I think this is an example of why a session 0 is a good thing and why it is good to get buy-in.
DM: "I want to make the game feel challenging. I don't want to get into a game of 'team who goes first wins rocket tag' in order to challenge you. I'd also like to see everyone in roughly the same power level ballpark so no one feels left out. Does that make sense?"
A DM pronouncing no power gaming as a dictate is probably trying to say the above, because it has felt badwrong when the above happened before and can't necessarily put their finger on it. Help them out by offering the above, see if that's what they want. If they say, yes, you know what's going on. If they say no, I just hate power gaming without making it clear why, maybe need to find a different game.
DM: "I want to make the game feel challenging. I don't want to get into a game of 'team who goes first wins rocket tag' in order to challenge you. I'd also like to see everyone in roughly the same power level ballpark so no one feels left out. Does that make sense?"
A DM pronouncing no power gaming as a dictate is probably trying to say the above, because it has felt badwrong when the above happened before and can't necessarily put their finger on it. Help them out by offering the above, see if that's what they want. If they say, yes, you know what's going on. If they say no, I just hate power gaming without making it clear why, maybe need to find a different game.