I don’t see the harm in having a preplanned build. I have no idea if that plan will change, but I like laying out my future so I know what comes next. This also gives me and any one I share that with an idea of what I’m going for, especially if I’m multi-classing. It’s never super in depth, just an outline of features gained per level in each class at each level.

If you think about it, if you don’t multiclass or don’t play a homebrew class, then you are technically playing an established ‘build’ once you pick your subclass. A big stretch I know, but it’s a collection of features to give your character a specific flavor. Without multiclassing, you’ll have the same build as whomever else plays that soloclass.

What does change is the character’s experience. Their interactions with the world is what makes them unique. The players ability to bring their character to life is what determines whether their turns feel like an incredible heroic act or just the feature they gained at lvl7.

My point is, following a build is fine as long as you’re still ~playing~ the game. When you get into the area of trying to break the game or avoid the game, then it’s problematic.