Basically when you reload the game because you didn't like your level up HP roll, you failed to memorise a spell, etc. Thinking of BG2, if that spell was the only one in the game, and you failed to learn it because of a bad roll with nothing you could have done about it, then I'd consider that bad design and justify the save scumming (or mod installation).
Bad example. You can buy a few potions and have 100% spell learning chance. You can play BG2 without reloading once. I and many others did it.
Potions of Intellect weren't exactly fruit on trees, at least IIRC. At best they could be saved for a number of spells to be sure, but only if you foregoed attempting spells at level. But congratulations for not reloading. Not once? Not one reload? That is very impressive. The final fight with pussy blinking Irenicus and his Balors or Cacofiends or whatever alone would be challenging. Plus his "final" fight on the ledge where he (did he random death one or everyone? Can't remember)
And you didn't reload in the fight with the ghaurs?
Not with the several Ulithids (who could instant-kill) fights up to mother brain?
Not with that rogue stone door party with the uh, vampire, beholder, mage, etc.?
Not with that party you meet in Northwest sewers? At level? Or did you just give them gold to pass.
Not at dark on way to that Umar Hills witch?
Not with the Celestial Fire wielding group? Or that goddamn rakshasha etc. below that floor?
Not with the black dragon?
Not with Bodhi in the final encounter and immediately prior?
Not with any of the things you pulled from Imprisonment with the Freedom spell in the Underdark (granted might've taken foreknowledge), not to mention that always-there Drow party? Or that Githyanki party?
Not with the Balor in the Underdark?
Not with
fucking Kangaxx the Lich? Seriously? Or did your party never get to him.
And you didn't reload to just prior ,to put up all necessary potions/spells to ward? You just went in unawares and did it?
I mean sure, if you're intent is to ironman, and/or just do the main quest and not be challenged by side quests,
plus already know it all, you can tool your party (maybe losing several to death/replacing) or survive yourself (of particular class like my T/C/F) to win. Or you can win with sidestepping every fight. That isn't novel. What's impressive is that/if
you had never before played BG2 and suddenly beat every enemy without once reloading.
P.S. I agree that reloading a spell-learn, which is normally nonessential, is normally "save-scumming". I just don't know if your claimed triumphs are a real counter to that, in this particular PC game. Even assuming you're such a badass to win BG2 without ever reloading first run through, would you have beaten BG2 if chance found your mages not learning
any spells? Or your warrior/pally/ranger getting only
1s on 1-8 or 1-10 rolls? Plus, I don't think any first run-through, especially BG2 with that shitty Irenicus dungeon, should necessarily be seen as easy enough to avoid save-scumming if a spell-learn didn't hit. After that dungeon I was just wishing for Fireball or Lightning Bolt, and if I picked up that scroll, my mage
was damn sure going to learn it, come hell or high reload.
All apologies if your PC was a sorcerer, of course...