D&D 5E Attack of the Clones: What would you want in your not-quite-5e?

[delericho]

See "Level Up" - that's pretty close to what I'd want from a not-5e.

However, I would be interested in a game that is definitively not D&D but is derived from the same base. And the wilder the better, probably.

 

[Corinnguard]

See "Level Up" - that's pretty close to what I'd want from a not-5e.

However, I would be interested in a game that is definitively not D&D but is derived from the same base. And the wilder the better, probably.

I agree. Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition IMO is the next best thing to 5e. Like Pathfinder 1st edition, A5e tries to fix what wasn't working for the fans in 5e, keeps what was working for the fans, and introduces new material for us to happily try out.

I am glad that En Publishing has joined the ORC horde.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

See "Level Up" - that's pretty close to what I'd want from a not-5e.

However, I would be interested in a game that is definitively not D&D but is derived from the same base. And the wilder the better, probably.

I suppose it is time for me to give Level Up some more serious thought. I dismissed it as "something I'd never get my gaming groups to try without way too much work on my part" up until a couple weeks ago. But then WotC burned their brand down, and the calculus has changed.

 

[aco175]

Start with some things like spells and magic items. Is there a way to keep things easy and go with spell points instead of slots. Maybe break down a 4th level slot and be able to cast (4) 1st level spells again. Magic items feel a bit meh and have a system to be able to create items or add powers to something. Some of the 3e properties on weapons should be easy to install into 5e. I mean why cannot a thrown dagger automatically return to you?

Races and classes seem to be two camps of thought. Some like all the options and some want a more limited set of base things. I would want a base set of races and classes and each class has its own 'champion' option for those who socially play and do not want to spend that much time on creation. 4e was nice with the options at each level to make your fighter a bit different than "Bob 2" the fighter.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

See "Level Up" - that's pretty close to what I'd want from a not-5e.

However, I would be interested in a game that is definitively not D&D but is derived from the same base. And the wilder the better, probably.

Yeah I might do my space Fantasy concept as a CC powered clone rather than an OGL supplement. Why not?

Gonna have to sit with the CC mechanics as a kernel for a bit. I have a vague sense that 5e classes could be…smaller? Idk. Have 12 levels replicating the “sweet spot”?

What if HP and damage also fit within a “bounded” range?

Maybe PCs never become gods.

OTOH, maybe PCs eventually actually become gods.

I’d probably design any clone to do magic differently, with fairly robust improvised, ritual, and invented, spellcraft.

 

[Dausuul]

Personally I think my first priority, as the most easily achievable as well as something that fills an under-served niche, is a low magic, possibly humans only clone. Certainly such a project saves a lot of time on designing spells and races (and possibly monsters). Of course I'd have to come up with actual class mechanics ideas, rather then just giving everyone spells.

Absolutely agreed. Something like a 5E-based Iron Heroes would have my interest in a heartbeat.

The other thing I'd be really interested in would be eliminating the "cascading" of ability score mods, where you add (for instance) your Strength modifier to a bunch of other stuff like weapon damage rolls, Athletics checks, etc. This adds unnecessary complexity, limits character concepts, and sets up traps for novice players. I've experimented a bit with house-ruling the cascade out of 5E, but it affects too many things to do it cleanly. A 5E quasi-clone would be the perfect place to try this.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I hope they include all the things yi don't like, so WotC does not have to cater to them.

 

[overgeeked]

what would you actually want in a 5e clone?

Two versions. The light and the heavy.

The light. Keep some of the 5E chassis but strip it down to 5-pages or less of actual rules. It would be fairly easy to do and you wouldn’t lose anything important.

The heavy. If they follow through with releasing SRDs of earlier editions I’d want a 4.5E, basically. Keep the core chassis of 5E but bring back the good stuff from 4E…which is literally everything except how combats actually ran. Balance, monster design, encounter design, monster design, rituals, roles, power sources, all of it.

 

[Aurel Guthrie]

Proper rules for crafting that also don't take ungodly amounts of downtime. All the campaigns I've been in barely feature crafting because we just can't afford the downtime for it

 

[Ayeffkay]

I want systems that interact with each other. Everything is disconnected in 5e and while that makes it very approachable, it makes it so the rules don't really support much more than the basics.

• "OK, your opponent is grappled. His movement speed is 0. But he wouldn't have moved anyway because then you would have gotten a free attack. So he attacks you. Which he would have done anyway. Next time maybe don't waste your turn grappling."
• "The touch of the ghost ages you 10 years. You are now 10 years older." "What does that mean?" "Nothing."
• "The octopus pulls you under the water and you can't breathe!" "How long do I have?" "3 minutes. And then 12 more seconds after that." "OK I kill the octopus in 18 seconds."
• "There's a 15' pit ahead of you." "My strength is 16 so I jump over it."
• "I stab the skeleton with my dagger." "He has no flesh or blood, that's not going to accomplish--" "I deal 8 damage." "--the skeleton dies."
• "You're in a narrow hallway, you have to squeeze so you have disadvantage thrusting with your dagger." "You're in a narrow hallway, you have to squeeze so you have disadvantage swinging your massive halberd."
• "Your airship crash lands in the middle of a huge, unexplored jungle. The canopy blocks any chance of navigating by the stars, and you didn't have much opportunity to orient yourself while you spun out of control. The journey is the adventure." "I'm a ranger. I navigate us out of the forest without ever touching a die, and I scavenge all the food for the party at the same time, and if somehow I can't find food for three days in a row I'll cast goodberry. Can you just quick summarize the journey and we get where we're going?" (OK, they tried to fix this one a little, eventually).