I defend surfaces, because they add a tactical layer to combat. They definitely need to be adjusted and aren't fine in their current form, but they make combat more interesting and better that they are adjusted than removed entirely.
Surfaces were great in DOS:2, but Stabbey has delivered really good points, that you fail to address in a meaningful matter.
But I say one thing about the surfaces in this game: they are not tactical. In any way or form. See in DOS you had 2 types or armor, that you could use to ignore the ground for an amount of time, so you had to manage things in time or maybe even convert the ground into something you want. You had to do some decisions, you had to plan ahead how you deal with your armor and the ground that is currently present.
In BG3 there is no such thing. Using my action for the strongest AoE I can throw is not a tactic really, there is nothing to think about. Barrelmancy goes bzzz.
You're dead right about barrelmancy. Carrying barrels in inventory has to go, really. It's crazy, even if I did enjoy it on a test playthrough. It's clearly abusive. It detracts from all the core skills of every character, which should be the focus of the game, surely. The best attacks for the wizard shouldn't be stealth/barrel/ignite/shove.
