What I think me and some of the other posters are saying is that clearly there is a line to be drawn SOMEWHERE between ultimate player choice and freedom, while maintaining balance and difficulty. It’s just that we disagree on where that line is. I like having a game, looking at my toolbox of options, and finding a creative way to solve the puzzle in front of me. If I need to enter the Drow base up ahead, I might use disguise self to look like a Drow. But now, I could for less resources, go and just change my race to Drow. I won’t, because that’s cheesy as hell, but the mere fact of knowing the ‘best’ solution was a dumb one that I intentionally didn’t use so I didn’t break my immersion, bothers me.
It’s the same reason some people don’t like barrelmancy, because it’s a narratively unsatisfying but extremely effective way to beat encounters. I come across what’s supposed to be a difficult encounter, I look at it like a puzzle, and go well I know I could just beat it with barrels. Or changing my class to wizard for this specific fight. Or using stealth cheese, or using double spells on Sorcerer even though that’s not how it’s supposed to work or or or…and sure I could just not use these. And I won’t, but the mere fact of them existing still makes the experience worse for me. That’s why I at least am bothered by changes like these.
But you do agree, that having choice is good, yes?
I mean, look at this from another perspective. Content creators. Sometimes you see people playing through an entire act just to take a perfect sreenshot. Sometimes they need to see the outcome of a conversation for their video. And bam - they can do it with a few clicks, no need to go through all of that to get that one reference you needed.
While you can simply not do it, and enjoy your game with what you find satisfying.
