JeffB
Legend
Hmmm..fun question..don't know if this would make ;em rich but here's what I'd do.
1) New Core Hardcover 320 page rulebook. A "Basic" book if you will. 5 or 6 classes, about half the skills and feats. leave out the more detailed and confusing/complicated rules/concepts (item creation, monster races, advanced combat,etc).Takes you up to about 10th level. Enough spells. DM section going into the basics of DMing, adjudicating the more common rules, some Magic items, basic campaign/dungeon building. Monster section with about 100 monsters and a 20-32 page introductory adventure. Full color. Then produce a Players expansion, DM expansion, and MM that expands on the basic book. That way if you want added complexity and more character options or spells..you can add it...if the DM wants more magic items, and a toolkit of sorts, he can buy the DMG..If he wants tons more monsters, there is the MM with a "basic" stat-block corresponding to the "basic" rules, and added stats for those playing the more complex version with the other two "expansion" books
2) redesign D&D D20 to be less tactical in combat with little need for miniatures in the CORE rules. Provide a "combat" or "minis" (including mass combat/siege warfare) book with the added complexity for those who like it.
3) Redesign D&D so that it will handle variations in treasure/magic item frequency and quickness of level advancement. A "low" medium" and "high" "setting" so that each DM can tailor to the type campaign they want to run, instead of having to deal with players who are underpowered or overpowered for EL/CRs if they change the default level currently provided.
4) Keep Greyhawk core, but give it a product worth of it's history. Full color hardcover ala the FRCS.
5) Keep the Realms and Eberron. Release 2 or 3 regional expansion books per year for each that include a good balance of "fluff" and "crunch" for those who want it.
6) Modules. 48-96 pages. All should be core (GH) with decent section on using with FR an Eberron (kind of like the way Bastion of Faith for 2E was done). 4-6 per year with sections for scaling the adventure like Dungeon so it's useable by more DMs
6A)Hire people who can actually write good modules/adventures.
7) a Yearly or semi-annual "Classic Product" line. A big boxed set or color hardcover with an entire adventure series (not the super-modules of the mid 80's, those usually were poor compared to earlier separate modules). So do a TOEE. A "Slavers", a "GDQ", A "S" series, a C series, B1-4, etc. Don't have to connect every mod in the series, just update them to new stats, clean them up, and sell 'em. Again include notes for using them in FR or Eberron. Include things like the 2E "Tomes" series ..Rod of Seven Parts, Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, etc.
8) A yearly big hardcover D&D "rules annual" with new crunch..prclasses, core classes, feats, spells, etc. Mix it up..no themes..just tons of stuff useable by most folks.
9) Better DM tools. GOOD DM screen. Adventure Logs, Rogues Gallery ("personalities" not just stats..plenty of plot/adventure seeds), electronic products for those who want/use them.
10) D&DG that is not a a "God Monster Manual" Include a ton of GH gods, other mythos, as well as ALL the demi-human and monster dieties. Detail the religions and included tons of plot hooks involving the deity and it's worshippers..
11) 3E MOtP is about perfect as is..perhaps expand it to address the Realms and Eberron.
12) 2 or 3 "Monster" books per year. Specific monsters books though like the Draconomicon & the Book of Bad Latin. Lycanthropes, Goblinoids, Orcs/Ogres/Trolls/Giants, UnderDark races (i.e. Drow, Mind flayers, svirneblin, etc). again with notes on using them specifcally for FR & Eberron.
13) Polyhedron Mini-game "collections"..2 or 3 minigames per book, 2 books per year.
1) New Core Hardcover 320 page rulebook. A "Basic" book if you will. 5 or 6 classes, about half the skills and feats. leave out the more detailed and confusing/complicated rules/concepts (item creation, monster races, advanced combat,etc).Takes you up to about 10th level. Enough spells. DM section going into the basics of DMing, adjudicating the more common rules, some Magic items, basic campaign/dungeon building. Monster section with about 100 monsters and a 20-32 page introductory adventure. Full color. Then produce a Players expansion, DM expansion, and MM that expands on the basic book. That way if you want added complexity and more character options or spells..you can add it...if the DM wants more magic items, and a toolkit of sorts, he can buy the DMG..If he wants tons more monsters, there is the MM with a "basic" stat-block corresponding to the "basic" rules, and added stats for those playing the more complex version with the other two "expansion" books
2) redesign D&D D20 to be less tactical in combat with little need for miniatures in the CORE rules. Provide a "combat" or "minis" (including mass combat/siege warfare) book with the added complexity for those who like it.
3) Redesign D&D so that it will handle variations in treasure/magic item frequency and quickness of level advancement. A "low" medium" and "high" "setting" so that each DM can tailor to the type campaign they want to run, instead of having to deal with players who are underpowered or overpowered for EL/CRs if they change the default level currently provided.
4) Keep Greyhawk core, but give it a product worth of it's history. Full color hardcover ala the FRCS.
5) Keep the Realms and Eberron. Release 2 or 3 regional expansion books per year for each that include a good balance of "fluff" and "crunch" for those who want it.
6) Modules. 48-96 pages. All should be core (GH) with decent section on using with FR an Eberron (kind of like the way Bastion of Faith for 2E was done). 4-6 per year with sections for scaling the adventure like Dungeon so it's useable by more DMs
6A)Hire people who can actually write good modules/adventures.
7) a Yearly or semi-annual "Classic Product" line. A big boxed set or color hardcover with an entire adventure series (not the super-modules of the mid 80's, those usually were poor compared to earlier separate modules). So do a TOEE. A "Slavers", a "GDQ", A "S" series, a C series, B1-4, etc. Don't have to connect every mod in the series, just update them to new stats, clean them up, and sell 'em. Again include notes for using them in FR or Eberron. Include things like the 2E "Tomes" series ..Rod of Seven Parts, Axe of the Dwarvish Lords, etc.
8) A yearly big hardcover D&D "rules annual" with new crunch..prclasses, core classes, feats, spells, etc. Mix it up..no themes..just tons of stuff useable by most folks.
9) Better DM tools. GOOD DM screen. Adventure Logs, Rogues Gallery ("personalities" not just stats..plenty of plot/adventure seeds), electronic products for those who want/use them.
10) D&DG that is not a a "God Monster Manual" Include a ton of GH gods, other mythos, as well as ALL the demi-human and monster dieties. Detail the religions and included tons of plot hooks involving the deity and it's worshippers..
11) 3E MOtP is about perfect as is..perhaps expand it to address the Realms and Eberron.
12) 2 or 3 "Monster" books per year. Specific monsters books though like the Draconomicon & the Book of Bad Latin. Lycanthropes, Goblinoids, Orcs/Ogres/Trolls/Giants, UnderDark races (i.e. Drow, Mind flayers, svirneblin, etc). again with notes on using them specifcally for FR & Eberron.
13) Polyhedron Mini-game "collections"..2 or 3 minigames per book, 2 books per year.
