Can you explain how you can do that with Wizard 3.5 core rule books? Or are you using pathfinder which is not the same as wizard 3.5? And virtually every mainstream role-playing game makes you pick a character from a drop down menu even 3.5. Spirit of the Century was the first that really made a focus on character and it even could be argued to be a drop down list style game. If you like Wizard 3.5 I would really recommend you play pathfinder instead as they really did a nice job with the OGL. I personally still fine 4.0 to be the best at running a dungeon crawl style game.

“if you look at the quality of the spells 4th still wins both from a combat perspective and from a utility perspective.”

No. Just 100% no.

I can make a character that can, as a free action, std action (at will), full round action, and swift action, teleport.

I can make an arcane archer that can encase 240ft of enemies in a forcecage.

I can make a Wu Jen that casts invisible, silent, still spells that ignore all resistances and automatically hit.

Not to mention that D&D has what? Hundreds of utility spells, and 4.0 has a handful?

4.0 is devoid of flavour. You pick your character from the drop down menu. You get your skills from the drops down menu. You attack from the drop down menu.

It’s not a roleplaying system. It’s a poor imitation of a combat system.

if you look at the quality of the spells 4th still wins both from a combat perspective and from a utility perspective.

Not perfectly. I wish it would allow me to post multiple pics at once.