D&D 5E (2024) How I would do 6E.

[Bae'zel]

Oh also I'd want to get rid of x/day and instead tie things directly to Proficiency and/or "points" (eg, mana, rage etc...).

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don’t want them to start by redesigning the mechanics; I want them to start by examining, consolidating, and revising tropes. Have the game engine and rules transmit a coherent picture of what the game is supposed to be like. Then make the mechanics flexible enough for 3rd parties and homebrewers to tweak as needed.

The game needs to decide what it is and pick a lane. It is a tactical game? A strategy game? A game of character creation and trying out concepts? A game focused on dramatic moments and thespianism?

Once that path is decided, start examine the key concepts and shaping them to support that path. If the game is tactical, you build mechanics into the class system to support that. If it’s more dramatic or character building focused, lean harder into the conceptual imagery of the classes through abilities that demonstrate their core competencies.

Then fill your books with sidebars explaining why you made the decisions you made, and how the players could change them.

But does it need to pick a lane? You might like that on an aesthetic level? But maybe D&D is successful because it never picked a lane and gives everyone something. It might not be anywhere as good at that something than a game dedicated to it, but it means it appeals to more people and it's easier to build a group, everyone has to compromise a little, but you'll find someone to enjoy it.

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However 6E looks like, I would try to make sure that there is also a complex fighter/martial option and a simple spellcaster/arcane option in addition to the reverse. (4E was my preference in terms of games, but there, every class was complexer than the D&D 5 martials, but arguably also less complex than, say 3E casters.)

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I have some concerns with 5e's bounced accuracy that I would like to see addressed in a hypothetical 6e: the very flat nature often feels like the difference between an untrained and trained individual is too small, at least at the levels most play occurs.

Attacks rolls and Saves (if they are kept around at all and aren't all turned into defenses) use 1d20, skill checks roll 2d10 (or 3d6). This will make the smaller modifiers matter more, because you're more likely to roll "middling" results and will have less situations were the bad character just happens to roll vastly better than the strong character.

I agree that having ability scores that only matter for the modifier makes little sense and woul want to get rid of having two values for ability scores. But I expect people to riot if the 3-18 scores were gone, but I think they'd also riot if 6E used some 3d6 roll-under system on ability scores (I would probably be in the latter riot)

 

[Tigris]

Don't know about the ideas being not good - tons of people play Pathfinder 2e, Nimble and/or other games with mana points. Now, they might not be your taste, which is fine.

Millions of People play D&D so why copy a game which copies D&D which only has 10% of its userbase?

If the amount of players is an argument, then there should be even less reason to copy the D&D copy PF2.

And if we have free movement, and simplify the 3 action economy, then we just have the 1 action economy D&D 5E has. (+bonus action, which is pretty much the same as "flurry" in PF2 a way to give a limited additional action). Sure the bonus action could be simplified or clarified.

If anything D&D should take inspiration from games not copying D&D. Computer games, boardgames, wargames, cardgames or also some narrative RPGs maybe, so new influences come into the traditional RPGs.

However 6E looks like, I would try to make sure that there is also a complex fighter/martial option and a simple spellcaster/arcane option in addition to the reverse. (4E was my preference in terms of games, but there, every class was complexer than the D&D 5 martials, but arguably also less complex than, say 3E casters.)

Well with all the feats yes, but the simplified Essential classes like the Slayer, but also the Elementalist Sorcerer are quite simple. And having also a simplified caster like the Elementalist for me was a big plust.

 

[Horwath]

Oh also I'd want to get rid of x/day and instead tie things directly to Proficiency and/or "points" (eg, mana, rage etc...).

prof bonus is good for general feats, but X/day is better for class feats as it checks in dipping in multiclassing

jut keep everything away from ability mod per day calculation.
that idea of 5E2024 needs to burn in hell ASAP

 

[Tigris]

prof bonus is good for general feats, but X/day is better for class feats as it checks in dipping in multiclassing

jut keep everything away from ability mod per day calculation.
that idea of 5E2024 needs to burn in hell ASAP

This assumes that 6E has

Proficiency bonus
multi classing dipping

Both a thing which is not 100% necessarily in the first place.


Thats exactly what I mean, we should feel less inclided to make a copy of what is there, there is a lot more possible.

 

[Horwath]

This assumes that 6E has

Proficiency bonus
multi classing dipping

Both a thing which is not 100% necessarily in the first place.


Thats exactly what I mean, we should feel less inclided to make a copy of what is there, there is a lot more possible.

only way to make dnd without multiclassing is to make classless system, which essentially 4E was.

and you need some numbers to describe that you have gotten better with levels
in weapon attacks it means better attack roll, better damage roll, more attacks, more attack riders.
preferably all 4 of those.

 

[Tigris]

only way to make dnd without multiclassing is to make classless system, which essentially 4E was.

and you need some numbers to describe that you have gotten better with levels
in weapon attacks it means better attack roll, better damage roll, more attacks, more attack riders.
preferably all 4 of those.

4E was not classless at all. The opposite. Classes where really strong, stronger than in 5E

Each class had their own spell list
Each class had their own feats


Also damage roll in 5E does not even profit from proficiency. If you just have stat increments, you dont need proficiency at all, if we just use stat modifier and 2 stat modifier go up every 4 levels, we have the same effect as proficiency.

 

[Horwath]

4E was not classless at all. The opposite. Classes where really strong, stronger than in 5E

Each class had their own spell list
Each class had their own feats

class powers were so much alike in power level that you could intechange them at will.
you could have done it also by rules but it cost you a feat. and you could just hand wave that feat requirement.

oh, your fighter got to 5th level?
will you take fighter attack daily 5 or fireball?
who cares, take cure wounds from cleric 5, like it's going to matter anyway.

only thing you needed to watch does it interact with your class ability at 1st level.
and you could gain that also with a multiclass feat.

 

[MoonSong]

class powers were so much alike in power level that you could intechange them at will.
you could have done it also by rules but it cost you a feat. and you could just hand wave that feat requirement.

oh, your fighter got to 5th level?
will you take fighter attack daily 5 or fireball?
who cares, take cure wounds from cleric 5, like it's going to matter anyway.

only thing you needed to watch does it interact with your class ability at 1st level.
and you could gain that also with a multiclass feat.

I loved paragon Half-elves and their ability to spam an at-will from another class (normally twin strike I think?)