That first part of your post, all about ranged combat ... seem to me like:
"I don't want to play it like this and I want you to change your game so that I can use all the things you have allowed me to do, but I don't use them because I don't consider them effective enough compared to what I don't want to use.". o_O
Kinda odd attitude. :-/
It reminds me all those ppl who are talking about savescuming being bad, and need to be removed, since they dont have enough self-moderation to not use it. :-/
More varied enemy AI : targeting.
Not all creatures we meet should seek to take down the low-AC, low-HP companions first (a very sensible strategy that we, players, employ often enough). It would be great to see more varied AI and enemy tactics, especially for different types of enemies (some types are cunning, some just smash the nearest companion, etc).
This i hope for too ...
For example for beasts it would make perfect sence, that they would attack closest enemy, instead of low-AC ...
Take Owlbear for example, you have high-armored warrion next to her cub, that she is "protecting with her own life" ... and what does mummy owlbear do to protect her baby from this threat?
Jump out to smash your Wizard that is standing up on the cliff. :-/
Its even funnier if your Wizard didnt get to his round yet.
You just made me thinking ...
How cool it would looklike if you start battle with some millitary group, like Duegar slavers, for example ... when their mages and shooters would run to get high ground, and their shielded fighters would form a line protecting them. Sounds really goood.
As long as you dont realize that Lae'zel would be perfectly able to jump over that line and strike down all those casters with single Sweap attack.
More varied enemy AI : downed companions.
It's interesting that the current AI for enemies has them focus on downed targets. In the Sword Coast Stratagem mod for BG1-BG2, the author especially programmed enemies with disabling abilities (like the carrion crawls' paralysing attack) to focus attacks on characters that are not disabled. The reason was : the goal of the enemies is to win the encounter (not force the players to consume resources like spells slots and scrolls). So they should prioritise those characters that are still a danger to them and ignore the ones that are neutralised. I feel this is the good call to make enemies more believable.
This sounds good ...
As long as we dont have no way to get downed member back in action during single combat. :-/
Otherwise it seem to give huge benefit to player hands. :-/
Im not quite sure if your companion sucess in 3 rolls after downed if he return to fight, or if he simply wait there for your help, but its stabilized ... since it didnt happened to be in patch 4 so far.
But even if he dont, all you need to do is heal/help him and he is back up, ready to fight ... even if we let go the fact that you are completely able to use such companion as tank, since every enemy who choosed him as his first target before, will choose him again, and all you need to do is help him up on feet every round to redirect all damage to him, instead rest of the party ...
It just feels odd, isnt it?
Cunning Goblin / Bloodthirsty Gnoll / Hungry Owlbear / ... dunno, insert any enemy you wish, except Honorary Paladin ... will knock your on your knees, you are no longer able to fight or defend yourself, your fate is completely in his hand ... he raises his weapo/claw ... and run out to fight someone completely capable of defending himself, since you are no longer interesting oponent. O_oAlso, in therms of Downed and Dead companions ...
I honestly hope that Talkative Sceleton will be removed in final version of game, or preferably, his services will cost much more (at least thousand per ressurection). Since right now, even death is nothing more than minor nuisance. -_-
