I found on an old usb drive the playtest documents for D&D Next (that would become 5e). Strangely, while re-reading them, I found that one version of the playtest had rules that pleases me more than the ones we have in the PHB.
For me, the Playtest Packet 7 has the best rules:
- Focused on level 1-11, beyond that classes dont gain much beyond more uses of their features. All important and fun features are gained within 10 levels.
- Each class has its own weapon attack bonus and/or spell DC progression
- Longer skill list: each background give 4 skills. Classes do not give skills unless you are a Rogue, but Wizard, druids and cleric have advantage to recall lore in their domain.
- No proficiency bonus. Instead trained skills add +1d6 to their ability check. At level X,Y,Z you either gain another skill or increase the size of the die by one.
- Saving throws receives no bonus unless very special cases.
- Fighters have built-in offensive and defensive maneuvers depending on their favored fighting styles, including warlord-y ones.
- Two-weapon figthing does not require a bonus action.
- In fact, Bonus Actions no longer exist. Some spells are Swift, meaning you can cast them as part of another non-spell Action.
- No, bards, sorcerers or warlock, but they can be replicated with Specialty and Background.
- Smite is a Channel Divinity option instead of a spell-consuming feature. The Paladin can add its CHA mod to the save of an ally as a reaction, no longer an always ON aura. The paladin, can replace any of its saves attempt with a CHA save instead, but do not add their CHA to all other saves.
- Druids use templates instead of statblocks for their shapeshift.
- No multi-attacks, but classes gain more damage die at X levels.
- In addition to backgrounds and classes, the players can choose a Specialty, which are built-in feat progression as you level. Wanna be a druid with a thief guild background and a two-handed weapon warrior specialty? Go for it. It add another layer of customization.
- Feats are small, but no longer cost an ASI.
- Monks have different archetypes based on elemental bending ala Avatar.
- Disengage moves you 10 ft.
I'd never seen any of the playtest materials before and looked up playtest packet 7 because everything you mention in the OP seems awesome. Emphasis on levels 1-11, more damage dice instead of extra attack, no bonus actions, most skill proficiency moved to backgrounds, more complex fighters, druids with shapeshift templates: that all sounds great.
It's funny though, after actually looking at packet 7 it seems like a mess.
Class progression is ad hoc. Things like clerics getting a significantly diminished spell progression compared to the other classes are not explained. Some classes stop getting new features at 11, but the barbarian and monk get very strong capstones at level 20. Power spikes aren't standardized to 5th, 11th, and 17th like 5e does.
Feats are required instead of optional. I thought the improved customization would be appealing, but boy do I not want to read through 14 pages of mechanically minor and thematically bland feats (personal preference, I admit). Moreover, fighters, monks, and rogues lean HEAVILY on feats to fill out their class features.
The divergent attack and spell progressions that each class gets seem like a reasonable choice initially, but they make other mechanics fiddly. Druids, for example, get a poor attack bonus (+1 at level 6). They can cast shillelagh to use their spellcasting bonus instead, but not if they're using a wildshape template--which is the class's main feature in packet 7. Multiclassing would be SO much harder with this system.
Finally, the class features that ultimately became subclasses are pretty bland. Most are some combination of feats, proficiencies, apells, and pre-set selections from a list of options, i.e. you are a light cleric--you gain cantrip A and channel divinity options X, Y, and Z from the channel divinity list. There is lots of overlap between the proto-subclasses.
Some of those things, I'm sure, are limitations of rules execution rather than the design. I'm sure WotC would have cleared up some of the kludge if they made an edition more like the one in playtest packet 7. But... man I appreciate 5e's standardized proficiency, spell slot, and power spike progression a lot more now.
Other things I like:
- Faster feat gain: levels 1, 3, 6, 9, etc
- Skill improvement
- No "kitchen sink" feats - the feats were more like a revamped 3.5 than the monstrosity of a feat system we ended up with. Much easier to balance. I certainly don't like them all but the foundation was much more accessible.
- Expanded Channel Divinity options with more universal features. Channel Divinity became very specific in the final release.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
I was surprised how much I disliked the idea of being REQUIRED to pick feats. Having options is good but, absent a bland baseline option, the
tyranny of choice is real.