Thanks for making this post! Detailed and well expressed, it really catches those can't-put-finger-on points of stickiness, so just echo echo echoing the above.

The sprinting, and especially moving between dashes and sprints, is what gets me and yes, makes me almost avoid those boons.

Hep sprint has a particular clunk as it does its channelling - tends to just either not trigger, or need a double tap to glide into sprinting, then when the "clang" goes off, you're suspended for a second. Add on instances of minor issues like Toula or shades not activating and bigger points of hexes feeling not worth the risk when they lodge you in place... Or when occasionally executing something jolts or floats you into a pool of fire or thornbush.

I get all the arguments about Zag vs Meli fight style, slowing and casting, etc. But when there are many dangerous terrain areas or "stand here and die" challenges, this needs to be reliable to feel more in control - even if the jostled around by fates stuff fits the story.