I'm about 50 hours in right now and I've only lost a life to a shove once, and even then I still won the fight. It was the ship battle in the Underdark which is heavily designed around the option of knocking people into the water. It's kind of that fight's gimmick. Knocking people into the water was a valid combat strategy during boarding maneuvers.
Except.. tactically speaking, there should be a way to position yourself to avoid being insta-killed by a Bonus Action. Taking AoO's as you position yourself to make sure you don't get insta-killed should be the tactical play here. Getting randomly slapped to death without any means to avoid it is not tactically valid or a fun mechanic in a game.
Secondly, falling in water should not be an instant death. Let's say in that fight it is because of underwater monsters and getting completely lost. If someone's body is lost forever or eaten, it should not conveniently teleport to your camp. This kind of videogamey nonsense that conflicts with storytelling and makes permanent deaths "funny" or "inconvenient" does not belong in an RPG, for me. Then we get Withers at camp to facilitate this cheap rez/respec rumba as well so the "gamey stuff" is as loud as it can be.
I guess I just want the game to be a bit more serious about death and less convenient.
