Quote Originally Posted by Moreb Benhk View Post
But isn't that in part because of spell balance issues rather than spell number. There are a number of spells that are straight out superior to other options, so they become the obvious default choices. I'd rather they addressed balance issues with existing spells and cantrips in a book like Tasha's, rather than printing new spells 3.5E style. A spell list of 5000+ spells doesn't actually provide a lot of diversity in play when 1000 are so bad that no body uses them, 2000 are just worse-versions of other spells, and 100 spells break the power curve for utility and impact. In play you'll mostly see the 100 spells (and a smattering of the rest), because people are disincentised from picking objectively less-effective options.

Same thing for feats. Some of them suck pretty hard - so the actual list most people choose between is pretty small.

Plus rebalancing the spell/feat list is newbie friendly as it doesn't add to bloat and removes trap options that will contribute to them feeling inneffective.
But this also applies to subclasses as well. I can count the number of frenzy barbarians, 4 elements monks, champion fighters that I have DMed for on the fingers of one head. Whatever it is people are choosing from they tend to pick the better option. Its true of any content. Yet still they release new subclasses.

I dont think that the issue of a characters spell list being too powerful is an issue either. Much like alternative class features, create some spells as alternatives. If there was a spell that was a explicit replacement for wall of force, as in you could have one or the other, then there wouldnt be much of a problem at all.