After reading the notes, testing some stuff, and returning to the forums, I somehow got the feeling, that many arguments in these forums may stem from a severe lack of understanding of the new system. That's natural, I guess, as whenever something new replaces the old, it's in the nature of people to compare them, even though they're different to the core and only share superficial similarities. Like when they change the dessert in the canteen from apples to bananas. Will you compare apples to bananas? Probably, even though they're two very different kinds of fruit, which happens to fill in the same role: Being a dessert in the canteen.

Hoping that it will help some of you, I wrote some points about the new system, which may give you a new look on this, a better understanding, if you're open-minded. Because I can imagine, that a lot of people already made their opinion and they only look for arguments, that either confirm their believes, or that oppose them, so that they can write another comment to let out their frustrations...
Let's see how many of those will post here.

Now I'll begin the actual meat of this post:

1.) The new system is for the level cap increase
While I don't want that increase, that's the reason why we get the new system. Instead of trying to add even more to the game, the devs decided to take a look at the different power systems and then came to the decision to redo the EDs. That means, that whatever you calculate your character will be able to achieve at level 30 is more of a intermediate result. For example, if they increase the level cap next year to level 32, then we have already 8 more points to spend.
As the level cap increase was planned this year and was pushed back in the schedule, of course the devs keep it in mind for several of their decisions regarding the EDs.

2.) Expandability
Aside from the level cap increase, this system is compatible with several ways of expanding and extending it. After the redo of the old EDs come thre more to correlate to artificer, alchemists, and warlocks, which means more fate points, which leads to more destiny points. Same goes for more epic past lives. There may be an option for EDs that don't directly correlate to any class at all, like an Heir of Syberis, which is bades around Dragonmarks, for example.
While these additions aren't planned yet afaik, the new system had been made to accomodate for them.

3.) Another frame
It's important to not compare the new destinies 1:1 to the old ones. Because they both base on very different systems. In the old one, one tree had to do most of the work, while now the work is carried by 1-3 trees, depending on the player's choices. A player can decide to forgo one tree entirely, losing some melee and ranged power to make two trees work. Or can decide to spread and take a lot of low tiers, which enhances the heroic build to be reliable in epics, leaving most epic actives behind.
I mean, I work out my melee builds with at most +60 melee power from the ED, so I won't have problems to forgo another 30 if I believe that the build gets more solid otherwise. Nothing lost for me there, just nothing gained.
Aside of the stronger choice component, the whole design behind it is to actually use more than one tree. So while many numbers may seem off (and I'm sure some are too low), the baseline is to spend 52 in up to 3 trees, instead of 24 in one tree plus some singular enhancements you can eventually add to it.

4.) Not meant to be changed
Do you change their EDs depending on the quest? If yes, do you also respec all of the heroic trees, to be true to it? DDO has a lot of decisions in terms of builds, and some are easier to redo than others (feat exchanges takes a mindflayer reprogramming your brain, after all). The old system had EDs that are straight forward in their roles (US = tank, FotW = melee DPS, etc.), while others were... less decisive.
While it's nice to change the ED and get some capabilities for specific situations (like being an off-tank or able to hit DCs for high reaper), the new system isn't meant for that. It's basically a "choose what fits your playstyle and character the most" and stick with it. That explains why the cores were streamlined in their benefits for MP, RP, and DCs and you find many of the same enhancements with little variation again and again.

5.) Today's team
DDO is an old game, there were a lot of devs involved, and each of them worked into the game. Which means, that the current team also carries many of these choices, if they want or not. Now that they rehaul an entire system, of course they include their personal note to that and make it in a way, that help their vision, that help their way of work, and that is more in line in what they believe is the best for the game. Which may differ from your perspective, but it's their game.
Which means that no ED has any obligation to match their current incarnation mechanically. Which is great for many, imo.
Remember, when the devs said that they were surprised by the popularity of epic moments? In a stream with Strimtom and Lynnabel I came to the conclusion (which may be wrong), that the devs knew that *some* epic moments were popular, but not that players would press for the idea in general. I mean, Celestial Mandate? Rain of Arrows? Why didn't I see anyone complaining about how these have disappeared from the game? I think you know. Because the page-count is exploding, and I was too lazy to look at every single post. If you have posts asking for those, please give me a link.
The current team have their own needs and wants of the system, and the right to implement those, while we have a right to complain and to leave the game, if we want. Whether that is warranted is an entirely other matter.

6.) Exclusivity
Which brings us to the next thing: Making things exclusive. Like all epic strikes sharing a cooldown, the destiny mantles, or only allowing one tree to be on tier 5. These overlaps in the trees is intentional. Of course you know, but I can't stress that enough. These are to make you choose. To choose whether you want to purchase more than one, if you did, to use which one in which situation. Aside from the challenge to your player skills, it's also a safe space for development, because what doesn't work together also doesn't need to be balanced in terms of combining. ...after using the Epic Moment in LD, I really know why Action Boosts share a cooldown.
While we all like to have all the goodies and to have them now, I acknowledge that getting everything I want isn't what's the best for me, IRL and in a game. This exclusivity also ensures that each of these trees still have a bit of an identity, even with all the meshing which we all will do eventually.

7.) Quest-balance pass
The overhaul of the system also asks for an overhaul of the monster stats in level 20-29 content (at least). So it's a bit too early to say what is too weak, as most of the rebalancing of the monster will come from what the new ED-system will settle on. At least I imagine it.
I'll just assume, that the more the numbers bloat in epics, the stronger the monsters will get to answer for that, and I don't know if I like it that way, as it may stand in the way of everything we worked towards in heroics. For a crass example, if we all get +500 melee power from the EDs, how much do the +20 from my heroic enhancement tree matter?
Nonetheless, at this point we only see half of the matter, and maybe some quests will get a major balance overhaul (like the epic 20s, which are much harder than any of the 21s). Unless the other side gets adjusted as well, it's maybe a bit premature to say what's too low and what values it should have.



Everyone is free to have their opinion, but I hope that some of you may take another look and think about this banana of a system that will replace our apple. It's very different and should be judged/(dis)liked by what it is, not by what people try to twist it to be.

I'm sure, I'm missing some points, and I'll add them if I can think of more.