IE games offer more freedom then PoE1/2...? You must be joking.
Yes, PoEs made DnD like system which is more balanced and accessible (well, except for some fine math which is never explained). That's why it's better for a computer game, as there is no DM to adjust adventure for whatever character you create.
More freedom? Lets suppose that i wanna play as a caster. BG1/2 > Should i play as a pure caster? Generalist wizard? Evoker? Illusionist? Conjurer? Wild Mage? Multiclass and be a fighter mage? Or a cleric mage? So many possibilities. And my favorite specialization is necromancy. Can i be a necromancer on Pillars? I can on BG1/2 and have access to necromancy with arcane and divine means. And even use mods and play as a Pale Master (
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/64333/kit-mod-pale-master-sorcerer-kit-v1-4-5-re-upload ). this is impossible on PoE1.
They force your wizard to be either a """blaster""" or a """disabler"""" on PoE1/2 and can't do anything interesting. Psion is the unique thing not present on IE games and is very lackluster compared to TT 3.5e psion (
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm ). The game which is the true spiritual successor to infinity engine is pathfinder kingmaker. The "blaster" spells are also very lackluster. When i casted a fireball for the first time on BG1, was so cool and amazing. On PoE 1 was "meh, din't took even 1/3 of mob's health"
Since Larian has way more mainstream appeal and 5e is far more accessible, i an happy to see Larian dealing with BG. I just believe that unless the game is somehow a sequel to Bhaalspawn saga, the name should be something different, but is just my opinion.
I understand you like to play mages, you want to be powerful, you want powerful ranged attacks. That´s fair and square if you want to play a wizard.
But what about if you want to play a fighter, or a rogue?
Let´s see what options do I have in IE games in combat. so
I´m a fighter: I point this enemy, I watch until the enemy dies. Then I point the next enemy, and wait till the enemy dies... rinse and repeat.
And when I try to play a rogue. I just prepare a trap. The trap springs and I take 10 points of damage. Then I go invisible, I sneak attack one enemy before he casts true sight and then... I spent the rest of the combat searching a rock to hide behind.
The IE games like IWD or BG are (fantastic) party-based games so it does not really matter because you are playing with the entire party but with some choices, you are basically dragging your party down if you want to roleplay some subpar builds. I do not expect to be uberpowerful if I want to play a beastmaster or a rogue, but I least expect the class to be playable.
At least in POE games your fighters, rangers, rogues, etc have something else to do if you want to play another class than a caster for once. And I am not talking about powerful attacks and dealing/resist damage, I meant something to do besides point what I want to attack (until epic levels)
And if you ask me, I prefer to play and fight instead of having guys in robes that kill half your party with one spell if you fail ONE save or wipe out an entire room full of enemies with a fireball while the rest of my party have tea and scones.
I understand that there always be some classes that have advantage in a campaign, because they have a lot of utility, a lot of power, or they are more suited for this campaign (In NWN2 OC you spend the last chapters fighting undead so a cleric would be more useful than a rogue that cannot sneak attack undead) but at least I expect the difference between classes not to be overboard.
If the difference in balance between classes is too steep, you find entire servers with only weapon masters and not even one bard in sight like in NWN at high levels.
