The only characters I have ever run through the series with are thief types which included an assassin and fighter/thief. I'm wanting to try something different but don't know what to try. Want to get some insight on some fun class choices that would feel like a new experience for me.

I play Fighters.

Fighter/Mage - Sleep is a great spell if your a Fighter/Mage, it can put your enemies down. Takes a lot of balancing to play this class

Paladin - Meh. These guys ain't the best if you don't know how to manage your fighting with healing. Personally, I avoid them.

Druid - An epic healer class, but not the best one to start out alone with

Take a sorcerer. They are extremely powerful and spontaneous casting is fun.

I can agree with the sorceress choice, they're fun, and they have some spells to help with the *I need to know what that chest holds* syndrome as they get an unlock spell if I remember correctly.

Wizards do too. Its called Knock iirc

BGII is a cheap cheating game x.x I died so many times its not funny

In order to beat a cheap cheating game you must become a cheap cheating player.

I tried a mage, which was pretty fun.
I tried an archer, which was more fun.
I tried a beastmaster and got my butt handed to me.
I'm working with a pure kensai this time (I might multi over to a mage -- I left the option open) and I'm having a blast.

If you really want to destroy try Human Level 9 Kensai, then at level 9 dual-class into mage (what Tallima mentioned).

Try for stats at least like Str15, Dex18, Con16, Wis9, Int17 and Cha7.

Since the XP cap in BG 2 is 2,950,000, a Kensai that reaches level 9 will have 135000 XP, leaving 2,815,000 experience points for the Mage class. A mage needs 2,700,000 XP to get to level 17 (when you get level 8 spells), so you can effectively max out your mage class as if you were purely a mage, while reaping the benefits of a Kensai. Nice, eh?

The Kensai/Mage dual class synergy is so effective you can actually solo through the game with the one character if you're hardcore enough to try. Give it a shot, see what you think. It certainly doesn't hold your hand. The quick save button and the difficulty slider aren't so much game features as they are core game mechanics which you must master.

Yea I tried a sorcerer for a bit but I honestly grew bored. I know I'm speaking blasphemy but I just didn't get into the character for some reason. I may try again at a later time. Yea I've heard kensai/mages are pretty sick. Maybe I'll enjoy that kind of spell caster more. Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Archer sounds like it could be fun too. I don't about a Beastmaster. Would be a challenge for sure.

I am quite the cheater as it is lol

If you want a massively OP char try a kensai/mage, otherwise a dualed ranger/cleric is pretty fun, you get access to ALL druid and cleric spells, making for a very decent self-buffed fighter/buffer/healer. Just be sure to have at least 17 WIS or you won't be able to dual class.

Paladin's are easy to play and one of the best straight classes (i.e no cheesing or multi-classing) imo. They are like a lawnmower if you give them a 2 hander and some priest buffs. The only time you should need major healing is in the original.

Well, I'm doing BGT, starting in Origins with a monk. It's certainly a unique experience, as he's just about totally useless. I imagine in BG2 a monk will be more helpful and by the end you ought to be pretty badass.

Now I'm gonna go back and babysit my level 1 monk in the mines.

My first character on BG2 was a monk. I didn't make the most of the character though, because it was pretty fragile at the start so I went through the whole game thinking that character was a supporter.

It was kinda nice though, after getting beaten down by Draconis several times, having that monk walk up to him and kill him with quivering palm.

Ranger Clerics are fun too. It's like having Jaheira or Cernd, but with Raise Dead too.