D&D General It's 2034, and the new PHB is in your hands.
- Thread starter TwoSix
- Start date
Sacrosanct
Legend
You jest, but this is a closer reality than I'm comfortable with...
1 official skill check per skill isn't much.
2024 5e is almost there.
In 10 years, we'll be at 6e.
Vael
Legend
You and me both, there's a real gallows humour to that one
Audiomancer
Adventurer
[
“Well, HEY now… Wuddabout dat SECOND breakfast, don’chaknow?!”
— my first 2034 Halfling PC, probably
“Well, HEY now… Wuddabout dat SECOND breakfast, don’chaknow?!”
— my first 2034 Halfling PC, probably
EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
Lovely. Just lovely. What a wonderful sentiment--regardless of whether it is a joke.
GMMichael
Guide of Modos
Tell me about it.
Yah, shoo-er. Paap comes in pints. But we take beer to the lake, not paap, and doont go throwin' no rocks in. You might wake the jaackelope, an' he scares the walleye. Might as well throw yourself in . . .
AnotherGuy
Hero
Dwellings and Discussions
The inevitable playtest just prior the release of a new edition revealed the then player base took issue with using the negative ladened word dungeon while the celebratory slaughter of intelligent life, i.e. dragons, evoked a visceral response from players who had traded in their (a) toxic weapons for wicked wit and fabulous retorts, (b) their traditional armour for the new antagonising aloofness feature and (c) their oppressive shields for the much snapped walk-away and hysterical scream feats.
Exhaustion, for long seen as discriminating against players that suffered from sleep deprivation was surprisingly replaced by Trauma. Coinage and Treasure were completely gutted, being deemed classist, while the Mother-May-I style, heavily criticised for being sexist, was simply renamed May.
As aforementioned, the word dungeon being highly disagreeable was removed from the DMG, with master sharing a similar fate. The game removed the word DM from its lexicon entirely, trusting in the process of sharing-the-narrative. All players became participants and monsters became challenges thus the three books became Participant's Guide, Participants' Handbook and Challenges Manual.
Importantly attacks were, based on the results of a focus group, changed to reads.
The infamous Fireball spell was replaced with Splash which imitated the effects of an area affected by an ice-bucket challenge while Experience was further defined as Lived Experience to better differentiate between experience earned when the character is an undead.
Many other expected changes were made, but the one considered the most controversial by some and the most welcome by others was the use of no dice, instead participants were asked to feel their results as they read their challenges. The fear of this being abused by powergamers was quickly alleviated, by allowing the table to outfeel the feeler. In a remarkable stroke of fortune, this rule also assisted against the current rise in cheating and limiting the fudging epidemic afflicting previously entitled DMs.
The good news is WotC assured the participant-base the new edition would be backwards compatible.
The inevitable playtest just prior the release of a new edition revealed the then player base took issue with using the negative ladened word dungeon while the celebratory slaughter of intelligent life, i.e. dragons, evoked a visceral response from players who had traded in their (a) toxic weapons for wicked wit and fabulous retorts, (b) their traditional armour for the new antagonising aloofness feature and (c) their oppressive shields for the much snapped walk-away and hysterical scream feats.
Exhaustion, for long seen as discriminating against players that suffered from sleep deprivation was surprisingly replaced by Trauma. Coinage and Treasure were completely gutted, being deemed classist, while the Mother-May-I style, heavily criticised for being sexist, was simply renamed May.
As aforementioned, the word dungeon being highly disagreeable was removed from the DMG, with master sharing a similar fate. The game removed the word DM from its lexicon entirely, trusting in the process of sharing-the-narrative. All players became participants and monsters became challenges thus the three books became Participant's Guide, Participants' Handbook and Challenges Manual.
Importantly attacks were, based on the results of a focus group, changed to reads.
The infamous Fireball spell was replaced with Splash which imitated the effects of an area affected by an ice-bucket challenge while Experience was further defined as Lived Experience to better differentiate between experience earned when the character is an undead.
Many other expected changes were made, but the one considered the most controversial by some and the most welcome by others was the use of no dice, instead participants were asked to feel their results as they read their challenges. The fear of this being abused by powergamers was quickly alleviated, by allowing the table to outfeel the feeler. In a remarkable stroke of fortune, this rule also assisted against the current rise in cheating and limiting the fudging epidemic afflicting previously entitled DMs.
The good news is WotC assured the participant-base the new edition would be backwards compatible.
Last edited:
M_Natas
Hero
My vision for D&D 6th Edition: Simulationist Mechanics and Enhanced Customization
With strategic trades using leveraged options to short Hasbro’s stock, I project that by 2030, I could achieve billionaire status and acquire Wizards of the Coast from Hasbro. As a billionaire, I wouldn’t need revenue from this investment, so my priority would be on making D&D accessible and driven by community creativity. All content would be released under Creative Commons, and I’d eliminate D&D Beyond, instead providing every book as a PDF and developing advanced computer tools that function offline for character creation, inventory management, and campaign planning.
