You should be able to choose, either from the regular 5e options (With a few modifications where this game does something differently.) or from just any weapon and armour set, for what you're starting with. A wizard with a dagger, a Ranger with heavy armour from the perk which gives them heavy armour, and a polearm, a paladin with a longbow, you get where I'm going with this. Rather than having to spend the first half an hour of the game not really playing your character the way you want to play them.
Agreed, there was also an idea presented by someone else on the forum to have a short prologue before the Nautiloid intro where people can shop similar to BG1
