My post in the topic
can someone sum up the story answers most of your questions.
The baby from the end of DD is Damian, who is the main bad guy in D2:ED.
I don't know if you find out what happened to the paladin from BD. The backstory for D2:ED involves Damian starting a war, somehow getting the dragons to switch to his side and kill the Divine One, after which he withdrew his forces. The dragons killing the Divine One resulted in the formation of the order of the dragon slayers, which you start of joining in D2:ED, and the almost extinction of the species.
Rivelon is the planet/realm in which DD and D2:ED take place; Nemesis is the planet/realm Damian was banished to.
The stats and skills you choose for the DK do not matter for the final fight, though you may want to give the hero any permanent potions, etc that you find throughout the game. If the DK uses an agility or intelligence based weapon/spell, he can neglect strength (and thus boost other stats more), as he doesn't need it for armour requirements. As you found, though, it isn't necessary to optimize your build that much to be successful, even on hardcore.
Just before you enter the final rift, you can have the DK unlearn all of his skills, and invest them in summoning doll upgrades (they are not that tough, even upgraded, but the act 1 doll can equip a crossbow, so can provide decent support if kept out of direct combat).
I used a bow (and power arrows) for my hero in the final fight, and didn't have any problems doing damage.
I chose warrior/warrior for the initial skill classes, which worked out well (I had the DK continue to use slashing damage, while my hero used a club or walking stick for much of the first act, before switching to a bow or crossbow full time in the citadel). I don't think it makes a huge difference, though, as you can learn any of the skills later in the game; choosing the classes just determines which initial skills are available.
Welcome to the forum.
