so far all I hear is go back to 40d adventure mode where every thing can one shot you to death(some can in 31 but it's less than common) yet one can travel their worries away.
I... never actually did have anything one-hit-kill me in 40d, not even the KILLER AX-WIELDING SCORPION. That sort of thing has only happened to me in the new version (Bronze colossus fell off a cliff on top of me).
...... i am amazed. you know from my own experience and reading other peoples, the two most common deaths in 40d were gettting hit with an arrow from a skilled archer or crossbowmen, which was damned near ALLWAYS fatal, or having a random creature like a wolf bite your throat out in a random encounter, which was possible no matter what armor you were wearing. both were horribly frustrating and totally unavoidable by any action on your part. i remember someone posting a thread specifically about how their bronze colossi was one hit by a wolf. i am so happy those things are gone.
playing as a dwarf trying to take down the nearby goblin towers which are full of humans has been pretty challenging so far in the current version. their silver hammers can cause fatal wounds through my armor, and the crossbowmen are able to whittle away at me unless i use cover in clever ways, and they actually seem to wait till i come out again rather then running up into melee range when i drop out of sight. (and yes i am passing in game combat turns while i wait)
as for other improvements, i have not been wrestled to death by children yet, which happened sometimes in 40d even if your stats were awesome. and thrown vomit almost never punctures metal armor anymore, even with legendary throwing.
fleshy non armored creatures are currently very easy though. if anything hydras and dragons need their skins buffed into something resembling bronze armor, and the thick shaggy fur on a wolf or bear needs to do a better job of keeping damage out, not adventurers nerfed.