Going to be honest, all your issues you've expressed irritation about are all unchanged from 5e, and they aren't likely to change unless Larian decide to give up the idea of making a DnD game entirely and go full divinity mode on the combat system, which they won't do, because they've already spent too much time and money getting it. You say you don't care about the 5e ruleset, but this is supposed to be a DnD 5e game. They certainly spent enough time advertising it as such.
Yes Fighters are powerful in the early levels. All martial classes do better out of the gate than spellcasters. Its a known issue with DnD, not just in 5e, but in multiple previous editions too. Funnily enough, compared to those older editions, 5e is the more balanced system.
But, it does seem like druids wildshapes aren't quite as hard hitting as they should be? their damage seems low, even for this level range, and at least one of them lacks the multiattack it should have, which halves its potential damage output.
They are only on the first act, without even most of the companions, cutscenes from the first act still a work in progress, and multiple bugs.
This is precisely the time to submit feedback about the combat in the game being worse with the DnD ruleset, so that at least if it isn't back to DoS, at least they fix the Dice-A-Rama casino play with single action per turn that makes the gameplay such a slog and make spells feel more impactful and delete the current concentration mechanic which completely hamstrings caster gameplay experience.
If we wait till later in the development in the game, they'll have invested far more into a bad system with less likelihood of meaningful overhauls.
It's like talking to a wall or some willfully obtuse zealot. Lazael can also dip her weapon, so this makes no difference whatsoever in a comparison between Shadowheart and Lazael because the gap stays the same.
I don't care what you think Larian wants, and indeed I am obsessed with how I want to play, because it is a FEEDBACK FORUM, and the point of this thread is to tell them their current combat design is far inferior to their Divinity iterations just because they want to cater to some DnD fanboys even if the combat experience comes out worse for it.
Larian homebrew worked just fine for me in DoS, this DnD crap doesn't because unlike in DoS where abilities felt powerful, reliable, and were only limited by action point cost, now in in BG3 I only have the option of terrain and elemental surface abuse unlike in DoS where the options were there, but the abilities and combat itself offered viable, non-frustrating alternatives.
I don't know how anyone can say waiting 6 enemy turns to miss the only 70-80% hit chance spell you get to use in a turn and out of 4 minor or 2 major spell slots is good design comparatively to DOS.
Shadowheart gets +2 AC that Lae’zel doesn’t.
I once thought like you that this is a feedback forum. You’ll soon learn that Larian has certain ideas on combat for BG3 and will only deviate in small amounts. The good news for you is you like DOS so you may get a few more mechanics that you may like but much of what you are seeing is what you are getting.
Cater to D&D fanboys? BG3 is based on a D&D setting. I think Larian should at least try to throw them a bone.
I get it. You want DOS 3. You’re not getting it with BG3. You’re getting a horrible mix of 5e and DOS. I think we can both agree what is in place now is bad.
And Lazael has 9 more Hp than Shadowheart with a built in self heal and triple the damage output with a ranged ability that does not have a 50% hit chance for pitiful 2-7 damage; I'll say at least we agree on the fact that what is currently in place combat-wise is woeful.
