Even though this is one of my favorite RPGs ever, I found it to be really tough. The combat in certain situations seemed impossible and i had to lower the difficulty. Anyone have to do the same.

Part of the key is to have a well-balanced party and use all of them effectively.  I always took my time, using a stealthy character to sneak around and locate the enemy groups.  Once I found out where they were, I'd move my characters to just outside their range of sight, have my mages/clerics cast their buffs and then send area-of-effect spells into the enemy groups.  That softened them up enough to make them tolerable.  When the enemy came at me, I'd move my fighters to the front, while the archers and mages picked them off from afar.

This game rules, I just played it again last year.

Yes, it's difficult. They key is to have as many fighters and fighter-types as possible. This is hard because there are so many mage and half-mage characters. But if you have too many casters, you'll get stuck when you get to parts of the game where virtually everything has Magic Resistance. Archers are fine too, but you need a solid front of phyiscal damage, which never goes out of style.

My first playthough with a Sorcerer was excruciating. Having my third best tank be Viconia didn't help, either.

You need a solid grasp on 2nd Edition AD&D to make the most out of your party.  A good mix of divine magic, arcane magic, melee and ranged weapon attacks will serve you well. 

Also, you must make use of your summons, minions, and pets. Disposable melee targets are a great asset to just about any combat situtation. For melee encounters, when you have to get a character into the thick of it, a Palidan / Cavalier class makes a great tank. They can use the hefty tower sheilds with the bonuses vs missile weapons that make them almost immune to archers and other natural ranged weapons. Add to that the ability to heal, smite, and the basic divine protection spells, and you can roll in on just about anything.

Furthermore, don't horde your pots, scrolls, and wands, use them as you need them. There are lots of stuff to found in the game, and they can turn the tide of a battle.

Anything that improves your saves is a must have item. Try to get as much gear as you can with saving bonuses. Choose equipment wisely when deciding who needs what when you come across powerful gear. 

And if you have Baldur's Gate 1, then play through it first. You'll get a much better understanding of the characters and how they fight and what they are capable of when you start them from low level. Also, you can import you main character, and you will be much more powerful due to permant stat increasing items you will have used in the first game. You'll probably also be a level or two higher then the default starting level of BG2.

Hope that helps. Enjoy playing one of the best games of all time!

"a Palidan / Cavalier class makes a great tank. They can use the hefty tower sheilds with the bonuses vs missile weapons that make them almost immune to archers and other natural ranged weapons. Add to that the ability to heal, smite, and the basic divine protection spells, and you can roll in on just about anything."

"Evilross said:

"a Palidan / Cavalier class makes a great tank. They can use the hefty tower sheilds with the bonuses vs missile weapons that make them almost immune to archers and other natural ranged weapons. Add to that the ability to heal, smite, and the basic divine protection spells, and you can roll in on just about anything."

I forgot about how overpowered the Paladin class is in BG2.  Not only do they get some great armor and basic cleric spells, they also can wield the +5 Holy Avenger.  Run around with that thing equipped and they'll slaughter anything."

I can't do more than to agree with the title: A Difficult Game. 

"You need a solid grasp on 2nd Edition AD&D to make the most out of your party.  A good mix of divine magic, arcane magic, melee and ranged weapon attacks will serve you well. 

Also, you must make use of your summons, minions, and pets. Disposable melee targets are a great asset to just about any combat situtation. For melee encounters, when you have to get a character into the thick of it, a Palidan / Cavalier class makes a great tank. They can use the hefty tower sheilds with the bonuses vs missile weapons that make them almost immune to archers and other natural ranged weapons. Add to that the ability to heal, smite, and the basic divine protection spells, and you can roll in on just about anything.

Furthermore, don't horde your pots, scrolls, and wands, use them as you need them. There are lots of stuff to found in the game, and they can turn the tide of a battle.

Anything that improves your saves is a must have item. Try to get as much gear as you can with saving bonuses. Choose equipment wisely when deciding who needs what when you come across powerful gear. 

And if you have Baldur's Gate 1, then play through it first. You'll get a much better understanding of the characters and how they fight and what they are capable of when you start them from low level. Also, you can import you main character, and you will be much more powerful due to permant stat increasing items you will have used in the first game. You'll probably also be a level or two higher then the default starting level of BG2.

Hope that helps. Enjoy playing one of the best games of all time!"

reading spell descriptions is key.
 
got to find the right counters. Guessing your trouble is with spellcasters