2) Class Revamp
Rather than designing new classes for a project, I'd be writing up new versions of the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, and Wizard. Primarily to restructure their spellcasting and create differentiation between the classes. For example:
I immediately love this conceptually. Differentiated spellcasting is my favorite underused space in D&D, I would absolutely love all the classes to be working with different resource systems and different mechanical undercarriages.
2a) Wizards would gain a specific number of 'Utility Spell' slots and a separated out list of utility spells, rather than casting all of their spells out of the same bucket of spell slots. They'd also be the primary caster of utility spells in general. Things like Knock, Levitate, Find Object, and Simulacrum would use these separate slots. Further, these slots would be built to scale with your level, and recover on a short rest, giving Wizards more of a reason to go for the hour long break the Warlock is begging for.
I have mixed feelings on this, but I struggle with a spot for wizards in general. I've always thought it was a shame that metamagic become a sorcerer thing, because it has always felt more wizardly to me to tinker with spells as you cast them.
2b) Sorcerers would become Spell Point casters with a twist... Sorcery Points would be folded into their spell points so that you spend your spell points on metamagic feats. To offset the loss of Sorcery Points, however, you could spend hit dice during a short rest to recover SP in place of HP. Their spell list would be trimmed down a bit to have practically no utility spells, however. Instead, they'd gain class ability options which largely replace utility spellcasting with a sorcerous bent to them. Things like the ability to use your inherent magic to augment your persuasiveness or be captivating to allow allies to sneak past.
This feels like the direction A5E was already pushing the sorcerer, and I really like doubling down on it.
2c) Clerics and Druids would have baked-in healing powers rather than spending spell slots on healing. Again, this would be accompanied by a few class ability choices with class-specific flavor to offset some loss of utility spellcasting. Further, Revivify, Raise Dead, and Resurrection would become 1/long rest class abilities rather than spell slots. Though as you level, Revivify and Raise Dead would both have the benefit of becoming multi-target spells. So everyone get your dying out of the way, together, so no one has to pick who gets revived!
I like this quite a lot. A base 5e hack I quite like uses a Healer class that gains "devotions" equal to level+ability mod, and then lets you spend those for baseline amounts of bonus action healing, action healing, and then later in larger amounts for bigger healing spells like Revivify, Greater Restoration and so on, with a side of buff powers and subclass stuff. The basic model fits neatly for a general healing class.
I'd frankly love to see a spell-less druid (maybe ritual spells only?), which leans harder into the shapechanging aspect.
2d) Bards would likewise get baked-in healing powers to the class itself, and a drastic revamp of spell list with a ton of new spells that are musically, artistically, and illusion or enchantment inclined. Bards, like all classes, deserve their own spell list. But more than that they deserve one that better reflects their identity as artists and creatives who change the world around them through performance.
I really like the Pillars of Eternity take on bard through the Chanter. The idea of ramp casting, where you have to build up power by deploying smaller effects for a round or two, then end your song or poem in a big denouement effect works great for the performance aspect. I also loved that PoE made them the premier summoners, specifically reciting legends/stories and bringing elements of those through temporarily, though that's a pretty big class flavor drift.
