Spell slots for spells would be nice as EQ 2 does.

As many as I want to putting all spells on my 10 slots each section. 20 spells could go on two rows of 10 slots.

EQ2 doesn't have spell slots in the same way that EQ does. They just have hotbars and you can add as many of your spells to different hotbars as you want. EQ would have to redo the spell system to match that.

EQ's limited spell gems (which increase in number from AA) force you to think ahead about what you might need for a particular situation.

In EQ2, you can have literally every spell on hotbar keys and the spells/skills slotted on your bars will even auto-update to the latest versions without requiring even a shred of thinking for most players. Only those who min/max understand different rotation sequences are better than others, the rest can just button mash with little thought when each lights up as available. I played EQ2 for several years and was even in a high ranked progression raiding guild for a few years.

Of the two, I actually prefer EQ, though the massive increase in the number of spell/skill replacements and additions via AA has reminded me of EQ2 a bit much at times.

You can swap in combat, so there really isn't much of a restriction just a slight penalty.

I am fine with how EQ does this with the exception of the class progression and coalition spells. The design and such can remain with spells but improving them 1-6 for progression and rank I, II and III for coalition spells should advance an AA instead.

Yes, you can but there are spells with longer recast that can't really be switched to in combat.

Yes, and those are ones you wouldn't swap between spell sets, and those only eat up a few slots for nearly every class.

In practice all the limit does is make less useful abilities even more useless, in my opinion. I'm not saying it should change, but I don't see much benefit when there are usually clear choices.

Unless something is beating on you or sitting to open the book causes something to beat on you. (Oh how I love outdoor zones as a caster.) Or if the spell you want to swap to has a LONG recast so doesn't come up immediately when you mem it.

Impossible to swap in combat, no. Not as practical as mem'ing ahead of time, yes. It is somewhat possible for a caster to swap from cold to fire spells when the former don't work you're still making choices about which ones are "up" vs having every possible spell available at the same time.

I will not disagree about it making the less useful or extremely situational spells less likely to make it into the gems, but let me assure you, having all spells/skills available all the time in EQ2 does not make any of the less useful or extremely situational spells/skills any more useful. You're just more likely to shuffle them to a less used hotbar.

Side by side-ish: My level 95 Coercer in EQ2 as I left her several years ago and my level 94 enchanter in EQ. I used to raid on my coercer years ago not that long before I left the game and haven't really touched her much since. I am, admittedly, not well optimised on my enchanter but have only lately been playing her. (The one thing I really miss from EQ2 is the duration of charm and being able to charm yellows and reds.)

I could see or request adding a separate, essentially a raid orientated spell gem/slot for Coalition type spells, even making it an AA required to release to solve a couple of QoL issues but not another line of spell gems. Sounds too "Justin Case" kind of thinking for me.

Then again, I suspect its been more than a year since I have seen three Wizards in a raid. So, who am I kidding! LOL!

EQ1 is fine but with a few exceptions. Things like Nights Terror need to be AAs. Our MR and Spell focus auras need to have a longer duration.

Anything that is of a short duration and longer recast needs to be an AA, or it needs to be adjusted to it's timing is different. NPT taking a spell slot is stupid. MR aura lasting such a short time is stupid. I have 13 slots and about half of them are pre-determined for me. I don't mind having 13 slots, but things like that need to be AAs so the 13 slots are the 13 I pick. Not something that I have to keep loaded to keep recasting for no meaningful reason. Like seriously, what is the point in me having to recast MR aura 2-3 times again after an event starts. Why should I ever have to recast an aura. Twincast aura stays a long time but why even ever have it fade. Obnoxious.

The fourteenth slot can't come soon enough for me.

Another thought would be for a paged spell casting bar like the hotkey bars.

We have a winner here.