In terms of animation, VFX and SFX, let's not pretend the past actions were any better. Even going back to Paladin's Savage Blade, the animation was 1 horizontal slash, but the VFX showed 3 slashes done at the same time. Take a look at Monk's The Forbidden Chakra, you mean to tell me those first 2 weak punches have the same energy that the SFX is giving off? How about Twin Snakes? Has anyone actually looked at the animation? The WoL is crouching, arms outstretched, barely infront of the front leg, with their wrists bent backwards and head looking to the floor. It is nonsense.

As for the comment on Dragoon's Coerthan Torment, 1 'slash' having multiple effects isn't uncommon, Fast Blade for example has at least 2 'slashes' per slash, but it also isn't the first time 1 slash has had multiple slashes even for Dragoon, Fang and Claw, the first part is one upwards slash with 3 separate 'waves', then the thrust has multiple effects of different designs. If you want the best one though, Samurai's Higanbana has zero slashes and yet produces multiple effects (if you check the animation, the sword never leaves the scabbard).

Now this isn't to say they couldn't do better, but to act like it is only fairly recently the animations have sometimes been slightly off is a bit disingenuous.