Tips for Cloakwood and Mines?

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So I've been playing a strict no reload game, on one notch higher than core difficulty, with the extra restrictions that "dead means dead" (no raising) and spells can't be bought. I find the extra challenge to be enjoyable, but this particular game has been a total slaughter to the NPCs:

Imoen - random encounter bandit volley en route to Friendly Arm Inn
Xzar and Montaron - lost to Khalid and Jaheira when a fight broke out literally within moments of the Harpers joining the group
Kagain - lucky volley by kobolds in Nashkel Mines
Kivan - bandit ambush (his first encounter) on way back to mines after picking him up
Jaheira - Tranzig got off one last magic missile
Branwen - crushed by Ardenor Crush
Ajantis - one-shot by Taugosz Khosann
Khalid - opening trapped chest in Tazok's tent; forgot it was lightning bolt so didn't think of potion of absorption
Garrick, Viconia, Xan - lightning bolt from Hareishan in a narrow corridor
Yeslick - Mine guards (30 seconds after joining group)
Eldoth - killed by a combination of bad pathfinding and a bear that appeared the moment he joined the group
Shar-Teel - one-shotted by flesh golem in Black Alaric's cave

Right now it's Charname, Minsc, Dynaheir, and Safana. I'll be going to pick up Faldorn before continuing with the Mines. Maybe Coran if I feel like the party can survive a wyvern encounter.

At any rate, it seems pretty unlikely I'll make it to the end, but does anyone have any tips on how to build a team out of what's left to choose from? Is it possible to get Skie with Eldoth dead?

 

What class is your PC? You have a good basic party with the folks you have now, minus a cleric. Viconia or Faldorn can fill that void for now and you can get Yeslick in the mines. Try to keep Safana alive until you get to BG to recruit Alora (can't get Skie without Eldoth). Disarming Traps is a priority in Cloakwood and The Mines. Good Luck, You're going to need it.

 

I like your idea, that is my kind of game. Adding some restrictions makes the game a lot more fun when you are replaying.

Maybe you will be playing solo soon......

 

Wow, pretty hard-core. I too play like this form time to time ( not seriously, just for the fun)...but I never omitted Rising!

That's just a bit too hard-core! The enemies will keep coming in waves.

At least Rise Immy for the sake of it!

 

Deathmage did this a while ago, he called it his Iron Man game. I always meant to give it a go, never got around to it.

 

Since raising dead is part of the game universe, I make use of it even when playing iron man games. But if you want to be more restrictive, more logically would be only to raise dead in the situation when the body could be recovered safely. Therefor, if someone dies in combat, raising would only be possible if the battle was won by the party and all enemies involved in the combat have been slaughtered. But if the party flees the combat, there is no way they could do so with the bodies of fallen comrades, which in this case are lost forever.