I have to say I feel less bad for killing something sapient and evil, then something merely sentient and evil. Every wild "monster" into whose territory we barged? That's regrettable. I hate killing the owlbear. It makes me feel terrible every time despite nesting so close to the road.
The goblins... I know every single survivor is likely to flee to a different outpost of the absolute. I don't believe for a second that killing the leaders will reform the rest. "Just taking orders...", my ass. The Druids are neutral to good and will not exterminate something just to kill it, even if its nature is "evil".
An evil or neutral Tav, however? One not aligned with the absolute? I just can't believe they buy that. At best, the wild and homeless goblins will only exterminate one village to use it as their new base. Perhaps, one where they can control the road and rob merchants, like before. This is what these particular "reformed" goblins look like... as opposed to joining an army for an evil god.
I aknowledge they may need to do this to survive. I can't say that puts me in a generous mood. It's less that they need killing than that I wouldn't feel bad about stopping their spree of murder and plundering. They're not real. Exp is exp.
I'd feel different about a group of goblins minding their own business. Like I feel different about the mindflayer in the underdark. However, it doesn't seem so far like those type of goblins exist in Bg3. Any goblins we personally meet are likely to be pawns of the absolute.
