Wiseblood
Adventurer
I'll agree you have a problem there.
No class needs to optimize not even fighters.
Maguic Users have a much more forgiving shtick. If you really look at things. Should an NPC wizard have any save vs will spells if Fighters are soooo lame? I would have save or die vs Fortitude coming out of my ears. I would exhale save vs. reflex.
Your friend can believe whatever he wants about optimization. 99% of DM's handle casters with kit gloves and target the "weak classes" because hold person doesn't kill you outright. The proclivity of DM's to target will saves artificially lowers the quality of some classes. Is turnabout fair play? As a DM, if I immediatly target casters and tear them down, is that fair?
The game does not force optimization. It is an option.
A DM can create pressure that encourages optimization or discourages it.
For example if the PC's often face encounters higher than their level it may encourage optimization. (or perhaps cooperation.)
However a DM may target optimized PC's and potentially discourage optimizing. ( it can also have the exact opposite effect) but a DM can raise the bar higher than any PC can reach.
Most players choose to optimize. Some run from opimizing as fast as their legs will carry them. Still other players pay no attention to it whatsoever.
No class needs to optimize not even fighters.
Maguic Users have a much more forgiving shtick. If you really look at things. Should an NPC wizard have any save vs will spells if Fighters are soooo lame? I would have save or die vs Fortitude coming out of my ears. I would exhale save vs. reflex.
Your friend can believe whatever he wants about optimization. 99% of DM's handle casters with kit gloves and target the "weak classes" because hold person doesn't kill you outright. The proclivity of DM's to target will saves artificially lowers the quality of some classes. Is turnabout fair play? As a DM, if I immediatly target casters and tear them down, is that fair?
The game does not force optimization. It is an option.
A DM can create pressure that encourages optimization or discourages it.
For example if the PC's often face encounters higher than their level it may encourage optimization. (or perhaps cooperation.)
However a DM may target optimized PC's and potentially discourage optimizing. ( it can also have the exact opposite effect) but a DM can raise the bar higher than any PC can reach.
Most players choose to optimize. Some run from opimizing as fast as their legs will carry them. Still other players pay no attention to it whatsoever.
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) I've rarely seen even an "optimized" character be completely flawless in every situation thrown at them. Our groups "optimized" barbarian was a literal meat grinder and all rejoiced - until the day he was Confused and slaughtered the cleric with a crit. Conversely, our party mage was "all that" until he failed a simple Fort save after wandering around in a filth covered cavern and nearly died. 
