Abdel is actually growing on me. I know being unable to resist your primal urges is unprofessional - especially during a "spy situation" - but him going "Pretty" after just touching his girlfriend is weird. But I think a confused erection would've ruined the scene, as much as it would've been more realistic.

As for the planning. Even though he has no wisdom, Abdel knows his strengths and these are not espionage. Everything went right when Xan did spy by himself. Just because you're a main character doesn't mean you have to be in EVERY scene. The book is called "Baldur's Gate" not "Abdel bumbles about the largest crisis in the entire region of Baldur's Gate".

With only Jaheira, Athans could've provided Team Abdel (and the reader) with much more believable information. If Jaheira is a capable Harper spy she should be able to do that. But maybe this would be too empowering of her character and she would have to run from the doppelgangers screaming to enforces her status as arm candy.

As for the doppelganger monster: When did this thing pop up as a shapeshifting monster? I know the thought of someone showing up and taking your place in society while you are imprisoned or away is not new to literature and film. I know Grimm's Wörterbuch - a dictionary - has defined Doppelgänger as someone who looks exactly like you and takes your place but I don't know of any Grimm's fairytale that uses a Doppelganger. Did D&D just put the stories into a monster?