While 5-6 party would be nice, I can do with 4, provided they offer something to balance out the group. While 4 characters is the 5ed standar, you are also supposed to have 1 character for each role. So a group with both Gale and Wyll is unlikely to work, since both are arcane casters. The balance breaks even more if the MC is also spellcaster.
I've read that Larian planned for 8 origin characters that double as companions. That would be nice if that doesn't detract from the custom character story and if there are no incompatibilities among companions. I mean, right now it seems that you have to choose between Laezel and SH, because they don't get along. But if that is the case, someone evil who wants a healer and a tank, might have problems.
Also, I hope that if companions options are limited, they offered chances to make the evil companions be able to work with good chacters and conversely, good companions being able to work with good ones. In dragonlance, Raistlin starts neutral and ends being evil, but he remains loyal to the group because it is his family and friends. That might work. But for that, we need opportunities and conversations to reach understandments. Astarion agreeing to only drink from enemies is a good example. It would be good to see similar things with the others.
Also, I would like to be able to select from all companions to form the group through all the game. Not having to choose after the first act like DOS2. If they are already doing a limited number of companions, I hope there are not more limitations than that.
