Level Up (A5E) A5e is Backwards Compatible with O5e. What if it wasn’t?

[xiphumor]

Is there anything about the game that you would have changed had their been no requirement to be backwards compatible? I’m curious because such conversations usually help reveal where there are other opportunities for development and creative solutions.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

The chunky, one dimensional Cleric domains. I'd have liked to have seen lighter, mini-domains that could be mixed and matched and maybe allow for picking up another one or two at higher levels. Something that makes Clerics of different ethoses more distinct.

 

[Pedantic]

I'd have pushed for a more consistent archetype structure, to make it easier to pack similar power levels into them across classes. That would probably require more major class surgery as well.

 

[W'rkncacnter]

i'm saying it for 5.5, i'm gonna say it here too: separating ASIs and feats. also, making ASIs (and feats) based on character and not class level (bonus ASIs/feats for certain classes would've been fine though).

 

[niklinna]

The chunky, one dimensional Cleric domains. I'd have liked to have seen lighter, mini-domains that could be mixed and matched and maybe allow for picking up another one or two at higher levels. Something that makes Clerics of different ethoses more distinct.

Multisubclassing!

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Multisubclassing!

i mean hey, at that point why not just like...replace subclasses with class feats or something?

 

[Morrus]

I'd have pushed for a more consistent archetype structure, to make it easier to pack similar power levels into them across classes. That would probably require more major class surgery as well.

I'd have done that, too. We even considered it, but it would have made O5E archetypes unusable. That would have had other benefits too, like making multiclass archetypes easy to implement.

 

[tetrasodium]

I would have liked to see baked in magic item churn assumed by monster & spell math supported with some more room beyond attune yes/no to hang them from.

 

[Corinnguard]

The chunky, one dimensional Cleric domains. I'd have liked to have seen lighter, mini-domains that could be mixed and matched and maybe allow for picking up another one or two at higher levels. Something that makes Clerics of different ethoses more distinct.

You mean something like Pathfinder 1st edition's subdomains?

 

[noodohs]

I've got mixed feelings about it. I think they definitely did the best they could within the constraints, but there are a handful of things that feel kinda clunky as a result of maintaining compatibility. On the other hand, that compatibility is kind of the point and without it, well it would just be PF2e. For example, "At that point why not just like...replace subclasses with class feats or something?" PF2e does just that.