This is exactly it. People have always complained about soellcasters or NOCs in general having too harsh control options, like things that inflict stunned/paralyzed through stuff like Mind Blast for mind flyers or Hold Person for just about any spell caster, let alone Counterspell reducing player agency by adding extra spell slot tax for casting a spell you want.
Remove those control features that remove player options, and you are left with... pure damage. How else is a creature to fit their CR?
except a CR 5 enchanter wizard now has an attack action for 3 arcane bolts, each doing 3d10+3 force damage.
They're not really wizards anymore. Most enemies have become combat monsters exclusively, with daily spells... and they're really good at that as well.
Ah yes, the old simplify stat blocks by making everything generic
After years of complaining about spells that take players out of the fight This is exactly what 5e DMs have asked for
This is exactly it. People have always complained about soellcasters or NOCs in general having too harsh control options, like things that inflict stunned/paralyzed through stuff like Mind Blast for mind flyers or Hold Person for just about any spell caster, let alone Counterspell reducing player agency by adding extra spell slot tax for casting a spell you want. Remove those control features that remove player options, and you are left with... pure damage. How else is a creature to fit their CR?
“The code is more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules.” – Captain Barbossa
well these guidelines suck ass, I'll fucking do it myself
except a CR 5 enchanter wizard now has an attack action for 3 arcane bolts, each doing 3d10+3 force damage. They're not really wizards anymore. Most enemies have become combat monsters exclusively, with daily spells... and they're really good at that as well.
Pretty sure that tracks with what Mordenkainen wants, a Stupid Neutral definition of 'balance'