I disagree. Generic fill in the box settings are all WotC is giving us. Every setting has every race and class in it. Magic works the same. And so on.
A unique setting like Dark Sun or Birthright doesn't happen anymore, because they need/want to appeal to the widest audience possible, and...
While I agree with your general premise, I don't think the bolded necessarily follows. One example isn't enough to establish a pattern. I think that 3e/3.5e/Pathfinder 1e/Pathfinder 1e Unchained all pumped out products at an incredible pace, and that contributed to shortening its lifespan.
Yeah. Standing is even harder to balance on, so I'm not sure why they would change it to "stand on" and then not include language stating the magic keeps the person on the broom with no ability check.
There is no "screw over" or "nerf" happening here. Nothing in the language written says or implies that you just stick there with no need to balance. Now, if required ability checks to simply stay on while it is moving, that could be seen as a nerf.
Here's the thing. If an item grants an...
There are no rules, which leaves what is written and common sense. All that is written is that you mount it. Not that it magically glues your hind end to the stick so you can't fall.
You can't fall off the boots for starters, so spellcasting would be easy since you don't have to hold on to...
Yep. And some of those are badly injured or killed doing it. If you want to let go and try to fly a thin stick, controlling it's movement, while casting a spell, you're going to be making a check to see if you fall 10's or 100's of feet. If you are dumb enough to actually try and swing a...
What's broken? They aren't entitled to use all 8 of those spells and no cantrips mixed in there. If they do, they aren't entitled to rest right afterwards. The might be able to. The might not be able to .
When you read the books or watch the movies, it takes time. Uses the imagination. In the case of the movies, involves acting(roleplaying). The fights are handled closer to RPG combat is handled than video game combat. Boromir didn't respawn after the orcs shot him. Gandalf did respawn, but...
Sure. I'm not saying that there are not also video games of those two. I'm saying that the stories lend themselves more towards RPGs than to video games.
Most don't, though. And all of the ones that do have long recovery times that I can remember are either D&D video games, or ones heavily inspired by D&D.
D&D is both LotR and Conan. I know this because I've played D&D LotR and played through the D&D Conan module a long time ago. Those two IPs are a billion times closer to what roleplaying games are than a video game.