ok ill bite :+)

The short version:
"What does *Brutal* mean to you?"
-Difficult

"Why do people who quit the game out of frustration (not counting bugs) want the game to change when they're getting the very experience they paid for?"
-People didnt pay for frustration, they paid for difficult. Many aspects of the game are frustrating so they quit. If it were just difficult I have a feeling many would stay.

Long version:
"What does *Brutal* mean to you?"

Im old and to me brutal is either bloody or fierce or over-the-top, like a brutal murder or a brutal defeat as in sports. I think in high school there was a time brutal was positive, like brutal rock, Iron Maiden riffs, and Dio's voice was brutal. For me to relate it to video games, only thing I can think they were going for when choosing this adjective is hard or difficult. I play alot of games and I put alot of them down when they get too hard, but Valheim I have played since release. I do not consider it brutal. Grounded frustrated me at about 50 hours and Valheim didnt, so is Grounded more brutal? 7D2D wasnt brutal at all if you played like valheim and just prepared and learned the game loop. NMS got repetitive and frustrating and I stopped playing for that reason but I never felt it's difficulty deserved brutal. I stopped playing ARK, died way too much and felt bad lowering the settings to "almost creative" mode. I would consider that brutal if you play on the default settings. If Valheim were brutal we would lose items on death, repairing would cost resources on buildings armor and weapons. When a building was destroyed you wouldnt get materials back. Terra-forming would not stop enemies.....There are actually alot of game mechanics that hold your hand.

"Why do people who quit the game out of frustration (not counting bugs) want the game to change when they're getting the very experience they paid for?"

I dont think they paid for brutal or frustration. They probably saw the concept, the promotional videos, screen shots, price, etc like I did and had high hopes. Were in the middle of covid, wanted something to do and based on Valheims initial popularity many bought it without paying attention to the word brutal. Also at this time online playing had new meaning. Many new people started because they were home more. Gaming was a way to interact with friends and family. They wanted a 10 player game. They were done with MMO's They might have expected it to be brutal, but no where in the wiki did it say frustrating. Brutal and frustrating are not related in my opinion. If you are patient, prepare, and learn how to dodgeroll, Valheim is not brutal. You can kill a troll naked dodgrolling. Where frustration comes in is subjective based on a players personal abilities and how much repetition they are fine with. Raids on single player are difficult, raids on multiplayer are frustrating. (not trying to open that can of worms here lol)

They paid for it because games these days have options and I am sure they expect at some time difficulty settings to trim it down or up to their level of fun. Things like not being ably to teleport ore does not make the game more difficult/brutal. It increases the chances for you to mess up and makes the game last longer. Many consider this frustrating and this is one of the most controversial aspects of the game. Even the devs are not all in agreement. I like the ore restriction, and I have played with no portals even. Its a beautiful world, I have alot of time to game, so to even start a no portal playthrough and know it will be a 5 month journey would be the LAST thing others would even consider, but I am doing it.

Does not being able to attack on slopes make the game brutal or frustrating?

If the Ashlands boss disabled your ability to turn your character left or look left. And you always had to move forward, right, or backwards. Would that make the fight brutal or frustrating?

This entire diatribe is just my opinion.