OP I understand you. I feel the same way. I really hope that you can create your custom party right from the very beginning.
Larian have said that this will be in the full game. You can actually already do it but it’s not convenient.
One thought as I've never played multiplayer, if four people are playing the tutorial, does Laezel simply not show up? What about SH?
In EA they show up talking to "dismiss your weakest warrior" and blablabla. The real problem is you are only allowed to create three custom party member, with four you can't add /switch companions to the party...
EDIT: As The Red Queen said Lae'zel was an exception as temporarily fitfth party member. "Us" was a temporarily pet / familiar / summon. But later on it was as I described.
