Try Sorcerer. Gold Dwarf and Dragonblood.
The game gets easier with each playthrough.
Bard is a very strong class, IMO. If you like magic go with Lore.
I played as Karlach. Fun! Although finding not-Evul! party members for her is difficult. She is stuck with the two Human Males.
BTW - you can pick up Karlach very quickly - after the fight at the gates of Druidville simply go and recruit her, you can bypass the cultist "siblings" by taking the briddge and turning right before Blighted Village, jumping across the stream near the point where you find Scratch.
