PHB classes
Fighter
. Slayer - melee damage, mobility
. Tactician - ally buffs, movement, bonus attacks
. Guardian - defender mechanics, high defenses, shake of effects
Rogue
. Greycloak - stealth, sniping
. Trickster - fencing, trick attacks, mobility
Ranger
. Hunter - bow, wilderness skills
. Beast Master - animal companion, animal-themed abilities
Wizard
. Diviner - information is power
. Evoker - kill it with fire
. Enchanter - screwing with the enemy's mind
. Illusionist - create your own reality
. Abjurer - defensive spells
. Conjurer - summoning spells
. Transmuter - buffs, debuffs, some save-or-die
. Necromancer - raise dead, curse them, kill it with poison
Cleric
. Priest - healing, ally buff, defensive spells
. Inquisitor - debuffs, damage spells
(note that clerics will be in robes and wield holy symbols, to distinguish them from Paladins)
Paladin
. Hospitaller - defense, healing
. Crusader - smiting for damage and debuffs
Swordmage
. Duskblade - magic-infused attacks for nova damage
. Aegis Master - shield allies from damage
Druid
. Shapechanger - turn into melee monster
. Earth Priest - healing, terrain control
Barbarian
. Berserker - Rage for massive damage
. Warden - use nature powers to protect
Explanation
I'll say it up front, I'd base my personal 5th edition on 4th edition.
The reason is that I think 4th edition has the best-working core mechanics. Even if I would start from another edition, I'd still implement things like "BAB +1 per 2 levels across all classes" and "spells need to hit".
The main criticism I share is that 4th edition didn't care about integrating its core concepts into the game world. For example, there was no explanation why Fighters could only attempt a certain maneuver once per fight or per day. So for any rule, there has to be some in-game motivation, or it has to be changed.
Basics
At 1st level, each character chooses a race, a class, two paths, and a theme. There are no feats.
Race: What you are biologically, so to say. No half-races in PHB (later splat-book option). I'd probably keep late 4E ability score bonuses (+2 stat A, +2 stat B or C), although I'd playtest other options, including no bonus. Cultural race traits are mostly moved to themes.
Class: Classes consist of a base package (hp, weapon and armor proficiencies, wizard spellbook and similar abilities) and paths.
Path: Similar to late 4E subclasses. Your path choices decide what you get each level in powers and class features. For example, the Slayer path of the fighter gets things that make him tougher and better at slaying monsters, while the Tactician gets powers that buff his allies and make them fight better.
Two paths?: You choose a secondary path. This can be from your class, which gives you a broader training, or from a different class, which is a basic form of multi-classing.
Note that since Wizards have so many paths, but traditionally a wide range of spells, they'll get a class feature to access spells across paths.
Themes: Add color to your background and upbringing. For example, the "Chevalier" theme adds mounted combat abilities.
No feats: If I think a build needs a certain feat, it should be baked into the race, path or theme instead.
Powers
Powers come in 2 types: Passive and active. A passive power is simply a bonus that is always there and needs to action to use, say fire resistance. Passive powers are basically class features.
Active powers have an entry how often you can use it, or rather when you regain it (beginning of each round, after short rest, after extended rest).
Note that for martial encounter powers, you can try them as often as you like, you just get a -2 attack penalty for each previous attempt. The opponent has seen the maneuver, so it's easier to avoid, and you become fatigued.
Level Progression
At first level, choose race, class, 2 paths, and theme, and get the basic packages for them.
After that, you gain a power from your primary path every even level, and from your secondary path every odd level.
Each path is different - some have a lot of choice, some gain mostly fixed powers. Some will have a lot of passive powers and at-will maneuvers, such as with the fighter. Wizard paths will mainly be daily spells, which are prepared in the spell book.
Example
You want a dwarven fighter, who is a frontline grunt, but has a head for tactics. So you select Guardian as primary path and Tactician as secondary. Since you want a classic dwarf, you take the "stout mountain dwarf" theme.
At first level, you'd get dwarven racial abilities, like a Con bonus. You'll get place proficiency, weapon proficiencies and your hp from Fighter. Guardian would give you something like the 4E Fighter's Combat Challenge, and an attack power. Tactician gives you an attack that distracts an enemy's defenses (and gives allies a bonus to attack him) and a 1/fight power "Get up yer feet" that gives an ally a big bag of temp hp. The "stout dwarf" theme gives you bonus hit points and poison resistance.
At second level, you'd select a power from the Guardian list.
At third level, you'd get one from Tactician.
At fourth level, get a Guardian power.
... and so on.
There will be some additions to this, such as higher-level race or theme powers to swap in, Paragon Paths / Prestige classes etc.
Roles
Each path will have abilities that map to a certain role - Striker, Leader, Defender, Controller. However, since you get two paths, there is a lot of mix and matching. And each path will interpret its role in a different way.
