I personally don't find it tedious to check on enemies. You should be equipping yourself for the task at hand. You wouldn't go to the elemental plane of fire without some kind of fire protection. Attack or defense the first thing a player should be doing when they encounter something(from as far away as possible) is examine it to see what you need to take it out. That's just good planning. It is even a bit OP in the player's favor that we can see resistances and such.
If an item that gives some fire resistance would obviously be usefull in the elemental plane of fire"... It's not as easy to know when an item that gives you vulerability to something will be more a bonus than a malus.
It requires the player too examine ALL ennemies attacks (because even looking at their weapons is not enough). Definitely not an item you really know when to use, and even less an item you equip while waiting something eventually better.
In other word, definitely not a good reward (but every items doesn't have to be, it's more a problem when most items aren't).
I think you've kinda missed the point of Max's statement here. What I read is that from his perspective, he has no more choice than you feel you have in other crpgs. He doesn't like the weirder, niche behaviour items being provided and in his place he's sayins he's presented with...just using the same items for long stretches without even the chance to change to the +2 gear you're talking about.
I'm not saying I'd like +2 items so early in the game. I'm saying that way too much items doesn't looks like rewards at all when you loot them.
While +1 items give us good and constant bonuses, most items in BG3 are - reward "under condition" - reward "with possible punishment" - reward "for 30 minutes of gameplay" and so on.
On top of that many items are totally unbalanced and are absolutely overpowered or totally underpowered.
I mean, just look at most uncommon weapons to compare with +1 (that are also "uncommon")
Looking the fextralife wiki, not sure everything is up to date.
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Blooded greataxe : Common 1D12 greataxe except if you have less than 50% hp. Doesn't most players start to think that's gonna be time to heal at 50% ?
I'm perfectly fine with an armor that gives you temporary HP when you have less than 50% HP... It make sense. But in my opinion magical items should be a reward, not a challenge.
Items with the 50% HP thing (and there are a lot) are common/useless items most of the time that only become a reward when you're in a bad/not so good situation. We'll talk about the "barbarian resistance" thing with the githyanki weapons.
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Club of Hill Giant Strenght : Common club that increase your strenght to 15. Not so bad but not really good.
Just a decent items that may improve a bit druids strength check, but there's absolutely no appeal for a strength character to use this strength weapon.
- Correlon's Grace : Not really good but not too bad item even if defensive properties should be on armor rather than weapon imo.
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Everburn blade : One of the only uncommon weapons that fulfils the purpose of a rewarding magical weapon : doing (more) damage.
You can keep it during the first 25 hours because there's nothing really better except maybe +1 weapons.
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Exterminator's Axe : Common greataxe except against plant (is there plants ?), insects (is there insects ?) and small creatures (what are small creatures ?) that suffer an additionnal 1D6 fire damages.
One more item that is only a reward when the conditions are met. Guess it's only usefull in the swamp and if you fight the goblins... (maybe against the spiders ?)
Another uncommon item we're supposed to keep in our inventory "just in case" ?
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Light of creation : Deals an additionnal 1D6 lightning damage but have a chance to stun the wearer.
The first part really looks like a reward... The second looks like a punishment. Especially because the negative effect is totally out of the player's control.
It woud be a great item even with (let's say) a "-2 to the wearer's dexterity". But not with such a negative effect that can randomly ruin your strategy.
- Loviatar's scourge : Gives resistance to necrotic damage, deal + 1D6 necrotic damage to targets but the wearer also take 1D6 necrotic damages.
This at least is a negative effect under the player's control. Not really interresting imo, but it's a decent items with negative effects.
- Nature's snare : chance to ensnare the target if not a plant or a beast.
Not a must have because most quarterstaves wearer won't attack in melee (or will find better items), but it's an ok item.
- Rain Dancer : Create water spell.
I guess it's a decent item for players that like playing with surfaces. Would be also good as a ring or a necklace...
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Shortsword of first blood : +1D8 damage to target's that have all their HP.
Good damage boost, usefull for many (sub)classes, usefull in every combats. Good reward.
- Staff of arcane blessing : I'm not sure I ever use it so I'm not sure I understand well the description.
Looks like a good item though.
- The Watcher's Guide : If you miss, the next attack against the target is made with an advantage.
Decent item but not extraordinary. It would be a great item if it was a +1 spear.
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Worgfang : Goblin's have disadvantage on attack rolls against the wielder.
Ok item... but for a single dungeon.
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Doom Axe : The target cannot be healed.
A random axe most of the time.
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Dragon's grasp : +1D4 damage to burning targets.
Another random axe most of the time (I thought it was a permanent +1D4 fire damage which was cool, but the fextralife's description is wierd)
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Githyanki weapons : Common weapons most of the time.
And there are shortsword, longsword and crossbow so the "barbarian can survive with less than 50% of their HP due to their resistance" does not work...
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Firestoker : +1D4 to burning targets.
Most of the time a random crossbow.
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Spellthief : Once per Short Rest, you regain a 1st level Spell Slot when you land a critical hit.
Ok, so just because the critical hit this is a random bow most of the time.
- Giantbraker : Reeling condition is pretty decent for weapons.
It think it's an ok item even if it would be better as a +1 item.
Most of these items could easily become great rewards in everyone's eyes as soon as you loot them.
Now they may eventually be considered as such but only after an analysis of your build, synergies with other characters, conditions and requirement, locations you'll be able to use them or how they'll be usefull,...
Not saying it's a good solution that would solve everything but if all these items was +1 it would at least be appealing whatever the conditions and so on.
It's definitely not better with the "rare" weapons at all.
- Faithbreaker is just a +1 weapon with a single powerfull attack / short rest. Why not a permanent bonus even if a bit weaker ?
- Paleoak is just a bonus against druids + a level 1 spell.
- Shattered flail is very powerfull but has another negative effect that is totally out of control.
- Sickle of booal is not that bad but also not really impressive
- Sussur's weapon (after a long quest) are just +1 weapons.
- Sorrow is just one of the worst 2H weapon with a +1 and an attack that would suit better a ranged character than a melee one.
- Adamantine's weapon aren't as good as "uncommon" +1 weapons.
BG3 doesn't look like a game in which the more you progress, the more you find good/better and/or more usefull/appropriate items for your characters...
It is a game in which the more you progress, the more you find variations of items with more or (often) less interest.
The EA is +- 25 hours and you can already have some of the best weapons/armors after 1 hour because most magical items in act 1 are poorly designed.
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