I have dropped Yoshimo but now do not have good way to search for traps and open locked items. OTher than memorizing a @#$ load of low level spells, are there other options.

Also, i guess i have lost Yoshimo - i dropped him. He said he was going back to Copper Coronet, but he is not there. I have seen some posts about him betraying, etc. but i didnt think he would up and leave me. I am near the end of Chapter 3. Is this expected behavoir?

You can get Jan Jansen(mage/thief multiclassed) in Goverment District.

our you can save Imoen , our do Nalia in you party

Go with Jan. Imoen isn't an option until chapter four and Nalia can't even pick the locks in her own bloody house.

Thanks all

I would love to go with Jan. Is he the one you run into and have to vouch for. Well, if so, i vouched for him, but can't remember where he went after the Police let him go... can someone please remind me.

He went to his home in the Slums. It's a building up the steps, where there's a greenhouse with turnips.

What weapons are Jan good with? Is he good with a bow or crossbow? If so then Yoshi is gone......

Jan has Crossbow skills. He can use a Bow. Note that as a Thief he can only use Light XBows and Short Bows.

First, he's a plain Thief so he has lots more Thief skills than Yoshimo (even given that he is multi-classed).

Second, he has lots of stylish items (really! - they all state how stylish they are) that improve his Thieving skills. Add a potion of two and a couple of rings you will find and you can get his Pick Pockets or Traps over 140%.

Third, he can cast spells, and lots of them because he's a specialist mage.

Fourth, he has lots of funny dialogue. Screamingly funny dialogue.

For me there was no question. Bye bye Yoshi, hello mad turnip salesman!


SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT!
I picked Yoshimo up again just before getting on the boat to Chapter 3. There's a plot item in chapter 3 with Yoshimo that's quite interesting. Not at all essential to the game, just interesting roleplaying. I left Nalia behind to leave room for Yoshi, because I figured Imoen would fill her shoes.

Jan uses the crossbow. Good because you find tons and tons of magic bolts.
Yoshimo, however, dual-classed to a fighter--might as well name this bounty hunter Boba Fett. He's pretty amazing with a short bow and any other weapon he specializes in. Of course you have to take some precautions with him and not take him along in chapter 3, and when he is dual classed for 11 levels without his thief skills you have to rely on Jan at the same time.

Even when you first pick him up Yoshimo seems excellent at regular fighting, unlike most thieves. Or is this just me? It doesn't look like he has any great THAC0 or damage bonus - he seems to hit more often and for more damage. Argh, I'm going insane.