Goals for the 2034 Edition:
1. Emphasis on Simulationist Mechanics: The new edition would prioritize realism in a fantasy setting, with detailed systems for tracking encumbrance, exhaustion, inventory, and other survival elements. Characters would need to manage food and water, with rules governing a functional fantasy economy, prices, and the value of goods and services. These mechanics would ground the gameplay, creating a richer, more immersive world.
2. Offline Tools and Resources: By eliminating the need for D&D Beyond, every book would be available as a DRM-free PDF. Players would have access to powerful, offline-compatible tools for PC creation, inventory, and campaign management, letting them enjoy the game even without internet access.
Character Creation Framework
In the new edition, character creation would include detailed, modular options to enrich backstory and personal history. Here’s how it would work:
Bios (Species): This section includes only biologically relevant traits—creature type, size, age range, weight range, and speed, plus one major and two minor traits. For example, a player might choose a major trait that defines a core ability (e.g., darkvision) and two minor traits for flavor or specialized advantages. Mixed heritages would allow players to pick a major trait from one species and minor traits from another.
Culture/Social Background: After defining species, players would then build out the character’s social background, broken into four categories:
Upbringing/Social Background: The type of society they grew up in—Mountain Dweller, Harbor Town Resident, Village Kid, etc.—influencing specific skills and traits they gain.
Vocation: What the character did as a trade or occupation before adventuring, granting additional skills and traits.
Hobby/Personal Interest: A minor, flavor-driven trait that adds depth but isn’t necessarily mechanically powerful.
Adventure Spark: The reason or event that inspired the character to take up adventuring, providing a trait tied to their motivation and enhancing roleplay.
Languages: Every character would start with Common and at least one additional language based on their upbringing or home region (adjusted for setting).
After these choices, players would select a class. This new process encourages characters with layered backgrounds and histories, making each PC more than just a class-and-race combination.
Class Overhauls
The new class structure would add depth and variation, particularly for spellcasters, encouraging more specialization:
Wizards: Wizard subclasses would be restructured around proficiency and expertise in specific schools of magic. Instead of eight subclasses tied to each school, the wizard class would feature two main options:
Specialist: A Specialist wizard gains expertise in one school of magic (such as Evocation or Conjuration), enabling them to cast the highest-level spells in that school. This makes, for example, a conjurer truly focused on conjuration spells.
Generalist: A Generalist wizard would have proficiencies across several schools but lack the highest-level spells, offering versatility rather than deep specialization.
This structure grounds the wizard’s identity in their mastery (or versatility) across schools, differentiating, for example, a master conjurer from a broadly skilled but less specialized generalist wizard. Some former subclass features could become spells instead. For a complete write-up on this reimagined wizard class, check out The Specialist Wizard: The Wizard 2.0: D&D General - The Specialist Wizard - the Wizard 2.0
Warlocks: Patrons would no longer be the rule for Warlocks, who would instead draw their magic from a variety of sources. Warlocks would become highly versatile spellcasters, defined by “Magical Secrets” that replace invocations and allow players to build power through three main paths:
Learned Magic: Learning spells from unconventional sources like hedge witches or the black market, giving the Warlock a spellbook-free alternative to wizardry.
Pact Magic: Making deals for specific powers, without requiring an exclusive relationship with one patron. This reflects the Warlock’s flexible and opportunistic nature.
Mutation: Using potions, artifacts, and experimental magic to transform their own bodies, gaining unique abilities through magical mutations.
These three paths allow players to create anything from a traditional “pact Warlock” to a mutation-based spellcaster akin to a sorcerer. Magical Secrets would form feat chains, granting progressively more powerful abilities, embodying a character who pursues magic through any means necessary.
Magesmith and Other Classes: While additional classes are in development, a new Magesmith class would focus on crafting and imbuing items with magic. Other ideas are still being refined but will emphasize unique class features to differentiate each playstyle.
Additional Rule Changes
Crafting System Overhaul: Improved crafting rules would let players create magical items, potions, and equipment with a robust system that rewards resourcefulness and creativity.
Revised Resting Mechanics: Instead of restoring all HP and spell slots after a long rest, characters would regain resources based on resting conditions. In the wilderness, only 10-30% of resources might return overnight, while resting in a safe, comfortable location could restore significantly more. This change encourages careful resource management and planning. (Found here: Gradual Gritty Realism Resting rules (English and German / Deutsch und Englisch) - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild )
Mana Potions: To support spellcasters, mana potions would become an option for replenishing spell slots, giving players more tactical choices during adventures.
With these changes, I envision a 6th Edition created by the best team money can buy, focusing on meaningful depth and player agency, turning D&D’s 2034 release into a true masterpiece.
