D&D General Going back to Basic(s). A thought experiment.

[Steampunkette]

Shenron's got the right of it.

Class and Race options being limited don't "Streamline" the game. They just limit the number of options at level 1.

To streamline the game you need three main things:

1) Less dice rolling.
2) Shorter turns.
3) Simple concepts.

This is more "How would you reduce the bloat of D&D 5e" but for some reason doesn't -touch- on the progression bloat that is spells and magic items which increase the bloat of the game dramatically as you gain access to ever more fiddly versions of everything.

 

[Clint_L]

For races, just remove all mechanics and let players choose whatever creature they want for cosmetic reasons.

Great idea!

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

It was just the first pic to pop up on google but yes you are right.

5E is so wrapped up in subclasses (and designed for them) I thought it better to give the "one class" a bit of that flavor.

Just bake in the one subclass, done. Frame it as “the” class and not a subclass and your all good.

 

[Malmuria]

What I'd want from a Basic 5e is a ruleset that matches the tone, level of complexity, and layout efficiency of the Young Adventurer Guides. The 5e basic rules pdf is still to complex and ornate for this.
To answer the question
Classes: Fighter Thief Wizard Cleric
Races or Backgrounds: whatever you can imagine that fits the world you are playing in, with the caveat that each is limited to one special ability that should be able to be expressed in a single sentence.

 

[Minigiant]

Fewer races and classes doesn't make the game simpler.
Simpler mechanics does.

As long as 2 of the 5 classes are full casters, your game is not simple enough for beginners.

That being said

Races:
Human
Elf
Dwarf
Dragonborn
Shifter

Classes:
Fighter (Champ Master)
Cleric (Sun)
Paladin (Devotion)
Rogue (Thief)
Wizard (War Mage)

Feats:
Magic Initiate
Martial Adept
Power Attack
Plane Touched
Skill Expert

 

[Vaalingrade]

If the Fighter is going to be the Champion, there's no reason to include it.

 

[Remathilis]

I'd probably make something like this.

I basically came to say this.

 

[MichaelSomething]

How many spells should be included??

 

[payn]

How many spells should be included??

Just one. Summon instrument.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I know that the traditional fourth one would be halfling, but ... eh. This is supposed to be basic.

If a halfling isn't basic*, I don't know what is

*since I have to explain that I mean basic in the sense of "not very cool, interested in super mainstream stuff etc etc", clearly this joke isn't funny