to try Saxx [dueled to Alchemist, thanks for the idea dtgreene] just to get a few extra potions and mix it up a bit

yes I sell the items from the monitory crypt and only collect them for the experience as I don't need them... Vi uses mace of course and Saxx will prob carry a ebon staff eventually but I don't expect much more from him than to help carry gear

my Dragons have stopped spitting yes and the magic users are behind because I just cast spells I have found\ bought books for at this point... in general Dragons are more of a melee race anyway

yes some of the highway men groups take a bit of bashing but I always lead them back into a V in the wall so I can control the fights and as you say the loot is good

It's good that your all-Dracon party can breathe acid, good for the early game. However, it doesn't improve skills, and is quickly useless. As you said, Dracons don't seem built for casting, more for melee(they're much more hardy than my all-Human team of casters though). I'm running a glass cannon MDP, so I have to be more careful about placement. Right now I just got everyone to level 19(Bard, Gadgeteer, Priest, Alchemist, Psionic, Mage). They should be able to dominate the field at that level(with SP regeneration of course).

Day 4
Trynton - Swamp

We fight our way to Trynton [running away from a powerful mob for the 1st time] and take a sidestep into the graveyard but I forgot the bring holly-water with me so will have to back track

in Trynton we visit the shop for gad-it parts, sip from the fountain of knowledge and reach the Upper Branches to talk to the head cheese then lower the rope and leave

in the Swamp we talk to Savant, pick up the drum and make cherries before recharging all our artifices in the shop... my Lord now has 'rest all' which counters our main achilles heel

[current level 8-9]

Day 5
Marten's Bluff - Umpani

We had a dream! We went on a suicide run to rapax lands and all died... weard

It upset Saxx so much that he went home and we explored Marten's Bluff without him, collected all the items, did a few quests, unlocked the door to their house in Arnika and gave the bug arm I found to Balbrak

[current level 9-10]

It's still possible to make Dracons work as casters; you just need to choose a class that can get Power Cast in a timely manner.

Specifically, for Dracon (assuming you focus on INT and use the Trynton Fountain):
* Mage starts with 70 INT, learning Power Cast at level 10. (Notably, this is before level 11, which tends to be a major turning point in leveling; level 10 tends to be my least favorite part of the game because of this.)
* Priest isn't that good for Power Cast due to the lack of an INT requirement. (If you go Battle Priest, Power Strike comes at level 13l note that Valkyrie and Lord get Power Strike at the same level (so the early Power Strike trick I described for Dwarves in a different thread won't work for a Dracon).
* Alchemist gets Power Cast at 11.
* Psionic gets Power Cast at 13, which is a bit late.
* Bishop can't start putting points until level 4; assuming no points in INT at that level, the Bishop would need 14 more levels, and wouldn't get Power Cast until level 18 I believe. (Still better than a Lizardman!)

In conclusion, Dracons make decent Mages or Alchemists, and their high starting STR and VIT can give them unique advantages, in case you want a sturdier caster or want Power Strike as a secondary option. (I'm considering a Dracon Alchemist (INT/STR as primary stats) for my next playthrough.)

I don't want to criticize, you build your party as you see fit. I just want to share knowledge. My all-Human party is at level 19, and has maxed two attributes each. They will all have 4 attributes maxed by level 30(this is the extreme). For example, my Psionic is probably the best example of a min/max character. He has: Speed 100(Snakespeed unlocked), Intelligence 95(waiting for that +5 at the Trynton Fountain), Senses and Piety in the 70s, Strength/Vitality/Dexterity 45(base for Humans). Psionics are the best if you focus on Intelligence/Piety/Speed/Senses. Priests have a requirement of 55 Vitality, Mages have a requirement of 55 Dexterity, and Alchemists(worst of all!) have a requirement of 60 Dexterity. If all goes well, my Human Psionic will have Intelligence/Piety/Speed/Senses maxed by level 27.

I just want to share knowledge as well, and for players who want to try a different build, I mention some decent alternatives.

For example, you de-prioritize Strength, meaning that your casters aren't going to be able to do good physical damage to high defense monsters; some players might want to try a build where the caster can actually do decent physical damage. In the case of the Alchemist, the question is whether you want really early Power Cast (level 9 is possible with the right race) and good speed, or would you prefer delaying Power Cast and not getting Snake Speed in favor of being able to do decent physical damage?

(Years ago, I did a magic heavy party. I remember it being fun, but I also remember giving my Alchemist the Staff of Doom (Priest has other good options), and taking advantage of Eagle Eye on the Psionic.)

also have the option to dual which imo is a better fit for Dragons