such as 6-8 encounters per long rest and 2 short rests between long ones?
Which is something I do for one group and not another based on the players and the style of campaign.
I think a lot can be done via such guidelines, encounter building, rests, treasure per level, etc. Some of it obviously has to come from decent game balance, that is the prerequisite for the guidelines to exist
I do agree that we should have more guidelines and suggestions. On the other hand, anyone learning to play now knows how to search for advice they don't need it in the rulebook. I'd love a "DM Options" book but I don't expect it to ever see it, but then again most previous editions had pretty slim advice as well. Yet we all figured out options anyway. For some editions, because we had no choice.
should be avoidable to a degree, they do not all have to work the same, but their power levels should be comparable.
If we cannot accomplish that with the current class design, I am perfectly fine with have more similar design across classes, starting with harmonizing the subclass progression across classes, something 5.5 should have done anyway
Not going to be the first time nor the last that I acknowledge the issues with the current version of D&D while also saying that I don't like a lot of the proposed fixes. We aren't playing a board game or checkers. I don't want the goal of the game to be perfect balance across all classes because we will never agree what that looks like and I don't value that goal over other things like flexibility and making classes have a unique feel.