Unscratchable specific TRPG itch.
I'm craving a game that combines really satisfying party-based combat, a pleasant gameplay loop, characters I'm actually invested in, and a fun (ideally but not necessarily class-based) progression system.
BG3 nailed the combat and progression but I was meh on the characters and I hated the gameplay loop (way too much time spent in the inventory/backtracking/wrestling the UI).
I'm trying WOTR now, which so far seems like it might have better characters, and definitely still has the buildcraft elements I want, but unfortunately I kind of hate the combat.
I'm pretty good at finding games that do two or three of those four things, but I can't seem to sniff out one that nails all four.
Can anyone suggest some games that might scratch that specific itch?
(A few of my favorite other TRPG/CRPGs for reference: Ogre Battle 64, the various Dragon Age games, Wasteland II, FFT, FE:TH, Unicorn Overlord)
(A few games I tried but ultimately bounced off of: Pillars of Eternity, Symphony of War, Mass Effect)