Zardnaar
Legend
The claim that 5e wizards with at will cantrips, ritual spells, two spell slots, same to-hit progression as a fighter, and no roll to learn new spells suck compared to 1e magic users with one spell slot, no effective cantrips, no ritual spells, sucky hit progression, and a chance to not get to know a particular spell is a pretty unusual one.
Sleep was more powerful in 1E and throwing 3 darts in 1E for 1d3 damage is better than a d8 or d10 cantrip in 5E. Especially since 5E tends to double or triple monster HP. You also got a lot more wands, scrolls, staves etc in 1E which were in effect your cantrips.
In 2E a specialist gets 2 spells so something like an enchanter with 2 sleeps throwing darts is arguably better than the 5E wizard. 5E wizards have a d6 as well but relative to incoming damage from monsters the d4 AD&D wizard is better off than the 5E wizard.
Fireball even at low levels in AD&D (5d6) is also better than a 5E 8d6 fireball due to monster HP inflation.
Slinging cantrips also doesn't feel very magical vs casting something like Magic Missile at higher level in AD&D. Magic Missile is basically the waste of a spell in 5E. Direct damage was also better in older editions its a bit of a trap for wizards in 5E, let the martials do it or warlocks/sorcerers.
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