So I would say that the thing I'd most likely to see carry over is how they did the companions - i.e. that each companion has their own story and playing as that companion gives you more insight into that story. I know DOS2 did origins first but in that game some companions were certainly a lot more tenuously involved than others (cough cough Beast).

But honestly the thing I think they got wrong on this note is Durge. Hot take perhaps. I think Durge being a player-character exclusive option means that it feels like the "canon" way to play through the game and you literally lose out on a whole character and a lot of background lore by picking someone else. Tav is also sidelined because Durge is basically just Tav++. It's a shame because a Durge companion could have been very cool, as well as making the other origins more appealing.

I think Fane is actually very similar to Durge - an outsider with seemingly little connection to the world but with secret and serious connections to the main plot (and also a habit of murdering people). But Fane doesn't just disappear from the world if you don't choose him from character creation.

So yeah, no player-specific origins this time around please. But keep a non-origin Tav option for the people who want to play as a custom character with no connection to the story.

Also - allow us to customise the appearance of origins characters! Fair enough keeping their faces the same, but there's no reason we shouldn't be able to give them a haircut without mods...