Trust your instincts, let the numbers flow from your body, your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them . . . use the force

I remember when playing Baldur's Gate, a classic and heavy influence on any fantasy computer genre, that the combat log was instrumental in tweaking your characters skills and equipment. That being said; I always found the game more enjoyable when I minimized it and didn't pay attention to it.

It's a tough call.