jgsugden
Legend
Out of curiosity: What is missing in the 5E rule sets that you enjoyed in prior editions?
Dual Class: In AD&D a human could dual class, while every other race could multi-class. Multi-class was advancing in several classes at once, while dual classing was starting over in a new class and getting your old class abilities back once you reached a higher level in your new class. Modern multi-classing is sort of a hybrid, but I miss having dual class options because those options still allowed for a PC to reach the pinnacle of a class, even if they did not start heir journey there.
For example, I had an intelligent fighter in AD&D that was the sole survivor of a beholder battle. The rest of the players started new PCs, but I (secretly) dual classed my fighter into a wizard. Over time he became an archmage and still exists in that game world as an important NPC. He would not have reached the same ending under the modern multi-classing rules. Of all the characters I have played in D&D, this one was played the most and is the one that I most treasure.
Invoker: 4E was ... not my favorite edition, but it did have some high points and one of those was giving us a Divine class that spoke to me. It was not a living wand of healing or a weaker fighter with a few useful spells - it was the Wrath of the Gods. WotC tried to make some of the cleric builds in 5E feel like Invokers, but it just doesn't add up to the same thing. To really do it justice, Invokers would need their own spell lists, they'd need abilities that evoke Old Testament religion, and they'd need to as removed from melee combatants as wizards (generally) are. They'd be big on curses, evocations, divinations and transmutations... but light on enchantment, illusion, abjuration and 'buffing' spells. Theyd have the zealouness of a raging barbarian, they'd induce terror like the best of warlocks and they'd lay waste like the greatest archmage war wizards. That does not exist in 5E the way I think it should.
Overlapping Spells: The concentration mechanic serves an importnt role. It fixed a lot of issues. However, some of those issues were fun. In prior editions, my wizard would be there in the battle, flying... invisible... protected from fire... and with a half dozen more buffs protecting him from the drago tearing into the group. Now it is ... different. I waffle on whether it is better or worse, but I do miss loading up on those spells and the feeling that came with assembling the magical defenses. I was happy, as a player, and the character felt heroic when the magical armaents went up - like in the cut scenes in cartoons when the heroes form the blazing sword, unite the robots, or call upon the Ear of Fomberia. I've toyed with a few mechanics to address the issue, but nothing is quite right, yet...
What do you miss? We don't need to spend too much time critiquing what others miss - do we?
Dual Class: In AD&D a human could dual class, while every other race could multi-class. Multi-class was advancing in several classes at once, while dual classing was starting over in a new class and getting your old class abilities back once you reached a higher level in your new class. Modern multi-classing is sort of a hybrid, but I miss having dual class options because those options still allowed for a PC to reach the pinnacle of a class, even if they did not start heir journey there.
For example, I had an intelligent fighter in AD&D that was the sole survivor of a beholder battle. The rest of the players started new PCs, but I (secretly) dual classed my fighter into a wizard. Over time he became an archmage and still exists in that game world as an important NPC. He would not have reached the same ending under the modern multi-classing rules. Of all the characters I have played in D&D, this one was played the most and is the one that I most treasure.
Invoker: 4E was ... not my favorite edition, but it did have some high points and one of those was giving us a Divine class that spoke to me. It was not a living wand of healing or a weaker fighter with a few useful spells - it was the Wrath of the Gods. WotC tried to make some of the cleric builds in 5E feel like Invokers, but it just doesn't add up to the same thing. To really do it justice, Invokers would need their own spell lists, they'd need abilities that evoke Old Testament religion, and they'd need to as removed from melee combatants as wizards (generally) are. They'd be big on curses, evocations, divinations and transmutations... but light on enchantment, illusion, abjuration and 'buffing' spells. Theyd have the zealouness of a raging barbarian, they'd induce terror like the best of warlocks and they'd lay waste like the greatest archmage war wizards. That does not exist in 5E the way I think it should.
Overlapping Spells: The concentration mechanic serves an importnt role. It fixed a lot of issues. However, some of those issues were fun. In prior editions, my wizard would be there in the battle, flying... invisible... protected from fire... and with a half dozen more buffs protecting him from the drago tearing into the group. Now it is ... different. I waffle on whether it is better or worse, but I do miss loading up on those spells and the feeling that came with assembling the magical defenses. I was happy, as a player, and the character felt heroic when the magical armaents went up - like in the cut scenes in cartoons when the heroes form the blazing sword, unite the robots, or call upon the Ear of Fomberia. I've toyed with a few mechanics to address the issue, but nothing is quite right, yet...
What do you miss? We don't need to spend too much time critiquing what others miss - do we?
