D&D 5E What is Missing from 5E?

[FormerlyHemlock]

I kind of feel like magic in 5e is pretty much exactly the same as earlier editions with the exception of 4e.

Interesting. I feel quite differently. Between reduced spell slots, no scaling-by-level, the Concentration economy, and general decreases in spell effectiveness (e.g. Charm Person, Dominate Person, Magic Jar, even Teleport), I feel that 5E magic resembles GURPS or Shadowrun magic as closely as it does AD&D magic. For the most part, 5E magic is small potatoes. There are enough spells that violate this paradigm to keep magic-users interesting at high levels (Simulacrum, Planar Binding, Create Undead) but the scope is definitely narrower and more tactical.

I assume this is by design and in fact it makes perfect sense given the new multiclassing rules (well, new since AD&D), because they want a Fighter 10/Wizard 10 to be roughly equivalent to a Wizard 20, so you have to linearize power curves as much as possible.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Number one on my list of wants. I just finished running my 17th level game, and all the PCs were fighting (aside from homebrew creations) were dragons, demons, and devils. With the odd lich in there for spice.

Tangent: the nice thing about demons and devils in this scenario is you don't have the verisimilitude problem of "where did all these liches come from?!?" because there are whole planes stuffed full of them. (Also, 4 Blue Slaads are a Medium challenge for a party of 4 20th level PCs, and there's never any problem coming up with arbitrary numbers of blue Slaads since you can breed them from regular humans.)

If my players ever get their guys to level 17+ I plan to give them access to a beholder civil war, including all the Spelljammer-based beholder variants, because I find beholders and illithids far more interesting than demons and devils.

 

[GMMichael]

Well, since this got derailed beyond just the equipment table:

5e is missing:

• a practical defense system, because you're allowed unlimited defenses each round (AC and saves).
• warlocks. No wait, that's just wishful thinking.
• a reasonable hit point system, since you can go to sleep at one hit point and wake up with full HP.
• grid combat emphasis. Thankfully.
• Modules. Didn't I hear that the game was supposed to be modular?
• Prestige classes. Again, thankfully.
• Modifiers. Which saves a lot of arithmetic time, but might be a bit OP.
• An XP system that isn't (blatantly) killing-dependent.

 

[MortalPlague]

If my players ever get their guys to level 17+ I plan to give them access to a beholder civil war, including all the Spelljammer-based beholder variants, because I find beholders and illithids far more interesting than demons and devils.

That does sound like fun. It would've been hard to shoe-horn into the Tiamat campaign, but it would have been fun anyway.

 

[Taronkov]

Sorry if this was already posted(I didn't read all 5 pages) but I would like to see a feet for Unarmored Defence and a mastery feat to go with it. I want to play an Unarmored fighter and there just isn't a feasible way to do it currently. Also I want my Falchion back...

 

[PnPgamer]

Sorry if this was already posted(I didn't read all 5 pages) but I would like to see a feet for Unarmored Defence and a mastery feat to go with it. I want to play an Unarmored fighter and there just isn't a feasible way to do it currently. Also I want my Falchion back...

oh damn the best feat idea ever *rolls on floor in feat extacy*

 

[Hereticus]

No further comments, we each enjoy different things about each game system/edition we play.

I really do like the simplified rules, but they went too far in removing magic.

 

[Jiggawatts]

The limited magic system is the one thing keeping me from truly loving 5E. I don't include magic items in that sentiment though, they nailed those perfectly.

 

[Hussar]

About the only thing I would really like to see in 5e is a Summoner wizard. That's my favorite kind of wizard and one that I played in 2e and 3e. I was rather taken aback when I realised that conjurers are just another kind of blaster in 5e. If I want to summon minions to do my bidding, I have to play a Druid. I want summoning spells for wizards again, please.

 

[TarionzCousin]

If we're talking about feats, and what's missing, how about the dearth of spellcaster feats? Not counting the dabbler feats (because those aren't all that useful for a full caster), we're left with one elemental damage feat, one long-range spellcaster feat, and one close-combat war casting feat. That's it.

I hear you. My Charisma Warlock gets his first feat at fourth level and... he's going to skip it and take the +1 to two skills.

He can disguise himself at will, and knows the Invisibility spell. He could take the feat to give his companions temporary hit points, but when I compare that to plus one to Dexterity and plus one to Charisma (bringing both to even numbers!), the choice is obvious.