With strategic trades using leveraged options to short Hasbro’s stock, I project that by 2030, I could achieve billionaire status and acquire Wizards of the Coast from Hasbro. As a billionaire, I wouldn’t need revenue from this investment, so my priority would be on making D&D accessible and driven by community creativity. All content would be released under Creative Commons, and I’d eliminate D&D Beyond, instead providing every book as a PDF and developing advanced computer tools that function offline for character creation, inventory management, and campaign planning.
Goals for the 2034 Edition:
1. Emphasis on Simulationist Mechanics: The new edition would prioritize realism in a fantasy setting, with detailed systems for tracking encumbrance, exhaustion, inventory, and other survival elements. Characters would need to manage food and water, with rules governing a functional fantasy economy, prices, and the value of goods and services. These mechanics would ground the gameplay, creating a richer, more immersive world.
2. Offline Tools and Resources: By eliminating the need for D&D Beyond, every book would be available as a DRM-free PDF. Players would have access to powerful, offline-compatible tools for PC creation, inventory, and campaign management, letting them enjoy the game even without internet access.
Character Creation Framework
In the new edition, character creation would include detailed, modular options to enrich backstory and personal history. Here’s how it would work:
Bios (Species): This section includes only biologically relevant traits—creature type, size, age range, weight range, and speed, plus one major and two minor traits. For example, a player might choose a major trait that defines a core ability (e.g., darkvision) and two minor traits for flavor or specialized advantages. Mixed heritages would allow players to pick a major trait from one species and minor traits from another.
Culture/Social Background: After defining species, players would then build out the character’s social background, broken into four categories:
Upbringing/Social Background: The type of society they grew up in—Mountain Dweller, Harbor Town Resident, Village Kid, etc.—influencing specific skills and traits they gain.
Vocation: What the character did as a trade or occupation before adventuring, granting additional skills and traits.
Hobby/Personal Interest: A minor, flavor-driven trait that adds depth but isn’t necessarily mechanically powerful.
Adventure Spark: The reason or event that inspired the character to take up adventuring, providing a trait tied to their motivation and enhancing roleplay.
Languages: Every character would start with Common and at least one additional language based on their upbringing or home region (adjusted for setting).
After these choices, players would select a class. This new process encourages characters with layered backgrounds and histories, making each PC more than just a class-and-race combination.
Class Overhauls
The new class structure would add depth and variation, particularly for spellcasters, encouraging more specialization:
Wizards: Wizard subclasses would be restructured around proficiency and expertise in specific schools of magic. Instead of eight subclasses tied to each school, the wizard class would feature two main options:
Specialist: A Specialist wizard gains expertise in one school of magic (such as Evocation or Conjuration), enabling them to cast the highest-level spells in that school. This makes, for example, a conjurer truly focused on conjuration spells.
Generalist: A Generalist wizard would have proficiencies across several schools but lack the highest-level spells, offering versatility rather than deep specialization.
This structure grounds the wizard’s identity in their mastery (or versatility) across schools, differentiating, for example, a master conjurer from a broadly skilled but less specialized generalist wizard. Some former subclass features could become spells instead. For a complete write-up on this reimagined wizard class, check out The Specialist Wizard: The Wizard 2.0: D&D General - The Specialist Wizard - the Wizard 2.0
Warlocks: Patrons would no longer be the rule for Warlocks, who would instead draw their magic from a variety of sources. Warlocks would become highly versatile spellcasters, defined by “Magical Secrets” that replace invocations and allow players to build power through three main paths:
Learned Magic: Learning spells from unconventional sources like hedge witches or the black market, giving the Warlock a spellbook-free alternative to wizardry.
Pact Magic: Making deals for specific powers, without requiring an exclusive relationship with one patron. This reflects the Warlock’s flexible and opportunistic nature.
Mutation: Using potions, artifacts, and experimental magic to transform their own bodies, gaining unique abilities through magical mutations.
These three paths allow players to create anything from a traditional “pact Warlock” to a mutation-based spellcaster akin to a sorcerer. Magical Secrets would form feat chains, granting progressively more powerful abilities, embodying a character who pursues magic through any means necessary.
Magesmith and Other Classes: While additional classes are in development, a new Magesmith class would focus on crafting and imbuing items with magic. Other ideas are still being refined but will emphasize unique class features to differentiate each playstyle.
Additional Rule Changes
Crafting System Overhaul: Improved crafting rules would let players create magical items, potions, and equipment with a robust system that rewards resourcefulness and creativity.
Revised Resting Mechanics: Instead of restoring all HP and spell slots after a long rest, characters would regain resources based on resting conditions. In the wilderness, only 10-30% of resources might return overnight, while resting in a safe, comfortable location could restore significantly more. This change encourages careful resource management and planning. (Found here: Gradual Gritty Realism Resting rules (English and German / Deutsch und Englisch) - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild )
Mana Potions: To support spellcasters, mana potions would become an option for replenishing spell slots, giving players more tactical choices during adventures.
With these changes, I envision a 6th Edition created by the best team money can buy, focusing on meaningful depth and player agency, turning D&D’s 2034 release into a true masterpiece.
