D&D 5E Advanced D&D or "what to minimally fix in 5E?"

[FrogReaver]

One thing I would have done is somehow combined Concentration and Attunement.

Basically allowing characters to attune to magic items, concentrate on magic spells, and manifest magic boons up to a number.

This would let your casters still have the option of casting a bunch of nasty spells at once at the cost of having fewer magic items attuned.
Whereas your noncasters can go full Christmas tree.
And your half casters can go half way, wearing some magic gear while leaving 1-3 slots open for persistent magic buffs and active spell attacks.

This could also fix some overused spells by giving them concentration. Suddenly locking 1 attunement into mage armor everyday becomes a real decision when you lose a sweet wand.

Yes, let's make casters even more powerful for most of the levels the game is already played at.

 

[Stormonu]

That's the thing, when you start pulling on one thread of the the game or another, you inevitably find other areas that could use a tweak or buff. You either end up with a dozen house rules, or a new iteration of the game, with its own problems.

If I were trying to stick to "small" tweaks though, I'd aim squarely at the skill system.

- History becomes Lore and you use it for any knowledge your character might know from background, class or race. If it's out of your wheelhouse of experience, inflict disadvantage or change the DC.

- Expertise grants you double the proficiency bonus in two subskills, with a few specified for each skill and the option for the DM to add more should they come up. Each class has a skill or two they can get Expertise in (the Rogue can do it for any, and perhaps gets more every few levels). For example, Athletics would have the subskills Jump, Climb, Swim. Later in the game, after the players have to dig themselves out of a cave-in, the DM decides to add Dig as a selectable subskill for future play. (You could go a step further and roll some of the Int skills as subskills of Lore - Arcana, Nature, Medicine, even possibly History itself)

- Mastery gives you a 1/short rest bonus of +10 to a specific skill roll, and any time when not rushed you can treat the roll as a 10. Like Expertise, each class gets one or two skills they can pick up Mastery in - the Rogue can get Mastery in any skill and has the opportunity to have in multiple skills.

 

[FrogReaver]

For the OP, there is no fixing 5e as it is. There are no subsystems to tweak outside spells. There are so few places where options can be added and even then they aren't spread evenly through the classes/subclasses, meaning the ones that get more options have a tendancy to get more powerful/versatile.

You pick a subclass. You have a small choice between ASI's and Feats and then you there's nothing. Oh wait - I forgot, you can also choose a fighting style with some classes. That's pretty much it?

Any subsystem added in that would address anything of substance would make for an entirely new game.

 

[FrogReaver]

That's the thing, when you start pulling on one thread of the the game or another, you inevitably find other areas that could use a tweak or buff. You either end up with a dozen house rules, or a new iteration of the game, with its own problems.

If I were trying to stick to "small" tweaks though, I'd aim squarely at the skill system.

- History becomes Lore and you use it for any knowledge your character might know from background, class or race. If it's out of your wheelhouse of experience, inflict disadvantage or change the DC.

- Expertise grants you double the proficiency bonus in two subskills, with a few specified for each skill and the option for the DM to add more should they come up. Each class has a skill or two they can get Expertise in (the Rogue can do it for any, and perhaps gets more every few levels). For example, Athletics would have the subskills Jump, Climb, Swim. Later in the game, after the players have to dig themselves out of a cave-in, the DM decides to add Dig as a selectable subskill for future play. (You could go a step further and roll some of the Int skills as subskills of Lore - Arcana, Nature, Medicine, even possibly History itself)

- Mastery gives you a 1/short rest bonus of +10 to a specific skill roll, and any time when not rushed you can treat the roll as a 10. Like Expertise, each class gets one or two skills they can pick up Mastery in - the Rogue can get Mastery in any skill and has the opportunity to have in multiple skills.

I really like your 'Lore' change.

 

[Minigiant]

Yes, let's make casters even more powerful for most of the levels the game is already played at.

Actually it would hurt them more as most of the level when concentration spell become very powerful are when DMs tend to hand out magic items.

Basically I'd make most magic ones have attunement and most spells with continuous effects have concentration, adding them to those without.

A character could only have a number of attunements and concentrations equal to X.

It's basically Shadowrun's Essence.

I'd might even make concentration cost equal to spell level. So Hypnotic Pattern takes 3 of your Magic Essence/Harmony/Spirit which would be ~3 when you get it at level 5.

 

[Stormonu]

Yes, let's make casters even more powerful for most of the levels the game is already played at.

I think it could be done in a way that's not horrible. Magic items don't normally require concentration. If the slot is still burned and it's limited to say 1 spell in the attunement slot (perhaps it has to be done as a ritual since attunement normally takes a rest of some sort?).

I don't think it'd be too horrible, for example, for the druid to slap Barkskin into an attunement slot so they could also have a Flame Blade up at the same time.

 

[Corinnguard]

Expertise grants you double the proficiency bonus in two subskills, with a few specified for each skill and the option for the DM to add more should they come up. Each class has a skill or two they can get Expertise in (the Rogue can do it for any, and perhaps gets more every few levels). For example, Athletics would have the subskills Jump, Climb, Swim. Later in the game, after the players have to dig themselves out of a cave-in, the DM decides to add Dig as a selectable subskill for future play. (You could go a step further and roll some of the Int skills as subskills of Lore - Arcana, Nature, Medicine, even possibly History itself)

Level Up has something like this.

Skill Specialties

In addition to having proficiency in a skill, a character may be an expert at a narrow area of specialization within that skill. For instance, a character proficient in the Deception skill maybe particularly adept in communicating through written code. A character gains two skill specialties at 1st level (plus bonus knowledge; see page 405 ) , and gains an additional specialty whenever their proficiency bonus increases (at levels 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level). A character may choose any specialty in a skill in which they are proficient. A character may not gain the same skill specialty twice. When a character makes an ability check to which their skill specialty applies, they gain an expertise die for that ability check. The Narrator determines whether the skill specialty applies.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think it could be done in a way that's not horrible. Magic items don't normally require concentration. If the slot is still burned and it's limited to say 1 spell in the attunement slot (perhaps it has to be done as a ritual since attunement normally takes a rest of some sort?).

I don't think it'd be too horrible, for example, for the druid to slap Barkskin into an attunement slot so they could also have a Flame Blade up at the same time.

Sure. Now look at something like Polymorph ally into Giant ape + Hypnotic pattern.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Level Up has something like this.

Skill Specialties

In addition to having proficiency in a skill, a character may be an expert at a narrow area of specialization within that skill. For instance, a character proficient in the Deception skill maybe particularly adept in communicating through written code. A character gains two skill specialties at 1st level (plus bonus knowledge; see page 405 ) , and gains an additional specialty whenever their proficiency bonus increases (at levels 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level). A character may choose any specialty in a skill in which they are proficient. A character may not gain the same skill specialty twice. When a character makes an ability check to which their skill specialty applies, they gain an expertise die for that ability check. The Narrator determines whether the skill specialty applies.

One if the things I like about skill specialties is that it lets you be good at something that is part of a skill. I'm in favor of letting people take specialties in skills for which they're not otherwise proficient, so they can be good at one aspect of a skill while not being good at others. My wife started in 3e and still is irritated that spot and listen were combined into perception (and I get it).

I've even thinking of allowing PCs to take a skill deficit (-1d4 to the roll) in exchange for a skill specialty. It would definitely require DM discretion though, as in general use such a thing could be easily abused.

 

[Minigiant]

Sure. Now look at something like Polymorph ally into Giant ape + Hypnotic pattern.

I would have that cost 7 attunement slots. 4 for Polymorph. 3 for HP.