@Blackheifer
D&D isn't just a set of rules - it's an entire IP that includes people, places, Realms, and existing stories with 50 million current players. They may not have loved aspects of the 5e ruleset, but the ruleset isn't the IP
But I think the expressions of passion for DnD were reactions to the backlash to the CEO's statement that Larian would help DnD out by creating a ruleset that was fun for video games. After that backlash Larian did do the right thing by hiring some real DnD fans and this shows up in chapter 2 and in many of the books BUT that falls apart in Chapter 3.
Chapter 3 is pure Larian. And it's the worst chapter.
Gods:
In DoS2 the MC becomes one of the chosen of the gods only to discover that the gods are asshats who treat their followers like cattle; the adventurers eventually kill the gods.
In chapter 3 BG3 everyone seems to adopted Kethric's opinion on the gods. For no good reason other than this is just the template that Larian uses. Shadowheart is convinced that **all** the gods are petty. Gale believes that Mystra uses him as plaything. Lae'zel believes Vlaakith treats the Gith like cattle (and she is right even if the others are wrong). Wyll still believes in the Triad but he's happy to confirm the god hating attitudes of the other companions.
You can like that or not but it's not Faerun. This isn't the age of enlightenment, this isn't Rivellon, nor is it Eora. If Mystra asked one of her chosen to kill themselves she would return them to life immediately or give them a place of honor in Elysium. In the realms the good gods are good, evil gods evil and the heroes vanquish the villains. If you prefer grimdark or morally grey you use the Greyhawk setting, not the realms.
A lot of these depend on choices, and also Vlaakith is not a God as has been mentioned. Mystra can and does restore Gale but it isn't promised as that undermines the gravity of the sacrifice itself. Shadowheart can go a lot of different paths, again depends on choices.
You seem to be complaining about outcomes that you chose. Odd.
Technology:
Factories just don't exist, smokepowder is rare and grenades are rarer than legendary items (and are very likely to explode in your pack).
Golems do exist but the 1950s switchboard that controls them, the steel infrastructure of the factory (which needed another factory to make) felt like it was imported from Arcanum or some other game.
It exists in the hells. It's all over Descent to Avernus - unless you want to claim that isn't part of the Lore either. Gortash helped design this technology which he clearly adapted or stole from the Hells.
Quests
One of the first quests you encounter is the explosives made by a creepy toymaker who creates explosive toys - which was all but a cut and paste from chapter 3 of DoS2.
After that you can go to the circus, get your lols from redcaps, ghouls, mummies and dancing zombies. And get the assemble the clown quest so you can help make another zombie. Boy is that fun /s
Then you can return the amulet and, for whatever reason, see the undead represented in manner consistent with DnD lore. Off to the graveyard where you do indeed see a cleric of Kelemvor represented accurately but then, for whatever reason, you need to forget DnD lore so you can get your lols from the necromancer in the magic store.
Then, if you hate yourself, you complete the save the artist quest and put some intelligent zombies in charge of a house of horrors. Going in as cleric of Kelmevor / Lathander is clearly the evil way to complete this quest for some reason.
Then off Astarian's quest where the "good" choice is to flood Baldur's Gate with 7000 vampire spawn. While holding the blood of Lathander presumably.
TL;DR
Yes, there is something to Larian wanting to use the lore of realms but not the combat ruleset. But it's equally clear that they felt constrained by the lore of the realms. Chapter 3 just belongs in another setting. Perhaps Eora.
They may have felt constrained by WotC but I think they also felt constrained by fans like me. They don't want to be told that Faerun doesn't have factories or that explosives are rare. They want barrels and for fans to post videos of big explosions from backpack bombs.
Larian's communications to the modding community seemed to be tinged with sincere anger and frustration. I can detect a note of annoyance when Larian talks about mindflayers and souls. I think they also want to free themselves from DnD fans and their expectations.
It's hard to take any of this seriously since you don't back it up with sources. And for some reason you don't seem to consider the modules themselves as sources, or even the timeline of what has happened in the realms.
After the Time of Troubles Gond taught the Lantanese how to make Smokepowder and it became fairly common even if it was often banned locally by various governments. In Dragon Heist it can be purchased in Waterdeep and it is considered an Uncommon Wondrous Item.
You also seem to be projecting your own idea of what the game believes is evil or good onto your play. I have played as a Cleric of Lathander and I always killed undead when I met with them and I don't feel any guilt about it - I didn't feel any guilt about killing Astarion when it was revealed he was a vampire and that really solves a lot of that problem. If my companions have an issue with my behavior they can fuck right off. Also the game does not imply, and I have never interpreted it, that flooding Baldur's Gate with 7k spawn is in any way a good thing.
If you play the game where your moral compass is dictated by the approval or disapproval of your companions then that is the same as not having any moral/ethical outlook. It says you lack the strength of your convictions - or simply that you have no convictions or that your convictions are just meaningless virtue signaling where you constantly chase the approval of others.
So much projection.
Protip - Try to focus your arguments and back them with sources. You are really all over the place.
Also you seem to be split on your theme whether it's your own disappointing play or if you are trying to argue that Larian didn't follow the lore of Faerun. The first is subjective so I would just avoid that but the second one has promise and you may be able to make a decent argument if you can back with sources.
