There's a reason the 3E/PF joke is that initiative is the most OP stat, and 5E is even less lethal than AD&D
I guess 4E is less lethal but I assume you weren't refering to that
As I've said in other topics, 4e is extremely non lethal. The maximum power which a disintegrate spell which is a "daily power" can do is 65 damage in 2 turns, if the target fails 2 saves.
Meanwhile, a low level orc has almost 200 hp
An spell/psionic which could OHK high level mobs on 2e and dish ludicrous high damage on 3.5e, on 4e can be soaked multiple times by a low level enemy... The unique merid of 5e is not being THAT low lethality. But I disagree about the 3e being more lethal than 2e. Mainly on higher levels. You have way less HP on high levels on 2e. For eg, a lv 15 magic user on 2e would have 10d4+5 hp. And the CON mod would be at best +1. On 3e, the same mage would have 15 * d4 + CON MOD and he can easily with spells, magical gear and so on, get a + 5 con mod at this level. Note that on 4e, the spell game wise and in the description works completely different.
Not mentioning that having ludicrous high saves on 2e is harder, evasion and improved evasion din't existed. IMO if a low level/CR(1~6) character/monster can soak a
spelljammer heavy cannon, your game is too "gamey" and low lethality for my taste. If you include a weapon, spell, power, ability, psion or wathever called disintegrate, it should disintegrate.
"flesh and bone disappear in a puff of gray dust". How someone survives it? And why it is evocation if you are transforming stuff?
4e sucks. 5e just sucks less than 4e in this aspect.
ported on consoles long after the computer , and thats a good thing. T
Rarely is a good thing. See the Ultima 7 snes port as an example...
And is a myth that PC gaming is that expensive, mainly for RPG's which the best ones are the old ones and believe or not, I run Solasta on a GTS 450 with no problems.