I'll address a few points.
There are mods to go past lvl12 but you'll need an xp buff mod to get to 20 which is the normal max for 5e.
BG3 is 100+ years after BG2 so anyone not of a long-lived race is almost certainly dead. Minsc only survived because the big goof got turned to stone and spent most of it as a statue. He and Jaheira are both potential companions.
Aka used a plot twist to keep him alive. I have nothing against such plot twists but there are more interesting characters like viconia, edwyn. Edwyn is far more interesting companion. He is especially fun in bg2. It is especially fun when he got turned into female. Instead of making viconia a enemy, they should have turned her as a companion. It would be much more fun as a cameo.
That is good you can get to level 20 via mods but that is not the point. The point is that developers designed game in way that you won't be op. I hate when we are introduced this kind of handicap.
For me, leveling is one of the main points of an RPG. In nwn 1 you start as a noob and you end up as a man who could defeat a king of hell.
