UC, as I explained in my post, I'd not descended into any dungeons (and I actually missed the starting dungeon by not realizing you could bump into the well), afterwards it's quite some time before you encounter another container.
By now, though, I've got like a dozen of them, they're just distributed a bit unevenly.
I also picked up the same NPCs you have, mostly because I think they're the ones "naturally" in the players exploration path. As I have no cleric of my own, the cleric/ranger is a godsend, but as a hybrid character, he's terribly low level (had to nurse him for quite a bit before he could cast a single neutralize poison) - I'd definately recommend anyone going through both games (or even only SP) to get a pureblood cleric of their own.
My mage, for example, is totally killing it - with two rings of wizardry she can cast like 8 level three spells, and I think I had her memorize like five lighning bolts - a spell that's uncannily useful. Clearing out entire corridors of annoying snakes or even nagas with just one or two bolts never gets old. And since the game usually allows rest-spam, making use of her has become my main modus operandi. Funny though that most spells beyond level 3 are kinda useless in comparison.
Anyway, as for the vistani ... he's useful for his inventory slots, but otherwise... Is there any opportunity to make use of thieving skills in either Ravenloft game? I definately did not.
I also haven't found a magical weapon he can use (not counting his dagger), so he still has a mundane shortsword in his main hand. I'll be replacing him as soon as I find someone else.
Funny, on two story related occasions I already had to boot him from the party and both time he cursed me, my ascendants and descendants to the nine hells for forsakening ... but when I visited him in his tent afterwards he happily joined up again. True to gypsy form, I guess.
I finished three dungeons or so now and the game has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. In a way, it's like watching a tv show from decades back, when modern conventions such as story arcs and stuff were not yet invented - or, if you prefer, tv shows had different design considerations. The setting is sadly a bit underutilized, but it was just an age where we didn't get a ton of side content in our game, and I guess we have to be greatful for what's there - even today games often cut corners here, especially when they're fully voiced.
What's there is thematic, imo, and the selection of enemies fits the setting quite well - which can probably be credited to the source material.
Still, there's too much "by the textbook" dungeon design like in the predecessor. Maybe this was dictated by player expectations - it kinda is a bit of a real-time blobber, I guess.
Things that make a big difference on the positive side are that the d&d on ice effect is a little less pronounced (or maybe I've just gotten used to it) and that the wall textures are a lot less grainy.
