5th edition is bad game design. There really isn’t any where positive go with it as your base rules design.
An argument that could SOMEWHAT not sound stupid only in case the changes made were actual improvements.
With how the game encourages you to swap party members around for quests it's unreasonable to expect you to commit to anything in this game.
If anything this should be even more reasons to NOT introduce another dozen of non-committal options, since there was already more than enough freedom/leeway to begin with.
I'm already tired of HAVING to bring astarion every to lockpick worth a damn. He's got a guaranteed spot on my roster because of it. Going somewhere with a sub par group sucks. Gotta take Lae'zel for the creche is annoying.
Ive played through BG3 (Im at endboss), without using Astarion at all (except for story quests concerning him). You really dont need him for lockpicking.
- Shadowheart can give you advantage on any skill check (and later also Jaheira) (dex, STR, WIS etc, you have to choose 1), lasts untill long rest.
- There are several sources of Guidance, the strongest being the necklace.
- Laezel can give herself +3 to any skill set for the day, including sleight of hand.
- Theres a pair of gloves that boost your dex to 18 around mid game.
- And theres a ring that gives you +2 to sleight of hand in act 1 (hidden in bushes on a skeleton underneath the toll post somewhere.
- Plus you can also respecc yourself or any companion to have higher dex.
So saying Astarion is a must for lockpicking is just not true, if you fail you can just try again, only thing you are expending are lockpicks, and there are plenty of those, just make sure you buy some if your running low.
