@Composer - I agree with a lot what you said. However l, imagine being a developer (either of PnP or adaptation). If you accept that “Players will optimize the fun out of games”, looking for ways to prevent or lessen this effect seems reasonable to me. Fun is what they are dealing with.

That’s why balance should be important from developer’s perspective. Trying to give players options of similar value is better for both players inclined to min-max, as well as those who have no inclination to do so.

And that’s why I think that they shouldn’t add the most powerful subclasses from later books.

@Piff - I don’t think saying that some subclasses have features that are comparatively weaker or stronger is being toxic. Calling someone munchkin for making mechanics based choices or being dismissive about someone trying to RP a weaker subclass would in fact be toxic. DND is for everyone.