In dnd 5e to cast spells you need to have a free hand, until you take a warcaster feat. So there's a customisation/build options here if you want to go melee spellcaster.
BG3 now doesn't require a free hand to cast spells. It seems off for me
Is this a problem for you?
this was the same in solasta. it was really annoying for me. but surprising that using bow free hand is not required? it's quite an annoyance i need to frequently swap sword and shield with 2-hander with a paladin.