Fighter
. Slayer - melee damage, mobility
. Tactician - ally buffs, movement, bonus attacks
. Guardian - defender mechanics, high defenses, shake of effects
Rogue
. Greycloak - stealth, sniping
. Trickster - fencing, trick attacks, mobility
Ranger
. Hunter - bow, wilderness skills
. Beast Master - animal companion, animal-themed abilities
Wizard
. Diviner - information is power
. Evoker - kill it with fire
. Enchanter - screwing with the enemy's mind
. Illusionist - create your own reality
. Abjurer - defensive spells
. Conjurer - summoning spells
. Transmuter - buffs, debuffs, some save-or-die
. Necromancer - raise dead, curse them, kill it with poison
Cleric
. Priest - healing, ally buff, defensive spells
. Inquisitor - debuffs, damage spells
(note that clerics will be in robes and wield holy symbols, to distinguish them from Paladins)
Paladin
. Hospitaller - defense, healing
. Crusader - smiting for damage and debuffs
Swordmage
. Duskblade - magic-infused attacks for nova damage
. Aegis Master - shield allies from damage
Druid
. Shapechanger - turn into melee monster
. Earth Priest - healing, terrain control
Barbarian
. Berserker - Rage for massive damage
. Warden - use nature powers to protect
Explanation
I'll say it up front, I'd base my personal 5th edition on 4th edition.
The reason is that I think 4th edition has the best-working core mechanics. Even if I would start from another edition, I'd still implement things like "BAB +1 per 2 levels across all classes" and "spells need to hit".
The main criticism I share is that 4th edition didn't care about integrating its core concepts into the game world. For example, there was no explanation why Fighters could only attempt a certain maneuver once per fight or per day. So for any rule, there has to be some in-game motivation, or it has to be changed.
Basics
At 1st level, each character chooses a race, a class, two paths, and a theme. There are no feats.
Race: What you are biologically, so to say. No half-races in PHB (later splat-book option). I'd probably keep late 4E ability score bonuses (+2 stat A, +2 stat B or C), although I'd playtest other options, including no bonus. Cultural race traits are mostly moved to themes.
Class: Classes consist of a base package (hp, weapon and armor proficiencies, wizard spellbook and similar abilities) and paths.
Path: Similar to late 4E subclasses. Your path choices decide what you get each level in powers and class features. For example, the Slayer path of the fighter gets things that make him tougher and better at slaying monsters, while the Tactician gets powers that buff his allies and make them fight better.
Two paths?: You choose a secondary path. This can be from your class, which gives you a broader training, or from a different class, which is a basic form of multi-classing.
Note that since Wizards have so many paths, but traditionally a wide range of spells, they'll get a class feature to access spells across paths.
Themes: Add color to your background and upbringing. For example, the "Chevalier" theme adds mounted combat abilities.
No feats: If I think a build needs a certain feat, it should be baked into the race, path or theme instead.
Powers
Powers come in 2 types: Passive and active. A passive power is simply a bonus that is always there and needs to action to use, say fire resistance. Passive powers are basically class features.
Active powers have an entry how often you can use it, or rather when you regain it (beginning of each round, after short rest, after extended rest).
Note that for martial encounter powers, you can try them as often as you like, you just get a -2 attack penalty for each previous attempt. The opponent has seen the maneuver, so it's easier to avoid, and you become fatigued.
Level Progression
At first level, choose race, class, 2 paths, and theme, and get the basic packages for them.
After that, you gain a power from your primary path every even level, and from your secondary path every odd level.
Each path is different - some have a lot of choice, some gain mostly fixed powers. Some will have a lot of passive powers and at-will maneuvers, such as with the fighter. Wizard paths will mainly be daily spells, which are prepared in the spell book.
Example
You want a dwarven fighter, who is a frontline grunt, but has a head for tactics. So you select Guardian as primary path and Tactician as secondary. Since you want a classic dwarf, you take the "stout mountain dwarf" theme.
At first level, you'd get dwarven racial abilities, like a Con bonus. You'll get place proficiency, weapon proficiencies and your hp from Fighter. Guardian would give you something like the 4E Fighter's Combat Challenge, and an attack power. Tactician gives you an attack that distracts an enemy's defenses (and gives allies a bonus to attack him) and a 1/fight power "Get up yer feet" that gives an ally a big bag of temp hp. The "stout dwarf" theme gives you bonus hit points and poison resistance.
At second level, you'd select a power from the Guardian list.
At third level, you'd get one from Tactician.
At fourth level, get a Guardian power.
... and so on.
There will be some additions to this, such as higher-level race or theme powers to swap in, Paragon Paths / Prestige classes etc.
Roles
Each path will have abilities that map to a certain role - Striker, Leader, Defender, Controller. However, since you get two paths, there is a lot of mix and matching. And each path will interpret its role in a different way.
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) I wonder how WotC will bring back the PF crowd, because even if 5E turns out to be exactly like PF, a lot of players will simply stay there because they like the Adventure Paths and the community. WotC will have to work hard if they want to compete on that field. They do have the D&D brand name, but I'm not sure how much of a draw that still is. Pathfinder seems to have some of the most vocal, brand-loyal players out there.
