I get it: you don't like side quests. That's cool.

Except for when they serve a plot function as outlined earlier; otherwise, they tend to create dissonance with the narrative, as was the case for me in BG.

Trouble is, as I see it, that's hardly role playing. But, to each his/her own.

You're right, that meta criticism is; however, the part where I roleplayed a thief and bobbed people for jink and kit was, and it provided exactly zero incentive to do fetch quests after that since I already had enough to survive. Taking additional quests beyond that wouldn't have been RPing to my character, but metagaming.

Except that your method is playing to the game, not to your own role creation where shelter, eating, sleeping etc. are real concerns, not just a method to re-learn spells. Nobody can survive on the road just from petty theft.

After getting over 1K, I think that we've moved beyond petty theft and into having the kit to be able to pull lucrative jobs to get paid, like the one in the mines turned out to be paying for. After the mines, we had some nice kit from the dead half-ogre and gold to swim in to the point we could sleep in the fanciest rooms and drink the finest brews, which we did the moment we could afford it. Helping someone clean out a group of monsters because a Paladin said something about showing them justice made no sense from an RP perspective after that, as did most of the early quests.

Tying this back to OP, the quests are needed, as others have mentioned. If you don't do them, it will make things more difficult for you. Depending on your personal reaction, you either won't mind or it will bug you to some degree; beyond that, all I can say is your mileage may vary.

We're on different wavelengths.

You Guys! What's important to note is that Jonesy is absolutely right. I would be silly to defile delicious bacon with veggies. Therefore it was technically not a BLT I had for lunch.

Also, IDK if using my imagination to justify the integrity of the scenario in order to maintain suspension of disbelief constitutes roleplaying. That would be like a theater audience making up a scenario in their heads to justify the existence of the gun in the room in Act I.

Also, BG adheres to the whole "Spirit of Adventure!" theme permeating DnD. Heck, the term "Adventurer" is used in such a way that it makes it sound like a profession. You've got blacksmiths and inn keepers and merchants and adventurers. So in the spirit of adventure, adventurers venture forth, explore, slay monsters, save the imperiled raid dungeons and bring back the golden talisman why? because it's their job, that's why. For setting off on your adventure from Candlekeep, the protagonist enters into the profession. Hence, questing is just part of the job.

This is why it makes sense for Geralt to slay harpies/nekkers/gargoyles/endregas/succubi/etc during the course of his adventure. Why? Because he's a Witcher. It's what he does.

RPG PCs almost always in veritably assume the role of freelance mercenary in some form or another.

No. just no.

I played BG1 (actually BGT, but I stopped when the second one started) to completion, for my first time, a few days ago (take or give some).

I also got bored from the sidequests soon, so for the most part, I stuck to the main quest.

there was ONLY ONE time when I had to grind (... do side quests), and that was before the battle on the iron throne building. I did maybe 3 or 4 side quests, following a walkthrough. I gained perhaps 1 level with that, and not for my 6 characters.

I had no problem in finishing the game (even the final battle), although I was far from the level cap (my party was between levels 6 and 8, I think.) My main character was a pure mage, btw, and since I was using BGT; I couldn't do the monsterspam trick to beat the final boss.

all of that in normal difficulty.

although I have to admit I had to google for help both in the iron throne battle and the final one. (and for the former, I only found that "it was very difficult, and you better use some spells")

TL;DR: side quests do help, but they are not actually essential. and yes, I also like to stick to the main quest. sometimes.

I think the answer is a yeah-no.

Depending on your party and character you may have to grind a level (mage!) before some of the plot-battles. But this is also where the mirriad options in combat come in (mind the hint the game gives you "try all your options, potions, special abilities, different spells etc.), oftentimes a battle that seems too though for you just requires a different strategy. I had this with the posse of mercenaries that you fight in the palisades of the mine in the wood of sharp teeth. You have to make sure to disable their spell caster AND slow that fighter with the fast-boots AND get the guy with the throwing axes. A combination of the right spells, buffs, weapons, using hide-in-shadows and placing your chars in the right spots will do it!

And sometimes it´s a question of getting that lucky roll/hit...

I'd skip playing games on the iPad, as has been said, since you're missing extra content that is really worth playing in the unfinished business packs, plus with the ability to mod and play BG/BG2 together (and BG using the BG2 interface) the experience really will be different and I think more enjoyable if you play on your laptop. Games this old should run fine on your laptop. Play Fallout and Fallout 2, play Planescape: Torment, play Arcanum.