H1B 2024 counsular processing

Hi, Currently I am working on Stem OPT. I got selected in H1B CAP lottery this year through my current employer. If we choose to go with consular processing and my OPT ends on June, 2024 so I’m planning to activate my H1B from Apr, 2024.

  1. If I travel to India in dec 2023, would that be on [OPT]? Do we expect any increase in scrunity at port of entry?
  2. After coming from India, if I change the client in jan 2024, will I be given chance to do change of status processing for activating so I don’t need to go back to India again ?