I’m not upset about the extra effort for Mending. I’m upset that the only way to get Efficiency from the villagers is not just the desert biome, but it’s also capped at III. In fact, all of the special guaranteed books once you level to Master (except for Silk Touch and Mending) are lower-level. It’s Efficiency III, Unbreaking II, Protection III, Sharpness III, and Fortune II. (Source) Not sure if I would be able to get maxed gear by combining villager enchants on an anvil anymore thanks to the prior work penalty and having to combine more things. I could always just luck out on an enchanting table and get Efficiency V, but I miss the reliable source of an enchant I liked instead of having to rely on RNG.

I’d be fine with the new requirements if the max rewards weren’t lower-level enchants. With the enchants being lower-level I feel no incentive to level anyone but the Silk Touch and Mending librarians to Master.

EDIT: I checked with the help of this tool and I can successfully get maxed tools with only the books I can get from the new villagers. Also tried to make a max sword in-game under the limits and it worked out. Not sure about armor but I frankly don’t personally care much about it. Still wish the books unlocked at Master weren’t capped so low, but my immediate worry about obtaining max tools and a max sword is assuaged.

Finally, actual challenge

Keep in mind a lot (and I mean A LOT) of Minecraft players are kids. Like, under 12. My kids started when they were 7. And a huge percentage of them and if the older players are casual players. Not everyone is putting in hours a day. Minecraft is very friendly to very casual gaming. Low system requirements. Very social. Quick to pick up, but plenty there to keep you busy for hours if you want to put in the time.

This is a lot of work and grinding for kids and more casual players, and makes it even more where survival is for more advanced gamers and casuals will be left playing creative.

It would be one thing if this was another addition like the Deep Dark that can just be avoided if you're a casual player. But without these enchantments it's much harder to get to the 'fun relaxed survival' mode, or to get to the level where people can take on the Ender Dragon much less a Wither, etc.

Even people who like to play 'creative survival' and just have fun building will have a hard time because without being able to get these enchantments with relative ease, you'll have you grind for weeks/months of casual play you get them - or you'll be left having to craft new pick axes every 10 minutes because you keep burning through them.

The concept is good but there are too many flaws with the game's other mechanics for it to work e.g. "TOO EXPENSIVE!"

Survival is an extremely grindy gamemode from its conception, but to learn to like the grind and RNG. With some things like mining it can get to old Pokemon games levels of grind.

I like to think it as another parrot and the cracker meme situation.