Thanks for the input. Let me add that this is my 3rd PT, so it is time to try some new things. Still, the prospect of hitting a brick wall after 100 hrs or so of play is a a cause of some uncertainty, and the reason why I appreciate your advice.
Currently I'm Lvl 5 : 3 bard, 2 ranger, entered in the underdark, still with Lae'zel, Karlagh and Shadowheart. The team performs well. Defeated the ogres while still lvl 4. Auntie Ethel, the spider matriarch both at lvl 5 and the bullette at lvl 5 were all defeated quite swiftly without me needing to help a knocked out party member back to its feet. Against the Githyanky patrol Karlagh got knocked out though.
But compared to my previous runs this is very good. Especially Gale, being the preferred target of the baddies, needed to be helped up in about every major battle in previous PT's.
With this party I did have to rely on scrolls and potions of fly, misty srtep or dimension door more than before . So when these items run out it may become more problematic.
So, I still intend to dip in a mage class also. Probably not before lvl 7. My choice of warlock was based on the primary ability of CHA, which matches with the bards'. I could also take sorcerer, but I already tried both classes in EA and preferred warlock. I think I never quite understood the sorcerer points and metamagic concepts during my trial. But now I'm hesitating. The warlock's eldritch blast is a cool spell, but there may be too much overlap with my bard/hunter missile skills. So apart from the pushing effect, maybe eldritch blast will not add much that I don't have with my 2 crossbows. I definitely need to reconsider whether sorcerer wouldn't be a better choice.
As for the ranger, except for its appeal to me as RP character and as a archer, I also wanted to get heavy armor and shield proficiency for my PC. AC has always been a worry for my PC in previous PT's.
(Another option would be to multiclass one of the NPC's but I don't want to do that for roleplay reasons, so all the multiclassing will go on my PC.)
