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Yes, tons of people have impressions and beliefs about all kinds of things, impressions and beliefs that are not based on factual truth. The impression of 4e powers being samey is one these, as the impression is based on the uniform presentation of powers and the lack of knowledge of what 4e...

Yes, some spells in 3e (and 5e) are samey. Do you disagree?

My argument is that the sameyness impression is based on 2 factors: presentation and lack of knowledge of the full extent of 4e powers (and rituals). If I present the 3e spells cure minor wounds, cure light wounds, cure moderate wounds, cure serious wounds, and cure critical wounds as evidence...

So is your claim that some 4e powers are samey, or that all 4e powers are samey?

You chose a few powers out of thousands. Is your claim that all 4e powers are samey, all martial at-will attack powers are samey, or that all powers of a single class are samey? Or something else?

Yes, since they’re all martial at-will single-target weapon attacks. Just like the various 5e single target cantrips are quite similar. Or how most 5e weapons are very similar, some of them identical even. Or how 3e has several nearly identical conjuration spells, including the single target...

Here's a selection of powers (not rituals) that have various uses in scenarios involving a strategic scope. This is not an exhaustive list. Command Water (wizard): adjust a body of water miles in diameter; lasts until your next long rest or until dismissed. Fiendish Oracle (occultist theme)...

Similar but definitely not identical. You can’t shift across a chasm (without a fly speed), or up a tree or onto a roof (without a climb speed). You can’t simply shift out of a grab, or avoid triggered punishes from soldier type enemies (some of which do trigger off shifting). I just want to...

Here’s the thing. You weren’t aware of the full extent of 4e ritual magic. I and others have also pointed out powers that are very varied and provide all kinds of effects. Could it be possible that your impression is faulty because you simply are not aware of all the things published 4e powers...

And as far as the mundane vs magical distinction is concerned: there’s still a difference in 4e. You can’t polymorph with ”mundane” powers, or summon creatures. It’s not as if all the power sources cover identical effects.

I talked about this in the part you left out. 5e spells are better at bypassing challenges because they are more likely to be binary and don’t require checks nearly as often. Curing diseases is a great example that happens in lower to mid level play. The 5e phantom steed has no checks involved...

I’m saying that your impression is based on a faulty premise where the powers, rituals, and magic items are less numerous and varied than what they actually are in the printed material. For example, you weren’t aware that there’s a ritual to scramble a portal, changing its destination. Or did...

No, I understand the question. My answer is that the impression of 4e being samey is the result of two things: presentation and lack of knowledge. Of course 4e powers and rituals look samey and less powerful if you only know what 4e Magic Missile, Cleave, and Magic Mouth can do, but are unaware...

The ultimate reason why I think 4e has been memefied as samey has been mentioned in the thread: the presentation. A wizard spell, a fighter exploit, a magic item power all have very similar if not identical rules presentation. If you don't play the game or have played it only a little bit, the...

And if I'm allowed to rant a bit: People sometimes bring up 4e leader minor action healing as an example of sameyness. All those healing powers have differences however. But guess what -- in 5e, the bonus action quick heal is exactly the same among all the classes. Healing word is used by...

There are so many ways you can still accomplish the scenario in 4e. There are items and powers and rituals that allow you to instantly get to safety. Instant Portal, Exodus Knife, Mordenkainen's Mansion, Quick Portal, etc. This stuff does exist in 4e. I don't agree that the 4e powers and...

The portal rituals do not explicitly state that the created portal is NOT a two-way portal. In addition, Manual of the Planes says that most portals allow for two-way travel, and that only some portals are one-way only. Now, obviously this is a case where a DM might rule it either way, but even...

Can you create a 5e rogue who can cure diseases, grant long-distance flight, and ride around on a giant floating sword, and who’s a vampire and a werewolf too? In 4e you can.

You could in fact ride around on an enlarged disembodied hand, a skull, a clockwork scorpion, or even a sword or a hammer.

Teleportation rituals in 4e create portals. Those portals stay open, and the duration is determined by the ritual caster’s skill check. Thus, you can open the portal, go through, and force the target through the portal back to where you came from.