What mmos had that many. Maybe classic WoW. I'm trying to think. But I can't think of a old mmo that had that many buttons other then classic WoW and even then.
DAoC maybe but I have no comment on melee as I played a pet caster. Yeah. Even as a Caster I filled 2 hotbars but slower game I could mouse click over faster pace of FF14 where I look away I'm dead.
Everquest?
Guild wars? I never played.
Swtor?
What game you have over 34 button and use EVER fight.
There also a different in have a ability for lore reason (like WoW hunter traps) and having abilities that always being used. In FF14 I'm using about every ability at some point in a fight while in WoW I use 1/3 depend on class. This on trash mobs.

Before Criterion were a thing, I would ask. Why do we need a aoe combo/3+ buttons just for aoe when aoe barely used other then a quick dungeon runs. Now that a different story.

I'm unable to get into melee in this game. Tanking stress me out and dps have to much going on. So I lean into rdps. To me rpds are not fun and I don't feel like a hero. But I play them because I feel i'm not going to mess up my rotation unlike melee where my brain and fingers ache. I understand not every job be for me but I do feel some job can combined or out right remove (without messing combo) buttons to some jobs. (*looks at Drg 6 ogcd jumps*)