D&D 5E What rules would you like to see come back in 5E?

[Mishihari Lord]

As the title says, what rules that have been discarded in previous editions would you like to see come back in 5E?

Two for me.

I would really like to see 1E/2E initiative rules come back, complete with rerolled initiative each round, segment casting, time, and weapon speed. I was very disappointed when 3E threw these out.

I would also like to see 1e/2e style spell interruption. This require the initiative rules to work properly.

What are yours?

 

[Sunseeker]

Templates. Not a rule in and of itsself and not wholly necessary with the way 4e lets you make monsters of any shade with any name and whatever powers you want, but especially for characters, I loved templates, and especially using them as bennies in campaigns. Players get much more motivated when they find out that the reward for finding the "horn of the last dragon" is that they get to become half-dragon, instead of just more gold they can't spend fast enough and loot no merchant can afford to buy.

 

[variant]

Weapon speed never made sense as a weapon with a longer reach is at a much greater advantage in quickness of attack than a smaller lighter weapon in most situations.

 

[Zardnaar]

Real vancian spell casting and scaling by level spells.

 

[Stormonu]

I'd like to see initiative being rerolled once again each round. It can be used to create dramatic tension.

Cursed/Questionably Beneficial magic items. 3E neutered them by removing them from the random treasure tables, placed them in their own section and removed them adventures. 4E went so far as to turn them into beneficial items. I don't like all magic being always beneficial all the time, there should always be some caution or worry of the cost of power.

Hit die caps at 9th level.

Variable class XP progression.

Attack bonus progression by class (but advanced slower).

 

[The Human Target]

Race/class restrictions.

Just kidding

 

[Mishihari Lord]

Weapon speed never made sense as a weapon with a longer reach is at a much greater advantage in quickness of attack than a smaller lighter weapon in most situations.

Only in initial contact. Once both combatants are in striking range it makes perfect sense. (At least to me)

I would love to see reach factored into combat in a greater way, but that would be a subject for another thread.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Flaws (in 3e terms) or the equivalent construct from within NWPs (2e).

Philosophically, it's really important that the rules represent that some characters are not only not good within a certain domain, but may be downright incompetent (or disabled or cursed or what have you).

Mechanically, it's difficult to get these things right, so it's important that they be done early and integrated strongly rather than tacked on later.

 

[The Human Target]

Flaws (in 3e terms) or the equivalent construct from within NWPs (2e).

Philosophically, it's really important that the rules represent that some characters are not only not good within a certain domain, but may be downright incompetent (or disabled or cursed or what have you).

Mechanically, it's difficult to get these things right, so it's important that they be done early and integrated strongly rather than tacked on later.

Yeah I'd be down for that.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Cleric domains/spheres. So there will be some spells that sit in a universal domain/sphere that all Clerics get, but the othere domains/spheres that Clerics do/don't get access to are determined by the god that they worship.

I want a Cleric of Pelor and a Cleric of Kord to have more differences than the holy symbol they carry and the domain spells they can cast. They should feel and play differently.