I think it’s funny you mention the two versions being fairly similar. I had found 2.0 Legend to be easier due to the extra 50 power and talent changes(like playstyle ones), plus stagger. Health was increased in 2.0, but the bonuses more than compensated. The one notable thing is events are actually a challenge instead of being a walk in the park.
I think some people remember pre-WoM better than others. Playing through the beta through their myriad of changes, I would sometimes go back to live so I was kept fresh. The end result (post 2.0) was a much more finely tuned iteration than what was experienced during the beta. Stagger, enemy health, and other things were brought to a much better spot. Beastmen were eventually tuned down post 2.0 to a much better spot. If the bugs were fixed, this game would be so much more enjoyable to play.
Fortunately, this was told to us:
Sounds like a lot of stuff. And a beta branch also sounds really nice.