yeah and we get nice distance push abuse, just die and echo closed 
dream on
I get the OP’s feeling. There are a few instances where I get like full +80 stability bonus, and then died and have to restarted the map with max +10 stability bonus cap and it really is demotivating and I just want to get it over quickly since +10 bonus is just not worth doing the map.
On the other hand, Last Epoch is already more casual than casual D4 games where you lose durability (and 25k to 100,000 golds to repair them) for every random death, not to mention certain events where you lose 50% of your collected reward items when you die.
I do like the idea that if you fail in an echo after say 50% completed, you don’t get to redo it, it just automatically clears and you move on. That way people don’t abuse it by insta-death every point just to get to the edge of the map.
The death penalty is more casual, yes, but everything about D4 is about as casual as one can get without the game being made with chewable crayons. Personally I’m ok with the current death penalty as it is frustrating when you die without feeling, IMO, too punishing (PoE).