Maybe it's not quite the topic, but I still remember the discussions at the premiere of PoE where people mentioned that the game is too focused on the balance which makes it bland (mainly casters).
Haha, I expected that to be the first comment once I cited Josh, but I still think his argument is completely logical, even if one can argue how far the balance should go, or rather what can and cannot be sacrificed for the sake of balance. While I don't quite agree with that assesment of PoEs, I think perhaps they sacrificed a bit too much flavour for the sake of bringing spellcasters/mellee a bit closer together. I think Larian might be trying to achieve something similar albeit by going the other way - giving physical classes access incredibly powerful, reality defying "spells".
I will stand with him, however, by the notion that balance DOES matter. And I think BG3 can become a better title, by tightning the design a bit, without loosing flavour that it provides. I don't expect, nor want Larian to go all "Sawyer" on us.
EDIT: If PoE nerfs decreesed a fantasy of playing a fireball casting archmage, doesn't BG3 issues do the same? Does riddiculus push AI/player abuse really play into a fantasy of melee fight? Don't surfaces detract from a fantasy of playing is/fighting a mage if anyone can prevent them from maintaining spells by lobbing molotovs over incredible distances? Doesn't freezetime stealth break a fantasy of sneaking and hiding from enemies?
