Aaron Bertrand shares some early thoughts on a SQL Server 2019 improvement:
Since, in spite of our best efforts since SQL Server 2000, we can’t effectively stop scalar UDFs from being used, wouldn’t it be great to make SQL Server simply handle them better?
SQL Server 2019 introduces a new feature called Scalar UDF Inlining. Instead of keeping the function separate, it is incorporated into the overall plan. This leads to a much better execution plan and, in turn, better runtime performance.
Read the whole thing. Especially the part about how this changes the way one of the DMV counters behaves.