I deleted my first character for multiple screwups (especially missing the extra skill point for starting on Action and not "Very Easy", and messing up the 6-switch puzzle at the maze's end), and I started an identical Survivor-Archer Paladin on Tactical. After my Warrior-Death Knight got his butt kicked by 4 Skeletal mages in the maze, I saw the light of points into Stealth, as just one point let my archer slaughter the entire lot without getting spotted at all. The single point into Stealth also worked well to make the Stealth level thereafter easier, but it isn't enough to run away once spotted. To run away in stealth mode, you need two points into Stealth.
I took your advice about the doll, and it was indeed very useful in certain aspects - the boss skeleton in the maze went right for it, instead of one of my critical characters, and it is very useful at holding gear when both characters get too encumbered to run.
So using the lessons from my previous characters, I've started yet another Survivor-Archer Paladin/Warrior Death Knight combo, this time on Hardcore. I've made sure that each time I level up, at least one character gets an extra skill point (if neither gets a skill point, I reload), and I'm putting 2 points into Stealth each. Another difference is that I'm NOT putting any points into weapon skills, so I can use what I find instead of throwing away one or another weapon because it didn't match my skill set. The battlegrounds should be easier than my first Hardcore run now that I have the bedroll, summoning doll, and the healing spell.
It also helped that I got a drop of a Item Quality 3 Regular Crossbow from Fergus, which became my new best friend as soon as I was able to equip it. That usually one-shots Level 2 skeletons on Hardcore, and it took 5 fewer skill points than my mage did for the same effect.
