(Level-Up Rewards) How?

[ren1999]

Here's one suggestion.

Every character starts with
3 racial traits
3 background skills
3 class feature powers(feats/skills/prayers/spells)
HP: their constitution score + static hit points

Every level:
+1 power(feat/skill/prayer/spell)

Every even level:
+1 to a chosen ability

Every odd level:
+ static hit points

Every 5 levels:
+1 standard action per turn
+1 burst radius
+1 bonus to all powers(feats/skills/prayers/spells)

edit:
Forgot to mention that if a character has 5 standard actions at 20th level then that would be
a max of 2 main weapon attacks and 3 off-hand weapon attacks -- must know off-hand feat
or a max of 5 ranged bolts of the same spell like 5 magic missiles / does not include burst or target-helpless spells which should be limited to 1 per encounter

toHit and damage bonuses would come exclusively from abilities

greater damage would come from the character using up to 4 standard attacks per turn on 1 target

Natural Maxes:
abilities such as Strength 20(+5) *could increase to +30(+10) with magic
total levels: 20 *could increase to 30 total levels if epic adventure chosen
natural armor: 20 *could increase to 25 with magic

If 10 static hit points were awarded every other level, then it would be possible for a character to have max con score+possible racial bonus+possible class bonus 20+100(10x10)=120 hit points

 

[Grazzt]

No thanks. Too structured to shoehorn all the classes into it. May fall into the 4e samey samey trap.

 

[rjfTrebor]

there are a ton of problems with this but i'll just pick one, the ability score system.

as it is now, a character would max out a score long before they reached even tenth level. that would mean that a guy who starts with a 17 dex could have it maxed as quickly as level 6. maxing out a main stat so quickly would be very boring. you'd be forced to place your points into things just to get rid of them.

"My thief's been climbing and tumbling for 8 levels now and it's made him much wiser and more charismatic, it's a shame that he just can't get any more nimble though"

 

[MarkB]

I rather like Star Wars Saga Edition's system of alternating Feats and Talents. Translated into D&DNext terms, every odd level you would gain a class-specific feature, and every even level you'd get to choose from a range of more general options such as feats and skills.

Whatever the specifics, I'd like to see a system where each new level grants you some meaningful choice or new capability - no 3e-style 'empty' levels where you just gain hit points, attack bonus, or an extra spell slot.

 

[ren1999]

there are a ton of problems with this but i'll just pick one, the ability score system.

as it is now, a character would max out a score long before they reached even tenth level. that would mean that a guy who starts with a 17 dex could have it maxed as quickly as level 6. maxing out a main stat so quickly would be very boring. you'd be forced to place your points into things just to get rid of them.

"My thief's been climbing and tumbling for 8 levels now and it's made him much wiser and more charismatic, it's a shame that he just can't get any more nimble though"

Ah, but that isn't even my idea. I was convinced by the designers and people on these forums to cap humanoid abilities at a natural 20(+5). But I think it will work out well. A character with a 17 score could only do so much to max out his strength to the highest human potential of 20. Or we could do away with 3d6 and start characters out with lower ability scores.

 

[ren1999]

I rather like Star Wars Saga Edition's system of alternating Feats and Talents. Translated into D&DNext terms, every odd level you would gain a class-specific feature, and every even level you'd get to choose from a range of more general options such as feats and skills.

Whatever the specifics, I'd like to see a system where each new level grants you some meaningful choice or new capability - no 3e-style 'empty' levels where you just gain hit points, attack bonus, or an extra spell slot.

I'm with you. I've been doing research for the last several years on what the best level-up rewards are from many RPG games. Believe it or not, Star Trek and Star Wars have a good progressive system over other RPGs.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I rather like Star Wars Saga Edition's system of alternating Feats and Talents. Translated into D&DNext terms, every odd level you would gain a class-specific feature, and every even level you'd get to choose from a range of more general options such as feats and skills.

Whatever the specifics, I'd like to see a system where each new level grants you some meaningful choice or new capability - no 3e-style 'empty' levels where you just gain hit points, attack bonus, or an extra spell slot.

This, this, this, absolutely this.

Never again a dead level, please.

 

[Trance-Zg]

for ability increas I suggest point buy system for bonus ability points.

one point bonus for each past first level but, ability scores cost:

up to 14: one for one

14 to 15: 2pts
15 to 16: 2pts
16 to 17: 3pts
17 to 18: 3pts
18 to 19: 4pts
19 to 20: 4pts

20 max ability before racial adjustments

with this math and in comparison to 3E

you get from 16 to 20 at lvl 15(3E is at lvl 16)
from 17 to 20 at lvl 12(3E is level 12 )
from 18 to 20 at lvl 9(3E is at lvl 8)

so power curve is pretty much the same but rewards more non-munckinism by spreading out points and boosting secondary scores.